Prison of Smoke (PRISON OF TIDES SEQUEL)

Knife

Cherry’s  Point of View

At the bar, I eyed the guitarist who was playing in the live band, appreciating the way the guitar rested against his tall form. With his creamy skin and hooded eyes, his black hair cast shadows on his face, setting off his high cheekbones.

After they finished playing their set, I was knee deep in tequila shots. It wasn’t the night for martinis, and now, even the thought of whiskey made me want to break things. I was surprised when the guitarist sat down beside me, ordering the same as what I was having.

“What brings you here tonight, gorgeous? You don’t look like you belong in a hole like this,” He said, gesturing to the run down bar I’d come to in order to get away from prying eyes.

Drunk, I laughed, letting my hair fall over a shoulder. I wanted to forget. I needed to forget. Jacob was gone, my ring was gone. I was separated, nearly single. “Rough day. What about you? Your band is actually pretty good. I expected the music to be awful.” I crinkled my nose, laughing when he grinned.

“Tell me about it,” He said with a chuckle. “Our drummer knows the owner. This is actually our big debut, but it seems like we’re a hit. Next time, I hope we can enjoy a better venue.”

“I’d be willing to bet money that you’ll be somewhere great in no time.” It was a genuine compliment; the music had always sucked there. It was a pleasant change of pace. “So, are you going to officially introduce yourself, or just sit here all night?”

With a grin, he held out his hand. “Landon. Landon Micheal. How about you?”

“Cherry. De Luc- I mean, Hudson,” I said, realizing the gravity of the changes that were about to hit me. “Sorry. Cherry Hudson.”

“You okay?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. My face must have betrayed my emotions.

“You know, not really, no. I just found out that my husband is divorcing me for another woman. It came totally out of the blue. I thought things were great between us, but clearly I was wrong.”

I didn’t realize I was crying until I noticed a tear fall into my freshly replenished tequila.

“Sorry, Landon. You’re here to have a good time, not listen to some random lady cry about her problems at a bar.” Wiping my eyes, I gave him a small smile. “And I came here to forget about all of that.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that, Cherry,”  He rested a hand on my shoulder. “I’m sure it’s not your fault. Some guys seem great, but you never know what it is that they’re hiding.”

Nodding, I couldn’t take it anymore. “I think, um, I should go downstairs and play darts alone. I’m sorry to waste your time. You seem like a sweetheart, Landon. I thought I was up to going out, but I was wrong. But I’ll tell you what,” I said, setting my tumbler down on the bar. “I can get you in at Roux.”

“Roux?” He said, eyebrows lifting. “That place is nearly impossible to get a gig at. You must have some pull.”

“Some,” I said. “Here, put your info in my phone while I go to the restroom.”

He nodded, and I took off, coming back after washing my face to see him smiling at the bar. A month or more from that moment, I could have seen myself taking him home. Something about him was gentle, trustworthy, but I knew I wasn’t in the place for it. Not even for a hookup.

Taking my phone back, I called him so that he’d have my info. “How about you text me tomorrow and remind me? I’m definitely wasted right now, and don’t want to forget.”

He nodded, and with that, I told him goodnight and headed to the basement, which was abandoned. A pool table, darts and arcade games surrounded me, and I picked up a dart, eyeing the center of the board and throwing. It hit the target but didn’t stick, clattering to the ground.

Just like my failed marriage.

Shaking my head of the thought, I tried again, this time hitting the target and sticking. I smiled to myself before I heard clamoring coming down the stairs. The hairs on the back of my neck stood, and I turned only to see a group of five men coming down.

Turning my attention back to the game, I threw another dart, pointedly ignoring the men. I didn’t turn to look at them again until I felt one of them brush against my arm, only to stay there. His breath hit my cheek and as I looked up towards him, I nearly jumped, recognizing him as someone who had paid Raymond to rape me.

“What… what are you…” I stepped away, my back hitting the wall as he closed in on me.

“Looks like we found the w***e, guys!” The men cheered, and I dashed around them, running towards the stairs. A hand clamped down around my mouth and I bit it, muffled screams escaping as my legs kicked at them.

The men threw me on the pool table, holding me in place as I tried to scramble away. The man who spoke pulled out a knife, and fear overtook me as I struggled to free myself. It was no use. One of the men stuffed a handkerchief in my mouth, and one man grabbed each of my limbs, making any attempt at escape or yelling for help useless.

