by M. S. Willis
He pulled her petite body close to his and leaned down so that he could whisper to her as they walked. His gait was made awkward by the position he was forced to take because he practically had to bend in half to reach his mouth to her ear. “You are going to be cleaned up very shortly. You do not want to struggle against it or display any modesty by attempting to cover yourself. There will be several large men in the room who would be perfectly willing to correct you for any acts of disobedience.”
Her tiny frame trembled violently and she reminded him of an excitable Chihuahua. Except for the trembling, she remained still as he spoke to her. Xander was impressed that she hadn’t yet broken down into absolute hysterics. Typically by the time a woman had been made aware of her fate in this place, it was a matter of seconds before the true histrionics began. The fact that she wasn’t throwing herself on the ground in a fit of self-pity made him think that there might be more strength to the little sprite than he believed.
Leaning down to speak to her again, she turned suddenly, looking him dead in the eye. Xander was instantly struck by the dark blue hue of her gaze. Almost a cobalt color, yet there were tiny specks of a lighter color that resembled starbursts. The light hit her eyes in such a way that he was reminded of the way the sun reflects off of turbulent water; blinding and beautiful one second, gone the next. Her gaze was so disconcerting in its depth, it seemed like she was looking beyond his physical eyes into something much more private and personal. He shook himself of that thought and held her stare as he gave his final instruction: “Do NOT fight against them, Cricket. They will not redirect with words. They prefer a more … physical … approach.” Another tremble, and it was time to push through those doors.
Xander led Maddy into the dressing room that had been designated for her. In order to keep her presentable for Aaron, he’d requested that only other slaves or he be the ones to handle her. He noticed that her cheek was already marked from her run in with Marcus and he was going to be sure to speak with Aaron about Marcus’ inability to follow strict orders. Even though he was nothing more than a bodyguard and henchman to Aaron, he still carried weight in the Estate due to his closeness to the second in command. Mr. Carmichael and Aaron may run the Estate and businesses, but Xander was one of the best when it came to the rest of the underlings, and he wasn’t about to put up with Marcus’ transgression.
As soon as Maddy passed through the double doors, she froze at the sight of the other slaves and their guards. Her sudden stop was unexpected and Xander almost knocked her over when he collided with her back. He knew she was scared and didn’t like to speak much, but was a warning too much to ask? Stepping around her, he continued dragging her to the open shower in the room. He looked down at one of the nameless slaves and ordered, “She is to be cleaned up with warm water. We can’t exactly gift wrap a smurf and expect Aaron to be happy.”
The little blonde slave followed his instruction without question, taking Maddy from his arm. When Maddy resisted, Xander stepped toward her to redirect her behavior, but stopped when he saw her shoulders drop in defeat while she held her chin up in silent defiance. He was instantly intrigued by her actions and considered her fate to be a waste of such an interesting person. Talented, beautiful and the inner-strength of a champion; it was a shame to have to break her down further. It was obvious that she was not the type to stand naked in front of a group of men and women, yet she did so without so much as flinching. She had the instincts of a survivor.
Once she was cleaned and her skin had taken on a pinkish color, she was removed from the water and set aside to be dried and prepared. Xander’s eyes wandered over her ample breasts and perfectly flat stomach. Her waist looked cinched in comparison to the well-rounded curves of her hips; his dick twitched at the sight of her. When they dried her and began applying scented oils to her skin, he had to look away so as to avoid any embarrassment from his body’s reaction. He couldn’t help it. He was a man and before him stood one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen. The only problem being that she was Aaron’s and he couldn’t act on the overwhelming urge he had to throw her down and claim that tiny body for himself.
Once Maddy was oiled and Xander felt like he had regained control over his manhood, he turned back to monitor their progress. Her eyes were trained to the floor, but within seconds they suddenly shot up to him. There was no fight in her stare; she appeared to have already accepted her fate and he didn’t know if he was heartbroken over how easily that had occurred, or relieved to know she wouldn’t endure as many beatings in her training. Her eyes silently pleaded with his, but not for release or mercy; no, she pleaded with him to maintain their connection, almost as if she was looking at him as a distraction from the other people in the room.
Very Interesting.
It seemed as if he’d somehow earned a small token of trust from her. Xander decided to grant her the comfort to which she was attaching herself, but eventually she would need to learn that eye contact was only permissible when requested. However, if it kept her calm for now, he was willing to condone it. The poor thing was about to be shoved into a box; it was best to keep her pliable until it was time for her to be degraded even further.
“Now, Cricket, you need to remember that you are a gift to someone very special and if you were to ruin the surprise by moving or making noise, I’m positive you would not like the results. Your arms and legs will be bound and you will be in a tight space. You are to remain perfectly still and perfectly quiet and it will all be over with before you know it. Understand?”
