by Laura Morgan
“Absolutely. I seem to remember you promising to not only take care of me, but to give me everything I desire. Submission also requires rewards, so I assume there are rules to our agreement?” Cassie asked and Victor nodded, his dark brown eyes boring into hers from across the table.
“Clever girl. Well, first is you’ll have to do everything I ask of you, and I mean everything. You are to speak to me respectfully at all times, no more outbursts.” He paused, and Cassie nodded in understanding. “You only speak when spoken to in the company of others, and you are never to deny me my sexual gratification, no matter where or when,” Victor told her, laying the obvious ground rules. The escort side of herself that Cassie had said goodbye to, but had certainly not forgotten, picked up on the frighteningly specific commands in his words.
She was mindful they were already playing their roles, and looked down at the huge array of foods that still sat on the table between them. Victor hadn’t touched any of them yet, so she peered at him for a few seconds before finally gathering the courage to speak.
“So, you mean like how there’s all this food here, and you know I must be starving because I’ve not eaten a thing since yesterday morning, but you’ve yet to offer me any?” Cassie asked, relishing his surprise at her clever assumptions.
“Perhaps. Tell me, what do you think I want before I will allow you to eat?” Victor stared at her lips, and Cassie knew without him asking. Swallowing her pride, she slid beneath the table and kneeled before him, unbuttoning Victor’s fly and pulling his erection free from his shorts. He had clearly been enjoying their interaction, as there was already a small bead on his thick tip, and despite her fear and hatred of the man, she immediately licked it clean.
Cassie licked, sucked, and nibbled his shaft, sliding her head up and down as she listened to his quiet groans from beneath the table. When he came, Victor grabbed the back of her head and pressed his tip into the very back of her throat, making her gag, but she didn’t fight. The muscles clenched around him, only spurring him on more. Only when he was finally spent did he let her go. Cassie climbed back up in her seat, panting and barely stifling her gags.
Victor pushed the plate with the wraps toward her as she smoothed down her ruffled hair. “Help yourself,” he said with a wide grin.
Chapter 23
They arrived in Mexico a few hours later, Victor having been a much gentler host for the rest of their journey. Cassie wondered if the change in him was thanks to her gratifying methods and much calmer demeanor. Despite her inner turmoil, she played her part well. Cassie smiled sweetly while Victor chatted, telling her stories about the life of a Latino gangster, and finally of his exploits from the last few days with Leo in a clear attempt to rile her. She couldn't let it show how much his talking of Leo that way bothered her, so paid extra attention to her food and drink as he spoke.
Cassie devoured as much as she could in the time they had, glad of the nourishment, and offered very little in the way of conversation herself. She really didn’t feel like partaking in idle chitchat, and hoped she might use the time to figure him out before they arrived. She’d learned a little more about Victor as a person, but less of his past. As they interacted, she watched his preferences with food, making a mental note of how he’d removed the onion from his wrap before eating it, and that he had chosen beef enchiladas over chicken. Cassie also noted he drank strong, black coffee without any sugar, before then moving on to tequila on the rocks. He never once asked what she might like to drink.
One of Victor’s henchmen brought over bottled water for Cassie when she refused more coffee. She appreciated the gesture, but only took a sip when Victor gave her the go-ahead. She hated that this was her life now, being his subordinate, his submissive. But she endeavored to stick it out for as long as she could. The hopes of being saved by Leo, or pursued by the police for Jonah’s beating, stayed firmly hidden in the farthest reaches of her mind.
The journey from the airport was quiet. Victor talked on the phone in Spanish, his hand on Cassie’s lower thigh the entire journey. He curled his fingers around the back of her knee, rubbing her through the skinny jeans, and laying claim to his new whore in front of the men who rode with them.
After a few hours their group reached what Cassie assumed must be the cartel’s massive complex. It was a compound filled with many different buildings around a huge, white mansion in the center. The setup reminded Cassie of a small town, rather than just one family’s home. She half expected to find a shop on site, and a post office, but knew it would more than likely just be a group of whorehouses and dorms for the Sanchez brothers’ employees to live and work under their bosses’ constant control.
