First time? Oh God. I don’t want to do anything like this ever again. I glance at the clock on the nightstand. We have less than ten minutes left. I look up at him. “Wait, where are you going to hide the camera?” If they’re going to inspect him for marks, surely he can’t have it in his clothes. If he even has clothes... because I can’t see them anywhere.
“I know a place.” He takes the camera and starts for the bathroom, closing the door behind him.
I sit on the bed, tapping my feet against the floor and mussing up my hair a bit so it doesn’t look like I haven’t been doing anything. When Isaac emerges from the bathroom, I look up.
“I hope this will work,” he says. “But give me time. It’s not easy to get into Raphael’s room. He doesn’t like me very much.”
“He said you were one of his favorites.” I frown, getting to my feet.
“You don’t know what that word means to him,” he says, his face deadly serious.
“Thank you,” I say. “For helping me. And I hope I’ll see you again.”
“No, thank you.” He smiles, then goes behind the bed, sits down, and cuffs himself to the post. “Go.”
With one last look at him, I head for the door. My stomach is fluttering, but as I emerge into the hallway and the blonde approaches me, I put on my best smile.
“Did you enjoy your purchase, miss?” she asks.
“Of course.”
“I’m glad to hear it. If you want more, call this number.” She hands me a card.
“Thanks.” I take it and walk past her. As soon as I reach the exit, the guards ask for the now empty box. Once I’m out of the building and safe in my car, I look at my shaky hands in my lap. This better work, or I don’t know what I’m going to do. The thought of Caleb or anyone suffering through so much abuse, being at whim of cruel and twisted people... it makes me sick to my stomach.
Jade bursts through the door to Caleb’s room, and as she’s trying to calm her breathing, Caleb notices her brow is creased with worry and her eyes are bloodshot. He immediately gets up from the bed and places his hand on her cheek.
“What’s wrong?” he asks.
“It’s Isaac,” she says. “I heard... I heard he’s going to be sold.” Her fingers entangle in Caleb’s shirt and she gives him a desperate look. “We can’t let that happen! We have to do something.”
Caleb’s legs nearly give out, his breath hitching. “Why would he sell him?”
“I don’t know. Isaac did something. I... I don’t know!”
Caleb takes her hand and they both race into the hallway. Once they reach the living room, Caleb realizes everyone is quiet, their faces worried. But before he can ask anything, a group of guards strides through the door, dragging Isaac with them.
Jade yelps, covering her mouth with her hand. Isaac’s face is swollen and bloody, his chest crisscrossed with angry welts, bruises, and cuts. When Raphael enters the room, Caleb lets go of Jade and runs toward him.
“Sir,” he says, and Raphael’s angry eyes turn to him. “Please don’t do this.”
“Out of my way,” Raphael sneers. “I’ve had enough of his disobedience.”
As Caleb opens his mouth to protest, Raphael lifts his finger.
“One more word from you and I’ll kill him, understood?” he says, and Caleb takes a step back. If he infuriates Raphael even more now, Isaac dies for sure.
Isaac cracks one eye open, a small smile tilting his lips. “Keep Jade safe. Don’t worry about me.”
Caleb gives him a brief nod, even though he feels like his insides are turning upside down. If Raphael sells Isaac to someone even crueler, what chance does Isaac have of surviving? He’s always been the most temperamental one and this time that could cost him his life.
Caleb wishes he knew what Isaac has done to anger Raphael so much, but now there isn’t anything he can do. As he watches Isaac leave, his throat constricts and there’s pressure in his chest that doesn’t want to go away. He’s lost Isaac now, too. How long will it be until Raphael takes everything from him? Or has he already done that?
“Please tell me he’s going to be fine,” Jade says, tears streaming freely down her face. Caleb turns toward her and gently wipes her tears.
“He will,” Caleb knows it’s a lie, and he’s sure Jade is aware of it too, but she needs to hope. “We’ll see him again.”
“You think?” She blinks at him.
