by Nikki Rose
“Thank you, Natalie.” Drew guided me with a hand on the small of my back as he followed her down the long corridor with large, ornate, wooden doors.
We stopped in front of one with the door opened. Natalie stepped aside to allow us entrance. “Here you are, sir. Is there anything I can get for you before I go?”
“No, thank you. We can manage from here.”
“Very well.” She nodded to excuse herself.
Once she was out of earshot, I looked up at Drew with a knowing look.
“What?” He scowled down at me.
“You slept with her, didn’t you?” I accused.
“Watch your tone.” He pulled me into the room and shut the door. The room was spacious, masculine and classic with dark woods and deep red tones. “We spent the night together. Not that it's any of your business. Mikhail loaned her to me the last time I was his guest here. He’s very hospitable that way.”
“Loaned her to you, like she’s some possession of his you can just borrow?”
“Exactly like that. I won’t remind you of your tone again.” Drew warned, towering over me. He grabbed around my waist and pulled me to him, his face nuzzling against my neck. “God, you smell so good. I just can’t get enough of you.”
“Drew what the hell?” I tried to push away but he held me close.
“Watch yourself. Remember there could be bugs in here. I have a scanner in my cell so until we know what we’re dealing with, you need to act the part even here.”
Knowing he had a good reason for acting the way he was brought me some comfort but I still didn’t like it.
He released me after another minute and pretended to be interested in the decor of the room, walking around the perimeter with his hand in his pocket I knew held his phone. He paused, looking out the window then turned to me.
“I need to hit the bathroom. Sit or lay on the bed but do not get off of it for any reason until I come back and say you can. Do you understand?”
“Yes.” I nodded and climbed up on the large four-poster bed while he disappeared into the bathroom.
I laid back and stared up at the ceiling. The crown molding was dark and matched the exposed beams that stretched the length of the room. I noticed an anomaly in one of the planks. A small, inconspicuous black spot that reflected the sunlight from the window. A camera lens. I was being watched — and it was over the bed. What a sick freak.
Drew came back into the suit a few minutes later and climbed onto the bed with me. He pulled me against him, my back to his front. “Now, where were we?”
He nuzzled his face in my hair. “I never want you to use any other shampoo than what you use. You smell like vanilla cookies and jasmine. It’s intoxicating.” His voice lowered to a whisper I could barely hear so bugs couldn’t detect. “There’s at least one camera feed in this room with audio.”
He shifted to press his hips into my ass and his hands moved around to rub my stomach under my shirt. I stiffened at the unfamiliar touch. His hands were firmer, rougher, and more confident than they’d been all those years ago.
“There’s a camera feed in the bathroom but no audio so we’re a little safer in there but not by much. We’ll have to be extremely careful while we’re here.”
I wrapped my hand around the back of his neck, pulling his mouth further onto my neck. The closeness to him felt awkward but I needed to tell him about my discovery.
I twisted to bring my lips close to him, letting them brush against the shell of his ear as I whispered. “There’s a camera above the bed. Third beam over. Little black dot.”
Drew rolled onto his back, pulling me on top of him. I felt extremely uncomfortable being like that with him. I had to fight my instincts at every turn. Part of me wanted to push him away, to tell him he lost his chance. Another part of me wanted to let myself go, to feel his touch again and relish in it like I had when we'd been together.
He adjusted me to straddle him as he held my hips and ground against me. My body heated and that all too familiar ache started deep in my core. I fought the urge to grind my hips on him. I reminded myself that he was putting on a show for the camera but my body didn’t seem to care as my nipples tightened and my desire built.
My breathing hitched at the feel of him hardening beneath me. The ache in me grew and I rolled my hips, hoping for more friction.
His gaze met mine, then drifted over my shoulder to study the beams. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was a clever ruse on his part or if he was using the camera as an excuse.
A deep growl vibrated from Drew’s throat as he suddenly tossed me off of him and onto the bed beside him. “You’re lucky we don’t have time for this right now. We need to get ready for the party tonight.”
I was flustered and panting. I didn’t want him to see me like that so I got up and turned toward the bathroom door. “I should take a shower. I’m sure you want me to be fresh and presentable for tonight.”
“Yes, and make it quick. We only have a little over an hour now before I have to meet Mikhail.”
“Okay.”
“It’s yes sir.”
“What?”
“Your answer should be yes sir. I’ve been too lenient on you this far as you adjusted to our new arrangement. You need to learn to be respectful at all times. It's ``yes sir.” He reiterated.
I pulled my lips into a thin line, not liking this one bit but knowing a snide remark would not be tolerated while the cameras were on so I said the only thing I could under the circumstances. “Yes, sir.”
I turned and went into the bathroom, closing the door with a bit more force than intended. I started the shower and was just about to get undressed when I remembered the hidden camera in the bathroom. I didn’t know where it was or who was watching but I didn’t have much choice in the matter since I wasn’t even supposed to know it was there. It was a good thing I wasn't shy. I hoped whoever was watching enjoyed the show.
