“Ready to check out our holiday home?” he asks me and I nod. He responds by gracefully leaning in, putting his hand out for me. He helps me stand, my body stiffened by sitting still for too long. He pulls me round to the front of the house and puts his arm around my waist. “What do you think?”
“I love it.” He releases me and I’m drawn towards the house. I stand before this large two story house and I’m in awe. The brickwork is orange and sits beautifully against its blue sky background. There’s a small stone staircase leading up to the path and it’s entirely surrounded by picket fences. It’s pretty much an all American dream house and my heart flutters at the thought of a future return to this house.
“This is home for however long we need it to be.” His statement is genuine and a part of me already doesn’t want to go back to reality. “Shall we go in?”
I grin at him. “I want to explore!”
Feeling a hand in mine, I look to find Jace peering down at me with utter affection. He says nothing else, just locks the Audi behind us and leads us to the path and with his hand in mine, we walk together up the path to the house. He has the keys in his hand already and opens the door for me.
When we enter I’m met with open spaces and light everywhere. It’s wood and white paint, but straight ahead is a view of the sea. I see rooms going off into other rooms and two staircases leading to the second floor on either side of the house. I’m drawn to the large sitting area and I’m just in absolute wonderment.
“I’ll grab the bags later, for now, you’re resting.” I’m softly pushed down to one of the large couches at the back of the house, they overlook the pool and out towards the seashore. It’s bliss, my type of carefree bliss. Jace obviously takes advantage of my distracted state and sits me down, picking my legs up to recline me. I comply, but only because I am too far wrapped in awe to do anything else. When he backs away, I snap out of my daze and look to him with disappointment. “You can explore later.” It’s all he says as he throws a blanket over me. “We’ve had a long drive. You need your rest.”
I just pout, I’m not tired. My body is, but my mind is a livewire of curiosity and wants to see every single corner of this grand palace. “What are you going to do now you’ve tucked the invalid in?” I call out as he leaves me on the couch.
He turns back, sleek smirk on his lips and just begins to walk away again. “I’m going to cook you the best meal of your life.”
“But you’ve done that before!” I argue and cross my arms over my chest. “Why now?”
“Because I can’t look after you on an empty stomach!” It’s yelled out from what I can only guess to be the kitchen and the giggle is involuntary. “You’re too much for me, woman!”
“That’s not what you say when I have you groaning my name,” I tease back, finding out quickly that shouting out is pulling on my ribs far more than I thought possible.
I can hear him chuckling and I just sigh heavenly as I relax back. If this is what life had planned for me, then I need to be thanking a higher being.
Right now, all the bad things forgotten, this is definitely heaven on earth.
Chapter Eighteen
I wake up to the bright morning sunlight and stretch out. My body detests the action and I stop before it can feel the absolute pleasure. I turn onto my side and see that Jace is sound asleep still. His body is facing me with his hand on my pillow. He’s snoring gently and looks far from waking up soon.
Sighing, I feel like he’s done so much for me already and we’ve not even been away twenty-four hours. My heart beats steady at the thought of how we spent the day before. Jace kept me sat and comfortable while waiting on me hand and foot. He ended the night by running me a bath and left me to relax. He hasn’t seen the mess of my body and I feel unattractive because of it, so I plan to keep it hidden until the bruises start to fade.
Reaching out, I push a tendril of messy hair back and he moves a little, smiling under my touch. I place the hair out of his face and retreat my hand to underneath my face. Lying here, I know I could never leave. The sight before me is perfect. The man I love is here with me and his promises have filled me with such glee it’s stolen every ounce of worry from my mind.
Rolling over in bed, I look to the clock on my nightstand and see it’s barely eight AM and I’m wide awake. I don’t get pills until after breakfast, and I know with Jace asleep, I get a little freedom to just do what I wanted to yesterday. I get to go and explore. Taking one last look to my sleeping prince, I slowly get out of bed and grab my silk robe from the chair nearby. Wrapping it around my body, I leave the master bedroom and take a walk along the short landing. I love how quaint this house is. Sure, it’s large, but the second floor is buried into the attic, so it eludes me every time to believe I’m not in a small mansion in The Hamptons.