Her eyes continued to hold his as he spoke. He expected her eyes to narrow, her eyebrows to furrow, or to see even a small spark of rage develop in her stare — some kind of response to his instructions — but there was nothing. She simply put her hands behind her back, waiting to be bound. The position caused her bare chest to pop out and he groaned as his pants tightened again. He couldn’t watch as they bound her and placed her in the cardboard container, so he simply turned and walked to the door. Once it was stated that she was ready to be moved, his arm went up against the door and he pushed his way out into the hallway.
Chapter Four
It was a simple sequence of events that led to the moment when Madeleine ended up naked, bound, and gagged in a box. It was a little anticlimactic. There was no true struggle: no fight to keep herself clothed, or unbound, or to even keep herself in an upright position. There was no dramatic plea for her freedom. She just let them do this to her. She could have fought, or screamed, but really, would it have done any good? Do bad men ever really let someone go when begged?
Maddy still had no idea who these people were or why they chose her, but she knew she was targeted, watched, maybe even followed at some point or another. Maybe if she’d been more diligent, paid better attention to her surroundings, this wouldn’t have happened. Truthfully, she could come up with a thousand different decisions she could have made that would have changed the circumstances leading up to her capture; but ultimately, would those decisions have changed her fate? Or would they have merely delayed the inevitable?
As Maddy remained crouched and silently crying inside her tiny cardboard prison, the partygoers were becoming more drunk and obnoxious. Laughter from women turned into small screams and moans. She didn’t even want to know what was going on outside the four cardboard walls and she began to appreciate her hiding place, despite the pain and discomfort. Her mind drifted over the events that had occurred since she’d awakened to a nightmare. The two men: Marcus and the other one. Marcus was an obvious monster, but the other man, he was more deceptive. He was the kind of monster that you didn’t see coming; his demeanor refined and calm so that there was no visual warning of the evil lurking within.
She remembered when she first turned to him after they’d exited the dark room. The beauty of the man who’d informed her that she was a slave instantly struck her. His face was chiseled and his jaw line was sprinkled with the shadow of a beard. He was dressed well, much like a bus
inessman, but more casual as he lacked a tie and the top buttons of his shirt had been casually left undone. His clothes screamed wealth; he was not the image that typically came to mind when she imagined what a kidnapper might look like. It was his eyes, however, that struck her to her core. Even as he maintained a matter of fact, almost pragmatic, composure, his eyes told her a different story altogether. When she first gazed into those dark blue eyes, she noticed flecks of green that added life and vitality to his stare. Within the depth of his gaze a far more sinister side was revealed of him, a side that remained hidden, waiting for the chance to strike. Even as she trembled, frozen in place by his gaze, she was captivated by his beauty.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!”
She jumped at the booming salutation and was instantly dragged from her thoughts by the shouts and bellows resonating throughout the room. Laughter erupted, followed by crude comments and jabs at the man who’d entered. From what Maddy could hear, the man who’d entered was not happy to be there as he was teased for not donning a smile. Her heart skipped and the violent shaking of her body returned. Her breathing quickly became labored and the thick air in the box was making her lightheaded. If he’d arrived, that meant she would soon be unwrapped and she wasn’t particularly interested to know what would happen to her next.
“Aaron. I’m so glad you could join your own party.” A man’s voice rose over the others.
Aaron?
“Smile, son. Everybody is gathered to celebrate your life … the least you could do is look like you enjoy being here.” A veiled threat was evident in the man’s words. The room grew eerily quiet; so quiet, that Maddy swore others would hear the pounding of her heart.
“I apologize father, but I had business to attend to.” Audible contempt rolled off those words. The man’s voice was so familiar; she couldn’t place where she’d heard it, but she was sure she recognized the voice. Even though her mind couldn’t place the sound, her body froze to hear it. Instinct was more aware than intellect in that moment.
“Of course, Aaron. I understand you are a busy man, so let’s get right to it. I have a very special gift for your twenty-fifth birthday. I thought long and hard trying to decide the perfect gift for a man turning a quarter of a century old, and I believe I’ve found exactly what you wanted.”
Her body clenched to a point of pain. Her breaths coming out in short pants as it felt like her heart would tear through the walls of her chest. A soft whimper escaped her, so overtaken by fear that she was losing control. Panic set in. This was the moment she would finally face the man to whom she now belonged. She would never be used to those words; slave, master, belong; she was now property and nothing more.
The room grew quiet and Maddy could hear slow, steady footsteps approaching her. Curling herself tighter, she was desperate to hide from what she knew was to come. Two quick taps sounded against the walls of the box.
“Let me guess, father, you bought me a pony.” The voice was a deep baritone, the tone mocking and resentful.
That voice … so familiar …
She could hear the soft swish of material, just as the box was jarred sideways and the walls began to fall. When the perspiration of her skin met with the chilled air of the room, she shivered from the sudden change in temperature, not daring to uncurl herself from the tight position she held.
“What is this?!” Cold anger saturated those words; spoken softly, they were made even more terrifying.
Fingers entwined themselves in the back of her hair just before her head was pulled upwards, pain splitting along her scalp from the forceful hold. An intake of breath, fingers loosening in her hair, she slowly opened her eyes and was met with the emerald greens eyes of the man who’d given her the rose on the night of her performance.