The red headed man who held the knife leaned over me, trailing the sharp weapon up the inside of my thigh. “Do you know how much I paid to watch Raymond cut you up? I was so disappointed when I found out that you’d gotten that tattoo. But that’s just like a w***e to do, isn’t it, guys?”

The men cheered as the leader reached up and unzipped the side of my strapless dress, leaving me in only my undergarments. Picking the knife back up, he traced the outline of my bra, and I couldn’t stop tears from falling as he spread my legs, climbing onto the pool table and reaching for my underwear.

“Hey!” A loud voice rang out. “Just what the f**k do you think you guys are doing?”

Jacob’s Point of View

Valentia and had an interior design open house coming up, and as her new assistant, I was expected to be there. All of her models expertly portrayed live reenactments of scenarios that could take place on different pieces of furniture, different expertly designed rooms. They were all so quiet, with absent looks in their eyes, speaking so softly and only when they were spoken to.

I barely noticed. The only thing I could focus on was Valentia, and how magnetic her soft, dark eyes were. How our child was growing in her belly. There was something familiar about the feeling, but I couldn’t put my finger on what.

As guests started to filter in, I stayed by my fiance’s side, noting the glamorous silver ring on her finger. I wondered where she’d gotten it. But wait, hadn’t I gotten it for her? I thought, only for a searing pain to roar through my mind. Something wasn’t right. Something was so far from right.

“Excuse me, honey. I’m going to use the restroom.”

Valentia smiled as I made my way from the room, the world dizzy and spinning around me. In the bathroom, I locked the door, looking at my reflection in the mirror. Something was wrong there. My eyes were clouded, a thin trail of smoke swirling inside of them. I turned on the water. Water. Water seemed necessary. I splashed my face with it, but I needed more. .We were close to the beach. I lived by the beach. Or did I? I should go for a walk, she would be waiting for me there. The woman - the woman in black, with the red hair, she was always waiting for me there, with two children.

Our children.

Where the hell was I? 

Who the hell was this woman, Valentia? I needed to find out, and I needed to find out now. So much was still hazy, but she’d done something to me. Had she drugged me? It felt like she had. As I walked through the crowd, the women all had the same look in their eyes that I had - smoke twirling in the pupil, barely noticeable. Were they drugged? And why were the guests all men?

One of them had his hand on a short blonde woman’s shoulder. She couldn’t be any older than nineteen, and she stood beside him without moving. I tried not to show my shock when he handed a large sum of cash to Valentia and walked out with the woman.

Keeping my expression blank, I walked towards the kitchen, pouring myself a glass of water and chugging it. It wasn’t as good as the sea, but whatever she’d done to me had begun to fade, more quickly with the water. As I watched man after man buy girl after girl, I realized that I was in the belly of the beast. I’d been taken by traffickers.

Closing my eyes, I saw it. The smoke, Valentia telling Ma and Uncle Paulo to forget I had ever come. Me following her blindly after leaving my ring at Ma’s house. As the memories came crashing down, I held my head in my hands, sinking to the floor. Oh, gods. Telling Cherry I wanted a divorce. She had to know something was wrong. She had to know I loved her, would never leave her.

Oh gods. I’d told her I’d never loved her, that I wanted nothing to do with her or the kids. That I was starting a new family here, without her. The look on her face said it all - she believed me.

Scrambling in my pockets, I pulled out my phone, frowning when I realized it wasn’t my phone at all. It didn’t matter, I knew the number by heart.

Stepping out the back door, I video called Cherry, praying she answered.

To my elation, she did.

“Cherry! Cherry, listen, I am so sorry, something is going on here. Something I don’t understand. Valentia, she -”

I was cut off by the sounds of screaming, and the sight I saw shook me to my core.

“Looks like we found the w***e, guys!” Four men held her down, and one particularly large man hovered over her with a knife. They gagged her. My view was obstructed, phone inside of her bag.

I listened to Cherry’s muffled screams and whimpers, could practically feel her fear through the phone.

No, no, this couldn’t be happening. I was thousands of miles away, helplessly watching. Turning my head, I saw Valentia walking through the house, looking for me.

I did the only thing I could think to do.

I ran.

Cherry’s Point of View

Landon stood in the doorway, his tall form menacing. He held a gun in his hand, and I looked up at him, trying desperately to shut my legs but unable to. The men were still holding me down, forcing my body open. At least I still had my underwear on, but my exposed stomach and legs left me vulnerable. If there was anything I hated, it was vulnerability.

