by Kitty Thomas
Brian put the knife back down. Jessa let out a sigh of relief until he picked up a syringe.
“W-what is that?”
A malicious smile spread across his face as he picked the knife up, ripped through the sarong that covered her legs, and grabbed a tawse from the second shelf of the cart. He rapped her leg hard, leaving a welt. “What is that SIR?” he snarled.
“W-what is that, Sir?”
“Better. It’s my own blend. I could have been a chemist if I wasn’t so fucked-up.” It had been his major in college. And the truth was, he would have been far better off surrounded by arcane chemical compounds in glass beakers than by people.
“W-what will it do, Sir?”
She looked like she might pass out. He was going to have to pace himself here.
He shrugged. “Let’s find out.”
The contents of the syringe were relatively safe. It wasn’t wise to inject random things into the bloodstream, but this wouldn’t harm her—though she had no way of knowing that. And it was going to burn like a son of a bitch.
She strained against the straps as the needle came closer. Then it was as if she didn’t know what to do with herself. Beg for mercy? Cry? Scream? She opted for all three.
Brian put a hand over her mouth. Her breathing still came loud and panicked even with muffling. He put the syringe down and moved even closer.
“Maybe I could be persuaded to do other things instead of hurting you.” He slipped a hand between her legs. “Would you prefer that?”
She nodded vigorously as he pulled his hand away from her mouth.
“Yes, Sir. Please. I promise I won’t cause any more trouble.”
He leaned in and licked, then bit the side of her neck. Her body arched closer to him, desperate to appease. Poor little thing. There wasn’t much she could do to attempt to seduce him when he had her strapped down like this.
Brian turned her face to his and forced a kiss from her. Because it was her first time here and she didn’t know enough to know that this wouldn’t work at all on him, she leaned into it and gave him all the passion she had to give in that kiss. He took, and she gave with even more fervor.
For such a rebel with such laughable self-control, she was ready to capitulate quickly. He hadn’t even started on her yet—not a single mark except for that tiny prick from the point of the knife. But the mind fuck… that was where the real show was.
He picked up the syringe. “Now, where were we?”
He made a show of dabbing her arm with an alcohol swab and searching for the vein while she squirmed and struggled.
“If you aren’t still, it’s going to hurt a lot more, and it’s going to bruise. Do you want that?”
She shook her head. “Please, I’ll do anything you want.”
She was offering sex in her artless way—most likely a blow job, and she was just still so new here she couldn’t bring herself to say the words. How delightfully precious.
“Oh, you’ll do that anyway.”
He plunged the needle into her arm, and she screamed loud enough to wake a slumbering army. Brian breathed in deeply as if savoring the opening strains of a symphony.
Mina was grateful that she didn’t have to go upstairs to face everyone in nothing but lingerie. He didn’t have to give her dignity. He could have made her parade around naked if he’d wanted. Being dressed warmly also meant she could get out of the house to try to clear her head.
The pool was connected to the house, surrounded by high glass walls. Outside, snow drifted onto the glass, melting as it hit. The trees and ground were covered in a white peaceful blanket that didn’t at all match the turmoil inside her.
She couldn’t stop thinking about what Brian might be doing downstairs with that girl. She wasn’t worried he might have sex with her. It wasn’t as if Mina loved him. And even if she ever could, if he’d turn that attention on someone else, maybe that was better.
Annette sat next to a trembling woman near the pool. Something dramatic had obviously just happened. She looked up when she saw Mina.
“Are you okay?” she mouthed silently.
Mina shook her head. Annette left the girl beside the pool and joined her. Other girls had gathered, whispering and sending furtive glances Mina’s way.
“Do they know?”
“That Brian bought you?” Annette asked. “They know. They watched him carry you out of the showroom.”
A girl Mina had never spoken to, sauntered up. She’d been skinny dipping and didn’t have an ounce of self-consciousness about her state of undress. “Owned by the sadistic psycho of the house. It couldn’t have happened to a more deserving person.”
They’d all known about her lack of training and had been irritated that she’d been given special privileges.
“I see they finally gave up on protecting you from him. I wonder how much money it took for them not to care what the hell happened to you.”
“Shut up, Bree,” Annette said. It was meant as a dismissal but the girl just kept talking.
She smiled icily, keeping her eyes on Mina. “I’m looking forward to this show. I can’t wait to see how badly he fucks you up. I wonder if the scars will be visible or if they’ll all just be psychological. Good thing we have a free shrink on the premises. You’ll need him.”
Annette pushed Bree into the pool. “Ooops.”
“You cunt!” she screeched, when she surfaced.
“Careful, someone nearly got drowned for that not fifteen minutes ago. And remember, Brian can’t touch me.”
If only Mina could be so lucky.
Annette looped an arm in Mina’s and steered her from the group. She’d seen Annette around the house, though they hadn’t spoken. Right now she behaved as if they were best friends—something Mina found solace in.
