Seized and Shattered

Hi there! Apologies for taking so long to get ch 2 up. Unfortunately I got pretty sick last month and didn't have it in me to finish writing and editing. But I'm all good now! I wanted to get this up asap, so there might be a few errors/typos, but I hope ya'll like it! :)

Also, a MASSIVE thank you to everyone who took the time to read/like/comment on the first chapter. Same as before, I'm super grateful for any thoughts or feedback on this chapter.

xx

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The hotel ballroom was decked out in festive red and green decorations, and remixed Christmas songs were blaring through the speakers. Nicole stood off to the side of the dancefloor and talked with a few friends from work- Stacy, Linda, and Katie-as they enjoyed their glasses of spiked cider.

"This year has been absolutely insane," Stacy slurred. "Jessie's been up my ass non stop ever since she got promoted to supervisor."

"She's probably dealing with a lot of stress, too," Nicole tried to defend their boss.

"That doesn't mean she can take it out on me! I bet that uptight bitch just needs to get laid."

"She'll need to work on removing that giant stick up her ass before that happens," Linda chipped in. Everyone in the group started laughing. Everyone except for Nicole, who rolled her eyes at them and took a sip from her drink.

"But for real," Katie giggled, "speaking of getting laid, have you guys seen Liam tonight? The man is looking fine."

Stacy fanned herself dramatically. "For sure, but I've had my eyes on Brandon. God, what I would give to run my fingers through that golden hair of his."

"I guess," Linda shrugged, "but anytime Liam looks at me with those dark, brooding eyes of his, I swear to God my panties get soaked in a second. And you've heard those rumors about him right? They say he's quite the animal in the sack, if you know what I mean."

"I heard he's fucked every woman in finance

and

sales."

"Oooo maybe he'll hit up our department next!"

"You guys are disgusting," Nicole shook her head disapprovingly.

"Oh, come on! It's just gossip," Katie teasingly elbowed her friend. "Who would you go for, Liam or Brandon? Or maybe Jason is more your type?"

"I-I don't know. They're all good looking, but I'm not into guys like that," she blushed and prayed that there wouldn't be any further questions.

"All I want is one night in bed with one of them, just to see if the rumors are true," Linda confessed. They all looked towards the bar, where the most attractive and powerful men in the company were getting swamped with attention from the opposite sex. Nicole scrunched her nose, judgment clearly written all over her face. She would never understand how women could shamelessly throw themselves at men like that.

"You might as well take your shot tonight," Stacy encouraged Linda. "In fact, I heard they'll be hitting up a club in a bit for a little after party."

"Wish I could, but I got a date with Steve tomorrow," Linda said, not even bothering to hide her disappointment.

As her friends rambled on about their love lives, Nicole glanced around the room and contemplated going home earlier than planned. The occasional night out was fun and all, but being stuck in a cheaply decorated room and forced to mingle with her drunken coworkers for extended periods of time wasn't her thing. While searching for the nearest exit, Nicole felt her gaze being pulled back towards the bar. Despite how far they were from each other, or maybe because of it, she allowed herself to appreciatively look at Liam.

No doubt the man was super-model levels of attractive. The kind of man that Nicole would fantasize about, but more likely than not she'd turn into a stuttering hot mess if left alone with him for more than 10 seconds. It was unfathomable to her how so many women were comfortable with flocking around him. Even though she didn't understand it, she had to admit that doing something like that probably required a level of confidence that she didn't possess. Not that she minded. Nicole continued watching as one woman pushed her way past all the others and demanded Liam's attention with a playful pout. He flashed the girl a bright smile and wrapped an arm around her hip. Nicole scoffed and downed the rest of her drink.

"Oh my God, no way!!!" Stacy's shrill scream pulled Nicole's attention back to her friend group. The bubbly brunette looked like she'd just won the lottery. "I got a text from Brandon! He said the guys will be hitting up The Avenue in a bit. Drinks are on them for whoever wants to come!" Nicole couldn't remember ever seeing her friend look

this

excited.

"Wait, wait, wait," Linda snatched Stacy's phone, "when the hell did you get Brandon's number?"

"We bumped into each other a few weeks ago and he got some coffee on my suit. He offered to pay for dry cleaning and asked if we could exchange numbers," Stacy looked giddy as she recalled the event.

