Buttons and Shame

by Penelope Sky

  I set my plate down and immediately looked outside, wanting to get an idea of where I was. But I only saw rocks jutting out until they disappeared over a cliff, and the ocean sea in the background. Beyond that, it was only blue. Infinite blue. The sight was beautiful, but it made me realize just how alone I was.

  There was no escape.

  Crewe studied my face, watching my expression change. His brown eyes contrasted against everything around the property, from the green of the grass to the deep blue of the sea. “Don’t make me ask you again.”

  The tone in his voice brought me back to reality. “Yes, please.”

  “So you do have manners.” He walked to the counter and poured hot coffee into a mug. “I was beginning to think you didn’t with all those smartass comments.” He returned and placed the mug next to my plate. “Cream or sugar?”

  “No, thank you.” I growled when my automatic response came out, wanting to be as rude to him as possible.

  He smiled. “I’ll be in my office if you need me. Enjoy breakfast, and feel free to take a walk.”

  Was he serious? “You’re just going to leave me alone? Outside?”

  He stepped away with his hands in his pockets, his shirt tucked tightly around his waist. He had a wide chest, obviously powerful by the way he held himself. He had lean and long legs, the kind with muscled thighs that filled out his slacks well. “What are you going to do? Swim to Scotland?”

  “We’re in Scotland?” I blurted.

  “No.” He shifted his weight, his shoulders remaining straight no matter how he positioned his body. “We’re in the Shetland islands—north of Scotland. About four hundred and fifty kilometers away. So, if you’d like to swim there, best of luck to you.”

  My jaw dropped inadvertently, the stress of the situation falling heavily on my shoulders. I was far away from home, across the Atlantic, on a remote island. No wonder why it was so freezing.

  “We’re on Fair Isle, the most remote island of the archipelago. My one and only neighbor lives on the other side of the island. It’s a vacation home, so they only come to visit once a year.”

  “For the holidays?” If I knew when they were there, I could pound on their door and demand they call for help.

  He gave me a cold stare, knowing exactly what I was trying to do.

  Now I felt like an idiot for thinking he was an idiot.

  “There are no landlines here. We only use satellite phones. There’s Wi-Fi, but all the electronics are synced to my thumbprint. So don’t bother.”

  “Wow…you’ve obviously kidnapped people before.”

  He didn’t smile at the comment. “Enjoy your day.” He walked around me, his masculine scent washing over me as he passed. “And if you hurt Finley or Ariel, I’ll do the same to you. Finley is an innocent old man who is simply looking for peace. And Ariel isn’t a woman much different from you. Don’t. Touch. Them.”

  “But you have no problem with me trying to kill you?” For a man so cold, it was odd that he had affection for two people he wasn’t related to.

  “Do your worst, Lovely. I’ll enjoy punishing you for it.”

  I stood on the cliff with my arms wrapped tightly around my stomach. The wind was mild, but the closer I got to the edge, the more the wind picked up. My hair flew behind my shoulders, and my arms prickled with goose bumps.

  I noticed Finley leave the house and approach me, but I tried to ignore him, wanting to be left alone. Being so isolated from the rest of civilization was utterly terrifying. I was stuck with a madman who was using me to get revenge on my brother. I didn’t have a clue what he would do to me—or how evil he really was.

  Joseph, you better be looking for me.

  If he didn’t come for me, I wouldn’t know what to do. Even if I killed everyone, how would I get off this island? Crewe had a helicopter, but I couldn’t fly one if I tried—no matter how smart I was. There wasn’t a boat, as far as I could tell. But Ariel must leave every day. Unless she lived there. Was she really his business partner? Maybe she was his wife. He didn’t seem like the husband type.

  “Lady London?” Finley was an older man, his Scottish accent heavy. He had brown hair tinted with red and a few freckles on his face. He had to be in his late sixties despite how easy it was for him to get around.

  I realized in that moment Crewe didn’t have a Scottish accent. It was American—just like mine.

