by L. C. Moon
“Why not? What’s at the party? Please tell me.”
“You’ll see. You won’t like it,” he said cryptically and turned his head away from her again. “My boss wanted me to bring you. He’s the one hosting.”
She paled. “So you are taking me to an interrogation…”
He turned back to her, keeping his composure. “I don’t know, Laura,” he finally responded, irritation tainting his voice.
He was nervous. That didn’t happen very often to Kayne Malkin. The entire way, he tried to reassure himself. He would talk to Dimitri; it would all work out. It had to, there was no other viable option for him. He could not openly defy Dimitri, and yet he would not let him harm the girl, his girl.
Laura couldn’t have suspected his inner turmoil. She only heard his fatalistic answer, the crushing response thrown callously at her. She wanted to jump out of the moving car, but they were going over a hundred kilometers per hour on the freeway, the doors locked under the driver’s control. She started rocking herself back and forth, not knowing what to do, what to think, or how to feel. A firm but gentle hand held her by the arm, steadying her movement.
“Laura, look at me.” He waited until she did. “Do as I say, and you will be fine. Okay?” Kayne’s eyes burned into hers as he said the words. He knew them to be true the moment they came out of his lips. He would not stand and watch as they had their way with her. She was his and his alone. He had found and claimed her, and Kayne always protected what was rightfully his. He could feel her muscles relax. She nodded, her eyes vacant.
“Do you trust me?”
What a wonderfully ironic question. She laughed in her head at how ridiculous it sounded coming from him, and yet the answer was yes, yes, she did. She nodded again, this time meeting his gaze. He gently squeezed her arm, his smile brittle before letting go and turning back away from her.
***
The SUV finally turned into a driveway, not unlike Kayne’s, though the mansion it led to was twice the size. There was security all over the premises, valet service, and even a doorman. Kayne turned to Laura just before exiting the car, fire in his eyes, his mood entirely changed.
“Ready?”
“Ready,” a subdued voice answered back.
He led her to the entrance with his hand on the small of her back, right above where the material of her dress fell into graceful folds. Just the touch of his hand on her bare skin caused Laura to feel a knot in her stomach. She tried to walk ahead, ignoring the very pleasant burning sensation his hand was creating on her soft skin. Before they got in the door, he leaned into her ear and instructed her in a hushed tone, “Stay close to me, don’t speak to anyone, and keep your eyes on the ground.” He then added, jeering at her, though not unkindly, “Last part shouldn’t be too hard for you.” She just nodded, too nervous to be offended or embarrassed.
Words could barely express the sickening spectacle awaiting Laura. She froze in the doorway, refusing to take another step. There were hundreds of people. All the men were dressed formally in fancy black suits, much like Kayne’s. As for the women… she was simply horrified. Some, which she assumed were strippers, were dancing in metal cages dangling from the high ceilings. Other women donned black latex underwear, some were completely naked. Most of them had collars, some with leashes, being dragged by a man, crawling on all fours. A very select few wore dark gowns like herself. She felt nauseated.
“I told you you wouldn’t like it,” Kayne whispered with devilish amusement in her ear before dragging her forward.
As they moved into the house, more explicit scenes befell her eyes. Orgies were happening all over the place. In one room, there was a group of men casually conversing with drinks in their hands while women serviced them, one woman serving only as a footrest. In another, five men were huddled by a naked woman, splayed flat on a table. One of them was carelessly thrusting himself into her mouth while another put her other orifices to good use. With her hands, she was pleasuring the others gathered around her as they fondled her generous breasts.
Laura looked around in panic, somewhere between revulsion and disbelief. It reminded her of the sex scene in the movie Eyes Wide Shut, except there was no pretense to this, no need for costumes and occult hocus-pocus.
“You… you go to these things?” she asked him, in a hushed tone barely masking her disgust.
“Yes.”
She let go of his arm, taking a step back, her eyes wide. He didn’t reach out to pull her back to him. He remained still in his spot, his eyes boring into hers with a wicked gleam. As if on cue, a man drunkenly stumbled toward them, undressing her with his eyes. “Well well... what do we have here?” He slurred his words, raising his hand to touch her hair.
