Taking in the room around her, panic set in.
The center of the room housed a slave cage; long and low to the ground, complete with metal hooks placed every six inches apart on its top. Directly behind it was a large wooden X, also adorned with metal loops on each corner and with bars crossing between the beams.
Near the right wall, a circular padded structure sat next to a spanking bench, similar to the one she and Alistair used in The Cave of Wonders. The back wall was lined with ropes and bindings, and whips and canes of all sizes and materials. These were nothing like Alistair’s. These were made for pain, real pain, and torture. The canes, long and lean, built only for breaking skin.
The sound of the door closing pulled her from her trance as she was now trapped inside the room with Jeffrey.
She backed up, not removing her eyes from him as she tried to keep as much space as possible between them.
“I couldn’t understand why you left me. Now, I get it. You needed more, didn’t you? Why didn’t you just tell me?”
Her heart pounded so hard she began to feel faint. Keep it together, Jayla. Her breathing became fast and shallow and she felt the beginning of tears in her eyes. She continued to move backwards into the room, the wall of ropes just a few feet behind her as Jeffrey stalked closer, edging her into the corner.
He’s playing a fucking game. I’m no mouse. Not anymore.
She pushed off the corner, and sprinted for the door, but he lunged in front of her, grabbing her arms as he pushed her back into the corner, trapping her against him. She kicked against his shins. He slapped her face, the shock giving him enough time to maneuver his legs in between hers, pushing his hips into her, rendering her immobile.
“Jeffrey, stop. Let me go.” Jayla didn’t recognize her own voice.
“Oh, no, princess.” He touched his forehead to hers as he talked “I tried playing nice with you before. You ran from me. Each time I got close, I lost you again, somehow you knew exactly when I was near. Playing with me, fucking with my mind.” He spat his words venomously. “Not anymore, Jasmine. Now it’s my turn to play.”
He’d hurt her physically in the past, nearly killed her. But as she looked into his eyes, she knew — knew — this would be far worse than anything he’d done in the past. She’d be lucky if he killed her. Maybe if she angered him enough, he’d snap, ending her quickly.
She gave into her anger as she continued to thrash, trying to escape his grip. It was a smoldering, aged anger that had built up over the last five years, growing deeper every time she’d felt forced to run, every time fear had made her change her path, afraid he was around the corner.
“That’s right, Jeff.” He hated it when she didn’t refer to him by his full name. “This is the only way you can have me. You have to drug and kidnap me just to get me in the same room as you.”
He pulled his chest back so he could look directly at her.
Jayla spit into his face.
He stared at her, disbelieving what she had done. His eyes narrowed as he slowly lifted a hand to wipe his cheek, a slow smile spreading across his face.
“You want it rough? Let’s play rough.” He pulled her away from the wall and toward the cage.
Jayla continued to struggle, dragging her feet and pulling against him. She screeched into his ear, hoping to jolt him with her voice.
“Scream all you want. No one’s around to hear you.”
He punched the side of her head, then threw her into the metal cage top. She hit hard, before rolling to the ground. The air was momentarily forced from her lungs, the room blurred around the edges. She scrambled to get up, fearful he was going to attack her again.
He moved to the wall and lifted a pair of leather wrist cuffs attached together, then flipped a switch and turned back to face her.
She heard the hum of a motor and looked up at the large chain that had begun to lower to the floor from one of the awning beams. Realizing what he was going to do, she sprinted toward the door.
Just as her hand pulled the door handle, his arms came down around her front and wrapped her in a bear hug. Bending forward, she attempted to throw him over her back, using a move learned in her self-defense class. Instead, his foot wrapped around the front of her ankle, anchoring himself to her. She jutted her hip, yet again the attempt was thwarted by his positioning. Damn CIA training! She continued to struggle to get free, but he tightened his grip and pulled her into his massive chest. She grasped onto his forearms, plunging her nails into his flesh, trying to tear him away.
