Damaged: The Complete Set Including DIRTY and FILTHY: A Dark Romance (The Damage Romance Box Set)

by Michelle Horst

  I shake my head and a tsunami of frustration and anger crashes over me.

  “Sophia, I know you can do everything yourself. I’d like to do this for you. Please, let me help you.” I hope none of the anger shimmers through in my voice.

  “Why?” she almost croaks the words out. “Forgive me for asking, Master, but why are you doing all of this? Am I going to be punished again for not satisfying Master?”

  I recoil from her words. I drop the cloth as rage explodes in my chest.

  I’m going to fucking lose it. I’m going to kill every last one of those fuckers. They almost beat her to death, and she thinks it’s because she couldn’t satisfy me. Fuck, this is too much.

  “I’m sorry, Master!” she says desperately. “I didn’t mean to anger you more.”

  “What’s going on?” River asks and she comes to stand next to me.

  I turn half into her and hiss, “Those fuckers. I’m going to kill them, River. God help me, I’m going to kill them.”

  I turn my back on Sophia so she can’t see my anger. I’ve already upset her enough.

  “She thinks she was punished because I wouldn’t have sex with her.”

  River pales and she swings around to look at Jack. “No! They think we’re responsible? That’s going to make it so much harder to win their trust.”

  I rub my hands over my face and fight to regain control over my rampant emotions. I take a few deep breaths. I force a smile to my face before I turn back to Sophia. Her eyes are huge and filled with fear.

  “Sweetheart -” I kneel next to her bed and take her hand in mine. “We’re not your masters. You are free. You’re no longer a slave. You will never be punished again. You can ask us anything and talk when you want to. You can do what you want. You can stay here, or leave and go make a life for yourself out there. You can stay here with us as a friend, Sophia, not a slave.”

  Her breathing speeds up and she whispers distraughtly, “I understand, Master. I’m ugly and master doesn’t want an ugly slave.” She sucks in a few shaky breaths and it all becomes too much for me. I drop my forehead to our joined hands. My heart aches for her.

  What if she’s broken? How do I fix her?

  Where do I even begin?

  Sophia~

  They’re not my Masters. I’m no longer a slave?

  I’m no longer a slave, because they don’t want me. It’s just like Master David said it would be.

  It feels as if my heart is cracking. I suck in some air and I try to breathe past the shame and disappointment I feel for myself.

  I bow my head low. I have to beg. Maybe that’s what they want.

  “Please, Master, I didn’t mean to upset you. Please, keep me as a slave. Master can punish me. I’m strong and won’t cry. I’ve been trained well. Please, Master.” I bite my bottom lip and hope I can make this whole confused mess just go away.

  Suddenly, he sits on the bed. His arms go around me, and he pulls me to his chest.

  I feel a glimmer of hope.

  “It’s okay, Sweetheart,” he whispers. “It will please me if you call me Adam, and not master. It will please me if you look at me and not drop your eyes to the floor. It will please me so fucking much if you just rest and get better. I just want you to heal, Sophia. We can deal with the other stuff later.”

  He holds me to his chest and all I can do is nod. I duck my head under his chin and curl into him. If doing these things will please him, then I’ll do them. I’ll show him that I’m a good slave.

  I want to belong again. I want to mean something to someone again.

  With everything that’s been going wrong, it feels comforting to be in Master Adam’s arms.

  For a moment, I almost feel safe.

  I will get better, and then I’ll show Master Adam that I’m a good fuck. I’ll give him the best blowjob he’s ever had. I’ll work my way into his good graces.

  I glance at Jack, wondering if they will keep him. He woke earlier and I had to stop him from leaving. I didn’t think about it then, but they didn’t try to stop him. Would they have just let him leave?

  I’ve never heard of a slave leaving a Master. I’ve never heard of one being set free.

  I wouldn’t know what to do. All my life I’ve been a slave. I’m good at it. It’s where I belong and what I do best.

  I snuggle a little closer to Master Adam and I close my eyes.