In an instant she was back at Kayne’s side, half her body hiding behind him, gripping his arm fiercely with both her hands, her nails digging into his jacket.
“She’s with me,” Kayne coolly warned the man.
“Oh, Mr. Malkin, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know.” And just as fast, the man scurried out of sight.
Kayne waited a few moments, then turned his face to Laura. He gently unclenched her firm grip on him, taking both her hands into his.
“So we’re friends again…” he observed, a smirk on his face. Laura didn’t respond, just tightened her hold on his hand.
As they walked around, Kayne ran into many acquaintances. They all checked her out shamelessly, some making lewd comments about her, mostly about how they couldn’t wait for her to become available or about looking forward to seeing her in action. Kayne brushed off the comments dismissively, never letting them get too far, but no one risked approaching her. A shiver ran through her spine at every comment, every lingering leer. The thought of these men touching her made her feel sick. She understood; they thought she was his whore and that Kayne didn’t share his whores with other men but that he’d let them watch sometimes… She wondered if he’d do this to her, if he’d make her strip in front of them as he had her do earlier at his home. The mere thought petrified her. It was bad enough she had done it for him, but in a way, it also made it okay, because it was him.
Her train of thought and frightful speculations were interrupted suddenly by a very present, very real terror. Maxwell Bane was standing right across the room from them, caught in a lively conversation with another man and a woman wearing a black velvet gown. Laura’s face blanched, her hand squeezed his even tighter, if it was possible. “Kayne…” Her voice strangled.
He immediately turned to face her. She just nudged her head toward the back of the room, unable to say another word. Maxwell noticed, acknowledging them with a vile smile. The woman standing at his side turned her head in their direction. She was strikingly beautiful, tall and slender, a red mane slicked into an elegant side ponytail, contouring her delicate features and feline green eyes. She smiled brightly upon seeing Kayne, taking Maxwell’s offered arm as they both made their way to Kayne and Laura.
Kayne was caught unaware, hearing his name from her lips. He was even more surprised at how much he liked it. She hadn’t pronounced his name since he had brought her to Maxwell the night they met, when he betrayed her. He never allowed his whores to call him by his name; they would refer to him as sir or master, conveying the respect they owed him. But she wasn’t his whore… yet, and he caught himself questioning if that was still his objective. Granted, he wanted her, in all the twisted ways he always wanted beautiful women. And yet he was at a loss explaining the emerging feelings she stirred in him, the protective way he looked at her, the slow seduction he instinctively opted for. Never before had he felt such pleasure from hearing his name uttered, never before was it spoken with such familiarity and urgent need. He wondered if that was the price to pay for holding her captive. The bond he inadvertently created, the responsibility he now felt toward a woman he would have otherwise just seduced and discarded without a second thought.
Kayne’s eyes narrowed seeing the source of her distress. He turned his attention
back to Laura, feeling her quickened breaths, her panic rising. He pulled her closer, brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, and softly whispered to her, leaning his face close but not too close as to enable eye contact. “Laura… Laura… Look at me, Laura,” he patiently commanded her attention, snapping her out of the swirl of terror ensnaring her.
She looked up at him, dread in her eyes.
“Don’t worry about him.”
She nodded nervously, clearly not appeased.
He sighed, brushing her cheek with the back of his hand. “He won’t hurt you. I won’t let him.”
At his touch, she relaxed a little, his words slowly entering her mind, fighting off her fears.
“Kayne! How are you? I see you brought the ever-so-lovely Miss Spencer.” Maxwell turned to Laura, a reptilian smile plastered on his face as Laura shrank back.
“Oh my… she’s a shy one,” the pretty redhead said in a cutesy voice.
Kayne wrapped his arm around Laura’s waist, pulling her close in a possessive gesture. “Maxwell, Tanya… How have you been?” he replied nonchalantly, annoyance perceptible in his voice.
