by Alexa Riley
“Yes! Grow up!” she snaps. “I have to keep a lock on the refrigerator because you have no self-control. No discipline.” She shakes her head. “I don’t know where I went wrong with you.”
I drop my head, looking down at my simple white flats.
“Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to go? With my luck they’ll change their minds.”
At her words I pick up my bag and turn, keeping my head down. Shame coats my cheeks as I fight the tears that want to break free. I pull open the heavy iron front door and walk out, not looking back at her. I’m sure she’s already gone, but seeing it would just be the final blow.
I walk out, then pause when I finally look up and see a black limo sitting in our circle driveway. A woman stands next to the open door, waiting for me to get in. I’m surprised they sent a limo for me. A feeling of excitement sparks within me, and I push away some of the lingering sadness. She’s on older woman, and I can see the gray hair around her face where it’s pulled back into a braid. She gives me a big sweet smile, and her whole face lights up at the sight of me. I like her immediately.
“Miss Adams,” she greets me, taking the bag from my hand and placing it into the trunk. “You’re even more beautiful in person.”
Maybe the place I’m going will be better than I imagined. At this point it already is, and I’ve only met the person taking me to the airport.
“Thank you. That’s really sweet of you to say,” I tell her as I slip in the back.
It’s still dark outside, and the interior of the limo is even darker. The woman closes my door, and my eyes adjust after a second.
A scream bubbles up in my throat, and I jump when I see a man in a suit sitting on the bench seat beside me. My hand flies to my chest, and I can feel my heartbeat trying to break through.
“Sorry, you scared me,” I say, still holding my hand to my chest and trying to shake off the fright.
He stares at me.
His dark hair and suit help him blend into the shadows of the car, and that’s probably why I didn’t see him at first. I glance up at his eyes, and they are just as dark as the rest of him. Everything about him is dark. Black stubble lines his jaw, and thick hair falls around his face. Sitting beside him, I can tell he’s easily twice my size, and all of him creates a presence unlike anything I’ve ever felt.
The locks in the limo click, creating an ominous atmosphere.
“I’m Aurora,” I say, trying to break the tension, but he doesn’t respond. He keeps staring at me, so I nervously push on. “But you probably already know that.” I let out a shaky giggle.
He reaches out his hand, and I freeze, unsure what he’s doing. I feel the limo pull away, and I have a moment of panic. Certainly, the limo driver must know this man is back here. He must be back here for a reason. He grips my ponytail softly, taking the hair tie out and letting it fall down around me.
He runs his fingers through the long locks, and for a second I almost lean into the touch, so unused to physical contact that I’m desperate for it. Even from a stranger. Midway through my last production, they changed a few of my dances so the male lead Sam was no longer touching me. No one has touched me in so long. My eyes fall closed as I enjoy the feeling. I moan, enjoying it.
His hand disappears, and I realize what just happened. I just moaned out loud. I look over at him and feel my cheeks burn. I wish I could see his face better, but the limo is too dark. Maybe he’s some kind of bodyguard or something. He’s big enough. But why would he pull my hair down?
The stranger leans forward and opens up the compartment next to me. Inside, I see drinks. A bottle of Coke, a chocolate milk, and some smoothie-looking thing with whipped cream on it. My mouth waters. Oh God. I’ve never had any of these before in my life. I stare at them, not sure which to pick. How silly is that? I start to reach for the Coke but change my mind and go for the chocolate milk. But then I stop myself again.
I look over at the mystery man, who’s still just watching me. Maybe he can’t talk.
“Can I have more than one?” I ask as I bite the inside of my cheek, feeling stupid. Maybe my mom is right and I don’t have any self-control.
Finally his face changes, and he smirks, showing off his perfect white teeth and a dimple. He nods at me. I grab the chocolate milk and lock my lips around the straw, sucking it down. I moan at the taste. I didn’t know something could taste so good. I look to the man, feeling embarrassed once again. I’m making moaning sounds over a drink, and I notice his expression has turned predatory. I stop drinking and scoot back in my seat a little. I don’t think I’ve ever been alone with a man before. Something in the air has changed. I can feel it running over my skin, and the instincts I should have had the moment I got into the car finally seem to wake up.
“Who are you?” For some reason the words are hard to get past my lips. They feel heavy, and I don’t sound like myself.
He leans close to me, but I can’t seem to focus anymore. I try to shift away, but my body isn’t listening. My limbs are heavy, and now I can’t make them move. He takes the drink from my hand, putting it back next to the others.
He smiles softly this time as he leans against his seat and takes my hand in his. I look down as his big palm engulfs my dainty fingers.
“Soon, little star, all will be explained,” I hear him say as my eyes fall closed.
Chapter Four
Aurora
When I open my eyes, I sit up too fast and then feel dizzy. I push my legs over the edge of the bed and drop my head in my hands to make the room stop spinning. There’s soft light coming in all around me, and I sense a cool breeze on the back of my neck that makes me feel instantly better.
