by C. D. Samuda
He shook his head. “Before that.”
Her eyes widened as she realized what he was asking. Heat skedaddled up her neck and spread over her face. Still she kept her gaze locked with his.
“I said, I will fuck you in front of him if I have to.”
His voice lowered. “What else would you do to prove your point?”
“Huh?”
“What else are you willing to do to prove your point?” he repeated, coming so close that her breasts were almost brushing his chest.
Although he was standing near enough that she could smell the minty fresh toothpaste he used, he did not touch her. With hooded eyes he looked down on her and that was when she realized he was quite tall, around six feet four inches.
“Are you willing to let me swipe my tongue across your clit until you beg me to take you?” he asked in a low sultry tone. “How about me sticking my cock in your hot wet pussy?”
“Stop,” she whispered, her heart skipping several beats before racing like a speed train, while moist heat presented betwixt her thighs.
“Or do you want to wrap those luscious lips around my cock until I …”
Heat like a cannon ball punched her in her innermost secret place, causing her vaginal walls to pulse. “Stop, I say.”
“Then you shouldn’t say such things if you aren’t willing to see them through.”
Was that a challenge? She wasn’t sure. But she wouldn’t allow Braeden to believe that she was all talk ... even if she was. After all, she had her pride. He stepped away from her and started waking to towards the bags.
“Who says that I wasn’t willing to see it through?”
He stopped and turned, his next words a warning. “Don’t start something you won’t be able to finish, Shade.”
Marching away, he picked up the bags and returned them to the bedroom. After that he disappeared and she didn’t see him until Charles summoned her to dinner. When she went downstairs, Braeden was already there. Like a good husband, he stood and pulled out her chair.
Richard was at the head of the table, his wheelchair sat in one corner. A large fellow who looked like a bouncer wearing a blue nurse’s outfit stood by the wheelchair. The old man kept his eyes on the couple, while Shade tried to keep a smile on her face. She sensed the tension in Braeden and sought to help him relax by taking his hand and bringing it to her lips.
At first his hand tensed in hers then he relaxed, their eyes meeting. Something special passed between them and for the moment she forget where she was. She forgot that this was supposed to be for show. All she wanted was to ease the pain written in his eyes.
“For the love of God, not at the dinner table,” Richard’s voice was filled with disgust. “If you two can’t keep your hands off each other for just a few minutes, then go back to your room.”
“Like you kept your hands off my mother?” Braeden shot back.
“For Pete’s sake, Braeden let sleeping dogs lie.”
When Braeden opened his mouth to protest once more, Shade shook her head, giving his hand a squeeze. The two men shot arrows across the table that Shade felt she needed to referee.
“Was this house an old castle?” she asked. Both men looked at her puzzled. “It reminds me of those old haunted castles in horror movies.”
Richard gave her a sharp look before his face softened and he burst into a fit of laughter. He laughed so hard that he began to cough and sputter. The male nurse rushed to his side, but he waved the man away, picked up his water and took a sip.
The mood seemed to lighten around the dinner table, even though no one spoke for a while. Shade was aware of Braeden’s eyes on her as she placed the napkin in her lap and picked up the salad fork. If this was another occasion where Richard Harrington was not involved, she would have used the extra fork, or even the desert spoon instead, just so they would think she was as crass as she was homeless.
Shade was certain that Braeden was curious about her past. Not many homeless people knew about dining etiquette. Many middle class people didn’t even the different cutler for which course. He kept his eye on her the entire meal, nothing that she barely touched the wine.
Of course, she didn’t want a repeat of the last time and she knew how to conduct herself with decorum. He appeared more relaxed by the end of the meal than when they started. Richard brought up a conspiracy theory about climate change. Braeden broke down his argument with scientific evidence to the contrary. Shade listened keenly a both men spoke civilly for the first time.
“I’m so glad our president knows this is a hoax. All the money spent trying to fix something that doesn’t exist is a waste.”
“How can you support such a man who disrespects women … wait … don’t answer that,” Braeden countered.
A few seconds of silence passed between them as they stared pointedly at each other. The moment was only interrupted by someone coming to speak in low tones to Braeden. This male staff member Shade had not seen before now. He was dressed similarly to Charles, except for the white gloves and the stiff upper lip that Charles had.
“Mr. Harrington,” he said. “There is a call for you from your office. The party on the other line says it is urgent.”
Braeden excused himself and followed the male servant out. Shade concluded that the young man was a butler in training as Charles was perhaps beyond retirement age. The room felt vacant without Braeden there and Shade was acutely aware of Richard’s eagle stare. The man beckoned to his nurse who brought the wheelchair over and assisted him to sit in it. He then wheel up to her.
There was a blanket covering his legs, which he eased aside and picked up a file. He placed the fine on the table beside her plate. Shade stared at it for a moment, a frown entering her forehead. She then directed her gaze at Richard Harrington.
“What’s that?”
“Open it.”
