by Ashley
“How does everything look?” he asked the doctor.
“Looks good. Very healthy considering,” the doctor replied discreetly. “I’ll have to test her cultures to verify, but this one is in good shape.”
The instruments and fingers were removed from Liberty’s womanhood, and she quickly snapped her legs shut as she watched Samad walk to the head of the bed.
He stroked her hair gently but she jerked her neck to the side, clearly upset.
“You’re displeased with me?” he asked.
“You could have let me wake up first before you had them pry my legs open,” she snapped.
“I could have, but I did not,” he answered simply.
“I don’t have AIDS or no bullshit like that,” she said, slightly insulted. “If you even thought so why would you pay so much for me?”
“I did not get where I am today by making assumptions, Liberty. The only thing I know to be fact is what I witness with my own eyes and ears. You are addicted to heroin, am I right?” he asked. Liberty lowered her eyes and didn’t respond. “And you have slept with a lot of men for money?” Samad continued, asking probing questions that pointed out just how seedy Liberty’s life before him had been. Still she didn’t answer, but her silence was all Samad needed to know that he was speaking the truth.
“I am just taking the proper precautions, Liberty. Please understand,” he stated. Seeing that she was upset, Samad grabbed her hand. “Come on. I have a surprise for you. A new wardrobe and some expensive jewelry always make a woman feel better.”
Liberty got out of the bed and followed Samad to the walk-in closet. He went over to the wall where a 42-inch LCD monitor sat. A number pad was displayed on the screen, and Liberty watched as he punched in a four-digit code. One of the walls in the closet slid to the right, opening up a hidden room that was illuminated in blue light. Liberty gasped as she looked at the showcases of jewelry that sparkled inside. Beautiful stones of rubies, emeralds, diamonds, and onyx, lay inside. Her hands shook as she walked around the room, her fingers lightly touching the glass cases that held the expensive pieces.
“Is this all yours?” she asked in amazement.
“Now it is all yours,” he answered, while standing with his hands clasped behind his back.
She stopped when she got to a necklace that caught her eye. The black diamonds set in platinum called out to her. “It’s so pretty,” she said.
Samad reached into the case and removed it before stepping up behind Liberty and putting it around her neck.
“I can give you the world beautiful,” Samad whispered in her ear. “All it takes is your cooperation and obedience.”
The things he whispered in her ear were so enticing that she found herself spreading her legs as he reached his hand between them and began rubbing her clit. There was nothing attractive about Samad, but his lifestyle was gorgeous and the authority that he held when dealing with her made her wet. She loved his take-charge attitude and as he dipped his fingers in her love box she moved with his rhythm, fucking his hand and growing hotter by the second. The mirrors that surrounded the room reflected their heated sex session as Samad bent her over the glass showcase and entered her from behind. She had never had raw sex before. She always made her clients strap up and when he entered her without protection she tensed slightly.
“Relax,” he said. “I want to pump you full of babies. You are mine now.”
Liberty closed her eyes remembering that Samad had purchased her for the long term. He’s right. I am his. He wouldn’t have paid so much money for me if he didn’t want to keep me around, she thought. She threw her hips back onto his shaft as he stroked her from behind. His uncircumcised penis felt strange and his extra skin felt out of place as it rubbed against the lips of her vagina but she pushed all of that to the back of her mind as she put on a performance. She went to work, going through the motions, but deep inside she felt cheap. Not even the half-million dollar price tag on her head helped to increase her self-worth. She went through the motions until she was sure that Samad was satisfied.
“Go get cleaned up and then meet me in the garment room. I have a completely new wardrobe for you,” Samad said. “Nothing but the world’s best fabrics is good enough to grace this skin.”
She did as she was told and as she washed her body she realized why all of the other girls had dreamt about being chosen by Samad. He treated her well, but her heart wasn’t in it. She would meet his expectations, but she couldn’t help but wonder when a man would live up to hers. It had been so long since she had felt the nervous butterflies that came with new love that she had forgotten how good it felt. She knew that her life was missing something, however. Even with her newfound independence she still felt trapped… cheap… worthless. Not even Samad’s abundance of wealth could buy back the pieces of her soul that she had sold over the years. She enjoyed the shower so much that she let the water run cold and then quickly exited the bathroom. She noticed a short silk kimono lying on the bed and she wrapped herself up in it before going to search for Samad. The estate was so enormous that she didn’t waste time going from room to room. She hit the button on the intercom system and said, “Samad… where are you?”
“I’m in the garment room on the west wing. Come out of the room and make a right… just keep walking until you get to the end of the corridor,” he explained.
Liberty couldn’t help but chuckle as she shook her head and went to find the room. Expecting Dolce, Prada, and Fendi she grew excited thinking about all of the fine threads that Samad had waiting for her. As she stepped into the room her face fell in confusion as she saw the odd looking clothing hanging off the many racks.
“What’s this?” she asked.
“These are called burqas,” Samad said as he removed one of the full body coverings. “I made sure the seamstress made them of the highest quality.”
Liberty frowned slightly as she looked at the traditional Muslim garment. The room was full of them.