I know there are two bathrooms and five bedrooms in this place, but it’s the downstairs that has me full of wonderment. There are so many rooms and let’s not forget the pool that had me mesmerized last night. It leads straight to the sea and the lounge is the perfect area to watch the sunset. Jace and I just sat together, enjoying the time together as the evening set in. It’s what I always grew up believing in – these fairytale nights with the man who has captured me, heart and soul.
With a small smile toying on my lips, I proceed down the stairs. I’m in the large open foyer. Turning around I see the sitting area we spent all yesterday in and decide to go in the one direction I haven’t – to my left. I walk through an archway, bypassing family photos as I do. I halt on the spot and just gaze upon the family Jace has around him. I remember the feeling of having my family around me, the way I felt included and needed. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt that rush of warmth knowing I’m someone’s daughter and sister. I’d give anything to go back, but won’t risk bringing my family into my life until my contract ends. I’ve seen Clara use family as leverage; I won’t give her that ammunition.
Changing my thoughts away from my family, I go back to my mission. I carry on down the hall until I see two large white wooden doors before me. Curiosity bites and I go towards them, pushing them apart to reveal the study. I don’t need to step in to see what’s going on in here. The walls are covered in things regarding The Viper Rooms. The wall on my right is covered with us Viper Girls, the one to my left obscured by Clara Delvine and all her dirty deeds. I’m taken back by this finding and wonder when Jace has had such time to do all this.
The business trips. My mind whispers the three word sentence at me and I wonder if he’s really been going away on actual business, or if he’s been going away on Viper business. My mind cannot fathom anything other than the latter. As much as I could get myself worked up over this, I can’t find it in me to be angry with him for this. He always promised he would free me before my time was up and now I have physical proof he’s been keeping his word.
I look upon the wall and see Luca’s been added, which verifies he’s been here striving for my freedom. I read upon the lists around our faces; our clients listed, our pasts bullet pointed, family marked in biro. Every part of our lives in the club is here in black and white. Looking over my shoulder to the wall devoted to Clara, I go over and finally see that Jace has managed to deduce her past down to a list. I scowl as I read and I’m appalled with what she had endured in those six years of being trapped. She may have gotten herself a newfound wealth, but it doesn’t make up for what she had to go through while married to Christopher Peterson. I recognize the name and I’m sure Alex had him as a client before. Cassidy as well. Remembering back a year ago, I remember he requested the best girls, but Clara refused to lease Brianna or me out to him. I remember being too close for comfort to overhear Clara tell him he had one evening in the club and then had to leave. Clara was cut throat about her attitude towards him, and now I clearly know why he was the first and only client that received treatment from her.
Deciding to back away, I realize that Clara is far past a savior and I know Jace knows tha
t as well. He possibly knows it far more than anyone else. I could stand here and inspect every inch of the wall, but I have no idea what Jace has found and how it’ll help me – if it will – but I have to trust in him and his findings.
Walking out of the room, I draw the doors closed and walk away. I forget about the room and continue to explore. Jace has already told me how scorching the summer will be here and I want to head outside and enjoy the morning heat with that added sea breeze. I stumble into a new room that joins onto the sitting area and I see the piano, open and alluring. Drawn to it, I play a simple one handed tune upon the keys. It matches the rhythm in my soul – slow, settled, peaceful. The delightful tone is uplifting and delicate. I smile wistfully to myself and reluctantly leave the piano be. I’m sure there will be more moments I can enjoy the finely tuned instrument.
And finally I’m back where I started. I have the large open paneled doors that lead out onto the small balcony with the pool beyond it. Unlocking the door, I feel the warmth hit my skin and I can smell the sea from here. Going to sit out in the morning sun, I fall into one of the sun loungers around the pool and get settled.