Hesitantly, she opened the file and the first thing that jumped out at her was the name Shade Montgomery. Her heart sank as she realized he may have run a background check on her. Shade wasn’t worried that he would discover her past as she believed she was well hidden. She was concerned that he might have discovered where she met Braeden and use it against him.
Below her name was her age and other general information. She turned the page expecting to find a photo and maybe some information from the police station. There was nothing there but a white sheet of paper. The furrows in her forehead deepened as her eyes flitted to the man sitting in the wheelchair.
“I don’t understand,” she said, her confusion evident.
“Exactly,” he agreed. “There’s nothing. It’s as though Shade Montgomery just appeared out of thin air ten years ago … poof!” he gestured with his hand as though twirling string.
Shade relaxed her shoulders and eyed him, bracing herself for whatever Richard had planned for her. She knew the type of man. She’d met people like him in her previous life. They were ruthless and would do anything to have their way.
“How much?” he finally asked.
The question did not surprise her, but she was a great actress, it was in her blood. She puckered her forehead even more, knowing well that too much frowning would make her wrinkle fast.
“How much what?”
“How much will it cost for you to return to that life you had before ten years ago?” he asked with another hand gesture. “Poof.”
A line from every movie with a villain like him. Every bad drama with a wealthy parent who wants to get rid of their child’s spouse in order to exert their control. This was so overdone that Shade wanted to laugh in the man’s face. Well … she did.
Her laughter bubbled from within her throat, coming out as a sweet melody echoing through the dining room. The look on Richard’s face was evidence that he did not share her mirth.
“You must be kidding,” she said through her dying amusement. “Right?”
“You think this is funny?” Richard asked. “I need you out of Braeden’s life and I will make that happen one
way or the other. If I were you I’d take the money.”
“I’m not you, Mr. Harrington,” she rejoined, getting to her feet. “If you will excuse me.”
“Don’t be a fool, Miss Montgomery.”
Shade moved away from the table, but Richard moved his wheelchair, quickly blocking her path. She looked down at him, only seeing a pitiful old man whose only purpose was to control everyone around him.
“What does it matter to you anyway?” she asked. “You don’t care about your grandson, so why does it bother you so much?”
“What makes you think I don’t care about him?” his brows lifted. “He’s the only family I have left.”
“You have a funny way of showing your love, Mr. Harrington,” Shade retorted. “You don’t hurt the people you love.”
“Just name your price and spare me the psycho-babble.”
Shade leaned forward. “Give Braeden what is rightfully his and I will annul the marriage and you will never see or hear from me again.”
His eyes narrowed as he gave her a suspicious look. “That simple?”
“That simple,” she replied. “I know how to put the person I love ahead of myself.”
Without a word, Richard, pushed his chair away and beckoned to his male nurse. The man trotted over and wheeled the old bastard out of the dining area. Richard was through the door before Shade inhaled and exhaled, relaxing her shoulder. She wasn’t scared of Richard, but for a moment she feared he might threaten to do something dangerous.
It wasn’t clear if he agreed with her offer. As far as Richard was concerned they were a real couple, therefore he should have no clue that her idea was exactly what Braeden’s intention was in the first place. She hoped that Richard saw it as a trade and he would do the right thing.
Chapter 19
Braeden spent the next few hours in his father’s old study speaking with someone from his office. Shade kept to the suite in order to avoid running into Richard. The man seemed to lurk around the halls. Shade discovered there was a lift from his bedroom to the ground floor through the side door in which he had disappeared after their ‘talk’. This gave him easy access to every corner of this old mansion. It was creepy to say the least.
At around nine that night, feeling restless with the temperature in the mid-nineties, she decided it was safe to take a swim. When she noticed three men in security clothing, she paid it little mind, thinking that Richard was just being paranoid about his property.
She bade them a good night and went on her way to the pool house where she found a swimsuit. She’d just moved from behind the bamboo screen when the light in the pool house went out. Unable to see she stumbled around, having no familiarity with the place.
After a few seconds stumbling in the dark, she was about to call for help when someone clamped a hand over her mouth. The arms were strong that slipped around her waist, lifting her off the ground. She knew immediately that this was not Braeden. She’d come to know the feel of his body against hers and although he was just as muscular and strong, he was gentler.
The familiar heat she’d come to recognize in Braeden’s arms was also missing. In addition, this man smelled of stale sweat and cigarette smoke, Braeden did not smoke.
She struggled against her captor as his large hand was cutting her breathing, being partially covering her nose. Someone else joined them, she could hear the footsteps before she was blind folded and gagged. Her bulky abductor held her tightly as the other person bound her hands and feet. They took her from the pool house and carried her for a while. She was aware when they paused and then descended some steps.
Mustiness greeted her lungs now that she could breathe feely. She felt the drop in temperature the farther they went, that’s how she knew they was entering basement level. Although she tried to struggle from their grasp, she was unable to move due to someone holding her feet.
They stopped and tightened her gag and blindfold. Then she was being lifted and place on something shaky – a table maybe, she was uncertain. A second later, something rough brushed her cheek, then lowered to her chin. She had no clue what it was. Her heart began to pound erratically as she wasn’t able to conceive what was happening. All she knew was that this was orchestrated only by Richard Harrington.
