My Sweet Songbird: Requested Trilogy - Part Three

by Sabre Rose

  “It’s time for your punishment.”

  ryker

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  RYKER

  The hours leading up to the auction are hectic. Senior calls me often, making changes, adding details, completely unaware of the chaos they cause for the people like me who actually do the work.

  The guests for the party have begun to arrive. Car after car pulls into the driveway with the elegantly dressed filthy-rich wobbling across the gravel. Oscar is there to greet them, champagne flutes on hand, taking their jackets and showing them to their rooms so they have a few moments to settle before the festivities begin. Not all of the guests will attend the auction, very few of them will, in fact. Most of them are here for nothing more than to celebrate Junior’s birthday. Or that’s the excuse anyway.

  But I’m not here to greet the guests at the main entrance. I’m not here to smile and nod and serve them refreshments. No. At the moment I’m stuck out the back, herding the guards and their cargo into rooms to await the auction.

  Girls stumble out of vans, eyes downcast, hands tied behind their backs. Some venture a gaze at their surroundings but most stare at the ground, hopelessness cowering their stance.

  The guards slap and harass them, chuckling at their discomfort. Their behavior repulses me, not because they are doing it, but because I know I am no better than them. I was no better than them.

  But this time it’s different. This time I see Mia or Everly in each of the girls’ expressions. This time I actually see them and not the men behind them. This time I allow myself to think, and it makes me sick.

  My phone rings again. It’s Senior.

  “I need you to come to my office,” he barks. No greeting. No preamble.

  “I’m just getting the—”

  “Now.” He hangs up. I stare at my phone for a few moments, then sigh and head back inside. I know I shouldn’t, but I pass by Mia’s room.

  I hope to catch a glimpse of her, hope to reassure her that tonight’s the night. As soon as everyone is occupied with the auction and drunk on arrogance and alcohol, I will steal her from here, run through the fields to where I’ve hidden the car, and drive as fast as I can to Everly. The busyness of the night should allow us just enough time to collect her before anyone at the mansion is alerted. If we are lucky. It is a dangerous and foolish plan, but it’s the only one I have. Where we go from there will be up to Mia. To take her home would be dangerous. To take her to the police without knowing which ones are on the Attertons’ payroll would be foolish. We will take it one step at a time. That’s the only way. But I will save them both.

  Mia’s door is open as I walk past and Katriane calls out to me. I stop, keeping my gaze firmly on Katriane and not allowing myself to run over to Mia like I want to. Even though I’m not directly looking at her, I can still feel her eyes on me. They burn with intensity and scorn. I don’t know why they would show anything else. I’ve done nothing but let her down. Nothing but stand by and allow her to be beaten and abused. Not only that, I’ve been the one to do it. She deserves so much better than me, so much better than the miserable replacement for love that I can offer, but none of that matters now. The only thing that matters is getting her free without any harm coming to her or Everly.

  I swallow uncomfortably as Katriane orders me to take Mia down to the rooms with Senior’s girls. Sebastian and Katriane argue, and I hazard a quick glance at Mia. She takes my breath away. Dressed in a blood-red dress with a plunging neckline, her lips are stained with the same shade and diamond jewels hang from her ears, brushing against the delicate skin of her neck. Her eyes are wide and filled with worry. Her skin is prickled with fear.

  I almost flinch when Katriane places her hand on my chest and I have to tear my gaze away from Mia. Even though it was just a quick glance, one meant to go unnoticed, it felt like an eternity. I was trapped by her. Caught in her web. How Sebastian did not fall at her feet was beyond me.

  “Don’t you trust him around your girl? I can assure you his tastes are far more mature than that.” I close my eyes as Katriane continues, wishing I could reach out and pull Mia away from this. “Why it was only the other day that he had me pressed to the wall outside this very room.” With one hand still pressed to my chest, she runs the other behind my neck, pulling me to her and pressing those venomous lips to mine. I return her kiss because what else can I do? To refuse her would only cause suspicion. Her mouth is rotten, her tongue somehow cold and hard. When she finally pulls away, she smiles coldly as she wipes her thumb over my bottom lip.