Caleb nods because he’s afraid his voice will crack if he says anything else. There’s always a chance Isaac’s new owner will come to Raphael’s party to show off his new purchase. But there’s also a chance Raphael will send him to one of those filthy brothels where Raphael took them once to show them how lucky they are to be with him. Caleb pushes the thought away.
“What did he do?” Jade asks. “We told him so many times to be careful.” She hiccups. “We told him Raphael’s threats weren’t empty and that he’d get tired of it.”
“Jade?” Sylvia approaches, running a shaky hand through her long bright red hair, her eyes travelling briefly to the guards at the door.
“What?” Jade turns toward her and frowns.
“I was in the hallway when... “ She lowers her voice. “I heard Raphael and... Isaac was yelling. I couldn’t hear what, but... I’ve never heard him yell like that.”
One of the guards moves a little, and Sylvia immediately scurries to the couch. Jade inclines her head, then turns to Caleb.
“Isn’t that strange?” Jade raises her eyebrows.
“Hey, you two. Stop talking.” One of the guards points a finger at Caleb and Jade, who immediately move away from each other.
Caleb plops down on the couch, chewing on the insides of his mouth. Raphael and the guards usually don’t immediately jump when they see them talking for a while, but something has changed. What has Isaac done and said? Caleb tips his head back. They’ll find out sooner or later.
Raphael will want to make sure such an incident never happens again. For a moment, Caleb wonders if Isaac’s last client has anything to do with Isaac’s strange behavior. Sure, Isaac loves to push Raphael’s buttons, but he never crossed the boundary before. Raphael even seemed to like that rather than just tolerate it.
Caleb only hopes that Sylvia’s sons are too young and that Raphael won’t be looking for a replacement for Isaac. If it weren’t for the families who were still leading normal lives far away from here while being constantly observed by Raphael’s men, Caleb would’ve done something... anything, but he knows he can’t. Not if he wants to protect Jade and everyone else.
The next three weeks are slow as hell. All I can think about is Caleb, Isaac, and the others. My nails are almost all chewed up, and I can’t stop myself from wondering if Isaac has succeeded or not. He told me to give him time, but I’m not sure how much. I even regularly call Lloyd to ask if there have been any more arrests or new clues, but he always says no.
Raphael’s number is apparently untraceable and leads nowhere. Actually, it seems as if his phone doesn’t exist. Still, when I decide to dial Raphael’s number, I hear a soft click on the other end of the line and then it starts to ring. Maybe the number somehow redirects the call only if a certain number calls. They have my cell phone number already, and probably my home number too.
“Hello, Lilith,” Raphael’s voice echoes through the line. “I was wondering when I’d be hearing from you.”
“Hi,” I say. “I really tried not to give you any more of my money, but you see, the services you offer are just... irresistible.”
“I know. So how can I help you this time?” The bastard sounds so pleased, like a cat who ate the canary.
“Is Isaac available?” I ask. “We had such a great time together last time.”
The silence on the other end of the line makes my heart thud in my chest, but if the video about Caleb and me hasn’t been released anywhere, then the chances are that Isaac hasn’t been discovered, or has he? Maybe he never told Raphael how he got the camera. Oh God. I’m s
o glad Raphael can’t see my hands are sweating.
“He’s indisposed at the moment, I’m afraid.” Raphael drawls.
“Oh.”
“You might be interested in Eric. He loves pain and I don’t mind if you mark him,” he says. “Unless you prefer Caleb. I can send him to you, but no permanent marks on him, please.”
“Um, yeah, Caleb will be fine.” I try to sound cheerful, but I fail miserably. I need to know what happened to Isaac, but I’m afraid it will be suspicious if I ask too many questions, especially if Isaac has been caught. Oh God. I’ll never forgive myself for getting him into this, despite his determination to help me. I should’ve found another way.
“Very well, then. Caleb it is,” Raphael says. When he hangs up, I’m so relieved I crash onto the couch.
Tears of joy cloud my vision when Caleb appears at my door. When he enters my apartment, I can see his eyes are filled with anguish and slightly narrowed at me. His jaw is set, but as we make our way to the living room, he turns to me. “What can I do for you this time?” His tone is cold and edgy.