When Landon waved the gun, the men stepped away, and the redhead leaned away from me, rezipping his pants. I lifted a leg and kicked him square in the jewels, the heel of my combat boot knocking him off the table.

“Go f**k yourself, you bastard,” I choked through my tears after pulling out the handkerchief. Landon pulled out his phone and called the police while I stayed exactly where I was. I didn’t move. I couldn’t move. I was paralyzed, reliving my worst nightmares over and over again.

“Cherry?” A voice said, far away. I didn’t know who it was. All I knew was who I wanted.

“Jacob?” My voice cracked, remembering halfway through his name that he was gone. He didn’t want me anymore.

The tears came, and they wouldn’t stop. He’d always protected me. Always made sure I was safe. He wouldn’t have let me run off on my own with all of this going on. Instead, he left me on my own, left me for this to happen to.

I realized then that I was screaming, knocking everything over, throwing everything in sight. I didn’t bother putting on the dress. Jacob bought it for me. The police could have it for all I f*****g cared.

“You know what? Wherever you are, whatever b***h you’re with out there in Folochlay, I hope she’s worth letting this happen to your wife again over!” I yelled towards the ceiling. All I could feel were the hands that had just restrained me, and the lack of the hands that had once brought me so much comfort.

I was curled into a ball on the pool table then, and an arm came around me, an attempt at comfort. I was surprised to see it was Landon -  he hadn’t left. He’d stayed.

Looking up at him, seeing concern in his dark eyes, I let myself fall apart in this total stranger’s arms.

“How… how did they know, Landon?”

He frowned, his face turning serious. “Know what?”

“How did they know that I was here?”

“You know those guys?”

His frown deepened, and a million answered flashed through my mind, but before I could pick one, Bennett bust through the door.

“Cherry! Oh my gods, are you okay?”

I nodded, wiping the running eyeliner from under my eyes. “Yes. Landon scared them off.”

A lie. I was most definitely not okay, but there was no point in worrying the chief, who already had his hands full.

“Can you tell me what happened here?”

Landon interrupted. “Cherry, if you want me to stay, I will, but I understand that we just met. I can leave if you’d like.”

Nodding, I looked towards him. “Would  you mind just answering questions in another room, and maybe giving me a ride home?”

Bennett looked at me, an exacerbated expression on his face as soon as Landon left the room. “Alright, Cherry. You wanna tell me what the hell is going on?”

I looked at him, keeping my chin strong. I wasn’t going to have another breakdown. “I came out to forget about the divorce.” Seeing the look in his eyes, I raised a hand, not wanting to hear it. “I know. I couldn’t believe it either. But he’s marrying some girl overseas, and I don’t want to f*****g think about it. I came out to party and forget. I came down here to play darts and get some time to myself when five guys barged in.”

As I relayed what happened to Bennett, he put his face in his hand. “Gods, Cherry. How the hell did this even happen?”

“If I had to guess, it’s retaliation because we’re getting too close for their comfort.”

He nodded. “As much as I hate to admit that might be the case, I think you’re right. From what you’ve told me, it’s clear that they targeted you. But Cherry, I’ve gotta ask - what are you doing in a place like this? It’s not like you.”

I stared at him blankly for a minute. “Jacob left me today, Bennett.”

His eyes widened in disbelief. “Oh gods, Cherry. I’m so sorry. I can’t believe it.”

“Yeah,” I scoffed. “You’re telling me. So those guys, they got away?”

He nodded, scratching his brown beard. “But the good news is, there are cameras down here, so we got the whole thing on tape. With how much progress we’ve made in the investigation, it’s only a matter of time before we catch them.”

“Thank you, Bennett. I appreciate your help.” My voice was soft, and I felt like I was on the verge of breaking down.

A forensic technician came in, bagging the clothing before taking swabs of my body, trying to find any possible DNA left by the perpetrators. After she left, the chief brought me a pair of pajamas he’d happened to have in his car - he and his husband were in the process of moving, and he happened to have a box of clothes there. I had never been so grateful for flannel in my life.

I went back upstairs, where the bar had been cleared out except for Landon and a few lingering officers.

“Hey, Cherry. How are you feeling?”

I shook my head. “I’m fine. I’ve had worse. Can you take me home now, please?”

“Of course.  Where to?”