Where are the designer clothes… my Gucci and Louboutin? she thought as she tried to hide her shock. This was definitely not what she had expected. Samad had thrown her for a loop.
Samad pulled a head covering off the rack. “This is a hijab,” he said. “Whenever you leave the house you are expected to wear the full dressing. When you are here with me you are only required to wear the hijab.”
“But I’m not Muslim,” she said.
Samad gave her a sharp look that caused her to stop speaking. For a brief moment his face turned cold and a dark glare came over him as he stared at her.
“You are what I say you are,” he said with authority. “You belong to me, Liberty. You are mine now and no other man needs to see what is mine. I’ve invited you into my home and in my home you are expected to worship two things… Allah and me.” He held one of the burqas out for her. “Put it on.”
Her heart pounded furiously as anger overtook her. How dare he force his beliefs on her? She wanted to give him her ass to kiss but he held her entire livelihood in his hands.
“Can I ask you what the jewels are for? If I have to wear these they will be covered anyway,” Liberty protested.
“That’s the problem with women like you. You always want to be seen. So much flash… you require so much attention. The jewels are for you, not for the world to see. This is non-negotiable. Now let me see you in it,” he insisted, this time more sternly.
Liberty took the garment and hesitantly slid out of her kimono robe before dressing in the burqa. The fabric swallowed her shape, hiding her curves and concealing her beauty. The only thing that could be seen were her eyes, which were pooled with fresh tears. She now realized what the catch was. Her life was not entirely her own to live. Her time with Samad would not be as glamorous as she had thought. She didn’t see the point of having money or beauty if she could not flaunt it for others to see. The venomous look she had seen in Samad’s eyes let her know that he was a snake and if provoked he was capable of spitting his venom her w
ay.
THIRTEEN
LIBERTY TOSSED AND TURNED ON THE SILK sheets, her mind refusing to unwind. She had a hard time sleeping in her new environment. There was something about Samad’s estate that made her restless. The vastness of the halls seemed to carry a constant echo, making it impossible for her to be at ease. She looked over at the empty space that Samad rarely occupied. Their night-time routine was the same. He expected sex from her, engaging her body into the wee hours of the night. When he was done he would stroke her hair until she pretended to fall asleep. When he thought she wasn’t looking he snuck out of the room and went into his office until the early morning hours. It was the one room in the entire house that she had never explored, and she silently wondered what secrets Samad held inside. It was clearly off limits to her, but as much time as Samad spent locked away inside that room, her curiosity was piqued. She crept out of bed and went to his office door, putting her ear to the wood. Her prying ears picked up on Samad’s conversation, and she frowned as she thought, Who is he talking to this early?
She listened closely, spying because while she lived under the same roof as him, she barely knew him. Although he never intentionally mistreated her, something didn’t feel right when she was in his presence. It was the way he looked at her that intimidated her. He was hiding something, and she needed to know more.
“This one is working out much better than the last,” she heard him say. “She is adjusting much quicker. It shouldn’t be long before she gives me a son.”
Her eyes widened, and she gasped knowing that he was speaking of her. A child was not in the cards for her. She would never bring one into the world with a man who didn’t love her. To Samad, Liberty was a prized possession… a trophy… a human souvenir for all to admire. A baby had not been a part of her plan.
“Ahem!”
She heard the sound of someone clearing their throat and she turned around to find one of Samad’s servants standing behind her with a kettle of hot tea on a serving platter.
Liberty quickly lowered her head and rushed back down the hall as the woman gave her a stern look. She hurried to the master bedroom and sighed as she closed the door, leaning against it for support. Hearing Samad express his intentions for her made her see things more clearly. Liberty had thought that Samad was insatiable in the bedroom. As often as he bedded her, she could barely keep up… but now she knew why he was so persistent with his lovemaking. He was trying to get her pregnant and that was something that she refused to allow. He owned her, but she refused to birth a child for him. She may have been his property, but no child of hers ever would be.
The next day Liberty awakened to breakfast in bed. She sat up and stretched her arms as Samad placed the wooden tray across her lap. He kissed her on the top of her head, and she gave him a weak smile.
“I have some associates coming over this evening to watch the big game. You feel like entertaining tonight and being my rising star?” he asked.
If Samad actually allowed Liberty to be herself, she wouldn’t mind being with him, but the rules he established for his woman were too strict for her. She always felt like a scolded child when he was around. He intimidated her greatly but she nodded her head anyway knowing that she didn’t have much of a choice in the matter. Samad was a wagering man and an avid gambler. He didn’t have many friends… only business relationships, so she knew that the evening to come was important to him.
“I’ll be on my best behavior,” she said.
Hours later she stood at his side in her burqa as he introduced her to his guests. She hadn’t known that it would be a couple’s event and as she admired the gorgeous attire of the other women in the room she instantly felt as if she would suffocate in her Muslim gear. She never understood how Samad expected her to be arm candy when no one besides him even knew what she looked like. She felt uncomfortable and unattractive as she watched the other women socialize with one another, while leaving her out. She didn’t blame them. She would have done the same thing. Liberty couldn’t respect her attire when she knew nothing about its origin. It wasn’t her religion. She did not embrace it… Samad had forced his beliefs upon her. How did he expect her to be a trophy wife if she couldn’t flaunt what she had or the things that he had given her? Liberty sat down next to Samad and listened in on the conversation. Samad grabbed the remote control and flipped on the national news.