  Sebastian lets out a snort of repulsion. “You disgust me, Mother.”

  “You boys are all the same.” Her fingers are still wrapped around the back of my neck like talons. “Take her away, would you, Ryker, hmm?”

  I don’t wait for Sebastian’s objection, stretching my hand toward Mia, but he bats it away, stepping between us, his entire body trembling with rage.

  “Don’t fucking touch her,” he hisses, spit flying from his mouth. “You are never to touch her again, understand?”

  Instead of answering, I turn to Katriane, knowing it will infuriate him further. She merely shrugs, and I bring my gaze back to Sebastian with a smirk. “Yes, sir.”

  Then it’s my turn to conceal my rage as Sebastian jerks Mia toward him, gripping her neck and forcing his tongue down her throat. Mia is caught between us, an unwilling pawn between the urges of two men. I drop my head, unable to watch as he finishes his assault and shoves her towards me.

  “I will come and get you later.”

  Even though the words are directed at Mia, they are meant for me. They are a warning. A threat. A shudder trembles through Mia and the light catches her skin, allowing the sheen of the beginning of a bruise to show on her cheek. I long to reach out and take her in my arms, shield her from the monster that looms behind her. Instead, I turn and walk out the door, expecting her to follow.

  It isn’t until I’m sure that no on surrounds us that I stop and take her in my arms. I pull her close, pressing my lips to her hair, inhaling her scent and resisting the urge to take her hand and run away from this place. But Senior is expecting me. My absence would be noticed within minutes. No. I must be patient. I must follow what little plans I’ve made.

  I pull back from Mia and look into those big, dark eyes. “I’m getting you out of here.” A tear rolls down her cheek. I’ve been witness to so many of her tears. My only hope is that one day she will allow me to smother the memory of her tears with ones of her smile and laughter. “Tonight, when everyone is either drunk, occupied with the auction or sleeping, I will come for you.”

  The doubt is plain in her eyes. I don’t blame her. I’ve let her down so many times before. I kept her trapped. I ran my hands over her body against her will. And now, she stands before me, eyes swimming with tears as I stood by and let another man abuse her. It’s a wonder I can even look her in the eye. But again, it’s because I’m trapped by her, caught in the snare of her gaze, unable to look away even though I’m filled with shame in her presence.

  “But how?” Even her voice is broken.

  “Are you okay? Your voice—” A noise behind me sets my heart racing and I jerk away from Mia, not wanting to be caught.

  “I’m fine.” Her voice is barely a whisper. “But how?” she asks again.

  “Don’t you worry about that.” Because if I told her the truth she would laugh in my face. My plans for escape are so feeble. “Just know that I will come for you.”

  “But what about Everly?”

  I can’t resist her any longer and pull her towards me, pressing my lips to hers as though they contain the essence of life itself. Her fingers thread through my hair, pulling me closer, answering all my prayers with one simple motion. I’m aware of my surroundings, aware of any noises alerting me of someone’s approach, but at the same time, I long for the day when I can kiss her without fear. When I can fall at her feet and lose myself in her. When we can get lost in each other with no worry
of retribution. If she’ll have me.

  But for now, I must stop. Tearing myself away, I thread my fingers through hers and lead her back down the hallway, knowing that Senior is waiting for me.

  “I will be back for you tonight, okay? I will get to you before he does. Just don’t say a word to anyone.”

  She laughs and that’s when I realize the words that I chose.

  “Don’t worry, I’m good at that.”

  I look behind me as she smiles brilliantly and for a moment I’m transported to a vision of what it would be like to be with her without this hell-like mess. A time when she will look at me and smile with no tears chasing it. No sadness lurking in the depths. And I will be the one who put it there.

  Then she adds, “You’ve trained me well.”