Nicole remembered that day. Or rather, she remembered Stacy coming back from her break with a stain on her suit and a massive smile on her face.

"Sooooo, what do you ladies think? Who's in?"

"I'd love to come, but I have to get back to Sam," Katie looked down bashfully at her hands. She was the only one in the group who was married, and despite how she spoke about some of the guys at the office, they all knew she would never even risk being disloyal to her husband.

"I'm out, too," Linda groaned. "Steve," was all she said by way of explanation.

"Awww, you guys are no fun!" Stacy jokingly chastised the two women, then hooked one of her arms around Nicole's. "We'll try not to have too much fun without you," she winked. Nicole pulled her arm away and took a few steps back. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. I never said I was going."

"But you have to!"

"I was planning on going home pretty soon. Besides, I think you've had enough to drink tonight. Why don't you come home with me? You can crash on my couch," Nicole offered.

Stacy hit her with a pouty puppy-dog look. "I really like Brandon, and this could be my only chance to get to know him better," she explained. "Come oooooonnnnnn. Please, please, please? Would you really feel okay letting me go out with them all by myself?"

"Fuck," she cursed under her breath, too quiet for her friend to hear over the music. Of course Nicole couldn't say no when she put it like that. "Fine. I'll go with you."

Stacy squealed and threw her arms around her friend.

An hour later the women found themselves in a VIP booth at one of the most exclusive clubs in town, having drinks with Brandon and Liam. Jason was on the dance floor with some random girl he'd just met. Brandon had all of his attention on Stacy, which meant that Nicole, ironically, was virtually left alone with Liam.

To distract herself from the awkwardness of the situation, Nicole sipped her pricy cocktail while watching the most influential people in the city grinding up against each other. Taking note of just how glamorous everyone looked, she felt a slight pressure in her chest. She wasn't anything like them, and she didn't belong there. Everything and everyone around her made her feel small and insignificant. "This was a huge mistake," she murmured to herself. Stacy was a grown woman, Nicole decided. There was no doubt that Brandon would make sure she got home safely.

Nicole leaned over the table to try and get her friend's attention. "Sta-"

"You look really great tonight. That dress looks fantastic on you." Liam hooked a finger around a satin spaghetti strap. Nicole jumped and flinched away from him, shocked by the forward gesture.

"I-I...I mean..wh-what are...," she hated how apparent it was that he'd caught her off guard.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he laughed. Even in the dim lighting of the club, his deep blue eyes sparkled with a vibrant warmth that naturally made it easy for people to let their guard down around him. "You looked so scared, like a little mouse caught in a trap," he brought a glass of bourbon to his lips. "Come to think of it," he mused, his expression softening, "it's a little endearing."

"What?"

"Anyway, I thought I should help you loosen up. You ladies just got here, after all," he took another swig, ignoring Nicole's confusion.

"Thanks...I appreciate it," she said weakly, "but I think I should head home. Honestly, I wasn't planning on coming here in the first place. I'm just gonna grab my things and let Stacy know I'm leaving." Her plump, red lips parted in surprise when she looked across the table and realized that Stacy and Brandon were nowhere to be found.

"They went off to dance," Liam nodded toward the main level of the club, not wanting her to see how much he was enjoying watching her expressions reveal her every thought and feeling. He imagined how she would look in a high-stakes poker game, and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"What's so funny?" Her tone was stern, but it was the glistening shimmer of her eyes that caught his attention.

"Nothing," he said softly, realizing the flustered woman beside him was on the verge of tears. She talked big, he quickly concluded, but that was likely a way to cover up her insecurities. "I know places like this probably aren't your scene. You might not believe this, but I'm not a big fan, either."

"You're right, I don't believe that," Nicole replied, though she was visibly surprised by his honesty. "Why come here if you don't like it?"

"Don't have much of a choice," he answered bluntly. "It's good for my reputation, and for business, to be seen in places like this. Makes it easier to get information, talk to important people...it's basically part of the job."

Nicole wasn't sure how to respond to that. There was so much about him and his lifestyle that she knew nothing about. Even spending this much time alone with him felt like a fever dream.

"What are you thinking," he asked suddenly.

"It's...it's really nothing," she blushed, nervously biting down on her lower lip.

"Come on now, little mouse," he rested a hand on her knee, "I answered your question. It's only fair for you to answer mine."

