“You should look at me, Nadi.” Lucas’s voice was low and sounded like the hiss of a snake. I still didn’t turn to look at him.
I cried out as my father launched from the desk and back handed me across the left side of my face. The shocking pain shot from my jaw and down my spine.
“You’ve been a spoiled, disrespectful little brat ever since you could walk!” He bellowed.
Chuckles came from the two goons that worked for Lucas, who stood in front of the office door.
“Shut it!” My father roared at them both. His glaring eyes turned back to me.
“Now, now, Gabe. Nadia is a gem.” Lucas’ smooth voice came from behind me.
Father squeezed his eyes shut, and exhaled. And opened them, “Agreements and promises were made here tonight, Nadia. Lucas has asked for your hand in marriage. And you will accept it. Here and now.”
I felt as though I was just punched in my gut. A warm flush rose from my chest to my cheeks. I clutched my throat, stepping back from my father. “No! I will not!” I shouted.
Father stepped toward me, and I cringed as his arm came up, ready to hit me again. I backed away, bumping against Lucas’ chest as his arms came around me. “It’s ok, Nadi. You’ll be good for me. And under my protection from now on.” His sinister voice brushed next to my ear.
I suddenly couldn’t breathe. I was trapped! I panicked and shoved Lucas away, racing to the double doors. I twisted and pulled the knobs frantically, but it was useless. They were locked! “Let me out!” I cried.
One of Lucas’ henchmen, the heavy set one with the pitch-black wavy hair, stepped toward me and unlocked the door. I ran out and hurried up the marble stairs to my room. My life was turned upside down in that instant. My father just gave me away. No. He threw me away, to a man just as cruel and corrupt as he was. There is no escape from this. An arrangement was made in my father’s office that night, and I was the prize. I was left alone in my room to cry. And that’s exactly what I did into the wee hours of the morning.
I could not remember what my mother looked like. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I knew deep down inside that I was the spitting image of her. I only had jagged memories of her, like shattered pieces of glass. I didn’t even have a photo of her, and there were no photos of her anywhere in the Georgetown mansion I grew up in. All I know was that she was killed in a car accident when I was just 3 years old. I always had feelings of warmth, love and security when I thought of her. But there was also this intense aching feeling - like a splinter in your finger that never heals - that nagged at me. There was something about my mother’s death that was kept secret from me.
I never felt those same feelings of warmth, security and love from my father. He never showed me any kind of the affection that most parents showered their children with. I could feel only coldness and disgust in my father’s eyes when he looked at me. I was alone. All I had was myself. And I knew deep down in my heart, that I would survive whatever came my way.
CHAPTER 4
PUSH
Osamu Takata, or as everyone addressed him, Mr. Takata, was the Oyaban, the Boss of the Takata-kai family. The role of Oyaban is similar to a Don, or Mob Boss for an Italian family. Osamu was a very powerful man across the globe, and his headquarters centered in Tokyo, Japan. He was of medium build, and most men in the US were slightly taller than him. But never judge a man by his physical size, because Osamu had a very imposing and intimidating presence about him. He was just as powerful as the Japanese government, and his influence over the US government was well known around the corrupted underworld of business and politics.
Mr. Takata and Nolan Reynolds were the only two men on the planet that I trusted with my life and with my money.
I sat with him in the oldest sushi bar in Northwest DC., called Ginza, which had been in business since the 1970’s. Takata’s men, dressed in black suits and dark blue ties, stood outside the bar. A few men were also inside, but they were far enough away not to listen in on our conversation. They were very much like the US Secret Service protecting a President.
My blood at boiling point when I heard the news of Gabe giving Nadia to Lucas just a few days ago. I had images of Lucas touching her and hurting her ever since. “I never trusted Gabe. None of us have. He knows his time is up soon. He was desperate to make a deal with Lucas Peterson, selling Nadia to save himself.”