“I have to escape,” Mina whispered when they stepped outside into the snow.
Annette shook her head and signaled for her to be quiet. Mina glanced around, wondering if there was surveillance that might catch her words. She’d thought being outside that it was okay, but they were still close to the house. There were hedges back here. Listening devices could easily be hidden. Either Annette knew of such devices, or she suspected.
Mina followed Annette through the yard until it seemed they were going off the property.
She jerked her arm back. “I can’t. I’ll get zapped.”
“This is still safe. I know where all the property lines are.” Of course she did.
They walked for what felt like forever before Annette finally stopped in the woods.
“The electric fence ends just before you get to the tree line in most places, but here, you can go into the woods for a bit.”
“How do you know how far?”
“I marked the tree.” She pointed at a tree a distance off with white paint on it. In the snow it was barely discernible. They stopped just before the painted tree.
“This is far outside the range of their spying equipment. Sometimes when I need to think and have some peace and freedom, I come out here. You’re the first person I’ve brought here. I thought you might need a place like this, too.”
“Do you ever think of escaping?”
Annette shook her head. “No. I’m happy here. I love Anton. He’s good to me. And who wouldn’t want to live in a place like this? Plus, it’s not like I never get to leave. He takes me to the ballet and the opera. He’s got friends from St. Petersburg in the ballet.”
Perhaps off of Mina’s desolate expression, Annette stopped herself and said, “Uh, but, I mean… I understand why you’d want to leave. If our situations were reversed…” she trailed off. “I’m sorry this happened to you.”
“Help me find a way out. I can’t be here. Not with him.” She braced herself against the tree while she fought to keep her breath. There were no paper bags out here to stop it if she hyperventilated again. She felt unsteady on her feet, the cold woods spinning around her.
“Whoa. You need to sit somewhere,” Annette said.<
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Mina leaned against the tree and tried not to think.
“Do they know you know about this place? Do they know this is inside the perimeter?”
“I have no idea. Anton’s never said anything.”
“What if I run through the barrier and just kept going? What if I pushed through far enough to get out of range?”
“It wouldn’t work. The range of the fence is far enough that you wouldn’t be able to withstand it. You’d go unconscious and they’d find you, assuming you survived that long.”
“What about a key?”
“It’s a code. They all know it by heart. It’s not written down anywhere, and I’ve never been allowed close enough to see one come off.”
Mina felt the tears begin to freeze on her face. “There has to be a way out. I… I can’t go back.” She recalled the look on Brian’s face when he’d had her alone inside his room before he’d been called away. Something terrible would have happened if the intercom hadn’t come on.
Even if he managed self-control today… what about tomorrow? Or the next day? Or the next? Eventually he’d hurt her. Badly.
Mina tugged on the bracelet as if it would come apart if she pulled on it the right way.
“You should talk to Lindsay.”
“He won’t do anything,” Mina said, defeated.
“Well, you’d better figure out a way to appeal to him. He’s your only shot. He brought you here. He accepted Brian’s bid—at least that’s what Anton said. The others stayed out of it. Lindsay is the only one with the power to set you free. Well, except for Brian, but I doubt that will happen. Just go talk to him.”
Loud beeps went off, causing Mina to jump, convinced it was Brian calling her back, but it wasn’t her bracelet.
“That’s Anton. I have to go. Remember what I said. If you want out, you have to work on Lindsay.”
It was Sunday, so Lindsay was at the house, instead of at his office in the city.
“What is it?” he said when she knocked.
She pushed the door open a crack and popped her head in.
“Mina.” His voice held resignation. “Come in, and close the door.”
Seething rage curled off her. He’d betrayed her. If she hadn’t been so disoriented when Brian released her to wander, she would have come straight to the doctor and screamed at him for being such a fucking liar.
“Lindsay, I hate you. You are fucking filth for doing this to me, and I will never forgive you as long as I live.”
It wasn’t the way out of here, but she’d already begged and pleaded for him to keep her himself, and that had fallen on deaf ears. Not that she wanted to be his anymore after the myriad ways he’d hurt her. She’d already asked to be released. The answer had been no. There was no reason to think his decision would change now.
He reeled back as if she’d hit him. It took him a moment to gain his composure, and then his expression hardened. She knew now that his civilized facade was perhaps the weakest in the house. Even Brian had managed not to yell at her yet.
“Sir,” he gritted out.
“No.” At least with her master’s order, Brian was the only one who could do anything to her. Not that that was much comfort.
“I’m sorry… No?”
“Brian said not to give anyone else any formal address and that no one here has any authority over me but him.”
“Dr. Smith, then,” he said after a long, disgruntled moment.
“No. He said first names only.” She watched as the doctor struggled to push the rage down.
“Very well, then.”
“You lied to me. You said you would sell me to someone kind. You said I would be happy and safe. And then you give me to the biggest psycho you know?”
“He swore he’d honor the contract.”