The land around the complex was arid, the temperature stiflingly hot, and the air so dusty that Cassie’s mouth ran dry within seconds of being outside the cool, air-conditioned car. The huge man who had lifted her into the plane led Cassie inside with a strong hand on her elbow, leaving Victor to head off in search of his brother. They walked through the quiet house, the deafening silence making Cassie feel even more lost and alone after being so used to the noise of the city. Victor’s home rivaled Leo’s in size and lavish decoration, but also had the added benefit of the hot weather and its fully air-conditioned interior. Cassie tried to take it all in as they walked, but was hurried along by her guard before she could take time to appreciate her luxurious new prison.
The man took her inside the room and stayed, rather than leaving her like before, and Cassie immediately tensed up.
“Don’t worry, you’re safe with me. Mr. Sanchez has tasked me with being your personal bodyguard. I will never touch you, nor will I let any harm come to you,” the man said, blocking the doorway with his body, even though he had locked the door. “This is your bedroom. Through there is the bathroom, which leads through to Victor’s room. The door that joins the two stays locked at all times, only Victor has the key,” he added, pointing to a door on one side of the room.
“Oh, okay,” was all Cassie could reply. She took in the huge room and the locked windows, with their dainty lace curtains and awnings. It was all white and pink, not to her liking, but she could appreciate somewhere along the way that a woman had been allowed to try and make this room look pretty. She had a good look around the large space for a while, opened the door to the bathroom, and checked out the huge bath, waterfall style shower, and double basin sink. Back in her room, Cassie spotted another door and pulled it open. Inside she found hundreds of designer dresses with shoes and lingerie to match. They would easily rival those of any high-class socialite she had met back in New York.
“Nice, they for me?” she mumbled, closing the door, and he nodded. “So, what do I call you?” She figured she had better stay on good terms with this man if he was the only thing standing between her and any potential threats here. She still had no idea how many men and women lived in the complex, or whether she should be afraid of them.
“My name’s Joaquin Grayson,” he replied with a nod. He had the look of a Mexican, with his dark skin and hair, but his accent was flawless American English. Cassie guessed he might have lived in the States for a while, or perhaps he’d come here to work for Victor and Luis. She wondered if their henchmen were procured the same way as their girls, ultimatum or kidnap. “You can call me Grayson, or GG if you like. I liked it when you called me a gentle giant back on the plane,” Grayson added, smiling across at her, and Cassie felt her face flush, suddenly remembering her slurred words. She laughed, glad he was trying to put her at ease.
“Okay, I like it. GG it is.” She smiled at him as she sat down on the bed and stared out the window. “So, what do we do now?”
“We wait for Victor’s orders. That’s all we ever do, Miss Taylor. I suggest you get used to being at his beck and call from now on.” Grayson’s round face was stoic and completely lacking the smile he had shown her a few minutes before. He was back to business.
“Yeah, I suppose. I’ll have to get used to being a glorified whore,
sitting up in her room all day while awaiting her lover’s visits,” Cassie replied, forgetting her act for a moment, but he didn’t answer her anyway. She lay down on the bed, curling her body up into the fetal position as she let the events of the last day wash over her. She wouldn’t cry, but let her mind wander, hoping both Jonah and Leo had been found, and were already being cared for. She also thought about her friends, hoping to god Hanna was holding it together without her.
***
It was just a couple of hours later when a key turned in the lock of her door, and Grayson stepped toward it, watching the door intently. He quickly relaxed when Victor entered the room. He was white as a sheet, his features soft and almost pained. Cassie climbed up off the bed and walked slowly toward him. He didn’t seem to notice her at first, walking forward in a daze. When they were standing just inches apart, he suddenly grabbed Cassie’s face, and pulled her to him. He kissed her lips feverishly, and she kissed him back, knowing she had no other choice. Victor soon turned things up a notch and began grabbing at her, unbuttoning Cassie’s shirt, before finally taking his lips off hers and peering across at her with a cold, hard stare.