Osamu sipped his warm sake, using his chopsticks to devour the sushi in front of him. I focused on the cuffs of his red shirt underneath the sleeves of his black suit. The body underneath that suit was covered with ornate tattoos, even his cock and balls. “Gabe is not a man with honor or loyalty. He will do what he can to reign on top of his business empire. Giving his only daughter away for that purpose does not surprise me”. He glowered as his took another sip of sake. He had lost his son, Isamu Takata, years ago, but not by choice. Osamu performed Yubitsume on himself – the cutting of a finger for penance and apology- to another Yakuza boss, Kenta Himura, for his own son’s transgressions and misdeeds. Isamu Takata formed his own coup to overthrow Kenta but was defeated, with most of his own men killed. Isamu, ashamed for disgracing his father and family, committed suicide by jumping off a thirty-story building in Shinjuku.
“Making this arrangement with Lucas is not a good thing, Mr. Takata. Their deeds are done sloppy, with no integrity or principles. No discipline.”
Mr. Takata began to laugh, his small eyes crinkling, “Yes indeed, Push. They do lack all of that. But stay calm. I know you see only blood. You are like molten lava underneath the earth’s crust. That fierce and unmerciful rage ready to erupt. Because of her.”
My long-time partner and friend, Nolan entered the sushi bar, dressed in one of his bold colored suits. This one was a deep turquoise. He sat at our table, across from me, and crossed his leg. He pulled out a cigar, snipping the end off, as the petite Japanese girl placed a beer in front of him. “Sorry I’m late. Had some things that needed clearing up over at the MGM.” He wet the end of the cigar and lit it.
“I just told Mr. Takata about the arrangement Gabe made with Lucas.”
“Yeah and it’s a goddamn shame. Lucas is pond scum. Never liked him. Never liked working with him. Hope that girl comes out of this in one piece.”
I shoved away from the table and walked away.
“Stay calm, my friend. Action with anger is not the way.” Mr. Takata’s accent thick.
I raked a hand through my hair, and came back to sit down. “It’s not easy.”
“I agree. Nothing we do is easy. I’ve seen Nadia and I sense her tenacity, and flexibility, like a chameleon who adapts in a savage environment.”
“She’s the innocent one in this menacing world we live every day. But I’m confident that Nadia will survive it.” I would keep my watch over her as I always had. Nothing was going to happen to her while I had breath in my lungs.
CHAPTER 5
NADIA
Trickles of rain streamed down the front window as I sat on the ledge in the immense three-story townhome in Georgetown. I wrapped my arms around my knees and looked out of it, daydreaming. I watched people strolling by on the brick paved sidewalk, fantasizing about where they were going; was that woman meeting her boyfriend for a lunch date? Was that elderly man holding a bouquet of flowers visiting someone at the hospital?
It had been a month since I was brought to this house, like a caged bird transported to another locked cage. Lucas fetched my things from my father’s home and dumped it here, along with me. The first night, Lucas was pleasant, but had already set some rules for me. I was not to go anywhere without one of his men, which I dreaded like a plague. They made my skin crawl when they looked at me, as their eyes roamed up and down my body with vulgar and vile thoughts.
The only person Lucas allowed me to see was my beloved friend, Christina. I wouldn’t have been able to hold myself together, let alone breathe, without her company. We would meet for lunch at a local bistro in DC and chat about normal day to
day things. I felt like a bird, able to stretch and flutter my wings, away from the empty and cold townhome, even if it was just for a few hours.
Since I had no mother, there was no one I could talk to about sex or other things that mothers and daughters shared. All I had was Christina to confide in. She was college educated, and lived in a dorm for a few years, and had her fair share of sexual experience with men. I went to an all-girl private school and heard the hushed whispers about boys and kissing and touching. But the only way I learned anything about boys and sex was by hiding books and reading them in my room.
It only took three nights before Lucas took what he wanted – my virginity. Lucas told me follow him to the master bedroom, and I was petrified. He shut the door and unbuckled his belt. He stalked toward me, his eyes full of fierce hunger, “I’ve given you a few days to get comfortable here with me. But from this night on, we’re sleeping together in this room.”
