“Please I must go,” I say feebly. “Derek is probably looking for me.”
He smiles even broader as he casts an ecstatic look up and down my body, like a man who is getting nearer to receiving his Olympic gold medal and admires it with awe and greed.
“I guess fate has done the work for me, although I may have manipulated the situation in my favor a little.” He smirks. “Well now that I have you here in my room, I can tell you exactly how I feel about you and this time you will listen carefully,” he says assertively.
He moves in close to my face, his hot breath on me. He leans in and gazes down at me as he whispers softly into my ear, “I want you to be mine.”
I back away and twist my lips worryingly.
He comes closer, piercing his blue eyes through mine as he whispers, “I will not take ‘no’ for an answer.” I get a whiff of his cologne. He smells musky, manly, and sexy.
Numerous thoughts rush through my mind but one pops up immediately. “Why me?” I ask feebly.
He continues piercing me with his stare for a few minutes and finally answers, “I’ve had my pick of beautiful women, but the thrill of the chase is what turns me on. Not only this, but you are also one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen plenty of elite girls in my lifetime,” he says smugly.
I back away from him. “So you like women who are hard to get, or for that matter, completely unavailable?” I ask without letting him reply and quickly add, “You know…I love Derek very much.”
We gaze at each other. “I know you do, but you can learn to love me too. I would…” he whispers and in that moment, I hear a sharp kick at the door.
Julian whips his eyes to the door, then back at me with a feral look on his face. “It’s Derek,” he says, as his lips curve into a wicked grin. He points to my purse. “He tracked you using your cell phone just as I’ve anticipated.”
A thunderous, gruff voice snarls through the door, “You’ve made a huge fucking mistake and you will pay.” It is Derek!
“Derek! Derek! He…” I begin to shriek, but Julian quickly grabs me, presses my back into his chest, places his hand over my mouth and pushes inwards until my jaw aches and the rest of my words come out all muffled and pained. He wraps his other stone hard arm tightly around my stomach, restricting my breathing. “You’ll be mine,” Julian says under his breath.
“You fucking piece of…” Derek roars maliciously resembling a lion about to devour his prey as he slams through the door with full force, breaking it down, and before I can blink there he is in an instant facing us. His scarlet face betrays his rage, and he is breathing like a bull, his nostrils flaring, his eyes burning as he rapidly approaches.
“Action time,” Julian growls. I feel Julian’s heart pumping against my back, his grip on me tightening, his hand clenched over my mouth.
Julian pushes me aside just as Derek lands a fist into his face and blood spatters messily from Julian’s nose. I screech and back further away from the two men.
Derek’s face scrunches in rage as he throws another swift punch but Julian evades it with a quick duck.
My breath quickens, my heart begins pounding through my chest as my anxiety rises.
Derek lands a punch in Julian’s ribs and continues with a fast series of jabs. ”Ooof, ooof, ooof,” I hear as Julian’s breath is repeatedly knocked out of him.
Suddenly, I see Julian dodge Derek’s punch and retreat back as he bounces rapidly from foot to foot. Both men lock eyes like two vicious wolves ready to fight to the death.
I feel my heart racing and my pulse pounding as my anxiety level shoots up further.
“Is that the best you can do?” Julian bursts forth, his voice rough and dry as fire flashes in his eyes. He gazes at Derek insolently, defiantly, and sneeringly.
“Fuck you,” Derek says in a tone sharp as knives.
Derek swipes Julian’s ribs just as Julian hisses through his gritted teeth, aiming a vigorous punch at Derek’s face so powerful and fast it blasts Derek’s nose, sending a flow of blood gushing out all over his face. My eyes widen and I inwardly flinch.
Derek aims a swift punch at Julian’s chest, causing the air to leave his lungs.
Julian is now so fixated on Derek as he throws a few dozen swift punches at Derek’s face and the side of his ribs. Each strike produces a loud cracking sound, causing Derek to cripple over in pain as he backs up against the wall trying to maintain his footing.
Julian takes a hold of Derek’s neck and slams him hard against the wall and my heart sinks when Derek laments with pain.
“Stop! Stop!” I scream at Julian, but Julian continues murderously to thrash Derek.
Derek feebly aims for a punch, but Julian ducks and shoves him back so hard, he stumbles, nearly losing his footing.
Adrenaline is pounding through my veins, and my heart feels like it will explode out of my chest.
Julian throws a brutally powerful punch at Derek’s face, knocking him to his knees.
Julian eyes Derek with a fierce expression as he aims a powerful kick at Derek’s left side, delivering a knockout blow that sends him toppling onto the floor.
I gasp with fear. A ball of pain gathers at my throat as I gaze at Derek’s motionless body.
His eyes are frightfully closed. My throat goes dry with unuttered shouts and tears.
Julian continues violently and mercilessly striking kicks at Derek’s body.
“Stop! Stop! Stop!” I shout at the top of my voice as tears stream down my face.
Julian delivers one last solid kick before he halts for a few seconds; his chest heaving with exertion. Moments later he resumes thrashing Derek.
“No!” I cry, tears pouring down my face as I stare wide-eyed at Derek’s body sprawled, immobile on the floor.
