Dark Descent into Desire

by J. J. Sorel

  “You said you wished to see the stained glass windows in the afternoon.” He didn’t seem to notice that my emotions were about to explode.

  I rose and followed him out, glum and refusing to capitulate to that sexy smile. If anything, I wanted to scream. Silently, I entered the dining room, that, had I been upbeat, I would have gushed over.

  When we were seated, Blake touched my hand. “I’m sorry to drag you into my dirty world.

  “Mm…” I stared down at my fingers.

  He touched my hand. “Penny. There’s only you. You’re the only woman I want. Remember that.”

  “But why does she have to stay at your house? Can’t she stay at a hotel with a legion of your men watching over her?”

  His lips twitched with amusement. “A legion of my men? You make me sound like Caesar.”

  I grinned.

  He looked into my eyes. “Amelia has a boyfriend. He’s staying there too.”

  I frowned in disbelief. “Really? But isn’t that dangerous?”

  He let out a deep breath. “Yeah. I’m not wrapped in the idea. But at least this way, it allays your fears. This article is vital.”

  I relaxed all of a sudden.

  “I’m not sure having you stay here was the greatest idea, though,” he said, looking around.

  Although Blake had suggested Bath or even Scotland, I’d begged to return to Raven Abbey.

  “This Dylan Fox doesn’t strike me as too bright, and anyhow, I have my own heavy shadowing me. I love it here. And at least I can visit your mother.”

  He nodded distractedly. “Sure. But promise me you won’t go anywhere without him.”

  Blake’s intensity made my heart pump, but this time it wasn’t from the thought of sex.

  * * *

  I WAVED BLAKE GOODBYE as he drove off in his James Bond car. Mr. Cool and Sexy. Even in the car with his shades on, he looked good enough to devour. He’d certainly made a meal of me. My legs were still weak from the torrid session the night before. He’d asked—no, commanded me—to strip and lie on the bed and masturbate. His debauched desires inflamed me. He drank everything I had to offer. The more drama there was in Blake’s life, the greedier he became for my body, it seemed.

  I walked back up to my opulent room, fell onto the bed, and slept.

  It was afternoon when I woke to a raven crowing noisily outside my window. The creature’s beady eyes stared into mine as though trying to tell me something.

  After I dressed, I headed downstairs, where I found my security guard sitting in wait reading his phone screen.

  He peered up and nodded. His neck was as thick as his head, and he was a giant. We were sure to make an odd pair.

  “So how’s this going to work?” I asked as he followed me out onto the vast grounds.

  “I’ll stay in the background in order to give you space and privacy.”

  “Your name?”

  “Tony.” His cool, seemingly impenetrable expression relaxed into a warm smile.

  “I thought I might go for a wander. The village, I’m told, is a mile away. Is that too long a walk?” I asked, noticing his shiny black SUV parked in the distance.

  “I could use the exercise,” he said.

  “Okay then. Off we go. And hey, you don’t have to walk behind me.”

  “That’s okay, ma’am. It’s my job. I’m meant to remain in the background.”

  I shrugged. “Come on, then.”

  53

  * * *

  BLAKE

  MARIA GLANCED OVER AT me and then at Amelia, and although she normally kept her opinions to herself, which I appreciated, she drew me away and whispered, “What happened to Penelope?”

  “Amelia’s a journalist. She’s not replacing Penelope,” I said.

  “I like Penelope very much. She’s good for you. She’s made you a man.”

  I frowned. “Right.” I thought about that and had to ask, “What was I before?”

  “You were a mess, caro mio. A beautiful man with a head full of worries.”

  I smiled meekly. “She’s made me happy. But I was always a man.” I raised a brow.

  She twirled her hand and smiled.

  We sat at the table and ate silently. Amelia looked up every now and then, and smiled shyly. That night was to be the last night of her stay.

  Penelope had skyped me earlier and played with her nipples at my request. She needed to see how hot I was for her, to keep her jealousy at bay. Had our situation been reversed, I wouldn’t have handled it well. As it was, I’d even hired the most unattractive security guard from the team to watch over her.