As I relax, the only scary part is how at ease my mind is.
***
“Good morning,” Jace chirps as he steps out behind me. I turn to look up to him and he’s only in shorts, his hair a matted mess, and he still looks half asleep. “I woke up thinking to myself how I fell asleep with a beautiful lady beside me and woke up alone. Want to tell me how that happened?”
“I couldn’t sleep,” I tell him honestly as he makes the short journey down to me. “So I decided to explore before ending up out here.”
He comes to stand behind me, bashfulness exuding him instantly. “Find anything interesting? My fifteen year old brace face? My nerd phase?” he asks and I laugh and shake my head. “What then?”
“What’s with the study?” I ask several moments after he’s sat on the end of my lounger. He looks to me and I try to study his expression. I don’t want to have pissed him off, but I need to know. “I went exploring and that was the biggest surprise, Brace face.”
He sighs and sits back. “I knew you’d find it, but didn’t think it’d be quite so soon.” He laughs nervously and clasps his hands together. “I’ve been trying to break down every part of The Viper Rooms. Every single person’s life I’ve tried to deduce down to a bullet point list in the hope that something is fool proof enough I can send it to the police anonymously.”
“I’m guessing you’ve come up blank?” I ask and he nods. I feel a part of me dwindle with disappointment.
“She’s covered every aspect of herself. I don’t know how she’s managed it, but she has.” His voice is full of solemn disappointment, but he continues to tell me all. “The club was abandoned property, no one wanted it, it was on the verge of being demolished, but she bought it outright practically days after her divorce. She used near enough all of the money she got from the divorce to get top lawyers to sort out the building and business permissions and gather herself a small security force around her. She lets them cover her tracks while she just counts her money.” He shakes his head unhappily. “She’s passing every health standard check and there is nothing illegal about her running a gentlemen’s club.”
“But it’s not a gentlemen’s club,” I whisper. My thoughts are swirling, there are parts of the club that are innocent, but seeing a girl whipped with a riding crop is not an innocent act. I close my eyes, remembering how Eleanor screamed in agony and how she was sent to the bottom of the Viper chain once she was out of the pit, and let’s not start with the pit. There isn’t anything safe and legal about throwing barely dressed women into a room for however long the Boss sees fit.
“I know,” Jace murmurs back and reaches out for my hand. “She’s covered up your attack so well we can’t even use that evidential leverage.”
My eyes go wide knowing I’ll never have justice for what happened to me. “But look at me,” I state and pause for a moment to steady myself. “I’m living proof it happened, I’m evidence enough.”
“But we have no culprit and we can’t get the files on the men without a warrant. Those are sealed files.” I see the pain in his eyes at the fact he knows he’s failing himself and his profession. “We can search for Clive’s body, but even if we did find it, I don’t think it’s enough. We all keep a level of anonymity. Delvine gives us that. She takes away our identity in replace for something we need. That’s the deal, Joely. You know that.” He sighs again and I know it’s not a good thing. “There is so much red tape for us to cut through and she isn’t doing anything alarming enough that gains official attention.”
“The pit,” I master the sentence and the thought sends a shudder up my spine. It’s the one thing I can think of as power for us.
“Is apparently just an empty storage room.” His admittance strikes me hard, the words lashing upon my ears heavily. “Someone, about seven years ago, tried to crack down on The Viper Rooms, but they failed. They managed to get evidence, even used a girl to find things out. It didn’t end well, but he got to see the pit and it’s just an empty room with several steps leading down. There’s no heating, no lighting, it’s just an unused room.”
“But it’s not,” I argue back. My voice might be small and simple to the ear, but it resonates with every ounce of fear and hatred that lives side by side within me.
“I know,” Jace comforts me, but it’s no longer enough.