I run to Julian and pull him away from Derek. “Please no!” I scream, holding back Julian with all my strength.
Julian spits out blood, turns to face me, looking thoughtful as he considers my request. “Ok, I’ll stop.” He examines Derek for a few seconds and says, “I’ve obviously beat the shit out of him, he won’t be conscious for at least a few hours.”
I tearfully gape at Derek as I move rapidly toward him, but I feel Julian grab me and hold me back. He wraps his arms tightly around me as he presses my back firmly into his chest. My breath catches in my throat, and I realize my heart is thumping so loud that I hear the blood pounding in my ears.
I continue to gape at Derek, as my brain registers what happened, a large lump forms in my throat restricting air passage. My cries turn to breathless gasps for air. My vision is blurred by my endless, hysterical crying. I feel Julian’s chest rising and falling against my back as he breathes heavily.
“What have you done?” I shout breathlessly. Is he badly hurt? Is he alive? The thoughts overwhelm me as panic grips me.
Once Julian’s heavy breathing has subsided, he spins me around to face him and coolly responds, “I’ve knocked him out while fighting for you. You belong to me now.” He looks over at Derek with a half grin and adds, “Well, my training has proven to be exceedingly valuable.”
“What training?” I scream with feelings of odium welling up inside me.
Julian doesn’t say a word.
I ask again insisting on an answer, “What training?” Fury begins to seethe up in my chest area.
“I’ll explain later, let’s get going,” he says nonchalantly. He takes his finger, applies pressure to my neck, and I black out.
CHAPTER TEN
I wake up in a bed that I recognize is not Derek’s. My head aches. I sit up and look around the bedroom of white modern décor. There’s a white armchair in the corner of the room, a white dresser with a mirror, white marble floors, a white fur rug, and floor-to-ceiling windows. I look down at the white sheets and remove the covers to reveal a white La Perla bra and panties. I quickly cover my body. I feel disoriented but I gradually begin to recall what happened last night. It all comes flooding back to me. I
remain motionless and gasp as the full realization of what happened hits me hard. A shudder runs through me as I recall how Derek was brutally thrashed by Julian. I glance down at my fingers. Oh my God my ring from Derek is missing.
I hear a knock on the door and am momentarily startled. A dark-haired lady in her mid-forties comes in holding a tray. “Your breakfast, Miss,” she says with a strong Spanish accent. She brings the tray to bed and places it in my lap. She quickly scampers away, closing the door behind her before I even have a chance to converse with her.
I look down at the tray. There is a croissant on a small plate, a bowl of mixed fruit, orange juice, a cup of coffee, and a red rose. I hear another knock on the door. I look up and see Julian walk in stridently. My stomach tightens in knots.
“Hello beautiful,” he says cheerfully. “I wasn’t sure what you normally have for breakfast, so I hope you don’t mind what Natalia has prepared for you.”
I don’t respond, my chest clenches, and tears begin to flow down my face. When Julian notices he says, “Well then, I’ll leave you alone for now,” and he walks out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him.
I put the tray aside and hop out of bed. I begin frantically searching for something of mine, anything of mine, in the room. I find my purse with my touch-up makeup inside, but my cell phone is gone.
My stomach in knots, I recall the previous day’s events and begin weeping quietly while standing in the middle of the room. I stop myself after a while and walk toward the floor-to-ceiling window. I look out and see nothing but miles and miles of snow glistening like white diamonds in the sunlight. A feeling of isolation overtakes me as I realize I can’t identify where I am. I feel my heart nervously beating through my chest. I am about a hundred feet away from the ground. Escaping through the window is not an option.
Julian strides in again, holding a light blue shift dress. He stops in front of me, admires my body, scanning it up and down, then back at my face, and commands, “Put this on.” I take the dress and he leaves.
I slip the dress over my body and walk out of the bedroom. I walk down a hallway that leads to an enormous living room and a dining room similar in décor to the all-white bedroom. I look around examining it for information. I see no phones. I look to my left and see a large glass display case housing a samurai sword. I continue examining the room, and see a modern white couch with a glass coffee table and beside it a Bamboo Twist plant and a white bookshelf with some books.
I walk around and search for a method of escape. I see another hallway to my right and walk through it into a small empty room with a door. The door has a keypad lock and I try it, but it’s locked.
I return to the living room and my feeling of isolation overtakes me again. I walk over to the bookshelf and scan the book titles. Living the Martial Way, Tao of Jeet Kune Do, Jiu-Jitsu University, SEAL Survival Guide, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique, Zen in the Martial Arts, Females of the Species: Sex and Survival in the Animal Kingdom, The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex. Julian must be a martial artist. I look over at the samurai sword.
“Hello there, gorgeous.” Julian startles me and I squeak like a frightened mouse. I twirl around to face him.
He walks over to me and takes me into his arms, hugging and holding me for a few seconds as I stiffen up.
“Where am I?” I ask feebly.
“You are mine now,” Julian says as he bands his arms around my waist possessively and stares at me victoriously.
“So what are you going to do with me?” I ask nervously, my voice betraying my fear.