  “Is the editor lined up for tonight?” I asked.

  She nodded. “He’s aware that I’m sending the article. As you can imagine, after he read my outline, he’s keen, and a little worried.”

  “But you haven’t revealed any of the participants’ names, have you? Only the name Gareth Lion.” It didn’t take long for me to connect Dylan Fox to that pseudonym.

  “True. But the fact that the article states that some very powerful men were involved will cause a rumbling.”

  I nodded, thinking of the stir among the upper classes.

  Justice needed to be served, regardless of the criminal’s station in life. And Dylan should have been jailed a long time ago. If Sir William had pressed charges, as he should have, perhaps this could have been avoided. For me, at least.

  After dinner, Amelia sat in my study with her laptop. I watched her press Send.

  Looking up at me, she smiled. “There. It’s done. Now I can return to my life.”

  I scribbled a check for fifty thousand pounds. “Here.”

  She stared at it and then me. “I can’t take this. I was only doing my job. In any case, the Guardian’s paying for this story.”

  “Not much, though. Good journalists are an endangered species. Let’s just say I’m investing in quality journalism. In fact, give that back.”

  She handed it over, almost looking disappointed. Her wince as I tore it up didn’t go unnoticed.

  I scribbled a new check for two hundred thousand pounds, knowing that it would make a huge difference to her life. I admired her work ethic. She was intelligent, tenacious, and hardworking, deserving of a break.

  “I won’t hear any protests. It’s yours. All your years of hard work. You’ve earned it.”

  The piece of paper trembled in her hand. Her green eyes widened. “But this is exorbitant.”

  I changed the subject. “What now?”

  She took a steadying breath. “They’ll publish the story, and by afternoon, it will go viral. Everyone will be seeking information on Gareth Lion. And I’m certain more girls will testify.”

  * * *

  THE FOLLOWING DAY, as Amelia had predicted, the story dominated the airwaves. Even the morning show on television, which Maria normally had on in the kitchen, ran it. I went in to grab a banana when it came on. The story described a private island where unsuspecting young females were plied with alcohol and drugs and cajoled into sex and in some cases, raped. Most of the girls were underage.

  Maria handed me a cup of coffee. She did the sign of the cross. “Dio mio, how evil.”

  I returned a solemn nod and then left to meet James, who I’d planned to catch up with at our club, which was a five-minute walk from my home.

  Although it was a little early for my first drink, I agreed on a fiery hit as he sat before me, pale and biting a nail.

  “I’m fucked. I thought they’d keep me out of it.”

  I held up my hands. “It wasn’t me.”

  He released a deep breath of resignation. “I suppose it wasn’t going to end well.”

  “But from what you’ve said, there are bigger fish to fry. I can’t imagine they’ll charge everyone involved.”

  He sniffed. “Yeah, well, that would wipe out half of the upper classes.”

  “That many?” I asked, shocked that so many men had a thing for young girls.

  “For an intelligent, exp
erienced man of the world, Blake, you are surprisingly out of touch with the habits of the rich.”

  I shrugged. “Yeah. Well… it’s fucking immoral. In the true sense of the word.”

  He lifted his hands in defense. “She told me she was seventeen.” His tone was rougher and more serious than I’d ever recalled. Always the easygoing one, James had never allowed anything to ruffle him, which I’d put down to a privileged upbringing. Now that he’d been thrown into the pits, the dirty game of life had knocked reality into him, forcing him to grow up and take some responsibility.

  54

  * * *

  PENELOPE

  AFTER ONE WEEK INTO my stay, I’d filled an entire sketch pad with Raven Abbey’s facade.

  It was late afternoon, and Blake had called, suggesting that I visit his mother. He’d spoken to her, and she was looking forward to my visit and even hoped I would stay the night, which appealed to me.