  I hope he’ll keep me. I’ll make him so happy he’ll never want to trade me. I have to make myself irreplaceable.

  Adam~

  I hold her until her breathing evens out. Once she’s asleep, I lay her down and cover her with the sheet. I’ll clean her back later. I just need a moment to deal with everything that’s just happened.

  I leave the room and walk over to my place. It’s not massive, just a two bedroom cottage. It’s my own private space, and I need that right now.

  I walk over to my couch and lie down on it. Covering my eyes with my arm, I rest my other hand on my chest.

  I let the silence of my home calm me. I need to stop getting so swept up in Sophia. I can’t be of any help to her if I’m a mess inside.

  She’s been through hell and she needs someone who can be calm. She needs someone she can lean on until she’s able to stand on her own two feet.

  I’m going to have to be stronger for her.

  I wonder what kind of life she had before that fucker somehow got his hands on her. She might have family who cares about what happened to her.

  Knowing that she might have someone out there looking for her, makes my stomach drop for some reason.

  Even if I don’t like the idea of giving her back to whoever let her get taken in the first place, I know it’s not my choice.

  Sophia’s needs come first, and the last thing she needs is a controlling dickhead.

  After I give myself a good talking to, I return to the house. It’s already late afternoon.

  When I walk back into the room, I give River a smile to let her know I’m good. A look of relief flashes across her face.

  I sit down next to Sophia’s bed. I take her left hand in both of mine and watch her sleep.

  Nanna breaks the silence when she comes into the room. She places a tray with two bowls of soup down on the table between their beds.

  She gives us a smile before she leaves again. I know it’s hard for her to see people beaten like this. Nanna has the softest heart.

  I feel Sophia’s hand move in mine and it immediately draws my attention to her. I lean a little over her, smiling so I can put her at ease.

  “Hey, Sweetheart,” I whisper. I brush some hair from her forehead. “It’s time to eat again. Can you sit up for me?”

  She nods and struggles into a sitting position. She grimaces with pain and I hate it. I wish I could take it from her.

  Picking up the bowl of soup, I sit down on the bed. She scoots closer to me, and it takes another blow at my heart. She’s like a beaten animal seeking love, and it kills me to see it.

  I scoop some soup into the spoon and slowly feed her. She eats half of the soup which makes me feel better. I give her more painkillers with some lemonade.

  When she’s all done, I ask, “Do you want to sit or try to sleep again?” I’m testing the waters with an easy question, hoping she’ll make the decision herself.

  Keeping her head down, she scoots closer until our bodies touch. This poor woman must be starving for any kind of affection. I take her hand again and let her sit close to me. If it makes her feel better, I’ll sit with her until she falls asleep again.

  I got some sleep last night, which was great. I feel stronger to face today. Jack came to yesterday afternoon. His reaction is totally the opposite from Sophia’s. Where Sophia is timid and eager to please, Jack is filled with vengeance and hatred.

  The second River told Jack that he was free to leave, he didn’t hesitate to get up.

  We’ve had that before, where a person left soon after we got them free.

  Those who decided
to stay kept to themselves in the beginning, but with time they let their guard down.

  Sophia is totally different from anyone we’ve saved before. It’s not getting through to her that she’s free. It’s as if she doesn’t understand what freedom means.

  When I walk into the room, I’m glad to see that she’s awake.

  I sit down on the bed next to her and ask. “What size clothes do you wear, Sophia?”

  She frowns lightly and shakes her head. “I don’t wear clothes, but Jack usually wears jeans.”

  I pinch the bridge of my nose. It’s not easy staying calm when you hear something like that.

  I reign in my emotions, before looking at her. She’s a bit smaller than River, so I’ll just get her clothes that are one size smaller.

  “Tell me,” I say as I take a hold of her hand. “Do you have any family we can contact for you?”

  She shakes her head.

  “So there’s no one out there looking for you?” I ask the question differently just to make sure.

