‘Dad is sure that having kids will change Trystan’s outlook.’
‘So each is sure of their own position,’ Dax said, both father and son were as arrogant as each other.
‘Trystan’s been pissed off for a couple of weeks, you know why,’ Bruno said.
‘Because Vegas didn’t end how he wanted it to,’ Dax said.
‘My father once again had to make calls to our associates in the area to pull Trystan out of a sticky situation. If that girl had gone to the cops—‘
‘I spoke to her,’ Dax said. ‘She wasn’t going to the cops.’
‘Maybe not. But dad likes the reputation he has at GoldSpring and he likes the treatment we get there, it’s why he insists on all of us using the place whenever we’re in Vegas.’
That and Mauri had done some business with the owner in years gone by. ‘It’s a decent place.’
‘Yeah, but Tryst once again drew attention to the family and dad is sick of it.’
‘He told Trystan if it happens again then he’s out, that Mauri will cut him off,’ Bruno said. Mauri was renowned for never making hollow threats and it was one of the first things that Dax had been taught by the old man. Never bluff in life. If you’re playing a hand then you’re either in or out. He would never say anything he didn’t mean.
‘Trystan wouldn’t go quietly,’ Dax said.
‘Dad obviously doesn’t want to do that, which is why they came to the agreement. Trystan will get married.’
‘It was that or start to work for a living, and we knew he would never do that,’ Bruno said, he was privy to all of the family’s comings and goings. There wasn’t a person alive that Mauri trusted, or valued, more than Bruno.
‘The world can see him as something other than the shallow playboy, and maybe we can go a day without having to divert cops or pay off witnesses.’
More often than not it was the other way around, Dax was used to scaring his share of witnesses into amnesia where Trystan was concerned.
‘So he gets married, makes a good show, and the world thinks he’s a decent guy… who doesn’t need to do a hard day’s graft—‘
‘Because he’s so busy providing the family with heirs.’
So not only was he expected to marry, but he was expected to reproduce. ‘And you think you can find a woman to train into putting up with Trystan?’ Dax asked, wanting to end the statement with the phrase, “good luck with that.”
‘We’ve already found her. Trystan picked her out himself, it was another of his terms,’ Bruno said, going to a side door to open it and haul out a blindfolded, gagged, and bound woman. ‘Meet the newest member of the Stark family.’
The dirty, shaking woman wasn’t a stranger to him, and now that he was faced with her he wasn’t wholly surprised. This must have been the scenario that Trystan had cooked up when they were seated in his drawing room, which meant that this was partially his idea. Typical that Trystan should make his demands and then fuck off to another country to have fun while everyone else did the hard work. If he and Bruno were going away, then this woman had to be coming with them, because someone had to make sure she was taught how to stay in line.
He’d recognised her as soon as she was brought out. Trystan had been told to pick a woman and he’d picked her. Dax should have considered this as an option, because Trystan hated to be disrespected more than anything. By refusing Trystan and causing him embarrassment she’d disrespected him in the worst way. Their altercation left him having to make excuses to his father, thus causing him more embarrassment. Now this woman would pay by dedicating the rest of her life to Trystan willingly.
Dax drove the car and Bruno rode in the passenger seat. Their packed bags were in the back of the car because the female was in the trunk. She’d been silent for most of the journey but when she started kicking and moaning Bruno turned up the music on the radio.
Conversation hadn’t been flowing but Bruno was happy to talk to himself, he didn’t really care what Dax said in return, so he didn’t say much. Being away might be good for him, but Dax wasn’t used to doing nothing and he didn’t know how he would enjoy spending his days at the beach house with no possible end in sight. His days were usually filled with checking up on operations and following up leads that Mauri pointed him to about those who needed some extra special persuasion. On his rare night off he did what he enjoyed most. Though his favourite hobby was something that few people understood, it made perfect sense to him.