  Tony, my bodyguard, showed me pictures of his young daughter. I could see that he missed her madly, and I asked him if he’d like to return earlier than he’d planned.

  He shook his head. “I need the work. And Blake Sinclair pays really well. I just wanted to show you a picture of Carly.”

  I smiled. “She’s lovely.” I headed toward the dirt path. “So, are you ready for a walk in the forest?”

  He nodded. “I’ve lost a bit of weight with all this exercise. It’s better than standing around looking threatening.”

  I laughed along with him, having grown to like him.

  We made our way into the thick wood, and although it was afternoon, the forest was bathed in shadows. I stood in a rare beam of sunlight and lifted my face. A robin in a tall oak greeted me.

  I heard a rustle behind me and assumed it was Tony, who always insisted on walking a few steps back to protect me.

  Leaning against a tree, I took a break. After a few moments, I heard scuffling, which I assumed was the sound of creatures scurrying about. But then I heard men’s voices. I walked out of the scrub and saw Tony on the ground, clutching his stomach. Blood puddled around him. He’d been stabbed.

  When I ran to him, he shook his head. “Run” exited silently from his mouth. Just as I was searching for my phone, a man came toward me.

  In the space of a breath, I started running as fast as I could, stumbling along the way until I found a thick piece of scrub to hide in.

  I’d only just settled, after having my skin scratched and bitten, when my phone buzzed. He came into view, headed toward me.

  My heart raced, and I could barely breathe. Luckily, it wasn’t too far to the cottage.

  I bolted like lightning. He was a big heavy man who struggled to keep up. I kept running until I arrived at the cottage. I pushed the gate open and knocked on the door, nearly banging it down.

  Mary came to the door. Her smile faded when her eyes traveled over my shoulder. My pursuer was there at the doorstep.

  “What do you want?” she asked him.

  “You’ve come back from the grave. And to think I mourned your passing, you bitch.”

  As Mary’s eyes widened, telling me to run, he grabbed my arm and shoved me into the cottage.

  “What are you doing here, Jack?” asked Mary.

  “I’ve come to visit my dear wife.”

  “How did you know I was here?”

  “A little fairy told me.” He looked over at me.

  “Leave her be,” implored Mary. “This is between you and me.”

  My heart was in my mouth—I could hardly speak. “I didn’t know he was there. He killed Tony, my guard.”

  Mary turned to Jack. “Do you want to go to prison again?”

  My cell sounded. As I removed it from my pocket, Jack snatched it from me and took the call. “Oh, it’s my billionaire son, who refuses to acknowledge his dear old dad.” His face contorted into a malicious grin. “I’m just visiting your lovely mother, and your girlfriend’s even here. Mary’s come back to life it seems.”

  I tried to escape, but even while holding the phone, he managed to lock the door and push me to the ground. His big foot rested on my back.

  Lying there with my cheek pressed against the cold hard floor, I couldn’t see Mary, and I prayed that she’d escaped.

  “I want cash. Plenty of it,” he barked into the phone. “I’m sending my account details. I want ten million. If it’s not there by today, there’ll be no happily ever after for you.”

  As Jack listened to Blake, I writhed like a rattlesnake to free myself. But his foot pressed heavily onto my spine.

  He closed the call and then tied my legs and wrists with curtain cords. Then he picked me up roughly, pushed me into the bathroom, and locked the door from the outside.

  I heard scuffling and Mary screaming.

  I was trying to free my wrists, using my teeth, when the door burst open. He was a big ugly brute more than six feet tall, with evil sneering eyes.

  I’d forgotten to breathe, and my heart pounded madly.

  He dragged me out and pushed me onto a chair. Holding some tape, he wrapped it tightly around my wrists, the chair, and my body before taping over my mouth.

  While he was securing my body onto the chair, Mary scrambled into the kitchen. Suddenly, she appeared with a knife. It all happened so quickly. She went to lunge at him, but he grabbed her wrist, and I felt the clang of the knife hitting the floor in my ankles. My heart shriveled at the lost opportunity.