  Interesting.

  “Yes?” I turned to him, feeling my heart soften when I saw the thick jacket and pair of binoculars he held.

  “Mr. Donoghue was worried you might get cold out here.” He wrapped the jacket around my shoulders. Since it was three sizes too big and Finley was a petite man, I assumed it belonged to Crewe himself. “And he wanted you to have these.” He handed over the binoculars. “If you look along the rocks, you can see seals and penguins. There’s wildlife everywhere.”

  “Oh…” I held the heavy binoculars in my hands and nodded. “Thank you.”

  He nodded then headed back to the house.

  It didn’t matter how cute and charming Finley was. I couldn’t let that sweet old man get to me just because he gave me a jacket and a pair of binoculars. My goal was to get off this island and back to my life. I belonged in the hot and humid city of New York. I should be doing my rounds at the hospital this very moment. Even if I made my way back there, I would still be missing lectures and rotations. Hopefully, the university would grant me some leeway because of the extreme circumstances.

  I spent the next few hours walking around the island, appreciating the beautiful flowers and the unique grass. Despite the circumstances, I couldn’t deny how beautiful this was place. It was rich in botanical life.

  I found a good spot along the cliff and watched seals swim around looking for fish. Some of them crawled up onto the rocks to enjoy the sunlight, their rubbery skin heating up despite the cold wind. The binoculars were helpful, and I found myself laughing when the seals fell asleep and accidentally rolled off the rocks and landed in the water.

  “They’re funny, aren’t they?” Crewe was in his jeans and a long sleeved shirt. He sat beside me on the rock and looked down into the water.

  The second he was next to me, I was on edge. My day had been peaceful until his presence ruined everything. I had to ignore some of the sweet things he did because he was evil underneath that pretty package. It didn’t matter how ruggedly handsome he was. If I had the opportunity to kill him, I would take it. “They’re fun to watch.”

  “The other islands have Shetland ponies—it’s what the islands are known for.”

  “Why?”

  “There are a lot of breeders here.”

  I placed the binoculars on the grass between us, just in case he wanted to use them.

  “There’s a bedroom for you upstairs if you’d like to sleep there.”

  I didn’t want to go back to that cage underground. There was no sunlight, no fresh air. It was freezing cold, and that cot was no better than the cement. Even though I was outside in the cold, having his jacket around my body gave me the most warmth I’d felt since I arrived here. “I guess.”

  Crewe looked into the distance, staring at the deep blue ocean that stretched on forever.

  “You don’t have a Scottish accent.” It wasn’t a question, but I didn’t know how to ask him anything. We were enemies, after all.

  “I do.” Fluidly, he switched into a Scottish accent, pronouncing each syllable with perfection as if he’d been born speaking that way. “I also have a British accent.” He changed again, sounding like a lad from London.

  “Why do you have an American accent?”

  “Because you’re American. Thought it might make you feel more comfortable.”

  “Since when do you care about making me more comfortable?” I snapped. “And why do you know all these different accents?”

  He ignored my abrasive comments. “I work with a lot of different people in different places. Accents are important. They allow you to be
accepted into different cultures more readily.”

  “What do you do when you aren’t kidnapping people?” I asked, partially sarcastic.

  “I have a lot of different trades. That’s all you need to know.”

  “Good talk,” I said bitterly.

  He stood up and extended his hand to me. “Dinner is ready. I came to get you.”

  I stared at his hand then looked away, refusing to touch my enemy. Maybe he was nice now, but just the other night he threatened to rape me if I didn’t strip down and shower in front of him. I got to my feet on my own and grabbed the binoculars.

  Crewe didn’t seem to care about my brush off. “Did you have a good day?” He walked beside me back to the house, his hands moving into his pockets.

  “As good as it could be, I suppose.”

  We spent the rest of the walk in silence and entered the house. Finley had dinner on the table in the dining room, a separate room that could house fifty guests. The table was long, hinting of ancient royalty. I eyed the old wood before I sat down, feeling awkward for dining with my captor.

