Amir smiled his creepy smile and then took a puff from his cigar.
“When we did our research on him, we found nothing. When we did our research on you….well we have already discussed what we found on you.”
I wondered if in all their research it had escaped their attention that I was just arrested for purchasing women. But I had been told that my arrest record would be altered to show nothing but support for these men.
“I understand you were arrested after a party I supplied a few girls for was interrupted.” Rashad Salam was a smug son of a bitch and there was no getting around that.
“If by interrupted you mean I was forced to lay on the ground with a police officer foot against my head pushing it into the cement, then yes, it was interrupted.” I nodded and crossed my legs.
“Yes, well we can help out with that. We keep a few lawyers on retainer to deal with this problem specifically.”
“I have a lawyer, but thank you.” I didn’t need this asshole’s lawyer. He wasn’t my savior. But at the same time I didn’t want to offend him.
Although,” I rubbed my chin, “I haven’t had to deal with this particular problem before, so I may need help.” We all had a little laugh.
Then Salam and Amir stood suddenly and buttoned their jackets. It was almost like they had some sort of signal between them. I uncrossed my legs and stood up slowly.
“Mr. Hastings, I would like to show you what happens when my trust is violated. Please come with me.” They both turned and walked to a side door and it opened before he touched it.
It was another dark room with a spotlight in the middle. I was beginning to think Salam had something against good lighting. There were men, the men from dinner and more I hadn’t seen standing around. The floor was cement and the room smelt of sweat. When the men moved I could see someone on his knees in the middle.
His back was to me and his hands were stretched to his sides being held out by chains that were anchored to the wall. There was fresh blood on the back of his shirt.
I moved to the front of the man and looked at his face, or what was left of it. It was bloody and swollen. His eyes were badly bruised and swollen shut and he had blood dripping from his mouth.
His shirt was open and I could see what looked like whip marks and what could have been burn marks on his chest.
I tried to remain calm but I could feel my heart beating out of my chest. I wasn’t sure if he was trying to impress me or scare me. Probably both.
I wasn’t impressed, but I was scared. Up until this moment I hadn’t been scared but just nervous. This whole situation was very nerve wracking but I was a very secure man. Until this moment. At this moment, the moment I stood in front of this man that had obviously been beaten very badly, and was probably going to be killed, I was scared.
I was scared for my life. I was scared I was never leaving this horrible place. I was scared that these men and this room would be the last thing I ever saw. But most of all, I was scared I would never see my wife again.
“You see, Mr. Hastings, I don’t call many people friends. I don’t have many friends. Friendship is about trust. This is the price of disloyalty to me. This is the price of betrayal.” Rashad paused in front of me and I took my eyes away from the man.
“Who is he?” my voice was quiet and a little shaky. I hated it. I knew he could hear my fear. “What did he do?” It was a bold question, but I was curious.
“This man was seen talking to another man, who was found to be an agent working for the United Nations office on Drugs and Crime. This man is a rat and we don’t like rats in this business.” He turned to him and kicked him in the face and then turned back to me.
“I’m surprised you don’t recognize him, Mr. Hastings. I know you said you weren’t close, but you did arrive here with him tonight.” He stood in front of me and our eyes locked on each other.
“Mr. Bendi, you’re friend doesn’t seem to recognize you,” his face didn’t flinch. I tried very hard not to let mine.
Chapter Seven
Norah
It had been three days since my encounter with Nick and over a week since I last saw my husband.
I hadn’t received even a phone call from Liam, which I expected.
But from Nick I had received two phone calls, a bouquet of flowers and an invitation to the National Gallery.
“You aren’t seriously going?” Kelly asked. I didn’t look up from my desk. I just kept shuffling papers.
“Norah, meeting him at the Gallery? That’s like a date.” Her hand was on her hip and she was actually bobbing up and down.
“I thought out of everyone here, you would understand what it is I am trying to do,” I still wasn’t looking at her.
“I thought you were trying to ruin Nick Meyers, but instead it looks like Nick is replacing Liam.”
This time I looked up at her. I took off my black rimmed glasses and laid them on the desk.
“Really? That’s what you’re saying to me? You think that’s what I want?” I asked. She looked down but gave me an affirmative answer. I came out from behind my desk.
“Good. I hope he thinks that too. Now, how do I look?” I turned around and sucked in my stomach. I was wearing my gray pencil skirt and black short sleeve button up shirt. I had my hair up in a bun, but I pulled it down and let it fall over my shoulders.
“How on earth do you wear those shoes?” Kelly asked. I looked down at my heels. I was wearing my Jimmy Choo black suede sandals with an embellished toe. I shrugged my shoulders.
“You get used to it,” I huffed. I held out my hands to the sides. “Before I met Liam the most expensive shoes I had ever worn were a pair of heels I wore in a friend’s wedding. I think they cost $100. I liked to wear flip flops or Vans most of the time. Now Jimmy Choo and Vera Wang are all over my closet.” I ran my hands over my skirt.
“So?” I asked again. Kelly looked me over and ran her hands through my hair.
“I would wear the glasses. They make you look smart.” She started out of my office.
