by Alexia Praks
When next I woke up, it was to the sun shining brilliantly through the window. I moved around the bed, noting it was very spacious and rather a little cold. Then I turned around, knowing in my gut James was gone.
I wasn’t wrong at all. I stared longingly at the empty space next to me, wondering where James had gone off to. I sat, brought my knees up to my chin, and hugged myself as I continued to gaze at the empty side. My mind drifted off to last night, and a smile crept across my lips. Then just as quickly, I scowled at myself.
You stupid girl, Mia. The small voice at the back of my head scolded me. That molestation needs to stop immediately.
I nodded in agreement with my little voice, determined that last night was indeed going to be my very first and last time that I sexually assaulted James Maxwell during his sleep.
It was then I moved, getting myself out of bed. Just as my feet landed on the soft carpet, I saw the note and a key card on top of the bedside table on my side of the bed. I picked up the piece of paper and read.
Will be back before lunch. Order some breakfast. Go to the spa. Relax. Enjoy. See you soon.
—James
My insides glowed and melted at his words. I smiled adoringly at the beautiful handwriting. Just as quickly, however, I straightened my face, telling myself not to get so involved. Those words he’d written meant nothing other than an instruction, a command on how I should spend my morning before he returned for me.
I rested the note back on top of the bedside table and headed to the bathroom. After cleaning myself and dressing in the dress James had bought for me yesterday, I headed into the living area, picked up the phone, and ordered some brunch, since it was after ten a.m.
I mucked around a bit while I waited for my room service, tidying the bed and bathroom, and watching TV. When there was a knock at the door, I rushed over and open it with a big smile.
The maid rolled the trolley into the room as I stood back and waited. Then she put a big, silver platter on top of the coffee table and asked me if I needed anything else.
“No, thanks,” I said, my eyes on the covered silver platter.
The maid smiled and then left again.
Once I was alone, I went straight to the tray and took the lid off. An assortment of delicious food greeted me. There were eggs benedict with crispy bacon as well as fresh fruit salad of sliced mango, papaw, apple, grapes, and pineapple. I eagerly sat down and dug in. Once I was finished some twenty minutes later, I decided to go out for a stroll. Grabbing my wallet and cell phone and, of course, the key card James had left for me, I headed out, my spirits high.
* * * * *
CHAPTER 32
Mia
As I stood staring at the door, waiting for it to open, I prayed Matt wasn’t around. I wanted to spend time with my brother alone, without that overbearing man watching our every move. We were siblings, for God’s sake. Why he behaved as though Andy belonged to him was beyond me.
Or did Andy really belong to him in some way?
A dreadful thought struck me, and my heart raced. Oh God! What if Andy was in some sort of contract with Matt like I was with James? My body shook and a fearful groan escaped my lips.
The door opened, and once I saw Andy, I flew into his arms and hugged him tight.
Andy gasped in surprise. Once he realized it was me, he relaxed and wrapped his arms around me.
“I’m so glad you’re still here,” I said, my face snuggled against his shoulder.
“Of course. I’m always here,” he said. “Why are you so freaked out?”
I drew back. That was Andy all right. He always saw right through me.
He led me into the room as I said, “I thought you might have gone out to work or something.” I wasn’t sure what type of work it was, and I desperately wanted to find out.
He chuckled. “Yeah, I work. But not until the afternoon.”
I dreaded this. “What type of work do you do?”
He was vague, as though he didn’t really want to tell me. “This and that.” He smiled cheekily, and I was once again struck by how gorgeous my brother was.
I came to sit down on the sofa and frowned at him. “What is this and that?”
He sat beside me and looked down at the coffee table, his brown eyes intense. “Mostly, I work as a waiter. The private club section.”
“They have private clubs here?” I asked, wondering what that was.
He chuckled. “Yeah. The pay is very good.”
The sound of very good pay for a waiter had me suspicious. “It’s not dangerous, is it?”