“And you believed him?” Wasn’t Lindsay supposed to have some vague understanding of human behavior? Was he even licensed? Did he have a real degree?
“Has he hurt you?”
“He hasn’t had time yet. He was called away. But there’s nothing to stop him.”
“I know this is hard to understand and accept right now, but I believe he needs you. I believe he truly means you no harm. Just try to take a step back. Take a moment to think about what sorts of things might make a person become like Brian.”
“What are you trying to say?”
He shrugged. “That’s the point. I can’t say. He’s spoken to me in confidence. I can schedule an appointment to check in with you daily to ensure you are safe if it will make you feel better.”
“And what if I’m not?” There was silence while the doctor looked down at his hands. “You know you can’t stop him. You just gave me to a sadist because he gave you enough money to sooth your conscience.”
“Mina, that’s not…”
“I don’t want to hear it.” She got up and slammed the door on her way out. Her situation may be terrible, but at least she didn’t have to kiss the doctor’s ass anymore. Or his boots. Fuck him. Fuck all of them. She wanted to include Brian in that big fat fuck-you, but he hadn’t hurt her. Yet.
Mina climbed the endless steps to the tower. She doubted anybody would send her things. If she wanted them, it would be up to her to move them.
She packed her bags, trying not to think about where she was taking them. She caught her reflection in the mirror and stared at the collar.
She’d forgotten it was around her throat. There had been too much panic to give it a second thought beyond her initial reaction. But now that she knew who it was from… What did that mean? He’d noticed her ring and taken the time to have a collar made to match it. And what about the Chopin? And how he’d made the exchange as easy for her as he could? And all the small moments she’d shared with him. None of it went with the picture of Brian she’d been given, or her strong instincts to avoid him.
Mina shook the thoughts from her head. No. She’d been down this road. She’d played these games. It was the same bullshit small kindnesses to make her rationalize away her smarter instincts—if she had any at all.
She lugged her suitcases down the many flights of stairs, ignoring the gawking from the girls in the house as she passed.
When she got the luggage to the dungeon corridor, she paused to catch her breath. And in that pause, she heard the screams coming from cell B.
She couldn’t stop herself from going to the door where the sounds emitted. The cell had a window, and Mina didn’t have the strength of will not to sate her curiosity. Upon looking, she wished she’d resisted the temptation. What had she hoped to see that could possibly make her feel any better?
The woman was nude and tied to a pole in the center of the room. Her arms were crossed and tied over her head, and then farther down, her waist had been tied to keep her in place, allowing Brian to nudge her legs apart. Harsh marks glared from where he’d whipped her, and her face was swollen from crying. He fucked her, one hand wrapped around her throat, pulling her back closer.
“Tell me what you love to be called now?” he growled.
“Cunt,” she whimpered.
“So, if someone else calls you that again, it won’t be a problem, will it?”
“N-no, Sir.”
Whatever awful things he’d done to her—and there was plenty of evidence that it had been bad, from the marks he’d left all the way to the implements that lay strewn around the cell as if just used—somehow, against all odds, she’d succumbed to him and the pleasure he took from her.
He looked up, and his eyes met Mina’s. His stare was hard. He thrust into the woman harder, a defiant look on his face as if he dared Mina to be jealous or complain or even feel sorry for her.
Mina turned and fled back up the stairs. She ran on pure adrenalin. Her mind raced as she tried to determine a place to hide—a place he wouldn’t find her. As if that existed.
There was nowhere to go, but if she found a good enough hidden nook in this vast labyrinth of rooms, surely he’d leave her alone for a while.
Given the dust, it didn’t look as if anyone had been there for some time. The beeping started. Brian was calling. She tried to ignore it, but the sound was unrelenting. She took a pillow from the old couch and covered it to muffle the beep.
She was relieved when the sound muted. But what if the beeping never stopped? How would she ever leave this spot? She’d have to use the bathroom and eat at some point. With the security band screaming like a car alarm, it wasn’t as if she could move through the house without notice.
After about twenty minutes, the noise subsided. Had he given up? Had the beeping simply run its course?
All at once, the stress of the day caught up to her. She curled up in the corner and slept.
23
Mina felt strong arms around her. She was being carried. Without opening her eyes she knew it was Brian. She already knew the feel of him, the smell of him, the aura of shadows and pain that surrounded him. It was the foreboding feeling one got immediately upon waking from a nightmare—only she’d never wake from Brian.
“There’s a tracking device inside your collar. There is nowhere you can go to hide from me. I knew where you were when I activated the beeper. I just wanted to see if you would come to me on your own. Now I have my answer.”
He was too calm, as if he’d laid out some horrible punishment, and the thought of it kept him appeased. She struggled and squirmed, but he held her tighter. She screamed.
Lindsay rushed out of his room, naked, with a woman in an equal state of dress clinging to him. The doctor extracted himself from the woman’s grip and followed them.
“Brian!”
Her master stopped. “What!” he growled.