“Where are you going, princess? We’re just getting started.”
He pushed forward, slamming her into the wall and trapping her in front of him. His laughter loud and sinister as she struggled and failed to break away from him. Grabbing a handful of her hair, he yanked her head back, pulling her neck to the point of pain, halting her struggle.
“Sweet Jasmine,” he began, mouth against her ear. He pushed his hips into her from behind. “Do you remember how much I loved our little games? I do. I tried with a few others after you left, whores I picked up off the street who looked like you. I fucked them and then I cut them until they screamed. But it wasn’t the same. Never the same.”
He shoved her forehead into the wall. The impact creating an instant, steady throb.
“They weren’t you, Jasmine. Imagine my surprise when I learned you wanted even more from me? You have no idea how easy it was to break into his apartment. I placed so many cameras there, there wasn’t a single place you could hide. Listening to the things he said to you … watching him tie you up? Use your body — it gave me such wonderful ideas. I put this whole room together in a just few days, just for you.”
He’s been watching us.
Her body shook at his words. The nausea returned, creeping up her throat, causing her to gag. “You seemed to like it, but I have to say, he wasn’t very imaginative. Me, on the other hand … I’ve got years of catching up to do. You can’t even begin to imagine the things I’m going to do to you.” He trailed a hand over the tattoo on her arm. “I’ll have to work even harder to see my efforts, though, what with all of this … this … crap on your skin.”
She bucked against him, in vain.
“First, I’m going to remind you that you belong to me. See your beautiful body bleed. Then, I’m going to use you in every way imaginable. Every part of you will be marked by me in one way or another. I’m going to win back what belongs to me. Until my name comes off your lips. Your cries, your screams — music to my ears. You owe me, Jasmine. Although, if you’re really nice, maybe I’ll consider being gentler.”
“All you’ll have to do, Jasmine, is ask me to make love to you. To make love to my wife.”
The hand in her hair pulled harder, her neck twisting as he forced her to face him. When he attempted to kiss her, she bit into his lip, drawing blood. He shoved her face into the wall again.
Jayla felt her nose buckle, could smell the blood, but she just smiled at him. “Not a fucking chance.”
He pressed into her, barely giving her enough room to breathe. “I can take you any time I want to, but it will be that much sweeter hearing you beg for it. Because my darling, the only thing I want more than to see you bleed, is to see you break.” He licked a trail from the base of her neck up to her ear. “You never should have run away from me, wife.”
She shuddered at the sensation of his tongue, bucking wildly against him.
He let go of her hair and grabbed her free arm, pulling it behind her. The warm leather wrapped around her wrist as he clasped the cuff against her. He pulled her back against him, spinning her around as he grabbed the other wrist and fastened the other cuff. Leading her by the chain, he dragged her behind him toward the cage.
She let her legs buckle and dropped to the floor, hoping to slow their movements.
Sighing, he pulled her up by her hair, the pain radiating through her scalp. He threw her over his shoulder, his sharp frame digging into her stomach.
She punched his back with her bound hands.
“Let me go!”
She was suddenly dropped, forcefully; her hip hit the ground, sending spirals of pain up her spine and down her leg. He pulled the chain from the ceiling and attached it to the link between the wrist cuffs, locking her in.
Within seconds the chain began to lift. Jayla was pulled up to her knees and then up to her feet. Her arms were pulled up and over her head.
Jeffrey moved in behind her, pulling a gag between her lips.
Jayla remained still, waiting for him to move, to speak, to do anything. The suspense of him behind her, not knowing what he was doing, stirred fear inside her, yet her self-preservation kept the familiar panic from rising to the surface. Able to hold onto some control over herself, she bit the inside of her cheek as a distraction, refusing to allow him to notice even the slightest change in her body language.
After a few minutes, Jeffrey brought himself in front of her, taking her chin in his hands, forcing her to look up at him. “I truly hope you now realize who’s in control of this situation.”
