“Not this pussy,” I snap, glaring at him. “But since you’re here I need my phone. I need to call my bosses and—”
“You don’t. In fact, you won’t need your phone for a very, very long time.” He leans over and Snow hops out of his arms. She sashays over to me, flicking her tail like she always does when she’s being a sassy lady.
I’m unable to hide my reaction as his words sink in. “Man, you have some fucking audacity standing here telling me what I can and can’t do. Who in the fuck do you think you are?”
Félix moves toward me, kneels down on the ground, and wraps his hand around my neck. As he pushes me up against the bottom of the bed and glares into my eyes, he moves my legs so he’s straddling me in a dominant, terrifying sense. “You won’t need a job anymore, Madelaine, especially that type of job.”
He keeps his hand wrapped around my throat, slowly tightening his grip and his erection presses up against my stomach. “I’m not your property, Félix. My father never had the right to hand me over to you. I’m not a piece of meat to be thrown aside. Remember that the next time you think you can manhandle me like you are right now,” I snarl, waiting for his reaction.
Silence fills the room and slowly it begins to take over. I’m sitting here with him completely overpowering and dominating me, not sure what this madman is going to do, but I already know he’s capable of almost anything.
Chapter Eight
Félix
Straddling Madelaine with my hand on her throat, I allow her this brief spewing of her words. It’s now time for her to understand, I will only tolerate so much. She could’ve given me at least a thank you for being nice enough to bring her cat to her.
Did she even notice the collar around the feline’s neck?
Doesn’t matter if she did or not. What does matter is how she’s having her temper tantrum about her not being my property and all that shit? I know her father didn’t have the right to fuckin’ sell her, it’s why I took her from him. To protect her from that bullshit, but she doesn’t know this. Not yet and maybe not ever. I haven’t decided if I’ll tell her or not.
“Now that you’ve said your piece, I’ll say mine,” I snap, giving her neck a light squeeze I make sure I have her full attention on me. I also like feeling her rapid pulse under my fingertips. “I won’t have you working for OneEye, exposing what I now consider as mine. I’m a selfish motherfucker and as I said I don’t want others seeing your body. Not anymore. If you want to work, then I will give you a job. I need a personal assistant, you can have it if you like. When I feel I can trust you with your phone, I’ll give it back to you. Until then you won’t have access to it. This is for your own good, Madelaine. I suggest you take my advice and not fight me on this.”
“What’s there to fight? You’ve made it clear, I’m your prisoner here,” Madelaine remarks snarky.
“Bombe, you don’t know what I think when it comes to you,” I grind out and lean further into her, making sure she feels my hardness. “I am a man of power and I’m the king of this fuckin’ city, you don’t cross me and your father did last night. Think hard on that before you make another comment about being my prisoner,” I snarl, releasing my grasp of her throat. I quickly press a kiss to her cheek without thinking and storm out of the room. The door slams closed behind me and I stalk over to my room across the hall.
I enter my room and close the door firmly. I’m fuming at how she wants to be pissed, but I understand her emotions as well. Madelaine doesn’t realize just how much her father owes not only to my family, but to the De Lucas, and three other slum dive loan sharks.
When it comes to Leo De Luca, I could speak with him about making sure he understands Madelaine doesn’t have anything to do with her father’s debt. The man will agree to this since we have a truce between our families. It also helps that Leo is one of my best friends and is just as fuckin’ crazy as I am, if not a little bit more.
I remember him telling me about kidnapping his cousin, Bethany, a while back to get her uncle’s attention. Fucked up part about it is Bethany helped him in getting what he wanted. Mia, his sister needed somewhere to go for protection when she’d been hurt. It took a while for her to heal, but she’s come a long way. The only shitty part is she’ll forever be branded by the scar on her face.
When it comes to the other loan sharks, I’ll have to make it known Madelaine is mine. Even if I have to kill them, I’ll make sure everyone knows Madelaine is under my protection and not to be touched.