  “I’m just a slave, Master.” Her eyes widen when she realizes that she didn’t call me by my name. She quickly blurts, “Adam.”

  I steel myself and ask, “How long have you been a slave?”

  I see the relief on her face, then she says, “I was born one.”

  For a moment, I can only look at her as the shock vibrates through me. I shake my head as I try to keep a calm look on my face.

  “What happened to your mother?”

  “She died giving birth to me. I’m very lucky. My mother was beautiful and one of the best slaves. The only reason Master Cameron kept me was because he hoped that I’d look like my mother, and luckily I did.”

  A lump pushes to my throat and I have to fight the tears back. I’ve never cried a single fucking tear before this woman. Her life is right from a horror story. That fucking life was all she ever knew.

  I can’t hold myself back as I wrap my arms around her. I press her to my chest, just holding her.

  “You’re going to be okay, Sophia. I’m going to teach you new things,” I whisper the words to her, hoping that she’ll understand what I’m trying to say. “I’m going to show you what life’s really like.”

  Sophia~

  When Master Adam leaves, I don’t try to talk to Jack. We’ve never really talked, so I wouldn’t even know what to say to him.

  I think about the last days we were at the mansion. I’ve always known Jack and Master David had the same mother, but it never really mattered as only Master David was Master Cameron’s son. None of us ever questioned the way things were. We wouldn’t dare for fear of being beaten. You learn at an early age to accept everything you’re told and to not ask questions. The punishments weren’t worth being curious over things that didn’t matter.

  I was really surprised when we both woke up here. I didn’t think we’d survive the beating.

  I’ve never stayed in bed this long. If we got sick, then we weren’t allowed near the clients. It was so we didn’t give any of our filth to a Master or Mistress. But we had to clean the house. You had to work every day for your food and place to sleep.

  I keep dozing off, but being in a foreign place, I find it hard to fall asleep. I feel like I have to be ready for anything.

  It’s dark when Master Adam comes back. He’s carrying bags.

  He places some at the foot of Jack’s bed. “I got you some clothes, Jack. When you’re ready, try them on and let me know if they fit.”

  My eyes widen when he brings bags to my bed, too.

  “I got you dresses. I think it will be comfortable for you to wear. When you’re better, we’ll get you some more stuff.”

  I watch as he pulls something out of the bag. It’s light blue and it looks really soft.

  He comes over to me and holding the material, he asks, “Can I help you to put it on?”

  Put it on? I’ve never worn clothes. Only a panty during the week I bleed, or an outfit a Master or Mistress wanted me to wear. Other than that you’re always naked and ready to be of service.

  Master Adam brings the fabric to my head and he slips it over. Taking my right arm, he pushes it through the soft fabric. He does the same with my left arm, then he pulls it over my breasts and down my body.

  I look down at the dress and swallow hard as tears push up my throat. I don’t understand why I’m feeling emotional right now. It’s the softest thing I’ve ever felt against my skin.

  It’s pretty.

  “There,” Master Adam whispers. “The blue brings out the color of your beautiful eyes.”

  Shocked, my eyes snap up to his. He called me beautiful. How can he think that I’m beautiful?

  I’m overwhelmed and it makes my eyes water. I quickly look away so he won’t see how weak I am.

  “Thank you, Master.”

  “Adam.” He gently takes hold of my chin and lifts my face, until I’m looking at him again. “It will please me if you say Adam.”

  More than anything, I want to please him. I clear my throat and whisper, “Adam.” It sounds foreign, not calling him Master. “Thank you, Adam.”

  He smiles widely, clearly pleased with me, and it makes my insides feel warm. I pleased my Master. I have a purpose again.

  Later that night, it’s just me and Jack. My body is stiff from lying down all the time. I sit on the side of the bed, staring out the windows. It’s seldom I get to see the stars. I love how they blink.

  It feels different here. The normal harshness in the air is gone. I look back at Jack, wondering if he can feel it too.

