The Ox Who Got the Cream Ch. 05

"Then I'll pin your hands behind your back and sit you in my lap," Zole grinned. "Let you do some of the work while I bite your tits."

"You're crazy," Layla muttered, running out of space to retreat.

"Your body has that effect on me," Zole said darkly, striding forward.

Layla tripped back and Zole caught her, pushing her back to the wall and crushing her against his chest.

"You feel good," he muttered, smelling her hair while she tried to push his arms away.

Layla smacked the sides of his head, and Zole released her, but only for a moment. Layla made it two steps, then yelped when her arm was roughly twisted behind her back and Zole's arm banded about her waist. She tried to kick as her feet left the floor.

She bounced onto the bed and immediately scrambled to her knees. Zole stood by the mattress edge, his smile terrifying as he began to undo his pants.

"I accept!" Layla shouted and Zole froze.

"You...accept?" he repeated cynically. "Considering the circumstances, I'm afraid that goes without saying-"

"You promised you'd let me go if I accepted your offer," Layla said in a rush, pointing to where the sun's morning glow was just peeking through the window. "You said I had until morning and you can't go back on your word!"

"Can't I?" Zole mused, rocking back on his heels and watching her speculatively.

Though playfully dismissive, Layla could tell he was considering her claim. That he was even mildly disturbed to have his game interrupted by a legitimate cause.

"If you break your word, you'll just be another boring rapey villain," Layla went on, encouraged by his contemplation. "You'll be no better than the likes of the MilkyBalls Boy and the Diddler!"

Layla immediately saw she'd hit a nerve.

Zole wasn't smiling anymore. He looked aside, studying the wall intensely. He looked back to Layla, the glint in his eyes sending a chill through her whole body.

Then he bent to slowly retrieve the blanket from the ground, considering the soft material in his hand, his back to her.

"Then we have a bargain," he said quietly. "Your freedom is granted, Layla. Until you're in my power again."

Layla swallowed nervously when he turned to face her, approaching the bed with the blanket.

Layla straightened with fright when Zole suddenly slipped, having stepped on the edge of the blanket dragging along the floor, his arms caught up in the rest of it. His foot went out from under him in such a way he completely flipped up and hit his head when he landed.

Layla stared with her mouth open. When he didn't move, she clapped a hand to her face to stifle a hysterical giggle. The urge to laugh was overwhelming; she was overrun with terror and adrenaline.

Quickly recovering, Layla looked to the door. There was probably a group of guards outside.

Layla tentatively approached Zole's large, inert figure, wondering if it was a put on. She considered his position and the clumsy nature of his fall and concluded there's no way the Poker would go to such undignified lengths even for a prank.

Joke or not, this was still an opportunity. Layla frowned at the blanket, then considered the bedsheet, wondering how to cover herself. She couldn't bust her way out in the nude. Could she?

Layla's musing was interrupted when a square in the ceiling slid aside and Truce's head popped out.

"Layla!" he hissed, his blazing dark eyes dismayed by her nakedness. "Did he...?"

Beaming with relief, Layla shook her head, pressed a finger to her lips and pointed at Zole.

Truce looked completely gobsmacked but quickly lowered himself partially and reached for her. Layla accepted his hands and was pulled up into the ceiling.

"That was Zole in the blanket?" Truce whispered, removing his cape to wrap around her. "Is he dead?"

"No, just knocked out."

"How the hell did you do that?"

"Women's intuition," Layla muttered. "How can we get out of here?"

"Once I signal Felix, our ride will come."

"No Oxmobile?"

Truce shook his head. "This one's a flight."

Layla crawled behind Truce through the ceiling of The Poker's property, until they emerged through a vent into open air.

Layla's breath caught at the beautiful sunrise flooding the surrounds with budding light.

"Nice, isn't it?" Truce said, kissing Layla's temple before readjusting the cape so she was more protectively bundled against the cool morning air. He picked her up. "Let's go."

Truce carried her away from Zole's grounds and they were deep in the forest when an alarm went off in the distance.