“Madeleine Clark?” His voice was a whisper drowned in disbelief and shock. His eyes changed from confusion to anger almost instantly, but became blank as a mask fell over his face, effectively hiding his thoughts. Turning in the direction of the older man from the parking lot, he released his hold on her hair, only to replace the grip of his large hand around her arm. Maddy flinched not knowing what he intended to do next.
A cough sounded from within the room and Madeleine forced her eyes off of the man who held her and turned to look at her surroundings. The sheer opulence of the room was unexpected. Madeleine gasped when her eyes were flooded with the decadent dark wood furnishings and the collection of luxurious fabrics used to fill the large space. The vaulted ceilings rounded into a dome, with dark wood beams running evenly spaced, all meeting at the center. Below the point where the beams met hung a large, breathtakingly elegant chandelier made entirely of fine crystal. It filled the top space entirely, the lights dancing off the multi-faceted crystal; small rainbows of color cast upon the cream paint of the ceiling.
Maddy’s eyes traveled down, taking in the burgundy red of the walls. The richness of the dark color was broken apart by exquisitely detailed tapestries and large oil paintings in gilded frames. The stark beauty of the room was inspired, every detail obvious in the loving touch of its designer. Maddy couldn’t make sense of how such beauty existed within the same place as the dark and damp room in which she’d awakened.
For a fleeting moment, she was relieved of her fear, her embarrassment and her torment as her eyes danced along the wonder of her surroundings. However, she was quickly pulled back to her nightmare when she heard laughter erupt within the space.
Turning back, she remembered her nudity and attempted to curl back into herself, attempting to hide from the surrounding people.
“Surprise, Aaron! I do hope you like her. I thought long and hard about your gift.” The father’s voice rattled Maddy’s nerves. Forcing back a whimper, she closed her eyes to block out the stares of the audience around her. Her skin crawled as Aaron’s father continued the sardonic explanation for his gift to his son. “I’ve noticed that you’ve never taken interest in the slaves kept by The Estate. It’s concerned me, to say the least.” His father laughed a humorless laugh before continuing in a threatening tone, “I’ve even wondered if it was possible that you fancied Xander a bit too much.”
The partygoers quietly laughed at the father’s teasing remark. He waited for silence to resettle over the room before he continued again, his voice booming throughout the large room. “I struggled with what to get you, Aaron; but then, it was brought to my attention that you had an appreciation for this particular woman … that you’d even approached her on the night of her performance. Once I learned of your interest in her, I was delighted to finally find the perfect gift.”
Aaron stood perfectly still, like a coiled snake, muscles tense and ready to strike. His hand gripped Maddy’s arm tighter, causing her to wince in pain. Almost instantly, he loosened his grip. His voice was smooth and controlled as he responded to his father’s explanation, “Thank you. I shall see to her now if it pleases you.”
After another soft wave of laughter, the partygoers were not sure whether they should believe Aaron’s words. He pulled on Madeleine’s arm, urging her down from the table upon which she was displayed. She resisted, every instinct within her begging her to scream … to fight against being pulled along to the next attack she would face. His head whipped around to look at her before he leaned down to whisper in her ear. His voice was rough with anger, a subtle threat wrapped within his tone. “You will get down from that table and follow me if you know what’s good for you. DO NOT fight against me, Madeleine. It will bring you more harm than good.”
Her body convulsed with terror, her muscles suddenly becoming weak. Fearing the sting of another beating, she slowly uncurled herself, tears seeping from her eyes from the shame of her unclothed state. When her eyes met Aaron’s, Maddy thought she saw a small glimpse of compassion; but when she looked deeper, she saw nothing more than the lethal edge of a honed blade. Aaron’s beauty was a wicked veil; mystifying and lulling those that looked upon him into a false sense of awe, only to have that security ripped from
them when they saw the menace lurking beneath.
She turned and moved her legs over the edge of the table. Pushing down, her feet met with the cool stone floor. Violently, her body shook as she steadied herself on legs burning from the cramped conditions and uncomfortable position she’d been forced to hold in the box. Once she was standing, Aaron pulled her to him, his warmth enveloping her skin where they touched. She was sickened by her enjoyment of that warmth, wanting to feel nothing more than revulsion at the man holding her captive. She kept her eyes trained on the floor as they moved through the space. Walking along a center aisle, she knew she was in full view of every soul within that room. Aaron’s father sat at a center table along the left side, his voice booming out as they passed.
“She is a slave, Aaron. I want to make sure that you understand that fact.” It was a warning Maddy could not fully comprehend. “I expect that she will be trained accordingly.”
Maddy looked up at Aaron, noticed the curt nod of his head toward his father before he pulled her along to the door. Aaron stopped, turning suddenly, his eyes met with those of the man that had removed her from the dark room. The silent exchange between the two men was understood as the man moved to take up his position behind them.
