by Sabre Rose
She doesn’t say a word, but her eyes fall to the floor, not wanting to admit the truth. Of course he’s hurt her. It is what he does. What he wants. Her hair falls over her face, almost as though she’s trying to hide from me, shield me from the truth. She takes a step away and rage races through my blood at the thought of what he’s done. Lifting her chin with my finger, I implore her to look back at me, searching her eyes for the affection I long to see. But there’s only shame, as if she thinks it’s her fault that he’s touched her.
And then I see them. The marks around her neck. There’s a layer of makeup covering them, but they are still there, still red and angry.
“Fuck.” I turn to punch the wall, needing something to take my rage out on, anything but her. There’s enough fear in her life already.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispers. “I’m so weak. I should have fought harder. I should have—”
“No!” The thought of her inviting any more pain on herself terrifies me. “Do whatever you can to make things more bearable, you hear me? Do whatever you can to survive.” I cup her face with my hands again, threading my fingers into her hair. “Don’t ever say sorry. I’m the one who is sorry. I hate myself for not getting you out, for not trying harder to come up with some way for us all to leave this place. None of this is your fault.”
She blinks and another tear rolls down her cheek. “But that’s the thing. Sometimes it’s easier if I…” She pauses and it breaks my heart because I know what she’s going to say next. I’ve seen Senior’s girls do the same. I’ve done the same. How long was it before seeing her that I had my fingers inside Katriane because it was easier than trying to resist. Easier than doing everything she wanted from me.
“Sometimes it’s just easier to placate him,” she finishes.
“That doesn’t make it your fault.” I think I say it as much to myself as to her. “I would do the exact same thing.” I correct myself. “I am doing the exact same thing. You need to do what you have to. Don’t ever feel guilt for that.”
If I can take away even a fraction of her pain, it would lessen some of mine. Rather than pulling away, she presses herself closer, the heat of her body setting mine on fire. She raises her head, looking through her long dark lashes and moves her lips toward mine. I kiss her greedily. Selfishly. Aware that getting caught would mean certain punishment for her. But it all becomes too much. I can’t be the source of any more pain for her. I couldn’t live with myself.
“Mia.” I pull away, despite every cell within me protesting.
But her lips remain on my skin, tempting me, driving me insane with desire. They brush over my neck and jaw. They run over my collarbones and her fingers scrape through my hair, sending shockwaves of lust through me. My resolve threatens to melt. Threatens to say, to hell with the consequences. Take her. Love her. Fuck her.
I tear myself away, my heart pounding in my chest. “Mia we’ve got to be careful.”
“I don’t want to be careful. I want you, Ryker. I need you.”
Her words are too much. Too powerful. The war inside me intensifies. But I can’t put her at risk. “Senior’s girls will be wondering why you’re taking so long.”
“Please, Ryker,” she begs, blinking away tears. “I need this. I need to be seen. I need you to see me.”
I kiss her desperately, pleading with her to feel my pain and my torment and know that I see hers. “I do see you.” I stare into those big dark eyes. “But I won’t be a reason he hurts you.”
The hands which clung to me with such desperation and need, drop to her sides. “You already are.”
The rage is too much again. I punch the wall, relishing the way it feels under my knuckles, the way I can inflict damage, even if it is just a wall. I need that. I need to feel the crush of something.
“I’m going to get you out of here.”
She laughs because she knows it’s a lie. It’s a lie because I didn’t save her before. It’s a lie because I can’t save her now.
“I’m going to figure out a way. It kills me to know what he’s doing to you, what you have to go through. I’m going to stop it. I’m going to set you free.” The words fall from my mouth as a prayer, a wish. I kiss her once more, needing to taste her before she’s gone from me again. I whisper reassurances against her ear. “Hold on, okay? Just hold on and I’ll figure this out.”
Cameron’s knock on the door brings the reality of our situation crashing back through my mind.
“Look at me,” I say. She lifts her eyes slowly, as though just the movement alone causes her pain. “I promise I’m going to get you out. I’m going to figure out a way to ensure that you and Everly are safe.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” Her voice is dead.
And then she’s gone.
I lean back against the wall and allow myself the deep shaky breaths I didn’t want her to see. I punch the wall again. Three times. Hard enough to feel the pain in my knuckles but not hard enough to distract me from the pain of seeing her.
Each time I try to get a hold of myself, I close my eyes and see the rings of purple around her neck. And then I can’t help but visualize how they got there.
I can’t stand by and watch this happen. I’ve got to do something. I’ve got to figure out a way for Everly and Mia to get away from this family before they destroy them completely. When it was only Everly I had to worry about, there was a stain of denial in my thoughts. She would get out. She would get free. All I had to do was keep the Attertons happy and they would leave her alone to live her life, they would give her everything I never could. But after Mia, I know it won’t happen. They will never let Everly go. They will never let Mia go. They will never let me go.
The Atterton’s own every part of my life. The only thing I own is my name. Any ID issued to me is filed away in Senior’s office. They own my phone, my computer, my car, my bank account, and they track them all. Nothing goes unnoticed. If I were to storm out there and grab Mia, they would be aware of it before I could even make it to Everly. And then they would make me choose. Mia or Everly. Freedom or indebtitude.