"Either he was found, or he came to," Truce shrugged. "Hope it was the former. He's an over-dignified prick."

Once they reached a small clearing, Truce lowered Layla to the ground and pressed a button on his belt that immediately lit up red. He removed his mask, taking a deep breath of fresh air.

Then he turned Layla in his arms and directed her to look at him. "What did he do to you?"

Shame washed over Layla. Her eyes dropped. "Not now, Truce."

He pulled her into a hug, and she clung to him. "I have to know," he growled, kissing the top of her hair. "Please."

"He didn't rape me," she said into his shoulder, feeling his tension grow as his mind raced with the possibilities. "I was drugged. He whipped me."

Truce swore through his teeth. "Was it bloody?"

Layla shook her head. "He said he'd mark me permanently in other ways."

"No injuries?"

"Just my pride," Layla mumbled.

Truce was silent, his hold on her tightening.

"Truce, you're squeezing the air out of me," Layla said weakly, and he immediately relaxed.

"Sorry," he said shortly, still preoccupied. He looked down at her. "Is that the worst of it?"

"Um," Layla swallowed, her eyes darting anywhere but his intense face.

"Layla, please look at me," Truce said.

Though Truce's manner was gentle, his dark eyes were fierce, like the night she'd disobeyed him and got into trouble.

Meeting his eyes, she tried to squash the image of her tied down naked on all fours, Zole's cum on her face. She couldn't bring herself to give the details in that moment. "Can we talk about this at home?"

"Okay," Truce breathed, hugging her again, feeling her quake in his arms. "How did you knock him out?"

A sudden bundle of tremors rippled up Layla's body and Truce drew back with astonishment. "Layla...? Are you laughing?"

Layla was so tired, traumatised and relieved, the humour of it struck her so suddenly she couldn't breathe.

Truce's deep concern melted to amusement as he watched Layla struggle for control. "This isn't a drug, right?"

Layla vehemently shook her head with a cough. "Oh, Truce. It's too funny."

"Tell me," Truce demanded, hands on hips, considering her. "Did you drug him?"

Layla shook her head and succumbed to another bought of silent laughter.

"This is cruel," Truce protested.

"Okay," Layla gasped, putting her hands on his chest and composed herself as Truce's arms went around her.

"I wasn't a physical match for him, and he'd forced me on the bed," she explained, feeling Truce's arms tense angrily. "And then he went to get the blanket, and..." she gulped, taking a moment to fight off more laughter. "And he tripped in the blanket and fell and hit his head-"

"No." Truce released her and stepped back, incredulously running a hand through his hair. "No, you're lying. Are you serious? Zole?"

Layla pressed her palms together in a genuine motion. "I swear, that's what happened. Then you came out of the ceiling." She began to laugh again, watching Truce place his hands on his knees for support.

They were still laughing hysterically when the sound of a chopper approached, until it hovered directly above them. A cord dropped down and Truce hooked it to his belt.

He checked Layla's cape again, turning her to fit two belt extensions at her waist and tightening until she was snugly attached to his chest. He wrapped an arm around her and signalled.

Layla closed her eyes and concentrated on Truce's protective hold as they slowly rose into the air, feeling a steady pull as they went higher and the cord was shortened.

Finally, Truce backed into the chopper with the help of two men, Layla in his lap. They settled in and belted, Truce drawing her close against his side.

"You good?" he shouted against the roar of the engine.

"What?" Layla shouted back.

They grinned at each other a moment, then Layla tiredly let her head fall to his shoulder, feeling safe again.

Truce smiled indulgently, feeling Layla melt into him now the adrenaline was wearing off. It had been a long night.

Though relaxed, Layla still had a sick feeling in her stomach. She was mentally too exhausted to dwell on it but before her eyes closed, she had a vision of being naked in The Poker's bed, his voice ringing through her mind with ominous clarity.

Then we have a bargain.

Layla shook her head slightly, discarding the thought. They'd reached an agreement, but she escaped before Zole could fulfil his part.

But knowing The Poker, she knew there would be some sort of reckoning for his humiliating defeat.

***