“They’re just glass. I don’t need them. I only bought them because Liam thinks his glasses make him look old.” She turned back to me. “I was trying to convince him his glasses made him look sexy and distinguished. But he just ended up making me play ‘Sexy Librarian’”. I laughed.
I ran up the steps as fast as I could. I was already 10 minutes late. Since I had never told him I was actually coming, I didn’t want to miss him.
I ran inside and looked around but didn’t see him. It was pretty crowded but a man like Nick stands out. I started over to the information desk when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned and there he stood. He was wearing light gray slacks with a black belt and a white button up shirt. His hair looked unruly, like he had just ran his hand through it. My stomach jumped. I wasn’t sure what I was doing and he still made me very nervous.
“Well don’t you look like a runway model,” I said and tried to give him a smile.
“Oh Norah. I pale in comparison to your beauty.” I forced another smile. “I didn’t think you were coming,” he said. “I’m pleasantly surprised.”
“I wasn’t sure I was coming, to be honest. But,” I looked down at my feet and he touched my chin to make me look up.
“Don’t do that. Don’t look away from me. I don’t want you to feel that you have to be submissive to me,” he paused and just kept looking into my eyes.
“Really? I pulled my chin away. “Because that’s exactly what you wanted when you kidnapped me.” I stepped back from him. I wanted him to know I hadn’t forgotten.
“Actually I seem to remember getting beaten if I didn’t submit to you. I also remember being threatened and told I was going to be raped if I didn’t fuck you willingly,” I started walking toward the displays.
I stopped in the Rembrandt display. He walked up and stood right beside me. He started to say something but when the lady standing in front of us turned to look at him he just cleared his throat. When the
lady and her family walked away he grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to him.
“I might have threatened those things, but I didn’t do those things. I wanted to break you, Norah. I wanted you to see me. I wanted you to be with me anyway I could have you.” His breath smelled like cinnamon. I tried not to let him distract me.
“I did see you,” I yanked my arm away and straightened out my shirt. “I saw you for exactly what you are,” I panted.
“And what is that?” he asked. I cocked my head to the side but didn’t answer. “So why are you here?” It was a fair question. “If I’m such a bad person with no redeemable qualities, then why are you here?”
“I’m not sure yet,” I turned and walked to the next painting. That was the truth.
We played cat and mouse most of the afternoon. He followed me and I made snazzy comments, then I followed him and he made cocky statements.
“So tell me Norah, are things not perfect in paradise?” he asked as we walked outside the museum.
“Oh, no, no, no. I’m not answering any personal questions if you aren’t answering any personal questions,” I waved my finger at him.
“What personal question have you asked that I haven’t answered?” he was trying to be coy.
“About the girl. I know you bought one. Tell me about her?” I crossed my hands against my chest.
“Are you jealous?” he asked. I didn’t answer. “Fine. You want to know? I’ll tell you.” He took a few steps down the stairs and then looked back at me.
“I bought her because I want what you have. I want the happily ever after. I want the one person that makes me happy, night and day, forever.” I shook my head.
“I don’t believe that,” I said. “I don’t believe you want a happily ever after.”
“What do you think I want?”
“I think you want to beat someone until they submit to you. I think you like holding someone against their will. I think you like the fight. You want her to be afraid of you, so you can break her. Does she fight you? Does she like for you to beat her?” he didn’t answer me this time.
“Making her afraid for her life to do what you want her to do isn’t happily ever after. That isn’t what Liam and I have at all.” He stepped up on the step in front of me so he towered over me. I looked up at him and held my hand over my eyes to block the sun.
“Isn’t it though?” he retorted.
“Thank you for a lovely afternoon, Mr. Meyers.” I nodded at him and started to walk around him.
“Good afternoon, Norah. I’ll be in touch.”
I got in the car with John and pushed my hair off my shoulder.
“Have you figured out what it is you’re doing yet?” he asked.
I looked at him and then away again.
“No.”
The next day I went to work like everything was normal. I tried not to think that my husband was in harm’s way and I hadn’t heard from him in days. I tried not to think about the man that had kidnapped me who was now trying to charm me. I tried not to think about this poor girl that was being held who- knows- where, and having who- knows- what being done to her.
I wanted to rescue this girl, so my husband didn’t have to. I wanted to get revenge on Nick, so my husband wouldn’t have to. But I didn’t know how to do either.
Instead of focusing on those things, I focused on the Brandon wedding.
The bride had her wedding dress made by her 91 year old Aunt, who died about three weeks ago. She has since decided that she wants her three flower girls to have dresses exactly like hers. So I was on the hunt for a dress maker. Finding a dress maker was the easy part. Finding a dress maker that could make three little dresses in a month was a little difficult. Everyone I called was booked.
I laid my head on my desk and wrapped my arms around myself.
“Delivery for Norah Hastings,” Kelly announced as she came walking in my office with a big bouquet of flowers. “They’re from him,” she had a look on her face. She put them down on my desk and then walked out.
Nick almost knocked her over rushing into my office.
“Excuse me,” she yelled.