Chapter 10
I stepped out of the steam-filled shower in nothing but a white fluffy towel. I couldn’t help but tease Drew a little after his rejection earlier. He glanced at me from the chair in the corner and raised an eyebrow. I gave a little shrug, fighting a smile. He finished putting on his shoes, stood up, and walked toward the bed.
“Come over here. I have something to show you.”
“What is it?”
“Your dress for the night,” he leaned over the bed and cradled a long flowing forest green gown and I practically ran over to see it better.
I ran my fingertips from the jewel-embellished sweetheart neckline to the flowing chiffon overlay, “it’s beautiful.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“I love it.”
“Even better,” he smiled at me before draping the dress over the armchair. “I’d like you to wear your hair up tonight. I think it would accentuate the neckline of the dress well that way.”
“Since when are you a stylist?”
“I just know what I like. Go on and do your hair and makeup. I’d like to see the dress on you once it’s complete.
“Yes, sir,” I said with a little bit of teasing in my voice and Drew raised his brow just before I turned and went back into the bathroom.
He wanted my hair up, so I curled it and pinned it up, letting a few tendrils fall around my face. I went light with my makeup except for my smokey eyes. I was just putting the finishing touches on my makeup when Drew knocked on the bathroom door.
“Hailey? Are you done? We’re going to be late.”
I pulled the towel around me again and opened the door. Drew froze for a moment, his eyes grazing from my hair, down my face, to the tops of my breasts peeking out from the towel.
He cleared his voice, breaking the trance he’d been in. “Good. You’re ready. You need to get dressed. We’re going to be late.”
With my back to him, I let my towel slip from my body, puddling onto the floor, exposing my lacy black strapless bra and matching panties. Drew’s breathing hitched and I
secretly smiled. I slipped on the dress. It was breathtaking. The sweetheart neck was embellished with enough jewels that a necklace was unnecessary. The dress fit me like a glove, hugging every curve to my mid-thigh. A longer, flowing chiffon layer gave the impression of a long ball gown but the slits in it exposed my long legs. It was elegant and sexy all at once. If we weren’t about to join a bunch of psychopathic Russians in the next room, I might have even been excited to wear something so elegant.
I glanced over my shoulder. Drew was still staring at me and I fought back a grin.
“Zip me up?” I asked while looking over my shoulder.
“Huh? Oh, sure,” Drew startled and stepped up behind me.
His hand brushed against my skin as he zipped me up and I swore a small electrical pulse shot through me and I held my breath. Drew lightly stretched a curled tendril, making me shiver. He ran his palm over my shoulder and down my arm. I couldn’t help the way my body responded, leaning into his touch.
“You look beautiful,” Drew rasped near my ear. He ran the back of his hand down the side of my neck and down my shoulder and I closed my eyes, letting out a relaxed sigh. “I like this.”
There was a knock on the door and I froze.
“I’ll get that,” Drew said as he stepped away from me to answer the door.
“Natalia, what are you doing here?” Drew asked.
Natalia was dressed in a super sleek black gown with silver jewelry and her hair pulled up in a tight bun. I recognized Lacy beside her dressed in a surprisingly innocent-looking white flowing gown with cream lace overlay. It seemed Mikhail liked his girl to look like the sweet and innocent type — when she’s not spinning around a stripper pole at his club.
“Hi, Lacy. We met at the club the other night.”
She offered me a shy smile and nodded without saying a word.
“She’s not allowed to speak unless one of the men allows it,” Natalia explained.
“Oh.” I frowned.
“Mikhail asked me to make sure you weren’t having any issues. He wanted me to point out the time...” she spoke timidly.
Drew glanced at his watch and looked surprised, “We’re running late. Hailey, are you ready to go?”
“Almost. I need to put my shoes on and a few last-minute touch-ups.”
“Okay. Natalia, will you escort Hailey to the party once she’s ready. I really shouldn’t keep Mikhail waiting any longer.”
“Of course, sir.”
“Thank you,” Drew smiled at Natalia then looked at me. “I’ll see you in there.”
Once Drew left, I touched up my makeup one last time, suddenly nervous about the party.
“Hurry. We don’t want to keep the men waiting.” Natalia warned.
“I know. I am.”
I slipped on my strappy green heels and did one last check in the mirror. The whole thing was like being in some weird dream.
“They do not like to be kept waiting.”
I grabbed my clutch and shut the door behind me before we left.
Chapter 11
We walked down the long hall in silence until we reached a large set of wooden double doors. They were rounded into an arch and reminded me of something you’d see in a medieval castle. Come to think of it, the whole place had a modern medieval fused feel to it. It was a strange combination but it made for a stunning look.
I’m not sure what I was expecting from these horrible monsters I’d fallen in with but what I saw when the door opened was definitely not it. The elegant ballroom was huge and designed like something from a fairytale. Though in this fairytale, the dashing men were not princes at all — they were the monsters. And, the beautiful women were not princesses but one step above being slaves.
There were more people than I’d expected and everyone was dressed in red-carpet attire. A few couples danced in the middle of the room. The majority of people stood around laughing and talking, sipping champagne or taking shots of vodka.
The moment we were in the door, Natalia abandoned us but I sensed Lacy still lingering close to me.