“Get on the bed,” he told her, cupping her breasts roughly, and she couldn't reply as his lips found hers again. When she could, she pulled back, eyeing him cautiously.
“No, Victor, not like this,” she pleaded, pushing him back, careful not to come across as dismissive. Cassie peered up into his eyes, attempting a tender, earnest look in her own. She sensed his anger, but pressed on. “Not like this, baby. You promised me, remember?”
Victor looked at her, seeming to snap back to reality, and his callous stare softened just a touch. His mouth opened as if he were going to respond, but he said nothing. Cassie kissed his lips gently, and took his hands in hers, noticing there was blood on them. He had it on his clothes and neck too. She knew he had done it, Victor had killed his brother, and he clearly wasn’t dealing with it very well.
“I’ll leave you to it. I’m outside if you need me,” Grayson said from behind them, taking his leave. Cassie didn’t respond. She kept hold of Victor’s hand, still staring up into his deep brown eyes.
“Let’s get you cleaned up, okay?” She walked him slowly toward the bathroom. Cassie ran the water and emptied his pockets, pulling the huge knife from his belt, but she left it in its sheath and kept her eyes on his as she placed it carefully beside one of the sink basins. She climbed inside the huge shower and pulled him in with her, both of them still fully clothed.
Cassie began delicately peeling off Victor’s clothing, dropping the soaking shirt and chinos to the floor, along with his boxer shorts. He soon stood before her, naked and silent, but his eyes were on hers. Cassie stepped closer, kissing his wet lips softly. They were almost the same height, which made it easier to remain close, no stepping up onto her tiptoes like with Leo.
She slipped off her own clothes and kicked the sodden pile aside, timidly stepping closer. She pressed her trembling body into his, feeling his response to her almost immediately. She continued in her pursuit of his tender touches, knowing she would take anything soft over his aggressive hands on her still fragile body.
Even in his softer moments Cassie was not attracted to Victor, but she closed her eyes and pictured Leo in her mind. She imagined his hands on her body, and the feel of him inside of her when they made love. Her body flushed and her core slickened thanks to the one thing Victor couldn't take away, her memories. His thick chest hair tickled her cheek as she hugged him, his body toned and slim, but nothing compared to Leo’s sculpted frame and bare chest. Everything about Victor seemed alien, and it took everything she had to take a mental step back from her real feelings. She immersed herself even more fully into her new role, and mentally gave her body to him, preparing for the physical ownership she knew would soon come.
After a few seconds of quiet, gentle embrace, Cassie took Victor’s hands and lathered them up. She cleaned away the blood before she slid her own soapy hands over his torso and neck. Victor groaned and leaned into her touch, seemingly enjoying their closeness, and she kept on. She washed him all over and cleaned away the remnants of this bittersweet day. When the blood was gone, and the water ran clear, Cassie kissed his palms. She played the doting lover as best she could, and readied herself for what was no doubt about to happen next.
“All clean, that’s better,” she whispered, kissing Victor’s lips and pulling his arms around her so he enveloped her again. Cassie leaned into his embrace for a second time, acting as though she enjoyed their closeness. They stood like that for a while, the hot waterfall cascading down over their heads, and Cassie closed her eyes, trying again to imagine it was Leo holding her.
When Victor’s hand slid around from behind Cassie toward her cleft, no matter how much fantasizing she did, it didn’t stop her from clamming up. She trembled as he stroked her folds, running his hands over her scars, before pushing two fingers inside.
“Relax, Cassie. I won’t hurt you. It’s time for your reward,” Victor whispered into her ear, evidently having come back to himself. He slid his fingers deep inside of her, his thumb rubbing on her clit, and she groaned. Cassie was surprised he felt so good, having expected it to feel so forced that she would not enjoy herself, but it wasn’t long until she came for him. Victor’s hard-on pressed into her hip as he strummed a little longer and watched her unravel. When Cassie had finished, and her body had stopped tensing around him, he finally withdrew, letting the water clean the juices from them both before he shut off the shower.