  “You were never that bright.” Pushing her into a chair, he yelled, “Sit.”

  As he taped up her hands and feet, I tried to wiggle free, but I was bound up too tightly.

  My phone buzzed again. I wished I could answer it. He went over to it, picked it up, and listened.

  He responded, “I will text an email. Send me proof of that transaction.”

  I couldn’t believe that monster even had an email account, let alone lived in the real world. He ended the call and looked at me. “You’ve obviously left your mark on Blake.” His greasy eyes looked up and down my body, which was covered in cold sweat. My nerves were so frazzled that I was close to wetting my pants.

  Such was his strength that he lifted Mary’s chair effortlessly and carried it to the bedroom.

  At least I didn’t have to watch, which was a small mercy, although her cries were like razor blades digging into my flesh.

  Using my body to push the chair along, I was focusing on the knife on the floor when someone burst through the door.

  It was Tony. He’d somehow managed to bandage his wound with his shirt. He looked at me, and I cocked my head toward the bedroom, where the monster’s grunts could be heard.

  Holding a pistol, he placed a finger in front of his mouth for me to remain quiet.

  That was easy enough to do. I just wished I could seal my ears from poor Mary’s screams mingling with that monster’s groans.

  All went quiet just for one second, and then a gunshot echoed through my ribcage. And another.

  Mary ran out. With her ripped dress hanging off her, she grabbed scissors and cut me free.

  Clutching his belly, Tony came out and fell to his knees.

  “Is he dead?” Mary asked, holding her mouth.

  He nodded and then fell unconscious to the floor.

  Mary fumbled at her phone. Sobs muddied her words as she gave directions for an ambulance.

  55

  * * *

  BLAKE

  I DROPPED EVERYTHING AND flew to Raven Abbey in a helicopter before jumping into the gardener’s SUV and driving like fury down the dirt track to the cottage.

  When I arrived, I found the two women I loved huddled tightly together and shaking. I held them both.

  After a few strong hits of whisky, my mother was restored. Penelope was another matter.

  I held her trembling hand, caressing it. I couldn’t stop apologizing for placing her in such peril.

  “You weren’t to know he’d come here,” she replied.

  As placating as her soft tone
was, it didn’t ease my crippling guilt. I should have predicted Jack’s return.

  My phone buzzed, and I took the call. At the other end, my security guard’s wife relayed the comforting news that Tony was doing fine. The wound hadn’t ruptured a vital organ. I released a deep sigh of relief and thanked her for the good news. She wouldn’t hear my heartfelt apologies, telling me that he was only doing his job.

  I replied, “Your husband’s a hero. I won’t forget this.” I closed the call and looked at Penelope. “Tony’s okay.”

  “Oh, that’s great.” She sighed. “If it weren’t for him…” She shook her head. “He crawled through that door on his knees. I don’t know how he managed it.”

  “He was in the Special Forces. They’re trained to withstand all kinds of traumas.” I paused to collect my thoughts. “I’ll pay off their mortgage and give them some cash.”

  “That’s so kind of you, darling. He deserves it,” said my mother.

  “Are you sure you’re okay? Should I call a doctor?”

  She shook her head decisively. “I’m tough enough. I’ve been through it before. And to be honest, I’m relieved.” She smiled tightly. “He’s gone. That’s all that counts. And now I can show my face to the world again.”

  Just hearing her say that removed a heavy weight from my shoulders. I, too, felt a little lighter. Jack Blackburn was a nasty fiend. He wouldn’t be missed by anyone.

  “I hate the idea of you hidden away here alone. We want you in our life.” I stared at Penelope, who nodded with a sympathetic smile.

  * * *

  IN THE COMING DAYS, the media went into overdrive. More victims from the private-island sex parties had come out. The name Gareth Lion was mentioned everywhere, leading me to the conclusion that Dylan Fox would soon be exposed.

  Penelope sat up in the bed, wearing a permanent frown. “I can’t help but feel that had I not visited your mother…”