Sighing, I strip out of my clothes and walk into my bathroom. I turn the water on and step in without waiting for it to warm up. My hardened cock standing to attention in front of me. I close my eyes, wrap a hand around my thickness, and begin stroking myself to visions of the woman across the hall.
I could easily go back in there and force myself on her. But if I intend to have her, I won’t do that. It would make me no better than her father selling her.
I picture her in my head, her mouth surrounding my cock with her luscious lips and groan. I imagine Madelaine bobbing her head back and forth, taking me to the back of her throat. I’m not small by any means and for any woman to take me deep she’d have to know what she’s doing.
The thought of Madelaine gagging on my cock has me shooting spurts of cum against the shower wall as I groan in my pleasurable release.
I open my eyes and watch as my cum washes down the drain. I can’t believe I jacked off to the image of a woman in my head like I’m some teenage boy. I haven’t had to stroke my own cock since I turned sixteen. If I wanted to get off, I’d find some bitch to help get me off.
Fuckin’ hell.
Finishing my shower, I shut off the water, step out, and grab a towel. I wrap the towel around my waist and head back into my bedroom.
Dressing in a pair of designer jeans one of my sisters bought for me, I grab another long sleeve dress shirt and roll the sleeves up to my elbows. I finish getting dressed, run a comb through my hair, put my Rolex on my wrist, and grab my keys. I have business to tend to, but first I need to find one of my sisters.
I walk downstairs and find my sister, Olivia, sitting at the counter in the kitchen with her phone in hand. Her bodyguard, Brian, is standing near the coffee pot having himself a cup. We drink coffee at all hours of the day, even late at night.
Here recently I’ve noticed he’s becoming a little too at home. It might be time for a new guard for my sister. Olivia is oblivious to the way Brian keeps looking at her, and I’m not about to let something happen to her, not after everything she’s already endured.
Putting the thought away for another day, I plaster a smile on my face and step toward my youngest sister. “What’s my beautiful, favorite sister doing sitting in the kitchen?” I ask, giving her a hug.
Out of all my sisters Olivia is the baby and my brothers and I have always treated her that way. We’re incredibly protective of her, but not just us, Sabine and Désirée are when they’re here as well.
“I’m debating on what I should do tomorrow. I thought about going to the office and helping you with the filing, but I thought about going to the dock to work with Sabine too.” She shrugs while giving me a big smile. Olivia doesn’t really work but she likes to float around and lend a hand where she thinks we need her.
“You won’t do either. I have a job for you tomorrow,” I announce, pulling my wallet out of my back pocket.
“What’s up?” she asks, lifting a brow as I pull out my credit card.
“There’s a woman upstairs in the room across from mine. Her name’s Madelaine and she’s mine. I need you to take her shopping. Make sure you get anything she might need and if she protests call me,” I inform her.
Olivia’s eyes brighten at the mention of Madelaine being mine and I can see it now, she’s going to try and become her best friend. Olivia’s always been like that, and if anyone is our hope for redemption, it’s her.
Chapter Nine
Madelaine
I sit against the he
adboard, snuggled up with Snow on my lap, not sure what in the hell I’m supposed to do now. I’ve been sitting here for hours since last night, completely mind-boggled by the turn of events. I don’t know what I expected, but I certainly didn’t expect that to happen. In a sick, twisted way I enjoyed the feeling of his hand wrapped around my throat. I haven’t been in a decent sexually charged relationship for years now. Most of the men I’ve been with haven’t even felt comfortable choking me, and while Félix wasn’t doing it in a sexual manner . . . I enjoyed it.
God, that’s so screwed up, right?
Who in their right mind would enjoy being choked by the man they were sold to? Idiots, that’s who. Naïve, stupid, idiots.
It’s really aggravating that Félix is attractive, too. Honestly, I’ll put my money on it that’s the reason I’m not being desperate in my attempts to flee. Not that I’ve had any in the first place. Instead I fell asleep on this bed, and since I’ve woken, I’ve been snuggled up with Snow, wondering how today’s going to go.