They grabbed two towels and dried off, Cassie wandering into her bedroom in the hopes of getting dressed, but Victor was clearly not finished with her yet. He yanked the towel away and grabbed her naked body from behind. His still rock-hard erection pressed into her, and he trailed kisses over her shoulder up to her neck. Cassie yelped when he bent her forward, her hands grabbing at the frame of the bed to hold her steady. Victor entered her from behind in one swift, hard thrust that made her cry out.
“Victor,” she groaned, trembling, but he just shushed her.
He was a slow, passionate lover, and Cassie was surprised he didn’t seem in any hurry to finish and be on his way. She assumed powerful men with countless whores around to service them day or night wouldn’t be interested in languid lovemaking. Victor was proving her wrong with every deep thrust. He glided effortlessly in and out of her, pressing his length into the tender spot that made Cassie gush for him, surprising herself again at her body’s responsiveness to his touch.
She followed his every lead, sliding forward onto the bed after a while and letting Victor push her legs closed as he continued conducting her pleasure. She cried out as an orgasm claimed her. When he flipped her over and kissed her lips gently, Cassie truly fell apart beneath his intense gaze and tender touch. As Victor came, he held her close, seemingly unable to pull away, but when he did, he stared down into her eyes as she trembled, watching her intently as though she were a piece of heaven sent down just for him.
***
“You really shouldn’t worry about your scars, I think it’s all in your head,” Victor said a little while later as they lay wrapped in each other’s arms in Cassie’s new bed. “I expected much worse following Tina’s explanation.”
Cassie wondered if perhaps Leo’s assistant had over exaggerated to try and put him off pursuing her, assuming he wouldn’t be interested in a mutilated lover. By then it was likely he already had his sights set on her, and Cassie got the impression nothing would’ve changed his mind.
“That’s good to hear, but it’ll still take me a while to feel comfortable with you. It’s just who I am, I can’t help it.”
“Many whores bear scars, Cassie. In fact, most of the ones I’ve been with have them. It comes with the territory.”
“I’m not a whore, Victor. My husband did it to me.” She flinched, wanting to glower at him and tell him off, but forced herself to keep calm. “As soon as someone touches me, I just freak out.
I know it’s in my mind, but I can’t forget the trauma. It takes everything I've got not to scream and run, but I’m much better than I used to be. I didn’t have any sexual contact at all for nearly two years after Jonah,” Cassie replied, tailing off.
“How many men have you been with?” Victor asked, his hand stroking her back as she lay with her head on his chest. He seemed to have ignored her ‘woe is me’ routine, and Cassie let him lead the conversation away.
“Three. Jonah, Leo, and now you,” Cassie replied, groaning when he began laughing at her.
“Wow, Leo was right. You’re older than all the other women in this compound, but they’ve had hundreds of men by the time they’re twenty years old. Most are single moms and drug addicts, not exactly what I’d call sexy,” Victor said, pulling Cassie’s face up so he could look at her. “Not you, though, even with your scars. You’re very tight and wet despite your age. I can see the appeal at last.”
“Gee, way to make me feel old. Thanks,” she retorted, and Victor laughed. He kissed her nose, the gentleness making her feel awkward. She felt far from ready for all this lovey dovey routine, but Victor seemed intent on being softer, and she knew it was preferable to the cold mobster routine he was no doubt very capable of.
“I think I wasn’t looking in the right place, or even the right country for a proper lover before. I’m glad you chose to come with me. Tell me you don’t regret it?”
“You’re a kind man, and a gentle lover, Victor. I don’t regret a thing” she replied, choosing her words carefully. While she didn’t regret saving Leo, there was no way she was ready to declare her love to Victor and forget about everything he had done to get her here.
“You’re the first woman I have ever made love to, Cassie. Keep this up and you’ll win my heart, English girl." He bestowed a kiss on her forehead. His tone was soft, so genuine. Cassie wondered if her dealing with his pain so lovingly after he’d killed his brother might have helped her gain the advantage. She hoped he would now see her as someone who helped soothe him, to chase away his pain and guilt, rather than blame her for being the one who caused it.