Andy flicked his eyes to me for a brief second and then lowered them again. “No.”
My stomach dropped. Shit! I knew he was lying. I knew Andy too well. But how could a job as a waiter be dangerous?
“Andy, you’re really a waiter, aren’t you?” I couldn’t keep the tremor from surfacing within my voice. The thought of him doing anything remotely dangerous scared me. We’d been through enough of that shit to last us a lifetime.
He shrugged. “I am a waiter, Mia.” He confirmed adamantly. “Now stop pestering me about my career. I know it’s a bullshit job. But I’m working on it. When I’m out of this mess, I promise I’ll go to college and study business and, you know, really change my life.”
“How long will that take?” I asked, staring at him long and hard. I knew Andy could do it. He was intelligent. He had very good marks back in high school, jumping grades and everything. He even landed himself a scholarship. If only certain shit didn’t happen with Uncle Herbert, destroying his self-esteem, then he would have been a college graduate by now and working in a proper company, earning a steady living. Maybe even with a nice girl to settle down with.
“I don’t know. Maybe another three to four years,” he said.
I smiled at him. “Are you looking forward to it?”
He looked a little lost at my question. He glanced away, and I saw the slight panic in his eyes. “I… I don’t know.”
I frowned. Surely, he must be looking forward to a better future?
“You do want to leave this type of life, right?” I glanced around the place, and thought actually, this was quite nice. The room, I meant.
I used that to encourage him. “Imagine this as your own place and not Matt’s.”
He smiled. “Yeah. That bastard. I’m going to get me a place like this myself, just to show him I can do it. Just to show him I mean business.”
I laughed. “That would be so wonderful, Andy. You’ll have a room for me when I come to visit, yeah?”
He pulled me into his arms and chuckled. “Are you kidding me? Visiting? No way. You’re staying with me, sis. Once I get to that stage, you’ll quit that pathetic job of yours and will be living with me.”
I snorted. “What about your girlfriend or wife or whatever?”
I watched him closely and saw the dark look in his eyes again. “I’m not interested in that, Mia.”
I licked my lips and nodded. “I guess you want to get your life sorted out first. I understand. I’d do the same. It’s easier, isn’t it?”
He sighed. “No, that’s not what I mean. I’m never going to get me a wife. Or a girlfriend for that matter.”
“Huh?” I sat up and stared at him.
“Do you hate me, Mia?” he asked, desperation in his voice.
My heart ached for him. I didn’t know what he meant, but regardless of what it was, I’d always support him.
“I’d never hate you, Andy. You’re my brother,” I said, hugging him tight.
He stroked my back and nodded. “Thanks, sis. You’re awesome.” He leaned back and frowned. “And why the hell are you wearing such a big shirt?”
I smiled and shrugged. “Would you believe me if I told you a very tiny canine destroyed most of my clothes I brought along with me? Followed by a humongous canine who likes to rip my clothes for fun?”
He blinked and then burst out laughing. “What the hell!” He continued laughing merrily, and I love
d that. I loved it when he laughed with such abandonment, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. In a way, it signified to me that life for him was good, and I was happy and relieved.
Once he managed to stop, he said, “We have the worst of luck, eh? You and I?”
I agreed by nodding.
Andy stood. “Come on. Take that off. I’ll lend you my shirt. At least we’re pretty close in size.”
“No, that’s okay,” I said, blushing. The reason I didn’t want to take off the shirt was because of the bruises on my body, and also, I couldn’t bear to part with James’s shirt. I’d come to like it so very much.
Andy caught my wrist and pulled me up to him. “We’re siblings, Mia. I know we’re not the same gender, but what the heck? Better you wear my shirt than that humongous thing. It looks like you’re drowning in it.”
It was true. I looked ridiculous. I burst out laughing. “You’re right.”
“See?” Andy confirmed. Then he led me around the coffee table toward the walk-in-wardrobe on the other side nearer the bathroom and bed.