“Let’s sit down first, shall we?” I say, and he grits his teeth together but obeys. I sit next to him, angling my body toward him.
“Caleb, I...” I start to say. “Is Isaac okay?”
His mouth goes slack, then he lifts his chin, his nostrils flaring. “What do you know about Isaac?”
“I know he’s your friend. I met him... a few weeks ago.”
He’s looking at me like he’s seeing me for the first time. “Isaac’s gone,” he finally whispers.
“Gone? What do you mean, gone?” My voice is filled with panic, and my heart threatens to jump out of my chest. “Please tell me he’s alive.” I take a shuddery breath.
“I don’t know.” He worries on his bottom lip. “I just know he’s gone.”
I bring my hand to my mouth, trying to steady my breathing. “No. It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have...”
“What’s your fault?” Caleb’s eyes narrow at me.
I lick my lips, then look up at him. “I bought an hour with Isaac three weeks ago. He told me the truth about you and...”
“What are you talking about?” His face is expressionless, but his whole body is tense and he looks like he’s about to jump out of his seat.
“I know you’re Raphael’s slaves,” I say. “Isaac told me...”
“No.” Caleb shakes his head. “You misunderstood.”
“I know I didn’t,” I insist. “Please. I’m not your enemy. I want to help you. Isaac wanted it too. I gave him a camera... He said he’d record something that could be used as evidence against Raphael so we can give it to the cops and get you all out of there. He said.... that you’d be able to retrieve the footage from Raphael’s room and give it to me if he couldn’t.”
Caleb gets to his feet and turns his back to me, leaning against the wall. “No,” he whispers. “No.”
“Do you know what happened to Isaac? If we act fast, maybe there’s something we can...” I get up too and walk over to him, reaching out to place my hand on his shoulder.
He turns around so fast that I nearly stumble, his eyes full of fury. “What have you done? You can’t... You can’t just barge into people’s lives and mess with things you don’t understand!” he yells, his face reddening.
“You don’t have to pretend around me anymore. Please tell me the truth. I can help you.” I’m not about to back down from this. “Do you know where Isaac is?”
He runs a hand through his hair. “Maybe.” He frowns as if he’s thinking about whether to tell me or not. Finally, his shoulders sag and he closes his eyes. “He’s going to be sold tomorrow.”
“What?” I nearly stumble from relief that Isaac is still alive. “How? Where?”
“I don’t know!”
“Okay, we’ll figure something out.” Maybe there’s someone I can call, or I can ask Alessandra about it indirectly.
“There’s no we! You’re just some rich, spoiled little girl who doesn’t understand a thing about the real world. You’re going to get us all killed!” His hands curl into fists at his sides. “You’re playing mind games with me, aren’t you? He sent you, didn’t he?”
“What are you talking about?” I gape at him.
“Raphael. You wouldn’t have gotten permission to see Isaac just for sex. You’re in Raphael’s inner circle. This is a test. Admit it!” His lips curl. “You were pretending to be different all this time, but you’re not. You’re like them. This turns you on, doesn’t it? Torturing me like this!” He falls to his knees in front of me, his eyes pleading. “Please don’t do this. Raphael has Jade with him and if you tell him you’re not happy with me...” He swallows. “Please. I can’t... I can’t...” His breathing is labored, and he looks pale. “I can’t be responsible for another life. Not after Heather.”
I crouch down and gently place my hands on his face.
He flinches slightly.
“Caleb, look at me.”
His eyes slowly meet mine.
“I’m not working with Raphael. I want that sick son of a bitch behind bars. Do you understand?”
He just looks at me, his eyes pooling with tears, but he blinks them back.
“I swear I just want to help. I went for Isaac because I knew you’d never tell me the truth, and the cops can’t take Raphael down without evidence. I just wanted to record an interview or a testimony against Raphael, but Isaac told me why that wouldn’t work and he had another idea. He wouldn’t let me... He wouldn’t let me change his mind.”