At least this job gave him the chance to get closer to Bruno. They’d done jobs together before, but Dax had never warmed to the guy. Bruno was too hasty for him, Dax preferred a more patient approach. But there was a chance that this time together would teach him more about Bruno and give them the chance to see things from each other’s perspective.
Bruno had advised Mauri against trusting Dax, and he knew that, though he wasn’t supposed to. So there had always been a quiet, unspoken animosity between the two of them. In recent years Bruno seemed to have lightened up, but was prone to bouts of rage. Dax would keep an eye on that, but wasn’t worried in any way. If he had to defend himself against the guy then he had no concerns that he wouldn’t be able to. The only worry was how he would explain the mess to Mauri if it came to that.
They didn’t journey far because the Stark California beach house was perfect for their requirements. Set on a clifftop with the sea on three sides, the land boundary was walled off, gated, covered by cameras and half a mile from the house meaning they were far from visible from the road.
Dax parked and set to work taking the bags from the backseat while Bruno dealt with the difficult cargo. Bruno was a man to be feared, stories of his escapades were legendary and he made no secret of the lives he’d taken.
Any woman who Bruno was romantically associated with was eventually beaten and as such he’d never been married because the women never stuck around for very long. There were stories of illegitimate children knocking around in various corners of the world, but Dax had never met any of them. Those notorious days of Bruno’s legend were gone. Years of drug and alcohol abuse had left Bruno impotent and slow. Not that anyone brought up those afflictions with the gangster directly; not unless they had a death wish.
Noise of scuffling and muffled screams came from downstairs and Bruno’s rumbling deep voice accompanied it. Dax went into his own ensuite shower room and stripped his clothes off to step under the cool spray. He’d wash off the day then go for a swim in the pool and maybe barbeque afterwards. Bruno loved the grill and Maurice had his crew stock the house before they arrived, so he knew they’d be living in luxury for a while.
Trystan’s European excursion would last sixty days and Dax would be under Bruno’s purview until then while they whipped this woman into shape. Having never done anything specifically like this before Dax would have to follow Bruno’s lead, but he was confident because Bruno had experience in everything.
They did grill steaks in the end, and they drank Scotch while smoking cigars as the sun went down. Sometimes Dax was still surprised that this kid who grew up on the streets, fighting other street kids in a ring for money, had access to such opulence, but he knew he’d earned it.
After the sun had sunk they went to bed. Neither of them had much inclination to spend time making small talk and so the next day was spent by them pursuing their own endeavours until they eventually came together on the couch to watch television.
Twenty-four hours after arriving at the beach house Bruno turned off the TV and sat up. ‘Ok, let’s get started.’
‘What’s the play?’ Dax asked.
‘You just watch and learn, son,’ Bruno said and slapped his knee then headed to the basement door.
The three bedroom property had a basement gym, which Dax always used while he was here. This morning he’d gone down and seen that one corner was walled off with drywall, so he’d figured that this was where their captive was being held. But he hadn’t been interested enough to check it out.
He stayed put, letting Bruno retrieve the woman Dax just listened as they ascended the basement stairs. A gasping scream was obscured by the gag that was still in place over the woman’s mouth when Bruno dragged her into the living room. Her hands were bound and a blindfold obscured her view. The female had her hands secured together at her back, they must have been tied tight because her voluptuous breasts were thrust forward. He could examine her figure as much as he liked, she would never know that he had because a blindfold concealed her view of everything.
She wore torn skinny jeans and a now grey tank top which must have at one time been white. Now it was smeared with black grease, muck, and blood, just like her arms, chest, and face. Blood dried on her hairline, neck and around her nostrils, but the injuries were superficial, just cuts and bruises, she’d taken a beating somewhere but nothing which would cause serious or permanent damage.
Bruno propelled her onto the rug in front of the TV and went around behind her. Dax noticed the chipped red nail polish on the toenails of her bare feet and the tattoo on her foot above her arch.
‘I’m going to take this off and give you some answers, ok?’ Bruno said into her ear and she nodded, huffing out sharp breaths through her nose, which was her only available airway. ‘Keep quiet or it goes back on.’