Inside, I gasped at how immaculate the place was. Expensive, sleek suits, shirts, and pants hung neatly on the hangers. Ties were folded and placed in their slots. Gosh. Talk about a neat freak. Everything was clean and sleek and just so OCD.
“Wow! It’s very immaculate in here,” I commented.
“I keep my side nice and tidy, too” Andy said, drawing my attention to him. “You know me.”
Yes, I knew my brother. He liked his place clean and tidy, like me. But not to the extreme like this, and I knew it was Matt. I should call him Matt the clean freak! Or Matt the control freak! Matt the OCD freak!
“But, you know, sometimes I mess it up just to piss him off,” he said, a hint of teasing in his voice. “And it really pissed him off.” I noted he was shuddering slightly, and a smile crept across his lips.
“What type of relationship do you have with Matt?” I couldn’t help asking. They were sharing a place and a wardrobe. And Matt certainly did not treat Andy like his friend.
James and Matt? Yes, they were definitely friends. But not Andy with Matt. There was something else, deeper and weirder, between the two that I couldn’t put my finger on.
I watched Andy as his hands paused on one of the shirts. There was a long silence, as though he were struggling with the answer himself.
I felt uncomfortable. I loved Andy, but his relationships with other people were his business, not mine. I felt like I'd just overstepped my boundary and worked to rectify myself.
“I’m sorry, Andy. You don’t need to answer that question.”
“No,” he said quietly. “That’s not it.” Another pause and then, “I don’t know. I don’t know what our relationship is.”
He sighed deeply and unhooked that particular shirt. It was a light-blue and-dark gray checked shirt. He handed it to me and then proceeded to find me a pair of jeans.
“Andy, no need for the jeans. Just the shirt will do.”
He glanced at me and shook his head. “With that short dress, you’re way too tempting for those lousy men on the streets, Mia. You don’t understand men. You’re too innocent, living in such a small town where no one knows you exist. I was innocent, too. Until I came here.”
He grabbed a pair of jeans from a slot in the corner and handed them over to me. “Here, change.”
I took the offered pants and nodded. “Okay. Thanks, Andy.”
He chuckled. “No problem.”
I began to undo the button as he turned. He was about to head out the door when he stopped in his tracks and just stared at me. He looked sick.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. “Andy?”
He didn’t say a word, just grabbed my wrist and pealed the material of my shirt over my chest.
“What the hell?” he swore, his eyes dark.
I was confused and turned my eyes to look down at myself. There was a dark bruise on my chest and lower, too, still covered by the shirt. Shit! I thought in dread. I knew this would happen. I knew Andy would react when he saw the bruises.
Oh, when we had been living under Uncle Herbert’s reign, he’d seen enough bruises on me to last both our lives. That was why he’d vowed to protect me, whatever may come, even putting himself in the firing line. That was why he never wanted to see another bruise on me ever again.
Andy undid the rest of the buttons and took the shirt off me. With only my bra on, he twisted me around to examine me closely. I was more than a little shocked by his aggressive treatment.
“Andy! What the hell are you doing?”
He growled. “How the hell did you get all these bruises?” he asked through gritted teeth.
Well, what could I tell him? That I’d gotten those bite marks and bruises from James during our lovemaking sessions? No way!
“Mia? Tell me who the fuck hurt you!” He demanded.
I bit my lip and stammered, “No one hurt me, Andy. It’s fine.”
He raked his hand through his hair in frustration. “Fuck me!”
I was pissed, too. “Andy, you never use that type of language.”
He laughed sadly, as if to mock me. “Well, Mia. When you come here and go through so much shit, yeah, your language changes.”
My heart ached. “Oh, Andy…”
He looked both shocked and sick at his own aggressive reaction toward me. He worked to rectify himself by pulling me into his arms. “I’m sorry, Mia. I’m just so shocked, that’s all. Tell me who did this to you, please?”
“I told you. It’s nothing.”