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to fuck you just yet…I’m not that type of a guy. I want you to feel secure with me. I want you to adore me,” he says, anticipation evident in his twinkling eyes.
“I don’t understand, why me?”
He brushes a strand of hair off my face, his eyes glimmering.
“I’m a man of swift decision and very strong in my opinions and the moment I saw you, I decided I wanted you. Despite the consequences, I had to have you. Not only are you the most striking woman I have ever laid my eyes on, I also felt there was something more to you, real substance, which is hard to find these days.”
I look down, trying to make sense of it all, my feelings of isolation persisting. My eyes fill up with tears. “You hurt Derek!” I shriek, tears streaming down my face.
He chuckles heartily and responds, “A real man fights hard for what he wants, even if that means stealing it. I always take what I want. Maybe if you hadn’t stopped me then I would have knocked him out for good,” says Julian, his eyes blazing.
I feel a combination of grief and hostility burning up inside me as I recall how brutally Julian thrashed Derek. “You’re a monster!” I scream. “Hasn't Derek contacted the local authorities? And I'm sure my friends and family have sent out a search team for me!”
“No, I've spoken to him on the phone just this morning; he refuses to bring up this matter to the authorities.”
”What!” I hear myself screech. “Why?”
“The society Derek and I are both allied to have very specific rules of conduct.”
“What the fuck?” I screech. “What kind of world is this?”
“A world in which alpha men dominate,” he replies ardently. “Derek is man enough to admit he was defeated and I prevailed. I knocked the shit out of him, and rightfully took you from him. The fact of the matter is that the winning male gets the female.” His voice is laced with pride and his face etched with the look of triumph. “I’ll explain it all later, once you get more comfortable with me, for now I’ll leave you.”
I'm speechless and lost for words. My mouth and throat is parched. I am in a severe state of shock. This is fucking insane.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Explain it to me now!” I shout, trembling. A long silence persists. Julian motions for me to sit on the couch. He takes a seat, and I sit stiffly beside him.
“I had a rather harsh upbringing. As a young boy, my father was very austere with me. There were certain rules I had to abide by. I was only permitted to read non-fiction. I was forbidden to watch anything but educational films and documentaries. My father punished me severely if I defied him…thrashings, whippings, cigarette burns, scalding hot showers followed by icy cold showers…” his voice trails and then Julian sighs heavily. “Ah, all’s well now...he taught me to be a real man’s man, an alpha man.”
I reflect on his words, and suddenly Julian dashes away from the room, and a few minutes later he returns holding a postcard-sized photo. “This was me at age five.”
I take the photo and see a brown-haired, blue-eyed, wide-eyed, adorable but sad little boy staring back at me from the photo. Wow. Julian's father severely traumatized him. I can't help but feel sorry for the cute little Julian in the photo.
I remain silent for a moment as I process this information.
“What's the point of all of this?” I ask impatiently.
”Well, over many years I've watched and read about male animals competing for females in lethal battle; the victor always gets the female. I’ve been educated by my father that that’s how things are done.”
I stare at him, stunned.
“I understand you are still overcome with emotion and it will take time for you to get used to me but I am a patient man.” He stands up. “I’ll give you time.” He walks out of the room.
As soon as I hear the door slam shut, I wander from the living room, into the room with the keypad locked door, back into the living room trying to search for a suitable method of escape but find none.
I look around but see no clocks; neither do I have the watch on my wrist that I received from Derek. Julian must have taken it from me. I feel my heart pumping and my blood boil. How could he do this?
I approach the bookshelf aimlessly and randomly grab a book. I flip through it looking at the pictures of men in various martial arts positions. I put it back and randomly grab another book. This one is a fa
irly large book with about four hundred pages. I skim through the pages and perceive it discusses the life and reproduction of wild animals. I see certain portions highlighted under chapter seven, so I take a seat on the couch with the book and flick through the chapter.
I come across two pages that have a few sentences highlighted in bright yellow marker under the subtitle, “Male Reproductive Strategies.” I read the marked sentences:
Males in certain animal species compete intensely and aggressively if females benefit from choosing males that have demonstrated superior fighting ability.
Females choose to mate with dominant males for two main reasons. For example, female fallow deer benefit from associating and mating with dominant males because these males are best able to provide females with protection from sexual harassment by other males. In some species, females may choose to mate with dominant males because they provide the most effective protection against infanticide.
Because females prefer to mate with the alpha male, he does not need to employ sexual coercion.
Even when a female is not sexually receptive the male Hamadryas baboon keeps his females away from other males at all times to increase, or maintain, future mating access. The female will likely cooperate in the future. When she is close to ovulation, she will respond positively to the male's mating initiatives.
Oh my God. This is crazy. So this is where Julian got his fucked up ideas. I’ve been stolen and trapped and now he’s merely waiting for me to give in to him.
Hours pass by but I am unaware of the time as I continue to read through the chapter discussing male-to-male competition and sexual behavior. I am about to start reading the next chapter, when suddenly Julian appears and I quickly put the book down. He puts a bottle of water and a large plate of dinner on the coffee table.
“Oh, I see you are reading one of my childhood books. That was one of the books I was made to read over and study several times.”
Rapine: Abducted by the Billionaire Page 10