Jayla stared daggers at him.
“Let me set some ground rules.” He circled her as he spoke, trailing his finger above her breasts, tracing her skin as he walked. When he was behind her again he stopped, grabbing her hips with both hands. His voice was low and full of authority as he continued. “I admit, a few of these, I learned from your boy-toy.”
She could feel the heat of his breath on her ear.
“Pity, poor boy never knew what hit him. At least we won’t have to worry about him trying to find you.”
Jayla’s heart thundered against her chest.
“Let’s just say he bleeds just fine. You know, they say the head bleeds more than other areas of the body, but based on my experience, I’m not convinced.”
Alistair.
Her breath shortened. He can’t … can’t be dead. He’s not dead!
Her bottom lip quavered picturing Alistair’s smiling face. His molten gaze, his cocky smirk. She swallowed down the panic at never seeing him again.
Stay in the moment, Jayla. Have to keep yourself here so you can escape.
Jeffrey moved back around to the front, his hands clasped behind his back. “Rule one: I am your Master now — and from this point forward, you will address me as such.” His lips curled in a cruel smirk. “Sounds much better than ‘Sir’, doesn’t it?” One hand moved down her hip bone and around to grab the swell of her behind, before slamming his hand against it. She jumped at the pain, tears forming in her eyes from the sting.
“Two: you will do what I say, when I say it, no questions asked and without delay.” He continued his circle, his hand trailing from one cheek to the other and around to her the front of her hip, digging his nails into her.
“Three: when you speak with me it shall be in a respectful tone. No backtalk, no sarcasm, and certainly no spitting.” With this, he struck her cheek, reprimanding her for her earlier behavior.
Jayla’s face whipped sideways from the blow, the tears falling against her will. She straightened, refusing to let him see her suffer.
“Any questions so far?”
What did you do to Alistair, you bastard?
Sucking in a ragged breath, she pushed the thought aside as much as possible. First, she needed to get free. Then … then…
She shook her head and watched as his tongue darted out to lick his lips.
He pulled on the chain, forcing her attention to the weight of her body pulling against gravity and causing discomfort in her shoulders.
Jeffrey turned his back and moved to a large dresser near the door. He pulled out something she didn’t immediately recognize.
“The fourth, and last, rule,” he began, returning to stand in front of her and lifting the mystery item up so she could see. It was a baby monitor. “Anything you need or want from this point forward, you must ask me nicely for. You will get it, if and when I determine that you deserve it. But don’t ask me to let you go. That is never going to happen.” Looking directly into her eyes, he asked, “Now, can I remove the gag or are you going to spit on me again?”
Jayla shook her head, swallowing hard. She wanted to spit on him the minute he removed it out of spite, but accepted the futility in the act.
“Good. Now, Jasmine, do you understand these rules?”
Her eyes narrowed as she curtly replied “Yes.”
“Yes what?”
“Yes, I understand your rules. No, I will not be following them.” She defied, standing as firmly as her chains would allow. They stayed in a locked stare for a number of moments before he smiled.
“Perhaps a little punishment will change your mind.” He moved to the back wall, his fingers trailing across different implements.
She closed her eyes, taking deep breaths. Whatever it is, you can survive, Jayla. He’s hurt you before.
And now he’s hurt Alistair.
She heard his return, but kept her eyes shut.
A cold, thin, tool trailed down her breasts, her stomach, around her hip, to the top of her thigh. She tensed, waiting.
After a few moments of nothing, she creaked her eyelid open.
He was watching her, waiting, smiling. He dangled the scalpel in front of her face.
“Ready?” He grabbed her leg with his left hand, holding her in place, as he slashed the metal against her skin.
The gashes burned, her skin screamed. She shut her eyes, willing her mind to ignore the pain, but he cut too quickly. Blood trickled down her leg, and she bit her tongue to keep from screaming. He continued to slice at her skin, marking her seemingly in all directions, until finally, he ceased.