My cell phone vibrates in my pocket and startles me. It’s Senior. It’s as though he can hear my thoughts.
“Ryker here,” I bark out gruffly, attempting to sound normal.
“Everything okay back there?”
“Everything is as it should be.”
“Good,” Seniors says. There’s a distraction to his voice, as though he’s unsure what to say. Panic rises in my chest when I think that perhaps there are cameras in the room and already I’ve put her in more danger. I glance around but nothing stands out. It’s an empty room. A hidden room. Once used for storage and nothing else.
“Is there something I can help you with, sir?”
“No, no. I was just calling to make sure everything is okay.”
“I can assure you that everything is fine back here, sir. How is the wedding?”
“Wedding-ish.”
I chuckle at his reply.
“Junior is being his usual sullen self and Katriane is waltzing around the room as though she owns it. Just a typical Atterton family outing. How are my girls?”
“Your girls?”
“Yes, my girls.” There’s a hint of annoyance in his tone now.
“I’m not sure, sir. Would you like me to go check on them?”
Senior sighs heavily down the phone. “No, no. They will be fine. Sebastian informs me Cameron is stationed with them anyway, so I’m sure he has everything under control.”
“I’m sure he does.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
RYKER
“Did you enjoy the wedding, sir?”
I’ve been summoned into Senior’s office. The man has a weary look about him as he stares out the window, as though he drank too much the night before. He probably did. His face is puffy and there are sags of skin under his eyes that droop toward his cheeks, despite the lack of wrinkles anywhere else. There’s a single thin red line runn
ing down one side of his face. It looks fresh. He’s clutching a tomato juice in his hand, a celery stick jutting out from the thick red liquid and the scent of spice hangs in the air. He raises the glass like a salute.
“Katriane insists spiced tomato juice is the best thing for a hangover but I can barely stomach the smell of it let alone the taste. Do you want some?”
I shake my head and adjust my stance, rolling my shoulders, anxious to know the reason I’ve been called into his office. It could be something as simple as an assignment. It could be because he’s aware of my meeting with Mia. He never gives a clue to why he calls me to these meetings, just a simple text stating he needs to talk to me. And despite getting many of them over the years, they still make me uneasy.
Senior puts the glass down on his desk, the condensation immediately soaking into a piece of discarded paper. “As you know, we’ve got Junior’s birthday party coming up.”
I nod. The boy’s actual birthday was a couple of weeks ago, and despite Junior’s protests, Senior is insisting on having a party. A very public party. A celebration to remind people of his wealth and status.
“But what I haven’t told you, is that there is an auction planned for later that night.”
I shift my weight from one foot to the other. Of course there is. It is the perfect opportunity. It’s been months since Senior hosted an auction.
“I’ll need you on deck to organize the accommodation and travel arrangements for our guests. There will be a number of them staying at the mansion and bringing their goods with them. I’ll need you to contact everyone on this list.” He hands me a piece of paper. “Get numbers. You know what to do.”
“Yes, sir.” It’s a simple enough assignment. Something I’ve done many times before. Make contact with the various guests, find out how many girls they are intending on bringing, how many are going to be auctioned and how many are going to be guests in attendance. It is one of the few events they are free to bring their girls to while their partners remain at the party.
Senior lowers himself into the chair, an action which I take as dismissal.
“And Ryker?”
“Yes, sir?” I turn back, waiting for him to pounce, waiting for him to strike with the knowledge that he knows what I’ve been up to.
“I think it’s time for Iris to move on. We’re not…” He pauses, interlocking his fingers and cracking them. “We’re not compatible. I’d like you to escort her to Winston where he can prepare her. She’s a good girl, obedient most of the time, but probably a little too used to the leniency I show. A refresher in submission will not do her any harm. With a little work and grooming, I’m expecting her to fetch a decent price. We already have six girls on offer for the night, she will round it up to seven. We should make a tidy profit.”
“Yes, sir.” I turn to walk out the door.
“Ryker?”
“Yes.”
“Do it now. Since I’ve made the decision, I don’t want her here for a moment longer than I have to. I said my goodbyes last night. It’s time for her to move on.”
“Yes, sir.” I reach for the door handle.
“Ryker?”
Clenching my teeth, I turn again. “Yes?”
“Take the van. Make sure she’s restrained. That one can strike when you least expect it.”
That explained the scratch on his cheek.
“Anything else, sir?”
“That’s all for today. Keep in touch.”
“Yes, sir.”
The walk down to the girls’ rooms doesn’t take long. Senior entrusted me with the code years ago, so I key it in and stroll into the room, ready to break the news to Iris. She’s lying on her stomach over the couch, a sullen look on her face, staring blankly at the TV as a movie plays. She looks up curiously at my approach but doesn’t move.
Daisy is sitting on a chair, legs tucked beneath her, looking much too innocent and sweet to belong in a place like this. Lily saunters to the doorway of her room, her usual glass of wine held in the tips of her fingers.
“Ryker,” she calls out. She is breathless and her face is flushed. Maybe there’s something about me that appeals to older women.