I don’t feel sick, I just sat up too quickly, and it passes almost as fast as it began. When I look up, I glance around the room and see that it’s a large bedroom that is almost the size of my living room back home. There is a bathroom on one side, and on the other there are French doors that are open and lead onto a patio. I stand up and move toward the open doors. The cool stone of the patio on my feet makes me glance down to see I’m still in the same clothes from this morning, but now I’m barefoot. The jeans and V-neck shirt I have on don’t feel warm enough as the breeze hits all of me now. Looking out I see white sand that spans as far as I can see and dark waters crashing against small rocks that shoot out at various points on the shoreline. The tall grass edging the sand is blown in the wind, and beyond that there is nothing.
“This can’t be Germany,” I whisper to myself as I look at the landscape in confusion.
“Oh, but it is,” I hear a deep voice from behind me say, and I turn to see the dark man from the limo.
“Who are you? What happened? Did you drug me? What’s going on?” All my questions fall from my mouth, and I bite my lip to hold back the hundred more I have behind it.
“I thought it might make travel easier for you. Since you haven’t been out of New York before.”
He’s leaning against the doorway of the bedroom in the most unthreatening position. But right now, I’m on guard. His suit jacket is long gone, and his feet are bare as well. He’s wearing a gray shirt with the top button undone, and his hands are casually tucked into his pockets. His hair is pushed back, and his dark eyes travel up and down my body as I do the same to him.
“You didn’t answer my other questions.” I cross my arms over my chest as the breeze becomes cooler. I look over my shoulder and realize the sun is setting. Has it been a whole day already?
He pushes away from the door, and I tense, but instead of walking to where I am, he walks past me and closes the French doors. The cold breeze disappears, and instantly I feel better.
I don’t turn around when I feel him walk up behind me. Instead I stand my ground and keep quiet, hoping he’ll answer me.
“We flew most of the night, and then when we arrived in Germany, we took a boat out to this island. My island. You wanted to come here didn’t you?”
He’s still behind me
, and I swear I can feel his presence inches from my body. I want to turn around and lean into it. What is wrong with me?
“Yes, I just…this is a strange way to do things.” I finally get out. I don’t know how to put this into words. I guess it’s like when animals fly and they get stressed out so it’s best to give them a tranquilizer for their own good. Maybe that’s what he was doing for me.
“My name is Noah,” he says, and I feel his breath caress the skin on my neck.
The shock of heat that floods through me has me spinning around to face him. He’s impossibly large as he looms over me, but he isn’t as close as I had envisioned. I could reach my hand out and still not touch him, but for some reason it felt as if he was only an inch from pressing into my body. My mind is playing tricks on me. Maybe it’s the drugs wearing off.
“You’re hungry. Let’s have dinner and I will explain it all to you.”
I hear a soft voice from behind me and turn to see the driver from this morning. She smiles at me brightly as she speaks German to Noah and then bows out of the room.
“That is Mrs. Elina. She runs the household and will see to all of your needs. She will join you after dinner to go over your schedule.”
Fear falls away, and a knot has taken its place in my stomach. I’m here to dance. I’m here to learn and to be disciplined. I am supposed to listen to my instructors and follow orders. Somehow I was distracted by how I arrived and pushed my purpose to the side. Now I need to focus and make sure that Noah sees me as a worthy dancer.
A thought of pleasing Noah plays through my mind, and once again I am hit with the heat I felt earlier. I duck my chin as I follow him out of the room and try not to have that same thought again while in his presence.
The house looks like an old castle with large gray rocks making up the walls. But the entire place has been updated with soft lighting and fluffy soft rugs under my bare feet. It’s old, yet it feels contemporary and comfortable. I had half-expected to be shown to a cell upon arrival and thrown a bowl of chicken broth twice a day. So far the windows that show off the view of the ocean are making this feel like something out of a fairy tale.
I feel his hand take mine, and I’m shaken out of my daydream. I hadn’t realized I stopped to look out the window until he smiles down at me.
“Plenty of time for that later. The dining room is this way.”
His hand leads me down a spiral stone staircase and through a large wooden door. At some point I think he is going to let me go, but instead his thumb caresses me with each step. In the dining room there is a long table that looks like it was made of driftwood. There are large comfortable chairs surrounding it, and a loveseat at the head of the table.
He walks me to the head of the table and indicates I should sit in the loveseat. It’s got a high back and blankets on one side and looks so inviting. I step past him and am a little sad when I have to let go of his hand to sit. For a brief moment, I think he might sit with me, but instead he leans over and grabs a blanket pulling it over my lap. Then he sits down on the chair beside me and settles in.
“You didn’t bring many warm clothes,” he says as he reaches for a glass of wine in front of him.
I look over to my place setting and see there is one in front of me, too. I’ve never had wine before, and though I’m curious, the last thing he gave me was drugged.
“I promise to not drug you again. It was only to get you here safely.” He reaches over, takes my glass of wine, and sips it before placing it in front of me again.
“I didn’t pack my suitcase,” I say before picking up my glass and taking a drink.
The wine is different than I expected. The girls in the dance company have complained about wine being sour and bitter. This is smooth and warm, however, and I feel it as it goes down into my empty stomach. I should probably slow down since I haven’t eaten in a long time and I’ve never drunk alcohol before. Just as soon as I have the thought, servers appear and place a basket of fresh bread and a bowl of creamy soup in front of me.