  A few candles were lit, and our plates were set in front of us. Our dinner was freshly caught fish and greens.

  I almost didn’t eat it because I was disgusted that I had to eat with Crewe.

  He ate quietly, not seeming to pay any attention to me.

  “Is Ariel your wife?” I picked up my fork and finally took a bite.

  “No.” He didn’t pull his gaze away from his food. “Why?”

  “It just seems odd that she’s just your business partner.”

  “Why?” He looked at me, his stare cold. “Because she’s a woman? That’s an awfully sexist comment coming from a woman aspiring to be a doctor.”

  “That’s not how I meant it.”

  “Oh really? Didn’t seem like it.”

  “I’m surprised because you seem like a sexist pig. After all, I’m being held here against my will.” I gave him a look that conveyed just how much I hated him. “Let’s not forget that. We aren’t two friends having dinner together.”

  “I’m not as evil as you make me out to be.” He sipped his scotch, an odd pairing with fish.

  “I strongly disagree.”

  “Joseph stole four million dollars from me. For some idiotic reason, he thought he was going to get away with it. When he took a job dealing with criminal intelligence, he knew his loved ones would be targets if he crossed anyone. And from my research, it seems like you’re his only living blood relative.”

  I held his gaze and didn’t waver despite the emotion in my heart. My parents were killed by a drunk driver while they were out having a date night. A speeding car T-boned them into a tree, and they both died on impact. Joseph and I were just kids at the time.

  “So he knew what he was risking, but he did it anyway. He’s the evil one, not me. If I had a single person I loved, you can bet your ass I wouldn’t mess around.” He drank his scotch again, resting his elbow on the table. “I have a reputation to maintain. Joseph doubled the amount of money he owed, but that isn’t enough after what he did. The only way to maintain my power was to do something terrifying—which is why I took you. I’m not evil, London. I’m just trying to survive—like everyone else.”

  “And how will anyone know you took me?” I questioned. “As far as I can tell, no one even knows we exist out here.”

  “They’ll know.” He swirled his glass before he took another drink. “Trust me on that.”

  My heart fell into the pit of my stomach. He had a plan for me. I wouldn’t remain on Fair Isle forever. I didn’t consider this place to be home, but I wasn’t stupid. I knew there were far worse places out there. At least living here gave me the luxury of having some freedom. “What are you going to do to me?” I asked the question even though I knew I wasn’t ready to hear the answer.

  “It doesn’t matter. You’ll see soon enough.”

  I didn’t touch my dinner because I lost my entire appetite. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that Crewe was a capable man. He had the power to do anything to me, and I would be powerless to stop him. If he wanted to rape me, he could. If he wanted to kill me, he could. If he wanted to do something far worse to me, I couldn’t stop it.

  Now I truly was terrified—of the unknown.

  29

  Crewe

  Ariel knocked on my open office door. “You wanted to see me, Crewe?”

  I paused my email to look at her. “Could you contact Bones and invite him over for dinner tomorrow night? Tell him I want to introduce him to someone.”

  She nodded. “Of course. I’ll let you know what he says.”

  “Thank you.”

  Ariel walked out, leaving the office door open.

  I turned back to my email, and a few minutes later, I received another guest.

  “So, this is where all the magic happens?” In dark jeans and a designer blouse, London walked inside. Her hair was done today, shiny and long. Makeup was on her face, something Dunbar brought with him once he returned from Glasgow. When she put in the effort to look nice, she really shined. It surprised me that Joseph had a sister so much better looking than he was.

  “Yes. A lot of magic.” I turned in my seat to face her, my hands resting in my lap. My eyes roamed over her body without shame, knowing she was mine to do whatever I wanted with. I was the kind of man who appreciated a woman’s curves—and I was appreciating hers. I’d seen her naked, and while the sight got me hard, she was malnourished and dirty. Now that she was regularly hygienic, she turned my head a few times. I wasn’t entirely impressed with her because it took a lot for a woman to floor me, but I wasn’t disappointed either.