He laughed, wiping roughly at the blood on her skin, smearing it down her leg.
She inhaled raggedly, her eyes creaking open to watch him turn a knob on the baby monitor, a small green light appeared near the top.
“There. That should remind you. I’ll hear you through this.” He placed the monitor at her feet and left the room.
Certain he was gone, she turned her head, lifting her leg to inspect the damage. Into her skin, he’d carved a single word.
MASTER
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Alistair groaned, his head throbbing. Opening his eyes, he tried to focus on the grain pattern of dark wood beneath him.
The taste of blood shocked him into full consciousness.
Jayla!
He pushed off the ground, trying to stand, but the room spun around him and he fell back onto the floor. Placing one hand in front of him and the other on the wall, he tried again.
Gaining his footing, he spotted Peter face down on the ground a few yards away. He scrambled forward, kneeling slowly and placing his fingers on Pete’s neck, thankfully finding a slow beat. Alive.
On the ground, Pete’s phone lay face down. He grabbed it, swiping, just to find the request for a password. Fucking smartphones.
Using the wall as leverage, he stood back up and hurried as fast as he could up the stairs to his bedroom. The door was wide open, Rajah sitting on the bed. No signs of Jayla.
Frantic, he searched the bathroom, then grabbed the phone from his nightstand.
He dialed as he retraced his steps to the first floor.
After two rings, Gene’s groggy voice rang through the speaker. Alistair didn’t wait for him to finish saying “Hello”.
“Get your ass here now. He took her.” He couldn’t hide how his voice shook.
Peter groaned from the floor, reaching up to rub the back of his head.
Hanging up, Alistair rushed to Peter, helping him up.
“What happened?”
“Jeffrey knocked us out, took Jayla.”
Pete groaned again, checking his pockets. “Where’s my phone?”
Alistair motioned to where it lay on the ground, discarded from before. Pete dialed in his code and pressed a few more buttons. “Already searching,” he reported, voice dazed.
“Searching what?” Alistair as
ked, pacing. Where would he have taken her?
“Everything. Go get dressed.”
Twenty minutes later, Gene arrived just as Peter pulled a page off the printer.
“Got him. Sneaky bastard. Used a credit card in Jayla’s name — well, Jasmine’s name — to rent The Sultan’s Palace a few days ago. Booked for the rest of the week, then has a single ticket home.”
“You didn’t think he’d do something like that?” Alistair asked, his anger rising. “I thought you were tracing her stuff as well.” How didn’t they know he was so close? That she was in immediate danger?
“I was. When he was here last month Tink began searching for records of Jasmine Alwazar, yet her identity was wiped clean. This must have been something he had tucked away.” A few minutes of furious typing later, Pete shook his head, clicking his tongue. “Look — the card was expired. He renewed it eight days ago.” Running his hand through his already messy locks, his voice dropped, full of regret. “We stopped looking at anything connected to her name, thinking there was nothing left. We should have known better.”
“What’s The Sultan’s Palace?” Gene asked, breaking into the conversation.
“I don’t care what it is. Where is it?” Alistair asked, throwing on his jacket and grabbing both his and Jayla’s helmets. He was getting her away from him at all costs.
“It’s a mansion in New Rochelle. One of those big houses movie companies rent out for locations. Oh, shit,” Pete finished, biting the nail of his thumb.
“Shit? What’s shit, Pete?”
Peter looked up, his face reddening as he caught Alistair’s eyes. “Get in the car, I’ll explain.”
“I’m taking my bike, it’s faster.” Alistair retrieved three ear pieces from the drawer in the hall table and tossed one to each of them. Turning his on, he checked the volume as he opened the hall closet and reached up to lift his pistol out of the case. Loading it, and flicking the safety, he tucked it into his belt, before heading out the front door.
“Get me directions. I’m heading that way now,” he called, not waiting for them to catch up.
Finders Keepers (Fairy Tales After Dark Book 2) Page 30