  The spell is broken. The illusion shattered. I turn and take her cheeks between my hands, mustering as much honesty and intensity into my gaze as I can. “I will never forgive myself for the role I’ve played in all of this. Never. And I know I can’t ever make it up to you, but I hope at least to be able to grant you your freedom.”

  Grant her freedom. As though it’s something I can allow her rather than something that should be hers simply because she exists. Shit. It’s ingrained in me, this way of looking at the world. This way of thinking that somehow I can gift her something that should have never been taken from her. I run my hands over my face.

  “What?” she asks.

  “Nothing. It’s nothing.” I give her a smile to reassure her and take her hand again, leading her to another locked room. “Just wait for me, okay? Wait here. I’ll come for you.”

  She smiles again, but this time her humor is tinged with sadness. “Like I have a choice.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  RYKER

  “Where have you been?”

  Senior’s voice is just as clipped and blunt as it was on the phone. I take my place before him, hands resting behind my back, legs spaced apart like a soldier awaiting orders.

  “I was waylaid by a request from Katriane, sir. I apologize.”

  He lets out a huff of annoyance and narrows his eyes. “What did she want?”

  “For me to escort Junior’s girl down to your rooms.”

  Senior’s eyes narrow further, his eyebrows furrowing together. He opens his mouth as though to say something, then changes his mind and shuts it abruptly, shaking his head. Getting up from his chair, he paces around the desk and leans against it, crossing his legs at the ankles and staring at me curiously. There’s something in his gaze which makes me uncomfortable, and I shift my weight between my feet, unsure of the reason he called me here.

  “Are you happy, Ryker?”

  My forehead creases with confusion. “Yes, sir,” I reply, unsure of what else to say.

  “It seems to me that you have been experiencing some dissatisfaction with your position with us, is that not correct?”

  “No, sir. Not at all. Have I done something to give you that impression?”

  Senior leans further back, his head slowly tilting from side to side. The silence grows uncomfortable, but I know his games. I know he likes to make people nervous in the hope that they will blurt out some hidden guilt. We play the game. Who can bear the silence the longest? In the end, I win and Senior relents.

  “Not anything in particular,” he says. “Just a general…” He waves his hand in front of his chest as though attempting to summons the right word. “A general feeling, you might say.” Lifting himself away from the desk he returns to his seat. “Come in!” he yells into the empty room.

  The door bursts open and Everly runs into my arms. My heart sinks. What is she doing here?

  “Can you believe it!” Everly gushes. “He brought the helicopter to collect me again! He said it wasn’t fair that I miss out on Junior’s party just because I was at school and he sent the helicopter so I could come. Isn’t that just so nice of him?”

  She squeezes me tightly and Senior meets my gaze over the top of her head.

  “He said that you have to work tonight, so annoying, but I’m going to have so much fun. Senior even said I can have a couple of wines tonight.” She giggles and hugs me again, only to pull back and look at me with a frown on her face. “What’s the matter? Aren’t you pleased to see me?”

  I plaster on a smile, my gaze flicking between the challenging glare of Senior and the excited sparkle of Everly’s eyes. “Of course. I’m just a little surprised to see you, that’s all. I had no idea you were going to be coming tonight.”

  Senior gets up from his desk again and walks around to embrace Everly. “I thought it would do her good to come home for a while, don’t you think, Ryker? Make sure she remembers who the people are who love her. The ones who protect her and look after her.”

  Everly laughs. “As if I would ever forget. You’ve given me everything, Mr Atterton. I’ll never be able to repay you for your kindness.”

  She says all the right words for someone who has never seen the dark side of the family. She has no idea of their criminal connections. She has no idea that there are girls, only a few years older than her, locked away in rooms, ready to be sold to the highest bidder, to do with them what they will.

  “I’ve even bought you a pretty dress for the evening.”

  Everly’s eyes grow wide and she clasps her hands under her chin.

  “A pretty dress for a pretty girl.”