  She walked farther into the room and examined my desk.

  “If you’re looking for ways to kill me, be more discreet about it.” When I slept in the same house as her, a part of me hoped she would make an attempt on my life. If she did, I would feel no guilt pinning her to my mattress and fucking her so hard she screamed. It would be a fair punishment for the crime—in my eyes.

  “Actually, I wasn’t—right now.”

  “Then why are you here?”

  “Why do you think? I’m bored.” She crossed her arms over her chest and shifted her weight to one leg. “I was in medical school, working sixteen hour days. And now I don’t know what to do with myself.”

  I gave her a smoldering look, feeling my cock do all the thinking. “I can entertain you on this desk.” I nodded to the dark wood where my computer and stationery sat. “Trust me, you wouldn’t be bored again.”

  She rolled her eyes and walked to the window. “I’ll pass.”

  I stared at her ass in her jeans, noting how tight it was. “You pretend not to be interested, but I think it’s pretty obvious you are.”

  “Interested in what?” she asked incredulously.

  “Me. If you hate me so much, why are you in here?”

  She turned around and met my gaze. But she didn’t have a response.

  I rose out of my chair and stood behind my desk. “If you want me, all you have to do is ask.” My hands moved to the wood below me, and my fingers felt the smooth polish. “I’m at your service anytime.”

  She made a look of disgust. “I knew you were arrogant, but wow.”

  “Wow what?” I asked.

  “You just assume everyone wants to sleep with you?”

  “Only kidnapped women who voluntarily spend time with me.”

  She knew she didn’t have a logical counterargument to that. She pressed her lips tightly together as she stared me down, trying to think of something to say.

  I knew she didn’t have a goddamn excuse.

  Ariel walked back into the room. “Bones said he’ll be in the area, and he’d love to join you.”

  I never took my eyes off London. “Ariel, you’ve met our guest, haven’t you?”

  “No, I haven’t.” Ariel looked London up and down but didn’t extend her hand. “Now I can put a face to the name.”

  “And I
can put a face to evil,” London snapped. “This guy is holding me here against my will, and you don’t care at all?”

  Ariel stared at her coldly, the same look she gave me when she was pissed at me. “You expect me to care just because I’m a woman? I don’t care about your problems. Whine to someone who gives a damn.” She walked out, her head held high.

  London shook her head like she couldn’t believe what she just heard. “Everyone here is twisted.”

  “Maybe you’re the one who’s twisted. You don’t belong in our world. Of course you don’t understand it.”

  “But our worlds have the same laws. And kidnapping is illegal no matter what world you live in.”

  I smiled. “Not in mine.”

  Sooner or later, I knew she would make her move.

  She would try to kill me, and since she knew she couldn’t overpower me, she would try to do it while I was asleep. I purposely kept my door unlocked since I was a light sleeper. The second I heard her footsteps outside, I would be aware.

  And then she came.

  I heard the doorknob gently twist, the sound announcing her approach. I remained in bed and waited for her, my cock getting hard at the thought of what would happen next. She would try to choke me or slam something into my head. Instead, I would fuck her to teach her a lesson.

  And I’d have every right to.

  I felt her approach my bed slowly, her breathing steady. Despite her petite size, the floorboards still slightly creaked under her steps. The house was old, once a beautiful castle, but time had worn down several aspects of it.

  Once she was close enough, I made my move. I grabbed her wrist and slammed it down on my nightstand, forcing the rock in her hand to come loose and topple to the ground. She screamed at the impact of her hand, either from the pain or the surprise.

  I gripped the back of her neck and pulled her onto the bed, moving around her at the same time. I slept in the nude, so I was prepared for what would happen next. I yanked her bottoms and panties off until my cock was pressed right between her ass cheeks. I grinded against her, her hands pinned behind her back while my other hand held her by the neck. “I was hoping you would do that.”