“I suppose we should find Mikhail and Drew.”
“I suppose.” She said with a sigh of dread. I was surprised to hear her speak after what Natalia had said. The fact that as soon as she was gone, Lacy found the courage to break the rules and speak led me to believe that Natalia was probably reporting back to Mikhail.
“With so many people here, it could take us a while to find them.” I smiled at her and she smiled back which I suspected she didn’t do often.
“Champagne?” One of the girls in a server’s uniform stopped in front of us with a tray of champagne glasses and shots of vodka.
“Well, this is a celebration.” I smiled and took two glasses. I offered one to Lacy and she looked like it might bite her. “Are you not allowed to drink?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never asked.”
“How long have you been with Mikhail?”
“Six months.” She looked down at the floor.
“Has he ever given you alcohol?”
“Yes.”
“Then why wouldn’t he allow it now?”
“I’d rather not risk it, but thank you.”
“I get it.” She looked at me skeptically as if saying you have no idea. “I saw the bruises.” She nodded but didn’t say a word. “So, what does he have on you?”
She pulled her lips between her teeth and looked down as though she were about to cry.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me. Why don’t we go try to find some food? You’re allowed to eat, aren’t you?”
She was silent a moment and I feared my nosy nature caused her to close off but suddenly she spoke in a very soft voice so no one else could hear.
“It’s my younger brother.” She kept her eyes to the floor.
“He needed money or something?”
“No. He’s going to college up north. He’s so smart. Got a full scholarship — even covers living expenses up to a point and his part-time job is more than enough to cover the rest.” She smiled and I heard the pride in her voice.
“He sounds like quite an impressive guy.”
“He’s going to be a doctor. He wants to study new cancer treatments since that’s what took both of our parents.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear about your parents but it's wonderful that he’s using that as motivation instead of letting such a tragedy limit him. I’m not exactly sure how Mikhail is using him to control you, though.” I knew I must be missing a piece of the puzzle. From what Drew said, these men liked to use something against a girl to control them — a job, money, something.
She took a deep breath before finally looking up at me. “I met Mikhail at a club. I was a dancer to pay for my community college classes. I was never as smart as my brother but I was going to be a nurse. Oh, and by the way, my name isn’t really Lacy, that was the name he gave me. My real name is Laura.”
I listened on, waiting for things to connect. “Mikhail said that the moment he saw me, he knew he had to have me. He offered to pay for my classes in exchange for a certain arrangement.”
“But I thought you said it had to do with your brother?”
“It does. I told him no. I was fine working to pay for my education. I may not have liked dancing for those creeps but at least I was supporting myself.”
“I take it Mikhail didn’t like hearing no?”
“On the contrary. He loved it — still does. He likes the challenge.” She took the champagne glass from my hand and downed it in one gulp. “I thought he had accepted my answer, until one night he and two of his creeps were waiting for me outside in the parking lot after work. He told me he had eyes on my brother. That pre-med and medical school can be very stressful. A lot of students end up taking drugs to help them through. Some even o.d. He said if I wanted my brother to continue to live the good life and not show up dead in his dorm, that I needed to do what he said. I thought he was full of it — I called his bluff, then he showed me a photogra
ph. It was a picture of the newspaper from the day before, in the background was my brother walking to his dorm from his car.”
“Oh my god.” I gasped.
“So now you know why I have no choice. What’s your reason?”
I hated the idea of lying to Lacy after she just told me her whole story but she’d be in more danger knowing the truth. Besides, I had no idea if I could really trust her or not, though I felt like I could.
“I got into some debt — with some dangerous guys. If I want to pay them back, I need money fast. Drew found me and said he could help.”
“For a price,” Lacy added.
“Isn’t there always?”
She nodded before tensing. Her eyes grew wider and more alert than moments ago. Following her gaze over my shoulder, I spotted Drew and Mikhail heading our way.
I took the champagne glass from her and set it on the table, hoping they hadn’t noticed just in case she had reason to fear.
“There you girls are.” Drew chimed and pulled me to him, holding me at arm’s length and gazing over my dress. “I knew this dress would look great on you but... wow.”
I couldn’t help but smile at his compliment.
“Drinking instead of looking for us?” Mikhail said, picking up the champagne glass while keeping his gaze locked on Lacy.
I knew I might regret it but I’d be damned if I let her take the fall for the drinks. “One of the waitresses offered us a glass as we were rounding the room to look for you both. Lacy declined but I encouraged her. I thought you’d appreciate her relaxing and loosening up a bit since this is a special occasion and all. She said you never said she couldn’t —.”
Drew eyed me worriedly but I forced the polite smile to stay on my lips, hoping That If I acted like it was no big deal, Mikhail might see it that way as well.
“You’re right. But let’s limit it to just the one, hm, Lacy? To make sure you keep your wits.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you.” She whispered timidly. I noticed how her whole demeanor had shifted the moment Mikhail was near.
“I think the one is enough for you too,” Drew said to me and I nodded. I needed to keep my wits about me more than just about anyone at this party. A slip of the tongue could be detrimental and we both knew that. It was one thing we could actually agree on.