He took off the blindfold, bindings, and the gag, then came around to sit on the couch. Dax remained static in the corner of the couch, one ankle propped up on his knee and his arms spread along the back and arm.
‘Where am I?’ she croaked, blinking into the bright sun shining through from the floor to ceiling windows behind them.
‘Here’s what’s going on,’ Bruno said, the epitome of cool. ‘All you have to do is what you’re told. Don’t ask questions, just follow our orders and you’ll be treated well, very well.’
The corner of one eye was blackened, both were blood shot, and make-up was smeared under her eyes down her cheeks, but she took the time to examine them both, then fixed on him.
‘I know you,’ she exhaled. ‘You’re the Vegas guy… you were with that pervert.’
‘He is Dax Harrow,’ Bruno said, glancing back. ‘He is your new owner.’
This surprised him as much as it did her, but Dax kept his practiced eyes narrowed, assessing her with apathy as though he did this all the time.
‘My… my—‘
‘Your owner dictates your actions, he tells you what to do and where to go. He makes all of the decisions about your life.’
‘Are you sick?’ she asked, in a surprisingly strong voice. ‘Is this a sick joke? Why would I ever—?’
‘Because if you don’t, you’ll spend more time in our basement. We have all the time in the world and we’ll keep on going with this until we get bored, and you don’t want that to happen. So you choose, do what you’re told and have the good life, or don’t and we’ll leave you down there to die, because you will eventually. So, to see how good you are at this, let’s start with something simple, would you like a drink of water?’
‘Yes,’ she whispered and Dax sensed what it cost her.
‘Sit on the floor,’ Bruno said, and she lowered herself down. When she was there, Bruno took a bottle of mineral water from the cooler next to the couch, pulled off the cap, and handed it to her. She gulped it down. ‘Sip.’
Dax didn’t know how long she’d spent at the Stark mansion in LA, but if she’d been deprived of food and water for a few days her stomach would be weak.
‘Why are you doing this?’ she asked, and looked straight at him. ‘Is this to win favour with your buddy? Where is he? Is he here?’
‘No, he’s not,’ Dax said. ‘But I did warn you that you would be sorry.’
‘He got this in his teeth?’
‘Yes, he did,’ Dax said.
‘He’s crazy. I didn’t go to the cops. I kept my head down and let it go… not that he deserved to get away with what he did to me.’
‘Are you sorry, little girl?’ Dax asked.
‘You’re perverted friend needs help. This isn’t going to solve anything. I’ll press charges, I’ll—‘
‘You don’t need to speak unless you’re spoken to,’ Bruno said.
She began to drink and when she got halfway down the bottle, Bruno took it back and capped it again. ‘See how well that worked? I told you to sit, you complied, and you got a reward.’ Her frown formed slowly. ‘Do you want to eat?’
‘Yes,’ she said in a reflex.
‘Good,’ Bruno said, Dax heard his smile. ‘You’re good at this, what a good girl you are. Take off your shirt.’
‘What?’ she faltered.
‘Just take it off and we’ll feed you.’
‘No, I won’t do that,’ she said. Clambering back to her feet, she stumbled back and caught the entertainment centre to balance herself.
‘One more chance,’ Bruno said. ‘Take it off and we’ll forget all this insubordination.’
‘Go to hell!’
‘Your choice, Bruno said, grabbing hold of her he pulled her back to the hall with the basement door.
The screams lowered in volume as they descended the stairs. Dax reached for the remote and turned on the TV again.
Chapter Three
They tried again two days later with no results, but this time Dax went with Bruno when he put the girl back into her shackles in the basement room. The determination in her was admirable, because this was no way to live. She had to be terrified but she wouldn’t show it, not in real terms. It all came down to one simple task: remove your shirt. But she wouldn’t do it. Maybe it was pure stubbornness, or maybe she was uncomfortable with her body, or perhaps she was just apprehensive about what the next command would be after she complied.