I immediately panicked! I tried to get away and darted around him to get to the door, but he was too fast. He hooked his arm around my waist, and snickered, “No Nadi. You can’t run. This is your fate. It will only hurt the first time. I’ll break you in.”
He scooped me up effortlessly as I kicked and screamed and he hurled me onto the bed. He was on top of me, ripping my nightgown apart. He grabbed my breasts, and squeezed and kneaded every part of my body with his rough hands. I kicked at him, thrashing, bucking my hips to get him off me. But he was much bigger and stronger.
A jolt of pain shook me as Lucas slapped me hard across my cheek, “Shut up! You’re a whore, just like your dead mother!”
I blacked out for a moment and it was like an out of body experience. I was looking at myself from above. Lucas driving himself into me fast and rough. I was still, no longer screaming, no longer crying.
There was blood between my legs when he was done rutting on me, tearing my insides apart. And he left me on that bed, naked, and motionless.
Lucas placed a small black velvet box on the nightstand. He gathered his clothes, and walked to the door, “You’ll get used to my cock soon enough, Nadi. I’ll let you rest alone tonight.” He shut the door, and I was left in the dark, my body torn and battered. I knew what was in the little black box, and I didn’t want to touch it. I slept on bloody sheets that night.
“The opera starts in a few hours, Nadi. Go get dressed. Put on something dark blue for me.” Lucas had come home, waking me from my raining daydream. I didn’t turn to look at him or his two henchmen, as I sat motionless on the window sill. The people walking on the sidewalk were more interesting to me.
I finally left the window sill and made my way to the bedroom to find a dark blue dress for Lucas and to put on enough foundation to cover the grey bruise on my left cheekbone.
The Kennedy Center was a full house that night, and not one seat was empty for Madam Butterfly. I sat with Lucas and some of his businessmen in the private upper tier, dressed in my long dark blue velvet gown. I wore a diamond choker draped around my neck with my blond hair up pinned up to show it off.
I felt his presence before I spotted him entering the balcony directly across from us. Push, dressed in a black tuxedo, with a beautiful brunette in a red gown on his arm. It was dark in the theater, but I felt his pull, his energy even from a distance.
The lights dimmed as the opera began. It was the melancholy story of a Japanese woman named Ciocio-san, meaning “Butterfly” in Japanese, who falls in love with a US Naval officer, Pinkerton. She is only 15 years old, and they marry, but for his convenience only. She even converts to Christianity to show her devotion and love for Pinkerton. She is shunned and cursed by her family at their wedding, but still they spend their very first night together.
The curtains on stage drew together, closing the first act of the opera, as the soft ceiling lights come on. I couldn’t wait to get away from Lucas. I felt suffocated in his presence, sitting next to him, his fingers kneading my thigh in the dark.
As people began leaving their seats, Lucas rose from his and gripped my arm, “Don’t stray too far, Nadi. Understand?”
I kept my head down, and nodded, “Yes, Lucas.”
My long dress was a hindrance, so I couldn’t run, but made it out of the theater and into the main hall. I rushed toward the women’s bathroom and leaned against a pillar turning to make sure Lucas or his men did not follow.
“He hurt you.” I whipped my head back around to the sound of that deep voice. Push stood there, so close, and towered over me.
My throat constricted as my mouth hung open. Just the sight of him frightened me, but excited me at the same time. He lifted my chin to meet his intense dark stare, “You did a good job of covering it. But I can see the bruise.”
His lips were set in a straight line, and his jaw ticked. All I wanted to do at the moment was feel his lips pressed against mine. “He can bruise me. But he will never break me.”
His sensual mouth turned up into a smile, “Spoken like a true savage, Nadi. You are very much like me.”
Lucas suddenly appeared with his men behind Push, “Ah Push, you found my Nadia.”
Push was so quick and I jumped as he spun to face him, “She’s not yours.” He moved, bumping his shoulder into Lucas, and sauntered away.
Lucas looked down at his shoulder, brushing his hand over it and chuckled low. “It’s not a surprise to find you brushing up against that man. He’s always had a hard on for you.”