“Good… good… I see you didn’t waste your time with her… Can’t say I blame you… She sure is a delectable little thing…” Maxwell licked his lips as Kayne’s stare turned icy.
Laura couldn’t help but notice that Kayne hadn’t reacted the same way when other men made comments, he had merely brushed them off. She sensed Maxwell’s convivial manners were affected. Kayne didn’t even try to hide his hostility. There was definitely bad blood between the two. As for the woman smiling with such familiarity at Kayne… Tanya, was that her name? There was no doubt, from the first glance they exchanged, she knew the animosity she felt was reciprocated.
“So, Kayne… How long ’til we can play a little with her, huh? It’s so unfair really, you’re no team player!” Maxwell chortled loudly. “Oh, come now, Maxwell, you know Kayne doesn’t like to share his toys…” Tanya added in a singsong tone. “My guess is… hmm… two months? Maybe three… She looks special… But tell me, Kayne, if I promise not to break her, can I play with her?” She batted her eyes coyly at him as she raised her hand to touch Laura’s face. Laura was already backing away when Kayne caught Tanya’s arm midair.
“Don’t,” he said sharply, warning in his voice.
She glared at him for a moment but quickly fell back on a honeyed tone and a mock hurt look. “Not even me?” She pouted her mouth. “My my… Guess she is special after all…”
“Bah… no matter.” Maxwell shrugged his shoulders. “In the end they’re even better when he’s done with them,” and he winked at Tanya.
She let out a loud strident laugh, throwing her head back coquettishly, but her eyes, if only for a second, betrayed the hurt the remark just inflicted on her. And with that, they turned around and walked away, Tanya’s chuckle still heard, Maxwell with his hand wrapped around her waist, his head barely reaching her shoulders.
The whole time, Laura had tried to keep her eyes on the ground, to focus on breathing, on Kayne’s soothing hand gently rubbing her back, up and down. She tried to focus on the calmness it procured her and not shriek at the top of her lungs before stumbling into complete insanity.
The moment they were gone, Kayne leaned even closer to her. His hand still caressing her back, he whispered softly in her ear, “Are you okay?”
Her eyes watery, she shook her head. “Can we leave now?” she barely managed to say.
“Not yet… Not yet,” he repeated, caressing her cheek again, his eyes soft, half smiling indulgently. “Come.”
He led her to the back of the room where two doormen opened the double French doors giving way to a gorgeous terrace. There were a few tables here and there with waiters going about them offering beverages. A big illuminated water fountain stood in the middle, the whole of it surrounded by a magnificent garden. Laura couldn’t help but take in all the beauty. What a lovely place it must look like from the outside. Kayne pulled her into a corner and offered her a cigarette, holding both in the corner of his mouth to light them, then handing her one.
Laura took the cigarette with shaky fingers. “You do this…”
“Do what?”
“This… to women…”
“Do you really want to have this conversation now, Laura?” His voice was calm. Though not threatening, it carried the implication that if she knew what was good for her, she’d drop it. In a way she knew he was right. In this moment, she didn’t want to see him for the monster he was, to know the atrocities her only protection in this godforsaken place was capable of.
One of the doormen approached them, bowing his head with deference before addressing Kayne. “Mr. Malkin, Mr. Drugov is ready for you.”
Kayne nodded, and the doorman left. He looked back at Laura. “Ready?”
“No?” She offered a weak smile.
He smiled back, wrapping his arm around her back, and with a grave voice added, “Let’s go.”
They went back in and entered a glass elevator that led them to the third floor. Dimitri Drugov was waiting for them in his office behind his desk. He was old, Laura guessed in his seventies, still had all his white hair, and divulged an imposing belly when standing up to meet them. He had a large nose, no facial hair, and pale blue eyes. His facial features, though severe, softened considerably when he smiled.
“Ah, Kayne, my boy! How are you?” He affectionately embraced him and smiled as kindly to her. “I presume this is the lovely Miss Spencer?”
She remained in the doorway, looking at the ground as instructed. “Please, Laura. May I call you Laura? Come closer so I may have a look at you.”