I look over and see Noah dipping his bread in his soup, and I follow suit. I don’t know the last time I was allowed this much food, and it’s so rich. I think I inhale it all in one breath, and I’m finished before Noah is even halfway through his. A pang of sadness hits me like it always does at mealtimes when my food is gone. But a nod from Noah and my plate is replaced with another that’s filled with roasted chicken and sausages, potatoes piled high and a mound of vegetables.
“Um. I don’t think I’m supposed to eat all this,” I say as my mouth waters.
“I brought you here, Aurora. You are under my care. I expect you to finish the meals you are given and to tell me if you are ever hungry and I don’t realize it.”
His stern look leaves no room for argument, and who am I to tell him no? I’m starving, and never have I been given a meal like this.
“While you are mine, you will do as you’re instructed. That includes dancing, but also with your daily activity. You will be required to eat…” He pauses as his soup is taken away and his second course if brought out. “…relax and sleep at any point I deem necessary.”
“Relax and sleep? This sounds like a vacation.” I smile as I work on polishing off my plate of food.
“Have you ever had a vacation?” he asks, and I shake my head.
“No. But I guess it’s what I imagine one would be like.”
I see the hint of his dimple, and it makes me smile again. My second plate is taken away just as I realize I’ve cleaned it, and a dessert plate is in its place. A square of warm pastry and apples are served with a side of cream, and I want so badly to eat it, but I know I shouldn’t. I’m not supposed to have any sort of sugar, and I can tell by the smell of it that it’s definitely a banned substance in my house.
“Eat,” Noah says and reaches out to tuck a dark strand of hair behind my ear. “Don’t be afraid to indulge, little star.”
The heat in my belly grows, and I don’t know if it’s from the wine, the food, or desire. One touch from him and I’m out of sorts. How am I supposed to control myself with a man that has this much power over me?
“What about my training?” I say, wondering why he’s being so lenient. I was expecting a tyrant, and here he is giving me dessert.
“I have had a studio built, and you are welcome to dance anytime your heart desires,” he answers simply and leans away.
I hate the loss of contact, but it helps me keep my head clear. “But I thought that’s why I came here. To learn to be the best dancer in the world.”
A shadow passes over his eyes. “I have business I have to take care of tonight, so Elina will answer your questions. Tomorrow, you and I can discuss your dancing and how you would like to proceed.”
It feels like a declaration more than a discussion, so I stop asking questions. This is only the first night, and I don’t want to get off on the wrong foot. Maybe there are other coaches here and that’s where my training will come in. Instead of dwelling on it, I pick up my fork and dive into the dessert.
It’s heaven on a fork, and I moan my way through the entire thing. My belly is fuller that it’s ever been in my life, and between that and the glass of wine, I can barely keep my eyes open. At one point I feel myself shift over in the loveseat with the blanket wrapped around me.
The next moment I feel warm strong arms around me as I’m being carried. I’m so tired that I dream of kissing the exposed skin on his neck and nuzzling into him as he holds me. I don’t fight the sleep or the feeling of him pressing his lips to mine.
Chapter Five
Aurora
I cuddle deeper into the bed, not remembering the last time I slept so well. I don’t even know what time it is. Rolling over, the deep rich smell of Noah fills my lungs as if he was in my bed. Sitting up, I look around to see if he’s in my room, but no one is there.
I crawl out of bed and go over to the window to look out at the vista before me. This place still doesn’t seem real. Nothing is addin
g up, and I’m not sure I want it to. The last twenty-four hours have been paradise, and I don’t want anything to change.
I hear a soft tapping and turn to see Elina standing in the doorway. “I was getting a little worried. You’ve been asleep for over ten hours.”
“I’m sorry. What time is it?” I ask, feeling bad. I should have been up early and ready to work.
“It’s a little past noon.” She takes a step into the room. “I thought you might like something to eat.”
At her words my stomach lets out a loud growl, making her and me both laugh. “Food sounds wonderful. Maybe I should freshen up first.” I look down, and it’s then I notice I don’t have any pants on. I’m still in my V-neck shirt but my jeans are long gone.
“Your things are in here,” Elina says, walking over to a door and opening it. I follow her and come up short when I see what’s behind the door. It’s a giant closet. A closet isn’t even the right word, because it’s bigger than my old bedroom.
“These aren’t my things,” I say, stepping into the room. Reaching over, I run my fingers down along a silk dress. It’s the deepest blue I’ve ever seen. The material feels so soft against my fingers.
“That one might be a little too dressy for today, but if you’d like to, it’s all yours, my dear.”
I let the dress slide from my fingers.
“How?” I ask, still shocked. My eyes bounce around the room, taking everything in. One whole wall is lined with shoes. The room is filled with everything a girl could want. I feel my eyes start to water. My favorite thing about dancing is when I get the opportunity to get dressed up. I love it.
“Well, you can’t run around without clothes on now, can you?” A teasing smile pulls at her lips, and I feel myself blush at the idea of running around naked. “Or maybe you can.” She shakes her head, the smile still playing at her lips. “How about this one?”