If Félix was an ugly, old man I know I’d be trying to think of more ways to get out of here, but I need to stop thinking about him and get my ass out of here as soon as possible. I have a life. I have a job. I have obligations, even if he chooses to not believe any of it. I wasn’t the one who agreed to this situation and maybe if I had been, things would be different, but they aren’t.
The sound of metal hitting against metal causes me to look up, a sure signal the door to my room’s being unlocked. I mentally prepare myself to see Félix, so I take in a deep breath and straighten my spine, never wanting him to know my thoughts.
“Unless you plan on letting me out, it’s best you don’t even step foot in this room, Félix.” I spit his name out like it’s fire, ready to tear into him however I have to. I won’t sit here and act like this is hunky dory. I want to be back in my apartment, even if it’s shitty. I want to be working, even though most people would degrade me for what I do for a living. It’s my life, and I want to live it.
Only, as the frame fills the doorway, my eyes land on a woman. She has chestnut brown hair, though it’s on the darker side and it stops just above her mid-back. She’s thin, but has a curvy bodice and hip area, and she’s tall. I’m about five-seven and she’s probably around five-eight, maybe even five-nine. The woman giggles, like she’s finding everything I’ve just said hysterical.
“God, he told me you were spirited, but he didn’t give you enough credit. I’m Olivia, Félix’s sister. My darling brother thought it would be best for me to take you out, on his dime of course.” Olivia waves a black credit card around in the air like it’s gold. “So, we’re going on a shopping spree today. I hope you like expensive things, and if you don’t, I’ll help you choose. Félix’s been a little rude to you, so I think we will make him pay for it.” Olivia gives me a wink.
Does this chick seriously think I’m gonna go with her? Actually, that’s a stupid question. Obviously, she thinks I am . . . but this could be an opportunity.
“Fine, but I need to go to my apartment and grab some things. It’s jewelry I inherited from my mother when she died. I don’t want anyone to break in and steal it.”
Olivia’s expression drops from her joyful smile to a pain-ridden frown. “I’m so sorry for your loss. Our mom died too, so I get it. Of course we can stop by. I’d hate it if we didn’t stop there and then the last thing you have to remind you of your mother is taken.”
“Thank you,” I say, rising from the bed. Snow walks over to the other side and purrs loudly, staring at Olivia.
“She’s a beautiful cat. What kind is she?” Olivia questions, her eyes locked on Snow.
I shrug my shoulders. “No idea, I got her at the shelter so your guess is as good as mine.”
“She looks like some sort of ragdoll mix, but I haven’t seen anything like her before,” Olivia says while I walk over to her. She leans down on the ground and picks up a duffel bag. “Félix had me grab you some clothes, so I got a few things from my closet that I don’t really wear anymore. I hope they’re okay, since I don’t know your style or anything.”
Olivia’s wearing a nude-colored dress with very conservative heels, so I’m sure whatever’s in this bag is just as regal as the clothing she’s wearing right now. She hands it over to me and I unzip it, thankfully finding a couple pairs of denim shorts, and some tank tops. “I’m afraid I didn’t have shoes, so you’ll be stuck wearing the heels. You can grab some more sensible shoes when we get to your place though.”
“Perfect, I don’t want to get blisters,” I say, offering a smile in response.
“I totally understand that. I’ll shut the door and wait on the other side while you get ready, then we can go to your apartment to get the jewelry, and then we can put a dent in my brother’s bank account.” Olivia giggles devilishly at the end while she grabs onto the handle of the door and shuts it. I change out of the dress and slide on a pair of jean shorts, and then a top. The jeans are a little tight on me, but I’ll swap out of them when I get to my studio apartment.
I open the door when I’m done and we both go downstairs, round the corner, and head toward the back door. She takes me across a lovely deck, through a side gate until we’re next to her car. We both get in and in a matter of twenty minutes we’ve ventured into a completely different area. Félix and his sister live in the Garden District, while I live in the developmental area of the Desire neighborhood. Crazy how the world is so different in such a short distance. Her streets are filled with lush, green grass, paved sidewalks, and beautiful homes. Whereas here the pavement in the road and sidewalks is cracked, houses are falling down, and women or dealers are at every corner.