“The castle,” I said bluntly. I wasn’t in the mood to dally around the fact that I lived with royalty.

“Oh, that’s awesome! Do you work there or something?”

“I’m a priestess for the royal family,” I forced a small smile. It wasn’t exactly a lie; I just didn’t feel like going into the whole story.

“That sounds like quite the gig.”

I looked at him for a moment. He’d called me gorgeous, and he wasn’t exactly bad looking, either. It had been a bad f*****g night, but maybe things weren’t looking so grim.

“You know,” I said, reaching out and taking his hand, grateful. “You sure were a hero back there.”

Grinning sheepishly, he ran a head through his hair. “Maybe you’d let me take you out to dinner sometime as a thank you.”

Nodding, I smiled at him. “Call me sometime.”

Caspian’s Point of View

The kids were in bed, and I smiled as I shut the door on their sleeping forms. They’d passed out after staying up late to play, but I wasn’t complaining about their extended bedtime. All the better distraction for the twins about neither of their parents being around.

Back in the bedroom, I saw steam coming from the bathroom, and I grinned, knowing Jasmine was about to be fresh from the shower.

Sure enough, the water turned off, and after a minute, she emerged in just her emerald green robe. Not noticing me at first, she went to her side of the sink, putting on her facial moisturizer. WIth her hair tucked into a towel wrapped on the top of her head, she was so beautiful without even trying.

Coming up behind her, I wrapped my arms around her wait, bending down to kiss her neck.

“Jasmine,” I said, smelling her shampoo. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Caspian.” She smiled, turning around to kiss me as soon as she finished rubbing her cream in.

Once she finished, I took her into my arms, carrying her bridal style to the bed. “You get more and more beautiful each day,” I whispered between kisses, laying her down and climbing onto her.

“Oh, Capsian,” She sighed as I took my time untying her robe, kissing every stretch mark on  her stomach. A beautiful reminder of the amazing things she was capable of, I always admired them, just as I admired every piece of her.

I discarded the robe and untied the towel, letting her damp hair splay around her smooth, ivory skin. The way she looked at me with her rosy lips slightly party, I wanted nothing more than to partake in her kisses, to indulge in the sweet serenity of everything that made up my Jasmine.

“Jasmine,” I murmured into her neck, planting kisses along the curve of it. “You taste so sweet.”

“Caspian…” Her hands found my hair, her soft hands running through it. Every part of her was so soft and kissable, and I took advantage of her generous flesh, allowing my mouth to sample every piece of her that I was so familiar with already.

When I reached her breasts, her sighs turned to whimpers as she thrust her chest up into my mouth. Each n****e hardened under my mouth as I took it in, sucking and grazing it with my teeth. I was hard and so, so ready for her, but I wanted to taste her first.

Kissing down her stomach, I approached her center and spread her legs, taking my time as I tasted her.

“Caspian… Oh gods, Caspian…. That feels… oh…” Her legs started to squirm around my face, and I couldn’t take it anymore. In seconds, I was on top of her, slipping inside as she came.

Oh gods, she was so tight.

“Oh, gods, Jasmine…” I said, sliding in and out of her. “How do you still feel this good after all this time?”

“Caspian!” She moaned, still cumming around me. “f**k, don’t… don’t stop…”

I kept the pace, wanting more than anything to please her. My lips had their way with hers as she cried out into my mouth, and gods help me, her grip on my member stayed that tight.

“Jasmine, gods,” I panted into her neck as her soaked p***y took all of my length. I let my hand travel her thigh, guiding it up so that her leg draped across my back. I was completely addicted to her, always in need of this. “Do you even know what you do to me?”

She was so beautiful, my darling wife, and I needed her to feel as good as she always made me feel.

I lifted her leg higher, resting her curvy shin against my chest, her cries started to get louder, and louder. Music to my ears, as always, and I thrust into her just a little harder.

“Caspian!” As she screamed my name, I realized that the children were only a few doors over, and I covered her mouth with my hand as she tightened around me again, sucking in every drop of my seed that I spilled into her. 

“Jasmine,” I sighed, spent as I rested my head in the valley that lay between her shapely breasts. “I love you, so much.”

“I love you too, Caspian. You always know just how to satisfy me.” Her eyes were shining as she leaned forward to kiss me, stroking my hair with her hands.

“As do you, my love.” With a gentle kiss, she pulled me towards her, and we held one another through the night, just like always.