Dark Facade (Book Four) (Dark Facade Series)

by Hubbard, Sylvia

Maxine sent an email to this woman asking if she would have access the full story. Of course she didn’t expect an immediate response, but for some reason knowing this seemed very important and expressed urgency about the matter.

  Checking the clock, Maxine saw she still had time to get to where she was supposed to go and decided to contact the police and leave a message for Sheriff Heart to see if he could find out any information on citizens, who had received a medal of honor.

  Time grew close and she wasted no time in getting to where she was supposed to go. The same ritual as before was followed to get to the private club and she didn’t speak as usual, following instructions to the letter. Once they were inside, their key numbers were read off and she was ordered along with five other key numbers to follow the voice by putting her hand on the shoulder of the woman to her right. When they were inside of a room, Nicole’s voice ordered them to take off their blindfold.

  Beside Maxine stood Anna, Rhea and Carla. They looked just as perplexed as she did, but they did not say a word.

  “When I call off your key, please come and get your envelopes. You are to pick what you can afford from your envelopes and then you will be taken to where you are supposed to go for the night,” Nicole said, glancing at Maxine with concern.

  Maxine watched as Anna and Carla was called first and envelopes were given to them filled with money. Anna counted hers very loud wanting everyone to hear and even had the nerve to happily giggle her amount out.

  “Two thousand!”

  Carla just looked composed, but it looked as if she had gotten the same amount by the thickness of the envelope.

  Rhea’s key number was called next and a very thin envelope handed to her. Just like Carla she remained composed, but gave Maxine a pitiful, ‘I don’t want to be here look.’

  Maxine was called last and she took the envelope that Nicole handed to her. That concern look was in the older woman’s eyes, but Maxine looked away first not wanting to engage in any conversation with so many in the room.

  Clapping her hands, Nicole called the women to order sharply as Lanna entered the room with two racks of clothing. Depending on what amount of money they held, the women would have to afford their clothing, hair and makeup to be done.

  Rhea looked longingly at a simple black dress and then at her thin envelope.

  “I’ll give you a moment to look through everything,” Nicole said and left, leaving Lanna to stand near to assist anyone if need be.

  “I don’t know why she left this stupid girl in here,” Anna sneered.

  “She’s not deaf,” Carla snapped. “She can hear you. She can hear everything.”

  “You shut up, because you’re just jealous because your master bought me.”

  “You belong to Devon now?” Maxine asked disgusted.

  “Don’t be jealous,” Anna said proudly. “He purchased me this afternoon and none too soon because my last master was cheap and disgusting. Isn’t he, Rhea?”

  Rhea pretended to look through the clothes avoiding all eye contact looking her way.

  Maxine thought to get her inquiry over before Nicole returned. Casually looking through the clothes, but not really paying any attention to what she was perusing, she asked, "Has any slave ever been killed? Or died because of the treatment here?"

  No one answered her, but Carla avoided eye contact severely when Maxine looked her way.

  "You know something?” Maxine asked.

  "I heard something," Carla admitted.

  "Shut up," Anna snapped. "Gossip isn't allowed."

  Carla looked angry at Anna. "You've been here long enough to know it's not gossip."

  Anna went over to Carla and backhanded her across the cheek. "Shut your filthy mouth, dike."

  Carla gripped her face as Maxine went over to get between them.

  "You aren't allowed to hit her," Maxine pointed out sharply. "Keep your hands to yourself."

  "Or what?" Anna challenged contemptuously, bawling her first up as if she was about to also strike Maxine.

  Bravely, Maxine stood her ground looking dead into Anna's soulless brown eyes.

  Anna must've realized Maxine was going to give her a real fight and backed down. "That stupid bitch shouldn't be talking when Nicole's not here."

  "Practice what you preach," Maxine shot back just as nastily. "You've been running your mouth since Nicole left."

  Anna moved away from them and barked something at Lanna.

  Carla looked guilty and pulled Maxine closer to whisper. "You mustn't tell, but there have been disappearances or unexplained deaths. There's chambers here some don't know of. Chambers we never speak of."