‘Give me a minute,’ Dax said to Bruno when he locked the door of the cage the woman resided in. Bruno nodded, and left him alone.
She didn’t say anything, just regained her composure and crawled over to seat herself on the foam mattress that had to be her resting place. When Bruno had brought her in he’d flung her to the floor and fastened two chains to her, one to her wrist and another to her ankle. The manacles gave her freedom to roam throughout the full caged space, but reminded her in no uncertain terms just what her situation was.
‘If you do as you’re told no one will hurt you,’ he said.
‘Go to hell,’ she grumbled and scratched under one of the shackles.
‘You’ll draw blood and get an infection if you keep picking like that.’
‘Now you care?’ she snapped, those vengeful eyes burning up to his. ‘What’s the fascination you and your friend have with seeing my breasts? You can pay women for that treat you know, or there’s always the internet.’
‘Sass won’t keep you alive,’ he said. ‘Argue all you want but the only person you are hurting is yourself. What we’re doing has a purpose, can you say that about what you’re doing?’
‘I give in and then what?’ she asked.
‘Why don’t you try it and see. If you don’t then there’s no chance you’ll be getting home to your mommy and daddy.’
‘I’m sure they’ll be disappointed,’ she said with a flare of ire then lay down on the bed.
‘If you want to spend the rest of what will be a very short life down here alone with your bitterness then go ahead. You’ll die alone and no one will know where to look for your body. There’s a big ocean on our doorstep, Minx, if that doesn’t remind you of how insignificant you are then maybe a few more days down here will.’
Ready to remove himself from her prison he was surprised to hear her laugh. ‘Still trying to impress that buddy of yours with your willingness to do anything for him?’ she asked. ‘Does he appreciate you?’
‘Back to that obsession you have with my bedroom? I’ll show you where it is right now if you’re ready to bow down.’
‘Is that what it will take?’ she asked, her eyes becoming slits, betraying that she was struggling to hold onto either her sanity or her consciousness. ‘It’s a shame, b
ecause you are sort of cute. But I’m damn sure you’ll never get the chance to disappoint me between the sheets.’
‘Don’t be so sure about that,’ Dax said. ‘When I want you I’m going to have you.’
‘I thought I wasn’t your type.’
‘You’re not. But I think you’re long overdue to be taught a lesson.’
‘What lesson is that?’ she asked. ‘That bullies can get their way if they’re strong enough to overpower you? Is rape what gets you off?’
‘You haven’t seen me try it yet, have you?’
‘You were happy for your friend to do it.’
‘Trystan isn’t my friend, he’s a colleague,’ Dax said, not planning to reveal his personal connection to Trystan and the Starks. ‘And it’s because of him that you’re here, that we’re having this conversation.’
‘That much I had established,’ she said. ‘What is the plan here? To keep me locked up forever? To turn me into some sort of slave or something?’
‘Or something,’ he said. ‘I’d recommend you spend your time down here thinking about what you want from the rest of your life, what’s left of it. Do you want to hang on to your obstinacy or make a future for yourself? What we’re offering here isn’t gonna do you any harm unless you are difficult.’
‘What are you offering?’
‘A chance for a better life, a better future, one where you’ll never have to worry about paying bills or finding your next meal. We’ll take away all of your worries and look after you. In exchange, you follow orders, that’s it.’
‘A simple exchange in your eyes maybe,’ she said. ‘But my body isn’t for sale.’
‘We’re not looking to buy, we’re looking to win, and your compliance is the prize. Think about it, Minx. You can have every treasure you dreamed of, or you can starve down here leaving no one behind to mourn you.’ Backing toward the door, he watched her eyes close. ‘Be smart.’
Whether or not his words had gotten through, only time would tell. She wouldn’t make their task easy, but there wasn’t an easy one ahead of her either. She needed a few more days to reconsider things and that was just what he was willing to give her.
Fighting Fate Page 3