  Senior stares directly at me as he says the words, turning my blood cold. My plans for the night start to fall away. Senior takes Everly’s hand in his.

  “You’ll have plenty of time to catch up with Ryker tomorrow. Now, you must get ready for the party, yes?” He pats her hand gently. “There are going to be a lot of people here tonight, already the guests are beginning to arrive—” again his glance flicks to me “—so I’ve arranged for Cameron to escort you, keep an eye on you and keep you safe.”

  Cameron enters the room. He gives her a dazzling smile, one that belies his place within the family, and steps forward to offer her his arm.

  “It will be my pleasure to accompany such a beautiful lady.”

  Senior looks directly at me. “Don’t let her out of your sight. We can’t have her running away in the middle of the night.”

  Senior has his ways of keeping track of me, but this is something more. This is a warning. He’s been inside my head and he wants me to know that nothing is hidden from him. It’s always like this. Unspoken threats. Silent reminders of who he is and who I am. Master and servant.

  Everly darts across the room to place a kiss on my cheek and then skips off on Cameron’s arm, oblivious to the exchange that just happened.

  “Oh, and Ryker?” Senior walks over to the window, peering down as another car pulls into the driveway, the driver opening the doors for the occupants to get out. “There’s a list of the order in which I want our girls to appear at the auction tonight. It’s on my desk. Grab it on your way out.”

  I nod once, even though he’s not looking at me and head towards the desk. His laptop is open, a paused image on the screen. Mia with her wrists in chains, her naked body stretched taut as I hold her against the wall, pushing my arm into her throat and cutting off her air. The strength leaves my body and I want to sink to the floor at the same time as a powerful rage ripple through my muscles.

  Senior turns slowly and meets my gaze. “It’s amazing what’s just lying around, isn’t it?”

  He doesn’t need to say anymore. He’s made himself perfectly clear.

  “Oh, and Ryker? I’d like you to be the one that leads the girls onto the stage tonight. I usually get the trainers to do it but with Marcel gone and you being more experienced now, it will be good for the clients to know who you are, realize how important you are to my operation. Consider it a promotion.”

  Senior smiles but it’s only his lips that move. The rest of his face remains immobile.

  I nod once, then leave without saying a word, clutching the list in my hand and returning to the r
ole I’m forced to play.

  It’s three in the morning before the auction starts. The guests are already stumbling with drunkenness but there are a few lurking at the back of the room, eyes set straight ahead. They mean business. They are not here to play. They are here for the auction alone. There’s a darkness and cruelty to their eyes that isn’t in the others.

  The room has been set up like a fashion runway. The clients populate the floor space and a raised platform lines the center of the room, lit by spotlights and ready to display the prey.

  I pace impatiently, scanning the room for a glimpse of Junior. I thought he would be here. I had hoped to check in on Mia again during the night, but I have been kept too busy. The only chance I got to slip away, I took the opportunity to check on Everly. She was dancing, her arms wrapped around Cameron’s neck, her face stretched wide with a lopsided smiled. I sent Cameron a warning glare and he nodded. He knows better than to touch my sister. I hope.

  “Ryker?” Winston taps my shoulder. “Are you coming back here? The girls are second on the stage.”

  Senior didn’t want his girls to go first, it showed too much favor, but that didn’t stop him from going second. He wanted the best price he could get, and the sooner they appeared in the line-up, the better their chances of going for decent money.

  “Be there soon.”

  Music starts and the room darkens. The auctioneer, a friend of Senior’s, starts his babble as the first girl is lead out. She’s dressed in leather and chains. The man beside her is dressed all in black, as I am, nothing more than someone to hold the lead clipped to the collar around her neck. This girl doesn’t cower or hide. She stands tall and proud, glaring at the men in the room as though they deserve to be below her. The bidding starts and the voices in the room rise in excitement.

  Weaving my way through the crowd, I make my way to where Senior’s girls are being held. Not the ones he keeps for himself. The ones he wants to sell.