  I bring up my legs, and carefully wrap my arms around them. I rest my chin on my knees and look back outside.

  It feels so nice. Everything. The food, the clothes, the way Master and Mistress Ryland are with us. It all feels like a nice dream. I never want to wake up.

  “It feels different here. Master and Mistress Ryland seem nice.” I glance at Jack and smile. “I think we’ll be happy here.”

  Jack turns away from me and growls, “In order to be happy I actually have to give a fuck.”

  My smile drops from my face, and I continue to stare outside.

  The old woman from earlier comes into the room, carrying a tray. She places it on the table between the beds before she pulls a chair closer to Jack’s bed.

  “What’s this I hear of you wasting my soup, Son.” Her voice is gentle. I watch as Jack glares at her from over his shoulder. “My momma always said; waste not, want not,” she says.

  “Now, I’ve brought you another bowl of soup and you’ll eat every last drop. I’ve also brought you some pills for the pain.”

  I’m relieved when Jack sits up.

  “I’m Miss Ella and that’s what you’ll call me. Don’t even try to call me Miss E. I’m nobody’s missy. My momma gave me the name Ella, and I expect you to use it.”

  For a moment, it looks like Jack might refuse the food.

  “Open your mouth. How do you expect to get any better if you don’t eat? Stubbornness won’t heal you.”

  When he finally listens, I let out the breath I was holding. I’d hate to upset our Masters. Who knows what the punishment will be.

  When he’s taken the last bite, she says, “My room is the one right by the stairs. If the pain gets to be too much, come wake me.”

  She places everything back on the tray. When she’s done, she looks from Jack to me.

  “You need to eat all your food so your bodies can heal. There’s a lot of work to be done. Everyone works here to earn their keep.”

  Excitement starts to bubble in my chest, knowing that I’ll be able to work again. The harder I work, the more I’ll prove that it’s worth keeping me.

  Miss Ella looks at me and says, “As soon as you’re up to it, you can help me in the kitchen.”

  Oh good! So things work the same here then. I’ll clean when I’m not pleasing a Master or Mistress. Relief fills me knowing that I won’t have to be trained. I’ll be able to start with work immediately.

/>   I lie back down, and this time it doesn’t take me long to fall asleep. I don’t sleep for long though. When I wake up, all the lights are off. My body is aching something terrible, and Miss Ella said we could wake her if the pain becomes too much.

  I struggle out of bed and walk to the door. Only then do I notice Mistress Ryland.

  “It’s okay. You can go use the bathroom,” she whispers.

  I feel bad for deceiving her but I haven’t been given permission to talk to her yet. I slip out of the room and walk the passage until I reach the room by the stairs.

  I knock softly.

  “Yes.”

  Slowly, I open the door, and peek into the dark room.

  “Mistress Ella?”

  A light goes on and Miss Ella sits up in her bed. “Come in, dear.”

  I close the door, before I lower myself to my knees.

  “Oh, dear Lord almighty! Get up, child. I’m not one of those heathens.”

  As quickly as I can manage, I get up. “It hurts. You said to wake you if it becomes too much. I’m sorry, Mistress Ella. I hurt really badly. If I could just have something so I can sleep again. I would very much like to start working tomorrow.”

  I hear a sniffle and my eyes flit over to her. She’s wiping tears from her eyes. I don’t know what to make of it.

  “Come here, child.”

  I walk over to her bed and watch as she opens a drawer. She takes out a bottle of pills and shakes two tablets from it. She holds them out to me and I take them gratefully. I place them in my mouth as she holds a glass of water out to me. I quickly swallow them down.

  She moves back on the bed and holds the blanket up. “Come lie here. Miss Ella wants to talk to you.”

  I sit down and then lie back, flat on the bed. I hope the tablets work fast before we fuck so I can show her how good I am.

  She settles back on the pillows and then pats on her chest. “Come here, my sweet girl.” I position myself until my head is resting on her soft chest. Her arms go around me, and she starts to caress my hair.