Caleb sits back on his heels, his gaze rooted to the ground. “The cops won’t help us,” he finally says. “I’ve been fucked by a few.”
“I know one who isn’t like that. He’ll help us. And once we have the evidence, we can show it to the whole world and Raphael won’t have anywhere to hide.” His blackmailing schemes gave me lots of ideas, actually.
“Why should I believe you?” His eyes are filled with distrust. “What do you get from this whole thing? What do you want?” He searches my eyes. “If you want a slave of your own, all you have to do is pay enough money.”
“I don’t want a slave. I want to free you. If I’d known the truth, I’d never have slept with you. I’m so sorry. It never occurred to me to think that you could be... I don’t know what to say. There are no excuses for what I’ve done.”
“For what you’ve done?” He snorts. “What would your cop say if I told him I was having sex with a beautiful rich girl and enjoyed it, but I couldn’t tell her no so I’m pressing charges? Maybe, congratulations?”
“What I did was wrong and nothing can change that. Let me help you. Let me at least do this right.”
“If you want my forgiveness, you have it,” he says. “What I am isn’t your fault, but I think I know what you really want.” He looks up at me. “If Raphael let you in, that means you know about the video.” His lips curve upward. “You know I took it without your consent.”
“That’s not what...”
“You want that video destroyed, don’t you? Just say it. I’ll do it,” he says. “You don’t have to give me false hopes and dreams. I know there’s no life for me outside.”
I want to tell him that I don’t give a shit about the video, but that would be partially a lie, and I don’t want to lie to him. “It’s true that I don’t want that video to ever see the light of day, but this isn’t about that. If you get your life back, none of that matters, especially if Raphael goes to jail.”
“If Raphael goes down and I don’t get killed in the process, I’ll probably go to jail for prostitution and who knows what else,” he says.
“That won’t happen. I won’t let it,” I say. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
He shakes his head. “I won’t help you. You can say whatever you want, and I can’t know if you’re lying. I just... I don’t trust you. I can’t. I won’t let anyone else die because of me. Not ever again.” He gets to his feet and starts toward the door. �
��Please don’t call for me anymore. This time I mean it, or I’ll tell Raphael everything.”
“You won’t,” I say, running after him and getting in his way. “Not if you want Isaac to live.”
He stares at me, his lips parted. “Is that a threat?” he asks softly.
“No, a promise. I’ll save Isaac. I’ll get him far away from Raphael or anyone as sick as him. I’ll find out where Raphael plans to sell him and I’ll get him to safety, okay? If you tell Raphael about this, he’s going to kill him before the auction even happens.”
He chews on his lip for a moment, his eyes troubled. “Okay,” he finally says. “Save Isaac, and I’ll do whatever you want me to.”
“Deal.” I want to pull him into my arms and tell him that everything is going to be okay, but I know I can’t. Not until this is all over and he and the others are free and safe.
Caleb sits in the living room, staring at the TV show that Helen put on. Raphael seems to have calmed down after Isaac was taken, so he’s rewarding Helen’s good behavior by letting her watch her favorite show. The wide smile on Helen’s face makes Caleb nauseous. He’s glad that she’s finally happy, but everything feels so wrong. He taps his fingers against the armrest, wondering if what Lilith told him is true.
When Jade walks in, her face serious, Caleb catches her attention and waves her over. The guards are carefully watching them, but one of them is more focused on the TV screen than on anything else.
“What are you watching?” Jade asks, then sits next to Caleb, resting her head on his chest.
“Helen picked it,” he says. “Ouch. Can you move a little? My leg hurts.”
Jade shifts, giving him a long look, then settles herself so her head is on Caleb’s shoulder.
Glad that Jade still remembers their secret code for when he wants to tell her something without being overheard, Caleb lowers his head, planting a kiss on Jade’s hair, then focuses on the screen until his mouth is covered by her hair. One of the guards could see them, but Caleb might have just enough time to talk to her.
Hold Me Page 14