I nod in her direction but keep stalking toward Iris. “Get up.”
“How are you?” Lily asks, suddenly by my side.
I flick my gaze her way. “Well, thank you.”
I turn back to Iris who is still lying on the couch, looking up at me with suspicion. I grab her arm and jerk her upright. She winces but gets to her feet, tears welling in her eyes.
“She’s hurt,” Daisy whispers. “Please be careful with her.”
“I’m fine,” Iris huffs out, annoyed by Daisy’s interference. “It’s nothing but a little bruising. I could take more.”
With my fingers still wrapped around her arm, I yank her to my side. She laughs and bites her bottom lip, blinking up at me dramatically before laughing again when I roll my eyes.
“And how is that sister of yours? Seb says she’s at some fancy boarding school now.”
None of Senior’s girls have actually met Everly, but they know about her from Senior. He has no hesitation in opening up to them, knowing that his secrets are safe because they have no one else to tell.
“She is.”
I start to drag Iris toward the door.
Her eyes flick back to the others in panic. “Where are we going? Does Seb know you’re taking me somewhere?”
Annoyance flashes through me that she’s questioning my actions, but then I imagine her as Mia, or as Everly, and I soften my expression and drop my grip on her arm. “You are being transferred.”
Iris steps back, shaking her head. “No.” She shakes her head again, pulling her hands to her chest as though it will stop me from taking them. “No. I’m staying here. I belong here.”
Lily steps between us. “What going on, Ryker? Where are you taking her?”
I sigh, torn between my compassion for the girl and my loyalty to Senior. “You should say your goodbyes.” There’s some rope in one of the closets off to the side. I head there, knowing that I’m going to need it.
Daisy flies across the room and wraps her arms around Iris tightly, distraught sobs already caught in her throat. Iris untangles herself from Daisy, walking toward me and grabbing my arm in supplication.
“Please, no.” Her eyes are wide with fear. “Tell Seb I’m sorry. Tell him I’ll never do it again. Please, tell him something, I beg of you. Don’t make me leave.” She blinks back tears as I shake off her grip and reach for one of the ropes. “Don’t take me away from Daisy and Lily. They’re the only family I’ve got.”
I turn to find myself confronted by Lily’s strikingly clear eyes. “You’re better than this, Ryker. This isn’t you.”
Her hand rests gently on my arm and I glare until she removes it.
“I don’t have a choice,” I grunt, circling the rope around my hand.
Iris starts to shake her head again, backing away from me as I advance.
“You know this is going to happen, so there’s no point in resisting.”
Daisy’s sobs turn desperate, filling the room with gasps of air.
“Where are you taking her?” Lily asks.
I run my hands through my hair in frustration, annoyed that Senior can simply give the word and make me responsible for changing the course of a girl’s life.
“I can’t say.”
By this time, Iris has backed herself behind the couch, using it as a shield between us. Daisy has thrown herself back into the chair, curling in on herself and clutching her knees to her chest as she weeps.
“Tell him I’ll do anything to make it up to him, please.” Iris’s voice is torn with panic. Her eyes dart around the room as though looking for escape even though she knows it is pointless.
Lily takes my arm again. “Ryker, let’s talk about this. Let’s—” I shove her away from me and she falls to the ground. But she doesn’t look at me in fear like the other girls do. It’s as th
ough she knows I’m a fraud. Her eyes soften, and tears glisten in the corners.
“Please,” she begs. “Don’t do this.”
“I don’t have a fucking choice!”
Daisy cowers further in on herself, her entire body trembling. Iris makes a dash for her room, and I run after her, reaching the door just as she slams it in my face. I wrestle with the handle, but it flops uselessly. Her panicked cries seep through the door and I press my shoulder against it, using my weight to wedge it open. Iris flees and presses herself against the back wall. Lifting her by the waist, I toss her over my shoulder as she thrashes, her fists raining down on my back.
“No!” she screams. “Please Ryker, no. Don’t do this to me. Don’t make me leave.”
It’s hard to hear the pleading and desperation in her voice and not think of Mia. She begged with me too. Only, she begged me to let her go, not to let her stay.
“Where are you taking her?” Lily’s beseeching look has turned to one of anger. “What is going to happen to her?” She stands in front of the door that leads to my exit, arms crossed over her chest.
“You know I can’t tell you that.”
“I know that you can if you choose.”
I tighten my grip on Iris as her feet and hands continue to flail against my body, and step closer to Lily. “Then I choose not to.”
Pushing past her, I walk out the door and lower Iris to her feet long enough to apply some tape to her mouth. Following the lesser-known hallways of the mansion, I walk outside, open the door to the van and throw her inside. She glares at me in despair.
“Are you going to behave, or do I need to restrain you?”
She drops her eyes to the floor and nods, her body slumping in defeat.
“Good,” I say and slide the door of the van shut.
I can’t help but glance up at Mia’s window. It’s only been hours since I saw her. Hours since I held her close to me and whispered promises I know I can’t keep, and already I ache for her. But no silhouette graces the window and no soulful eyes seek out mine. I need to figure out a plan.
CHAPTER TWENTY