The evil in that old man’s eyes told her that he was capable of anything. Shade couldn’t believe that she spent the last ten years safely on the streets, only to be murdered when she decided to rejoin society. It was strange. The streets were supposed to be a dangerous place. For her, the experience was the opposite.
Trying to shuffle only made the object she was standing on wobble, causing her own knees to tremble. As panic began to settle in, Shade found she was breathing heavily. A cold sensation crawled up her spine as her stomach churned, threatening to bring up her last meal.
Retreating footsteps told her that the men were leaving the area. A door clicked shut and she was left with the silence. A shudder ran through her from the chill in the room. She was still wearing the swimsuit, with a wrap tied around her waist. Goosebumps covered her entire body as she started to shiver.
Around 1 AM Braeden finally was able to hang up the phone with the company lawyer. One of their warehouses in the Caribbean caught fire and some of the employees suffered minor injuries. He would have to leave right after his grandfather’s birthday dinner the next day.
If it had not been for Shade insisting that they stay, he would have already left. Maybe she was right. He needed to fight for his birthright. The idea that he even listened to her was ludicrous.
Leaning back in his father’s chair, he closed his eyes, picturing her sunny smile. He liked the way the corners of her eyes crinkled when she smiled and the way her laughter ended with a little snort. The moment in the pool rushed back to him when she hugged him and told him that he wasn’t the only one to be hurt by his past.
That hug and those words resonated with him, making him wonder about her. Who was Shade Montgomery? Why was she on the streets? Something told him she wasn’t a poor orphan who ended up like that. Was she even twenty six like she claimed?
The sound of his grandfather’s wheelchair coming down the hall made him sit up and open his eyes. A knock came at the door and he bade him enter. The door opened and Richard appeared.
“Everything alright, son?” the deep grating voice of his grandfather asked.
Braeden stood. “Do you even care if I’m alright or not?”
“Regardless of what you think, I only want what’s best for you.”
“You have a funny way of showing it.”
“You remember when I used to help you with your homework?” Richard asked, a faraway look in his eyes. “We used to go out on the lawn and play soccer…”
“Don’t,” Braeden said, cutting him short. “Just don’t.”
“Can’t we forget the bad things and remember the good memories? We had a great relationship when you were a boy. I admit I did some things, but that didn’t mean I didn’t love you.”
“Love.” Braeden’s cynicism was evident in his tone. “Do you even know its meaning?”
“Do you?”
The question from his grandfather threw him off. He didn’t know how to answer that. He’d locked himself from feeling anything beyond the physical. He saw what love did to his father. He experienced the betrayal of a mother he loved and a grandfather he worshipped. No … he didn’t know the meaning.
His jaw tightened as he looked away and began moving towards the door. “It’s late and my wife must be worried.”
He brushed passed the wheelchair, leaving his grandfather still in the study. As he strode down the passage, he heard the snap of the door as it shut and the familiar creaking of the wheelchair. Braeden chuckled to himself as he remembered how Shade said the house reminded her of a haunted castle. That creaking sound was eerie.
“Braeden,” Richard’s voice was right behind him. “I need to show you something.”
Halting his steps he turned to the man. �
��Can’t it wait until the morning?”
“It is past midnight so it’s morning,” his grandfather gurgled. “And no, it’s best if you see it now. It might not be the same in a few hours.”
“Alright, make it quick.”
Stepping aside, he allowed the wheelchair to pass him. Braeden hesitated as he followed Richard, wondering what could be so important that it couldn’t wait.
Chapter 20
This old basement had been an enigma to Braeden. It was never used. The ones that were used were the wine and old root cellars, which were entered from within the kitchen. The root cellar was now a pantry for preserved foods. But in the old days, it was used to store fresh fruit and vegetables.
There were things about this estate that was strange for Braeden, things he was never told. His father had moved them away after the fall-out with Richard and he never cared to discover the history of the old mansion.
Now, as his eyes adjusted to the dim light of the basement and he made out the figure on the stool, his blood curled in his veins. He now knew what this was and why it was always kept locked.
“What the fuck is this?” he snapped, stepping towards the woman on the stool.
Strong arms gripped him and tried to pull him back. Seeing the rope dangling around her neck weakened him that he was unable to muster enough strength to free himself. Disbelief, anger and hatred wrapped up all in one bombarded at that moment. He was unable to fathom the extent to which his own flesh and blood would go.
“Calm down,” Richard said. “Nothing will happen to her. I promise.”
“You sonofabitch!” Braeden shouted, allowing his anger to give him strength.
He relaxed his body, allowing the men to also relax. Just as their hold loosened a little, he twisted, bringing his right fist to clip the chin of the one on his left.
“Control him, you imbeciles!” Richard commanded his men.
A punch caught him in the gut, just below the diaphragm, causing him momentary weakness. He tried to continue fighting, but two more men entered the room and held him. He was made to sit in a chair while they bound him around his torso with rope.