I raise my head, forcing myself to stare at both Jace and the oncoming honesty. “Tell me the truth now.” I gulp upon the lump in my throat, formed by nerves and growing anxiety along with the acceptance for my life sentence. “I’m trapped, aren’t I?”
His face grows solemn right before my eyes and as his expression darkens, my woes intensify. “For now,” he admits and I’m struggling to meet him eye to eye on any hope of a savior. He shifts up the sun lounger, until he’s close enough to place his hands upon my face and forces me to look into his eyes. “But it doesn’t mean I’ll stop fighting for a way to free you. I promised to get you out of that contract and I will. You will be just Joely Gilbert soon.”
Just Joely Gilbert. It seems like a lifetime ago I was just a simple twenty-four year old girl who had it all to live for. It feels like another lifetime until I’ll be just that again.
“Hey?” Jace presses his hand up my thigh, catching my attention. “What else is bugging you?”
I roll my head upon my shoulders and use my hand to ease the tension in my neck. “I’ve been thinking about how we have all this alone time and because of me we can’t really enjoy it.” My sexual frustration grounds out in my tone and I furrow my brow as the truth hits me harder than ever.
“We can try,” he teases and touches me sensually. My body begins to react, but I remember Clara’s words and I stop him. “What’s wrong?”
Men won’t touch you with a ten foot pole and I don’t expect them to. They want perfection, and right now, Joely, you aren’t looking your best. Once more I feel like the most unattractive women alive.
“Joely,” Jace whispers, sliding up towards me. “Talk to me.”
“Sorry,” I whisper my emotional apology. “I just feel like if you saw me, you would run.” I hear him gasp and I close my eyes. “I’m unattractive.”
“No,” he utters, his hand coming to meet my face gently. “You could never be unattractive. I know right now that’s how you feel, but you could never be that to me.” He speaks calmly and I know he’s trying to knock through the steel wall I’ve created around myself. “Is that why you’ve locked the door every time you’ve gone for a shower or changed your clothes?” I gulp and close my eyes as he growls out in frustration. “Baby, I don’t want you to hide from me.”
“I can’t stop it,” I mumble miserably and hate how insecure I feel over my body.
“Well let me help,” he offers, his voice holding no malice or grudge towards me over my recent behavior. "I'll show you how much I ado
re your body," he says as he rises to his feet. He looks to me, his hand stretching out for me. I silently obey by taking his hand and allowing him to pull me up. Again, like yesterday, he scoops me up into his arms as he carries me into the house bridal style.
Neither of us speak as he commands the moment and drives us back to the master suite. He kicks the door open and I giggle at the newfound macho persona he's adopted. It's a turn on when he demands control, but it's a bigger turn on when he pairs that with looking after me. He makes me feel loved; something I still cannot believe is happening to me. I feel like I'm living this beautiful nightmare and I never want to wake up. The evil twist of The Viper Rooms is so minor when I live in the moment like this.
"I don't care if your body is painted in bruises or melted chocolate, Joely, I will always worship this body of yours." I know where he's going with this - or at least I hope - and as much as a part of me is ready to cower and hide myself, I don't stop him. "I'm going to show you."
He lies me down upon the mattress, instantly forming a shadow over my body as he lingers above me. The sun from outside shrouds him in a glorious halo and he reaches up to toy with my hair before pushing it from my face.
"I don't care how I get you, Joely Gilbert, as long as I get you. There isn't a part of me that doesn't want you. I don't care if that means you're hurt or ill, happy or sad, playful or angry. I want you." His fingertips skim my jaw, his thumb coming to run along my plump bottom lip. "All I know in my life is that this, what I have with you, was worth the wait."
He leans in closer, his eyes staring into mine, our noses practically touching. I have to bite my lip to stop me from kissing him. I can feel the heat rising between us, but I know the doctor's orders. However much I want to let loose and feel Jace make love to me, I'm still in pain and suffering. I know Jace won't even attempt it after having everything relayed to him at the hospital.
Saturdays at the Viper Rooms Page 19