I looked past Lucas to watch Push place the brunette’s hand in to his arm as they walked back into the theater.
CHAPTER 6
PUSH
Shani was my current contractual girlfriend and was truly a beautiful woman, with skin the color of mocha because of the Egyptian blood running through her veins. I brought her with me to see Madam Butterfly that evening, and brushed away the tear from her cheek when the curtains closed. I took her back to my private suite at the MGM Grand, built along the Potomac River that separated Maryland and Northern Virginia.
I pushed Shani beyond the limits of her own pain, spanking her soft ass with my bare hands. I knew her safe word and physical signals if she couldn’t handle anymore. I enjoyed hearing her muffled cries as she wore a ball gag in her mouth. She was on her knees, with her hands tied behind her back with my silk tie. I thrusted and pumped into her wet pussy with my raging hard cock. I pulled off the ball gag and listened to her scream with orgasms as I kept up my momentum, fucking her hard. She sighed as I slowed down my thrusts, and pulled out of her. I lubed my thick thumb with her juices and slipped it into her puckered ass, and then I slid my cock into her hole nice and easy. She groaned, backing her ass up to me so I could bury myself all the way. I was ruthless as I fucked Shani’s tight ass and squirted, my body racked with spasms, deep inside her.
It was 3:00AM when I stroked my fingertips up and down Shani’s soft skin as she slept beside me. I shifted and climbed out of bed. I exhausted Shani well and she didn’t budge. I walked over to the large bay window overlooking the harbor. The Woodrow Wilson Bridge, that connected Northern Virginia to Maryland, could be seen in the distance.
The image of Nadia’s innocent face with her sad eyes haunted me all night. When I saw the shade of blue on her cheek that she tried to cover with make-up, I instinctually wanted to pick her up and carry her away. When she told me in her sweet voice that Lucas could not break her, my cock hardened. She always had that same captivating pull on me. I wanted to rip Lucas’s throat out with my bare hands. Nadia did not belong to him. She belonged to me!
That afternoon, I made sure Shani got back to her house which was across the bridge, and made my way to Nolan’s private office at the MGM. I hardly ever slept, as my body worked by its own clock. But I could always tell when Nolan had a late night with no sleep. He was dressed in a grey suit, but his eyes were a bit red as he sat at his desk drinking a Bloody Mary.
I sat down into one of the dark velvet blue wingback chairs across from him. “No sleep because of work? Or play?”
>
Nolan groaned, “Both, I guess.” He rubbed the palms of his hands down his face. “Once I get a few of these Bloody Mary’s down, I’ll be good. Lucas was here at the MGM last night, looking all smug with a shit-eatin grin on his fuckin’ face.”
I couldn’t help but lean forward, “Was Nadia with him?”
“No. Just him and his two dumb meatheads that follow him around, ogling the cocktail waitresses all night. One of them even made a scene at the roulette table: pawing at some woman, spilling their drink on her dress! They’re like zombies – just walking, talking bags of meat!”
“Nadia was with him earlier. I saw them together at the Kennedy Center last night.” I couldn’t sit still and moved from the chair to the window, “Lucas hits her. And I’m going to kill him. Not today. But soon.”
“When you say you’re going to do something Push, I believe it. Lucas is one of those men that could disappear tomorrow and have no effect on the business we deal in. That’s why he has Nadia. Gabe is a cranky and foul old man. His time of reigning on his corrupt throne is almost over. He thinks that making some kind of marriage pact with Lucas gives him more time. I thought arranged marriages only happened in third world countries for fuck’s sake!”
I stared out the window, watching the colossal National Harbor Ferris wheel slowly rotate, carrying the box carriages of people one hundred eighty feet in the air and back down again, “Both Lucas and Gabe’s days are numbered.”
“Well you’re not gonna like what I’m about to tell you now, Push.”
“If it has anything to do with them, then no.” I pivoted around and sat in the chair again.
PUSHED (Capitol Corruption Series Book 1) Page 2