Her french manicured nails dug into the soft, velvet seating. "It's just amazing how different we are, don't you think? There must be so many things about your life that I can't even comprehend."

The hand on her knee slowly journeyed up her thigh. "I could give you a taste, if you like." As his hand stroked the soft skin of her inner thigh, he became mesmerized by the rhythmic rise and fall of her bosom. "Let me spoil you a little, just for tonight." Without thinking, Liam leaned down and kissed the top of her breast. It took every last bit of self control he had not to pull down her dress right there and then.

"I think I should see where Stacy ran off to," she said suddenly, looking for an excuse to get away without making things too awkward.

"I think Brandon has Stacy a little occupied," Liam said. She looked over at him, then followed his gaze until she saw what he meant. Stacy and Brandon were huddled up in a dimly-lit corner just off the dance floor. Their bodies pressed close together as Jason's lips roamed over her neck and chest. Nicole blushed at the sight, never thinking that Stacy would be okay with acting so shamelessly in public. Still, she couldn't pull her eyes away. Eventually she saw Brandon whisper something in Stacy's ear. Her eyes widened, then she giggled and nodded her head. He took her hand and led her somewhere that was out of Nicole's line of vision.

"I

really

think I should get going then." She downed the rest of her drink and started to collect her things. Liam moved in closer to her and pressed his hand against her lower back.

"No sense in leaving so soon," he said, his lips close enough that she could feel his warm breath against her neck. "Why don't you try having a little fun, just for tonight."

Even with her entire body tensed, Nicole kept a friendly smile plastered to her face. "Like I said, It's not my scene," she stood and moved to exit the booth. Before she was able to get one foot out, she was dragged back in and pulled onto Liam's lap. "You're really stubborn, you know that?" she joked. On the inside she was screaming, but confrontation had never been Nicole's strong point. Instead, whenever she found herself dealing with persistent men, she found it less stressful to innocently play along while slowly easing away.

"I'm not ready to let you go yet," he gave her waist a possessive squeeze.

"And when

do

you think you'll be ready to let me go?"

"Hmm," his eyes roamed over her as he contemplated his answer. "How about tomorrow morning?" Liam discreetly shifted his body, and fought to hold back a smile when he heard her gasp. "I meant what I said earlier," with one hand around Nicole's waist, Liam's free hand moved up her arm, and slid one of her spaghetti straps off her shoulder. "You look so unbelievably sexy tonight." He gently pressed his lips against her bare skin as he breathed in her scent.

"I-I really think we...we need to, uh...um...," Nicole couldn't speak or think clearly. Judging by the erection pressing against her bottom, Liam obviously didn't give a shit about the boundaries she'd attempted to put up. His attention made her feel small and vulnerable, and she wasn't okay with that. There was no doubt that her body was responding to his touch, but Nicole's chest ached at the idea of just being another one of Liam's one night stands. It was likely that one night with him would leave her yearning for more, whereas he would probably forget who she was after a couple days. Allowing herself to be seduced would only lead to humiliation and heartache.

Nicole took a deep breath, "Why don't we meet up some other time?" Her hands tried to gently pull his hands off of her. "It's past my bedtime, and I wouldn't wanna keep you from having a good time."

Liam's grip on her waist tightened. "Come on, Nicole. I know you want this just as badly as I do." One of his hands left her hip and grabbed her inner thigh, slowly moving up until his fingers disappeared under her dress. "I wanna get to know you. Every part of you." Nicole felt powerless and paralyzed. "I can even see your nipples getting hard under your dress," he teased. His other hand moved up the curve of her waist and settled against the underside of her breast.

"Let go of me, Liam," she made a weak attempt at trying to get away from him,

"I'd bet a million bucks," he continued as though she hadn't said anything, "that your pussy is dripping right about now." She gasped, her back arching as one of his fingers pushed aside her panties and dipped into her. "I knew it," he practically growled in her ear. "You're soaking, you fucking tease." He groaned and slid his finger in just a little bit further. "That's it little mouse, just relax and let me make you feel good." Liam started to gently press the finger against her soft wet walls.

"Oh, God!" Nicole whimpered. Fighting to keep control of her body, her hips made small humping motions against his hand. WIthout realizing it, she was also grinding her ass against his cock, prompting him to add a second finger inside of her. "No! Ah! No more, please..." she begged.