“Shit! Mia, it’s not nothing. The bite marks. The bruises. Those only happen during… when… Fuck!”
I was shaken and said, my voice trembling, “When what?”
He growled in frustration. “Sex, Mia! When you have sex. Real. Hard. Core. Sex.”
“What? But it wasn’t hard. At least… not that hard,” I stammered.
“Were you raped?” he asked urgently.
“What?” I was confused.
“Were you raped, Mia?”
I shook my head. “No, of course not.”
He was quiet for a moment and then said, “Oh, I get it.”
“What? Get what?”
“It was Mr. Maxwell, wasn’t it?” he asked, his eyes bright and dark at the same time.
Slowly, I nodded.
“Shit! I can’t believe he did this to you,” he said in disbelief. Then he chuckled sadly. “I thought he was different from Matt. Shit! They’re friends, aren’t they? But I thought Mr. Maxwell was different, since he was married once and everything.”
I didn’t get what he was talking about. “Andy?”
He turned to me. “Mia, what type of contract did you make with Mr. Maxwell? I know I said I’d sort everything out before you left… But now it looks like I have to sort it out immediately. I can’t leave you in his hands. You’ll suffer more than this; you know that. And I know… Oh fuck!” He raked his fingers through his hair again in frustration. “I won’t let you suffer… the pain… the humiliation… Shit! I won’t let you go through what I went through!”
I was scared at his strong emotions. “Andy, please. It’s nothing.”
He shook his head. “No, Mia. No. It’s not nothing. You always say that. It’s never nothing. Tell me what type of contract you signed with Mr. Maxwell.”
I sighed. “Me,” I said. “I signed myself over for the two million.”
He looked confused. “What? Come again?”
I swallowed and took a deep breath. “I signed a contract as James’s mistress in exchange for the two million.”
He just stared at me as if he couldn’t believe what I’d just said. Well, I wasn’t surprised, of course. I wouldn’t believe him either if he told me he’d just signed his life away as an escort or whatever in exchange for a debt.
“Fuck!” he swore. “Oh, Mia. It’s because of me, isn’t it?”
“It’s for the debt, Andy. The two million, like I told you last nigh
t.” I couldn’t believe he actually forgot about that. I thought I’d mentioned it to him already. Unless, of course, he’d heard but refused to fully accept it, accept I was now a mistress to some billionaire in order to pay off his debt.
He took a deep breath and nodded. “For the two million.” When he looked at me closely, I saw the determined look in his eyes. “I’m going to fix everything, Mia. Please trust me on this one.”
I bit my lip. “I trust you always, Andy. But please don’t do anything stupid.”
He just looked at me for a moment. “I promise he won’t hurt you again.” Then he took a few steps back. “Get changed. I’ll be back soon.”
“Where are you going?” I couldn’t help asking, panic in my voice.
He raked his fingers through his hair again and shrugged. “Personal business,” he said, his eyes on the floor.
Relief swept through me. So it was nothing to do with me and my bruises, then. Thank God. I nodded, clutching the shirt and pants against my chest.
Before he closed the door, he said, “And don’t leave. Promise me you won’t go back to your own room, okay. Please wait for me until I get back.”
I nodded. “All right. But don’t be too long, okay?”
He gave me a smile and nodded. “See you soon.”
He closed the door before I could ask him what type of personal business. But I held myself in check as I didn’t want to overstep my boundary yet again. Even though we were close as siblings, I had no rights to intervene in his life. And I personally wanted what was best for him, to let him enjoy his life and his freedom, which we both never really had since our parents’ death.
Then when I turned eighteen, I’d had enough of being under our aunt’s and uncle’s thumbs. I’d taken Andy and moved to another town, a smaller one, where hardly anyone knew we existed, where no one knew us or our history.
I returned my attention to dressing myself, shaking my head, wondering if Andy was overreacting about my bruises. But then again, he’d always overreacted where I was concerned, hadn’t he?