  A tight feeling in Maxine's stomach jumped in. "Like the pain room?"

  A look of fear filled Carla's warm brown eyes. "There are worse rooms than that and they didn't come until Devon." She pressed something in Maxine's hands. "Keep it for me, okay? I trust you." She moved away to pretend to become engrossed in looking for a dress and Maxine looked down at her hand to see it was simple key, but not for something inside of the chamber.

  After putting the key in her robe, Maxine went over to Rhea and whispered, “How much do you have?”

  “Barely enough to get anything,” Rhea said disappointedly. “It hurts, but Anna's right. My master is cheap, but he’ll hurt me if I don’t look nice.”

  She hadn’t even cared what was in her envelope, but Maxine still offered, “I could give you something.”

  Terrified, Rhea said, “He’ll know and he’ll think I got it from another man.”

  Thinking fast, Maxine went over to Lanna and whispered, “Do you know if my master has plans for entertaining tonight?”

  Lanna smiled secretly and shrugged.

  Pressing a twenty in Lanna’s hand, she asked, “Can I see my handler?”

  Lanna took out a pager and punched something in. A few minutes later, Derrick appeared at the door.

  Maxine quietly asked him, “Does my master plan on entertaining with others tonight?”

  “It depends on what you mean by others. He has plans for tonight. Why?”

  “Just answer the question or should I call him myself.”

  “You want to speak to him? He’s right outside the door speaking to Nicole.”

  Her stomach flipped in nervousness and the others in the room looked at her because Derrick was not keeping his voice down enough to keep their conversation private. “N-No,” she said holding her arms around her waist because now her stomach was doing triple flips. “Can’t you just ask? W-Wouldn’t I be disobedient?”

  Derrick winked amused. “I’ll see.”

  She was about to yell for him to stop, but knew it would look ridiculous as he walked out the room.

  “Why’d you do that?” Rhea asked incredulously. “Are you begging for a beating?”

  “No,” Maxine said worriedly, knowing that Philippe had every right to come in there and beat her for her questions and demands in front of everyone. She was a slave and had no right to ask questions of his plans for the evening, but to spend money if she was not going to go out would be a waste.

  Even Lanna looked worriedly at her.

  “Keep displeasing him and he’ll trade you for me,” Anna said cockily.

  Before Maxine could respond to that, Derrick came back in the room.

  “He says you will be alone with him and a guest tonight, but you need to hurry.”

  This was odd, but Maxine only nodded and relaxed a little.

  “Put your hand out,” Derrick ordered.

  She did and shrieked as Derrick slapped the back of her hand as if she were a disobedient child. “What was that for?” she demanded, hugging her wrist to her chest protectively.

  “He said to give you that for asking.”

  Maxine wanted to laugh and cry because she knew Philippe could have done worse, but was only doing something for her misbehavior in public. Going to Lanna, she pressed some money in her hand. “This is for me and Rhea, but don’t let her know. I just want s
omething light.”

  Lanna nodded and smiled at the extra tip.

  Nicole returned and hurried each woman in her selection. Afterwards, Derrick ordered Rhea, Carla and Anna to put on their blindfolds so he could take them to where they could use the community rooms to change, leaving Maxine alone completely with Nicole.

  There was a private bathroom on the side of the room which Nicole ordered Maxine to bath and freshen herself for tonight.

  "Why aren't I going back to my chambers? Or the community rooms?" Maxine asked worriedly. She was so on edge being here and her apprehensions were showing.

  Stiffly, Nicole said, "Your master came down and personally informed me that plans were changed from the regular society itinerary."

  "So I should feel honored?" Maxine asked guiltily, yet in the pit of her stomach she screamed to demand to give her all the answers to all of her questions.

  "You should feel that you must be special," Nicole said disappointedly. “Do you even care about what you do to him?”

  “Do you?” Maxine retorted. “You know what these men do to women and you do nothing.”

  “I do my best to look out for the women’s interest.”