“Norah, I need to know what you’re doing?” he was panting.
“Kelly please close the door.”
“I’m not leaving you alone with this guy,” she said.
“Please Kelly, I’ll be fine. Just close the door behind you,” I waved her on.
Nick had this crazy look in his eyes. He looked like he hadn’t slept, his tie wasn’t tied, and his suit even looked crumpled.
“Nick, what’s going on? You’re usually so put together and charming.” I sat down in my chair and he sat across from me.
“I need to know what you’re doing. I thought we were just playing around, and I like games just as much as the next guy. But this morning I find out that Liam has left you and you’re living in that big house of his all by yourself.” His hands were pressing down on the desk. I leaned back in my chair.
“Yes. If you count five housekeepers, a butler, three ladies in charge of laundry and 20 guys on the grounds crew, as alone.” I held up my hand. “I also have two drivers that double as bodyguards.”
“That’s not what I mean and you know it. Are you and Liam still together?” he looked like a little puppy begging for information. For a split second I actually wanted to throw him a bone.
“Not at the moment,” I shook my head. Which was the truth.
“What does that mean?” he asked.
“What do you want it to mean?” I replied. He leaned forward and grabbed my hands to pull me closer to him.
“Don’t play games with me Norah. You know exactly what I want it to mean. Is Liam out of your life? Are you two over?” he leaned back and gave me one of his cocky smiles. “Are you on the prowl?” I gave him the best smile I could.
“Well let’s get one thing straight, I don’t prowl. Second, you just said you like games and as for Liam and I, I guess we’re on a break.” Just saying the words hurt me. Liam and I were not on a break.
“On a break?” he repeated.
“Yes. We had a disagreement about where our relationship was going and what we both want from it.” I started tapping my fingers against my desk. I didn’t like talking about Liam and me as if we weren’t together.
“It seems he wants to buy another woman and I don’t want him to. So there it is.” I held out my hands as if that was the whole truth. I didn’t know I could lie this good. I just hoped I was believable.
“I had heard he was among the guests at a sex party. I was told there was going to be a private auction as well.” He unbuttoned his jacket and leaned back in the chair crossing his ankle over his knee. “I myself, could not attend.” He put his thumbs against his lips and waited for me to say something.
“But you wanted to attend didn’t you?” I narrowed my eyes at him trying to show my disgust.
“Norah, I just told you that I have been on a quest to recreate what you and Liam have together…or should I say had together,” he paused for reaction but I didn’t give him one.
“If I couldn’t have the real thing, I was willing to settle for a knock off,” he chuckled. I rolled my eyes, again trying to show my disgust.
“I know you don’t approve of the whole buying women for companionship thing, Norah, but I can say it is well worth it." His smile reminded me of slime.
“It isn’t as fun being on the other end of the auction side, I assure you.” I tried to remain calm. This man was actually trying to defend kidnapping and selling women. Even Liam in his lowest of lows knew this behavior was wrong. How did this point escape this asshole?
Why didn’t he see that it wasn’t Liam buying me that I loved most about him, it was trusting me, loving me, showing me respect and showing me how sorry he was for what I had been through that made me love him.
Nick was still caught up in the force tactic. He was sure that Liam had broken me, forced me to love him by beating me into submission. I could only
imagine what this poor girl was going through right now. She was probably tied in his basement getting his electric shock therapy. I closed my eyes thinking of what could be happening to her at this very moment. I needed to work faster.
“Look Nick, I’m not good at being coy. It isn’t a good color on me. I’m direct.” I stood up to make my point clearer.
“Yes, Liam and I are on a break. I don’t know what’s going on. He left me to handle some business and I haven’t heard from him.” That part was true. “I know you aren’t as big of a dick as you pretend to be. I would like to get to know you better. As you know, I have a huge capacity for forgiveness.” I softened my eyes at him and rubbed my hands over my scarred wrists. He looked down.
“Are those from me?” he asked. I nodded. “I’m glad you have a reminder of our time together,” he said. What an ass. He marked me in many ways, and he was proud of it.
If Liam left a little mark he freaked out and didn’t touch me for days.
“Are you free for dinner?” he asked. I nodded again. “Good. I’ll send a car for you at 7pm.” He held out his hand and I held out mine so he could kiss it. His lips were warm and wet against my skin.
“Until then my lady,” he winked and then walked out. I immediately did the ‘heebie jeebie’ dance as soon as the door to my office closed. I had never been so turned off by a person. He was usually so suave and charming. But something about him in our little conversation had changed him into a very tall weasel.
“Norah, I can’t let you go alone,” John paced the floor of my bedroom. He had never been in my bedroom before, I didn’t think he had ever been upstairs. But after Nick left my office he rushed in to tell me there was no way he was letting me go with another driver. Especially not one from Nick. We had been discussing Nick the rest of the afternoon.
“Funny,” I looked out from my closet, “I don’t remember asking for your permission,” I said. I walked out with my black floral cotton wrap dress and heels and put them on the bed. I started to unbutton my shirt then stopped and looked at him.
Surrender: Keeping Her in the Dark Vol. 4 Page 8