“Oh, it’s right here,” I tell Olivia and she pulls over in her Tesla. A couple of guys standing at the end of the block look down at us in curiosity and I sense Olivia tensing up.
“Can you be quick? I’m not gonna lie, being in this neighborhood in this car feels like we’re begging for trouble.”
“Sure, just give me five minutes. I’ll be right back,” I tell her, pushing the car door open I step out and firmly shut it before jogging over to the back stairwell, rushing up the metal stairs, careful not to get the back of my heel caught in the holes, and when I get to the top of the stairs, I give the door a good nudge and it comes undone.
This is exactly why I wanted to get here, because I can’t bear the thought of losing irreplaceable things my mother left behind for me . . . but also because I have other plans. Kicking my heels off at the door, I go to the junk drawer in my kitchen and fish out the cell I have for OneEye. I shouldn’t keep it in the junk drawer, but I’m a bit limited with my space here.
I make quick work of unlocking the screen and immediately call Gia, who’s one of my bosses. By the fourth ring she answers, “Hey, what’s up girl?”
It’s not unusual for any of the OneEye girls to have some sort of friendship with Diem, Gia, or the other owners. I have no time to waste, so I shimmy out of these tight shorts and put on a pair that fits while I’m talking to her. “First off, let me start this conversation by telling you I’m not fucking with you. Everything I’m about to tell you is a hundred-percent legit. My deadbeat father drugged me at dinner and sold me to some crazy madman.”
“Whoa, what?” Gia begins laughing like this is the funniest thing she’s ever heard.
“Gia, fuck! Would you listen to me? I’m not kidding! The only reason I’m calling you right now is because he has his sister taking me around shopping and I came up with an excuse for her to let me back in my apartment. She’s outside in the car right now. Please, Gia. Please track this phone. I’m going to stuff it in my bra, and I’m praying you can track me and then come get me out of there.”
Gia’s still laughing, though it’s less than before. “So . . . let me get this straight . . . you’re being held by a madman who lets you leave to go shopping with his sister?” She doesn’t believe me at all, and it’s blatantly obvious.
“Gia,”
I groan, trying to think of some way to get her to believe me. “Look, there are things I haven’t told you about my personal life. My dad gets into shit with loan sharks, and I’ve had to pay his gambling debts numerous times . . . but this time he’s racked up a debt I can’t pay back, and obviously he can’t either. He drugged me when we went to dinner the other night and traded me to wipe away his debts. Please, Gia. Please help me.”
“Dios Mio, you’re not messing with me, are you?”
“No! I’m not!” I cry out, my emotions storming through me out of nowhere. I can’t let my feelings take control over me right now though. I suck in a deep breath and try to gather myself.
“Okay, keep the phone on you. I’ll be there as soon as I can, okay? But I’m gonna wait until you’re in one location so I know wherever it is they’re keeping you.”
“Somewhere in the Garden District in New Orleans,” I tell her, hoping the extra information will help.
“Okay, don’t worry. I’ll find you, I promise you I’ll be there,” Gia tells me before the line goes dead. I shove the cell in my bra and finish buttoning the new jeans I’m wearing, then head over by the door to slide on some sneakers. Lastly, I grab the small box my mother’s jewelry is in and pick up a backpack in my other hand, quickly grabbing some additional clothes and shove them in there. Then I head back out of the apartment and rush up to the car, praying I can sneak the cell into the house without anyone noticing. If they find it on me it could be my death sentence.
Chapter Ten
Félix
After asking my sister yesterday if she would take Madelaine shopping, I left the house and stayed late yet again at my office. I made sure to get the paperwork ready and sent it over to my brother, Nicholas, who’s in Los Angeles right now interviewing architects for the construction of our new casinos we’re constructing, particularly the one in Shreveport.
Degrade: A Dark Mafia Romance (DeLancy Crime Family Book 1) Page 4