  ”If your pockets are lined correctly.”

  “My pockets have nothing to do with my concern.”

  “Oh really? So you know about some women coming up missing and you just ignore it huh?”

  “I don’t know what you mean?”

  She couldn’t tell if Nicole was lying or not, but she knew she didn’t have enough to really be talking about this matter. “Whether you know or not, Nicole, something’s not right about things around here and maybe you need to get out of La La Land and see with your eyes wide open what’s going on.”

  “I do my best-“

  Maxine cut her off. “Really Nicole? Do you really do your best to protect these women? Or are you blind on purpose because you really don’t want to see what’s going on.”

  Nicole looked remorseful. “Since Devon took over, it’s been difficult. Really difficult. He even hired a new Lisa, which I don’t have any power to speak to.”

  “A new Lisa?”

  “That’s who we call the woman who goes around recruits for us. You met her.”

  Maxine knew her cover would be blown if she said another word, so she nodded and went to the bathroom to do as she was told wondering the whole time what was going to happen to her. When she came out, the room had been semi cleared except a hair and makeup mobile standing in the corner by a large mirror, where Nicole was standing and beckoning Maxine to come over.

  “You’re right,” Nicole said. “I haven’t been paying attention to the girls worried about Devon and what he might do to me. I’ll look into anything suspicious,” she promised. “And I’ve been angry at you because I do worry about your master. I’ve always cared about him deeply since he was young and forced to come here by his father. He’s different since meeting you. You’ve changed him. I hope tonight you try to make things easier for him. He could give you what want, if you really want it.”

  Sitting in the chair, Maxine allowed Nicole to help with her hair and makeup for the night. Nicole kept everything soft and light just the way Maxine liked it. The dress that Maxine had chosen didn’t need to be altered. Maxine made sure she put the key Carla had given her in her new dress without Nicole seeing her.

  “You’re to have special instruction today, but in no way are you to discuss our organization with your instructor or any of our ways. Do you understand?” Nicole said once they were done. "Your master paid a fortune to give you this opportunity."

  Maxine didn’t understand, but she nodded just the same.

  “You’ll be carefully monitored the whole time you’re alone with her and until you are returned to your master’s presence," Nicole warned. "Obedience is a must.”

  Again Maxine nodded as if she understood.

  Nicole continued, “You will work hard to learn all instructions from the instructor. Afterwards you and your instructor will be taken to your chamber with your master.”

  Confused, Maxine frowned while the doors opened and a tall slender sultry blonde woman who was blinded folded and guided in by Derrick, but she was smiling pleasantly.

  Nicole snapped her fingers and Derick left the room while she went over to the blonde woman. When the blindfold was taken out off her, she was still relatively calm.

  “Your student,” Nicole said pointing at Maxine.

  The woman turned Maxine’s way and accessed her from head to toe. Immediately, Maxine felt like she was a preschooler in the presence of a woman that beamed sexual confidence.

  What kind of instruction was she going to teach Maxine? And why didn’t it feel like this woman was a part of the organization?

  Chapter 31

  Nicole left them alone and Maxine took in the woman’s dress; An elegant after five dress that could easily be peeled away. She was slightly taller, with powerful lean legs. The woman’s blonde straight locks were drawn into a loose ponytail. A few minutes after Nicole had departed from the room; Derrick brought in a case and a large full-length mirror and set it up in front of the other mirror so Maxine could see the back and the front of herself. Afterwards he left as well.

  Maxine had a million questions in her eyes, but she didn’t know if she would be punished if she asked any.

  “My name is Missy,” the white woman said.

  “Maxine.” Why she gave the woman her name she didn’t know, but it felt hard to lie to this woman. Her deep eyes seemed to look straight through Maxine’s soul, but the woman didn’t seem cruel. Matter of fact, Maxine felt warm all over from this woman’s soft but open gaze.

  The woman looked surprised as her cocoa eyes widened in shock. “You’re black!” she said astonished.

  “Last time I checked.”