“This man,” Samad commented as he nodded his head towards the TV screen where the president was making a speech. “He is too nice. He’ll never be re-elected if he continues to give out all of these handouts. He sympathizes with the peasants,” Samad said as he sipped his red wine. Liberty looked around the room at Samad’s associates who all seemed to agree with him. She had been given strict instructions to only speak if directly spoken to, so she kept her two cents to herself. She found it funny that these spoiled heads of society would speak about something that they knew nothing about. They came from money. They had never experienced life at the bottom… all they knew was the bird’s eye view from the top.
“At the end of the day, he’s still one of them,” one of the women said. Liberty couldn’t help but to shake her head and chuckle slightly. So this is what they talk about when we are not around, she thought in disbelief as they spoke candidly as if her skin wasn’t black.
“You disagree?” one of the men asked her.
Liberty looked at him and then glanced at Samad nervously before she spoke up. “I do actually. I don’t think that people should speak about things that they have not experienced. You have no idea what it is like to scrape and fight for everything that you have. The people put our president into office… they need him. He is their voice. He doesn’t spite the little people in order to please people with opinions like yours,” Liberty said in a low tone.
There was a long silence in the room until Samad’s associate raised his glass at her and nodded his head. “Very well said,” he complimented. “Samad, it’s about time you have a lady with something to say.”
Samad raised his glass and replied, “I told you she’s something special.”
One of the wives waved her hand in dismissal. “Nobody cares about his politics. As long as he keeps looking like that, he will have my vote forever,” she said with a laugh.
Liberty laughed slightly and replied, “I’m with you.”
“Oh is that how he got elected?!” Samad’s associate said slyly.
Liberty’s eyes went to the TV screen as she took in the president’s appearance.
“He definitely has an aura about himself that is attractive,” she whispered to herself. She looked up and noticed Samad watching her closely. There was something cold about his stare, and she turned away quickly as she refocused on his friends.
The dinner lasted well into the night and when the last car finally pulled off the estate Samad turned to her. “Did you enjoy yourself?” he asked.
“It was interesting,” she answered. He removed the Muslim garb from her head, exposing her striking face.
“I will never give you to another, Liberty. You are the only woman I see. I need to be the only man that you see,” he said. He stroked her cheek before walking away leaving her standing in the foyer, wondering what he meant.
The next morning Liberty awoke to her normal breakfast in bed. She performed the same ritual every morning. Samad ensured that her every need was met. She took a few bites of her food and then made her way inside the plush bathroom where she normally watched her judge shows while soaking in the tub. Her water had already been run and she immersed herself as she reached for the remote control that controlled every feature in the room. Dimming the lights and closing the shades with just a click of a button, she set the atmosphere for relaxation. As she hit the button that caused a flat screen to flip out of the wall, she frowned when nothing occurred. She hit the button once more and again, nothing happened.
“Did he take the TV out?” she asked aloud as she quickly washed her body before getting out. She walked back
into their bedroom and opened the entertainment center only to find that television was missing too. “What the fuck?” she said in irritation.
She stalked from room to room searching for televisions until she realized that every single one had been removed from the premises.
“Samad!” she called out as she entered the living room where he was sitting calmly, sipping a cup of coffee with his feet kicked up in his leather recliner.
“Good morning,” he responded.
“What’s good about it?” she shot back. “Where are all of the televisions?”
“I told you I need to be the only man that you see,” he responded. “You take too much interest in the men you see on that thing.”
“Is this about last night?” she exclaimed. She couldn’t believe that Samad was being so irrational. She had known that he was possessive but this was crossing the line. He was trying to cut her off from the world.
“I will be the only man that you see,” he repeated, this time more sternly, never looking up at her as he picked up the morning newspaper.
Tears accumulated in her eyes and she felt powerless. He had a way of making her feel cheap despite the excessive amount he had spent on her. He dominated her and controlled her every action.
“Go upstairs. I’ll be up in a moment. You’re ovulating,” he said.
Liberty’s nostrils flared slightly in pure rage. She wanted to tell him to go to hell, but restrained herself knowing that she would only be making things worse. The longer she dwelled beneath his roof, the more she learned what type of man Samad really was. She turned around and retreated to their bedroom as her tears began to flow. When he joined her in the bed, her skin crawled. When he touched her, she cringed in disgust. She felt like an abused child, helpless and defenseless. She shut her eyes tightly as he began to kiss her. He was so delicate in the way that he handled her that her growing fear towards him almost seemed unwarranted. She was his obsession, and she could see the signs of his fixation with her. He was no ordinary man. His attraction to her was no longer flattering, he wanted her too much. Even the smell of him was starting to make her sick. He wants to control me, but there is one thing that I won’t ever let him control. I’ll never give him the child he wants. I’m going to make sure of it, she thought bitterly as he entered her. He wore no protection and Liberty swore to herself that it was the last time she would ever allow him inside of her without taking precautions. She just had to think of a way to do it undetected.