Seeing her hesitation, Kayne quickly interceded, “Come, Laura.” She obeyed, approaching the desk, her eyes still glued to the floor. “Hmm… I see… very lovely indeed.” He winked at Kayne, the latter remaining stoic. “Please sit down. Are you enjoying the party?” Dimitri then asked Laura.
She remained quiet, too terrified to do anything without Kayne’s direct commands. They always managed to reach her, no matter how far lost in her thoughts she was.
“It’s her first time, Dimitri,” Kayne responded for her.
“Yes of course. You’ll see, it’s an acquired taste…” he added playfully.
She shivered at the implication. Was she expected to return?
“So, Laura, Kayne tells me that you’ve been cooperative. I like that, I like reasonable people. Suicidal heroics, what are they good for, huh? Only wasted blood…” He gestured his hand disdainfully at the notion. “I just wanted to make sure that we do have your full cooperation. Not that I don’t trust Kayne’s judgment. I just wanted to see for myself, I’m sure you can understand. I would like to ask you one simple question. Have you answered all of Kayne’s questions truthfully?”
She remained quiet, unable to move a muscle.
“Answer him,” Kayne commanded her.
Her eyes snapped up, then back down remembering her instructions.
“Yes, sir, I have.”
“Hmm…” Dimitri considered her some more.
“May I have a word with you in private?” Kayne then addressed Dimitri, to which the latter nodded, waving his arm in consent. Kayne then turned to her. “Laura, wait outside by the door for me.”
She nodded but didn’t move, her eyes imploring him not to make her. She dreaded the thought of being alone in this place, even for a moment, even on the third floor where none of the obscene party guests were present.
“Go!” he commanded harshly.
She flinched at the severity in his voice and rushed to the door. Patiently, she waited, every second seeming an eternity. When he finally came out to meet her, he flashed her a radiant smile, his demeanor more relaxed than she had seen it in the past few days. “Is it okay? Can we go now?” she asked tentatively.
“Soon,” he answered her softly, gently bringing his hand to her face and caressing her.
She closed her eyes at his touch, a
t the much-needed reassurance and pretense of tenderness she so desperately craved.
He led her back downstairs where everyone seemed to have gathered in a huge reception hall. A stage had been built in the middle. Tables, couches, even beds were spread out all around it. While the men sat comfortably, the women crouched at their feet as obedient pets, most of them being put to good use. Only the handful of other women in gowns were sitting on chairs at the tables with the men. A mattress lay on the center stage with a Dark Ages-looking pranger. A naked woman was shackled to it. She was hung by her wrists by a dangling chain, forced onto her toes. Bound with an iron collar, she remained very still as a shirtless man in a black mask and leather pants whipped her mercilessly, drawing blood with every stroke. The crowd cheered perversely with every blow that landed on her, ripping her skin, as she howled in pain, sobbing desperately in between every stroke. “What is this?” Laura’s eyes looked around wildly, like a frightened caged animal, ready to strike at the slightest movement.
Kayne didn’t let her see his own sadistic smile. They could’ve left after meeting with Dimitri. They didn’t really have to stay for the show. He wanted to. He had wrecked his nerves the past few days over her, for her; now she would return the favor. He wanted to see her reaction to it, test her boundaries. He knew very well she would be frightened and disgusted, but would any part of her, however small, be also turned on?
Ignoring her question, he picked a couch in a hidden corner and led her to it. Somewhere just far enough from the rest of the crowd so they could have privacy and that she would feel a safe distance from her environment. Just close enough so she couldn’t disconnect herself entirely from what was going on and be forced to witness the show taking place in front of her eyes. He sat her next to him, wrapping his arm around her.
“What’s going on…?” She was panting, panic seeping through her hushed voice. Her eyes were glued to the horrid scene taking place. His were on her.
“Relax, it’s just a show.” He gently rubbed her shoulder.
“It’s not just a show!” Though her voice remained low, it rose a few octaves. “Kayne… Please… Please… I don’t want to be here…” Her eyes darted in every direction.