  Missy blushed. “I heard about you, but I didn’t know.” Smiling honored, she said, “When he was speaking about you, I really had no idea and I was a little jealous, but now that I see you… Excuse my rudeness. Sometimes I can’t help my mouth.” Moving closer to Maxine, she raised her hand up to touch Maxine’s neck, but then stopped herself. “May I?”

  Curiosity was killing her to know what Missy wanted to do, but Maxine nodded letting her touch her.

  Missy’s warm hand caressed Maxine’s ears and neck before moving to her collarbone and part of her chest as if the color on her skin would wipe off, but not hard enough to be annoying. It was a strange seductive caress and Maxine forced herself to relax.

  Missy’s look was of honored fascination. “Do you understand why I am here?” Missy asked.

  “No,” Maxine said. “They didn’t tell me anything. Only that you’re here for instruction.”

  The woman moved over to the case Derrick had brought in and carefully opened it up to reveal various sexual objects and ornaments that had Maxine blushing from ear to ear. She had been to some toy parties thrown by co-workers prodded by Lisa, but never deigned to touch any of those items.

  “W-Why are you showing me this?” Maxine asked, trying not to sound innocent.

  “If you are going to please a man, you need to be free of your own sexual inhibitions.” Missy’s face was dead serious. “I need you to be open minded, Maxine. I’m here to help you.”

  “Help me?” Maxine questioned. “Why?”

  “Because Philippe wants pleasure and he asked me to teach you my special talents.”

  “Your talents? You're a professional instructor?”

  Missy smiled mischievously. “I'm hired to make men feel good. Philippe has always been a man I am willing to do anything for and when he asked and spoke so endearingly of you, I knew I had to get a chance to meet and teach the woman who finally captured his heart."

  Maxine couldn’t believe her ears. Philippe played hard to get with a woman as beautiful as Missy? Shrugging indifferently, Maxine asked, "What does this matter? The things you want to teach me?”

  Missy moved disarmingly close to Max
ine. “Whether you know it or not, Maxine, you are a powerful force to be reckoned with.” Pushing a cowlick from Maxine's face, Missy caressed Maxine's soft brown cheek. "Sexuality is a gift given to all woman and those that master its power can master the world. I would like you to be the master over Philippe."

  If the people outside the door heard Missy speak that way, the woman would have been kicked out immediately.

  Yet, Maxine was still apprehensive over Missy’s intention. “You've been with Philippe, recently?” It was hard to keep the jealousy out of her voice.

  “We have been acquainted sexually before you came into his life and he is a very overpowering lover. Recently, we were together.” Her features drew together clearly showing disappointment. “But he wasn’t his old self and that’s when I knew he had someone in his life.” She took a deep breath and her features calmed. “I’m not afraid to admit to you, Maxine, in my own way I’ve fallen in love with him, but I know I can’t make him happy like you could. If I cannot make him happy, I am happy seeing him be happy with someone else." Missy said this as if that answer was the simplest explanation. “You mean a lot to him and that means a lot to me knowing he has put himself out there for a woman when I thought Philippe would never become close to anyone."

  Maxine thought this woman was crazy. She was just a woman and would be nothing more to Philippe Darkore. Knowing Philippe had been intimate recently with Missy made Maxine’s chest lurch, but Missy’s words had further confused her. Philippe in love with her? Philippe wanted to be with her more than he wanted to be with Missy?

  “You don’t believe me, do you?” Missy said reading her mind, gently tugging Maxine over to the full length mirror and stood behind her, while her hands moved down over Maxine’s dress lightly caressing her breast, stomach and then over her groin, making the hairs pulse on Maxine’s skin. “How does it feel when he touches you there?”

  Just thinking about Philippe’s touch brought excitement to surge through her blood. “Good,” she admitted.

  “Good? Oh come now, Maxine. I am looking at you and I see just the thought of his touch does more than good.” Missy caressed Maxine’s neck, while her other hand circled her waist. “Your breath has quickened and your skin is glowing. His touch does more than good to you, doesn’t it?”