"No..." She shook her head and tried again to get away. He responded by turning his attention to her clit. "Oh, God. Please stop this. Please." Even though she wanted to call out for help, instead she tried to keep her voice down to avoid attracting attention.

It all became too much. The hands assaulting her body; the pleasure; the pain; the humiliation. She reached her breaking point. "I told you to stop!" She finally gathered the strength to push Liam away. Without hesitating, she hurried to get out of the booth. Just as she made it to the stairs leading down to the main level, she felt a strong grip around her forearm. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," Liam said.

"You're hurting me," she said quietly, genuinely surprised at how aggressive and persistent he was being.

"I was moving too quickly. Let's just have another drink and talk, alright?" He tried pulling her back towards the booth. .

"God

dammit

, Liam!" she snatched a drink from a server passing by, and splashed it in his face. "I said '

no

!" Before he could make sense of what had just happened, she dashed down the stairs, shoved her way through the crowd of people, and finally made it out of the club. The second she was back outside, everything went fuzzy and dark.

********

Nicole jolted upright. It was difficult for her to make sense of where she was, and remember everything that had happened. Gradually, the details came back to me little by little. "Oh God," her eyes darted around the room, zeroing in on each of the doors. She moved to get out of the bed, but severe aches wracked various areas of her body. She cried out in pain and collapsed back onto the bed, feeling like she had both gotten hit by a truck and was currently going through the worst hangover of her life.

"I need to get out of here," she grumbled to herself. "I need to get out of here, I need to get out of here, I need to get out of here..." she repeated the phrase over and over again until her words began to slur. She buried her head into the pillow and began to sob. The whole situation was just so fucked up. In what world would a woman have to worry about being drugged and kidnapped just because she rejected a coworker at a Christmas party?

Even in the midst of her emotional breakdown, there was one thing that gave her a little bit of comfort. Nicole knew Liam's type. She was confident that he just wanted her to suffer for the sake of his ego, but he wouldn't keep her around for long. Guys like him went for women who could afford weekly hair and nail appointments, and never went out without the latest designer bag. Women who spent their vacations flying first class to exclusive island resorts. And Nicole was

definitely

not that kind of woman. Not that she wouldn't give anything for that kind of life. A girl could dream, of course. However, she accepted long ago that fate had other, less luxurious things in store for her.

But then that begged several questions; why had he put so much effort into kidnapping and assaulting her? Was this just some fucked up way of punishing her for being a poor woman who dared to say no to him? For men as wealthy as Liam, was agency just another privilege that the lower class didn't deserve? Contemplating so many unanswered questions intensified the painful throbbing in her head.

Opting to try and look on the bright side of things, Niocle convinced herself that he was probably bored with her already. He had gotten what he wanted. He hurt her, he broke her. There wasn't anything left for him to take.

But she wouldn't, she

couldn't

, let him know how much he had damaged her. She cursed herself for being so fucking stubborn, but that didn't change her mind. Reluctantly, she thought back to what Liam had said right before he raped her.

'You should know by now. Guys like me, we always get what we want.'

"We'll see about that, asshole," she spat through gritted teeth. In that moment, Nicole truly felt that she would rather die before letting Liam feel any sense of satisfaction from how much he'd hurt her. Even if he did eventually manage to completely shatter her resolve, the idea that she could keep Liam from getting something he wanted gave her enough motivation to finally pull herself out of bed.

The second she spotted a tray of food by the door, an obnoxiously loud and prolonged grumbling sound emitted from Nicole's stomach. "Alright, alright. I hear ya loud and clear,'' she said as shakily bent down and grabbed the tray.

After getting settled at a small table near the bed, Nicole suspiciously eyed the food. There was a saran wrapped plate of scrambled eggs and bacon, an apple, and a bottle of water. She would have loved to send a message by smashing the meal against the wall, but her aching head and empty stomach begged her to satiate her hunger before indulging in any rebellious impulses. Reluctantly, she reached for the water bottle and brought it to her lips. The satisfaction of feeling the cool liquid glide down her parched throat nearly brought her to tears. After downing about half of the bottle, Nicole peeled away the plastic covering the dish. The comforting, buttery scent of the eggs and bacon had her salivating, and she eagerly consumed every last crumb.