Outwardly, Philippe displayed his usual imperious and calm self, yet inside he was flip-flopping inside in anxiousness. He looked around wondering where Derrick was with Maxine trying to keep the worry from his face. Five twenties pressed into Derrick’s hand smoothly this afternoon was to assure that Maxine would be accompanied at all times. Philippe had also asked Derrick to keep his ears open for anything that would be important for Philippe to know.
Along with his worry about Maxine, he decided at the last minute before leaving the chamber to bring a small .22 he usually kept in his travel bag. It was licensed to him and he only had it for when he traveled out of Detroit. Amazingly, he never needed it when in the city even though Detroit was known as the murder capital of the world.
Tonight, after what Nicole revealed and how Devon had taken liberties to just enter his chamber uninvited, Philippe just had an unsafe feeling deep in his gut.
Philippe knew keeping Maxine in the room meant that he had upped her value and exclusiveness, but after last weekend, he didn’t want any harm to come to Maxine while he was not around. Now that he was going to buy her freedom, he was sure word had gotten around about his asking price for her, plus the fact that right before he returned to the chamber with Maxine for lunch, he had sent his father his resignation to the company knowing his father wouldn’t be able to reach him until Monday morning.
A message had been sent to the handler a half an hour ago to bring Maxine to him. Nicole had been returned a message to the chamber to let Philippe know they were running late, but Maxine would join them in the ballroom before dinner.
Pressing his hand against his chest, he could feel the small pistol he had decided to carry. Nicole’s information about Devon had bothered him and for some reason he thought he should carry something in case Devon decided he wanted to give them trouble when he and Maxine decided to leave for the night. There were just too many of “his people” around and too many handlers that were in Devon’s corner and enjoyed his cruelness.
If Devon had killed someone, Nicole was right, there could be no limit to his viciousness.
Philippe was approached several times by men. Some knew, some didn’t, but either way Philippe didn’t care that people knew his departure to the society. These contacts wouldn’t matter in his new life.
“So your son will be handling your operations now,” another master confirmed, Patterson, who was close to Philippe.
Patterson was a loud mouth, very to the point person. His business was struggling when Philippe started a relationship with him five years ago and now it was booming because of the changes Philippe had initiated and incorporated, plus the thirty percent ownership Patterson had to give to Philippe’s family business. It was one of the many successful business ventures, Philippe had accomplished for his family business with no regard for his own wealth.
“It was never mine to begin with, Patterson,” Philippe quipped. “It’s the family business.”
“Is my business in your family business still in good hands?”
“Pierre is fully capable of running the business and I assure you that you’re in excellent hands with my son,” Philippe said confidently. Just because the business wasn’t his to begin with he was not going to ruin Pierre’s chances of making a success of what his family had started from the late 1800s.
“Damn!” Patterson sneered lustfully, pushing business on the backburner, as all eyes went to the entrance. “That pussy must be delicious.”
Philippe wasn’t sure why Patterson would make this gross outburst until he followed Patterson’s gaze to the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen in his life.
After removing her blindfold, Derrick escorted her proudly in the ballroom and the crowd parted as she was led to Philippe.
Maxine obediently kept her eyes demurred only raising them once so she could see Philippe and only looking at him.
This was his. And he was the luckiest man alive. She looked so damn stunning that he wanted to take her right there on the dance floor.
That’s all he could think about as Derrick placed her hand in his. She smiled and then blushed seeming to read his lustful thoughts.
The adoring look in his eyes made the butterflies in her stomach increase and Maxine couldn’t believe, despite the discomfort Devon had given her this afternoon, this was about the best weekend she had ever experienced with any man. So many emotions had overwhelmed her about Philippe and she knew when this weekend was over that she would tell him that she loved him.
She didn’t need a promise or a business deal to want to be with him or make him happy. His will would be hers and she wanted nothing else but to be with Philippe.
She saw his eyes advert to a servant with a wine tray, but then he returned to her. Instantly she knew her master was thirsty.
“Philippe,” Devon called out.
Maxine stiffened, but Philippe held her hand tightly, moving her slightly behind him. The comfort of knowing Philippe was there with her calmed her nerves immensely and she knew she could not handle Devon or this room without Philippe being there.
“You’ve impressed us all,” Devon said, with open lust towards Maxine.
Maxine excused herself just as she saw a servant pass by real close and grabbed a wine glass off the tray to hand to Philippe. He looked grateful and gulped it down quickly with a wink to her.
Devon sucked his teeth full of jealousy. He snapped his fingers and Anna brought over a tray with three wine glasses.
To see her in a servitude position shocked Maxine because it didn’t seem right, but Anna looked so damn docile.
Maxine became immediately alert to danger from this observation.
There was a thicker leash around Anna’s neck, representative of Devon’s property. She had two black eyes, busted lip and bruises all over her arms. She didn’t make eye contact with Maxine, but one could tell she looked like she was in a great deal of pain.
“A toast,” Devon said, taking a glass off the tray and then urging Philippe to do so as well.
Not really caring what was in the wine glass and just taking the drink, Philippe played Devon’s game. The faster he dealt with this, the faster he could get Maxine out of there. Drinking down the toast completely, Devon shoved another full glass in his hand. Right after dousing down the second glass so he could hurry and leave, Philippe noted Devon had not even touched his glass.
“To Philippe!” Devon toasted to the crowd as he placed the last glass of wine in Philippe’s hands. “A man we’ve all envied; A man that we’ll never forget.”
Philippe drunk down that strange toast as well, but deep inside he was seething at Devon and his sadistic nature. All he wanted was to get Maxine to safety and in a place where he could just have her for himself, but this cold manipulative asshole was ruining that for him.
Despite his determination to stay out of this insanity, Philippe knew he would have to deal with the matter at hand: Getting rid of Devon.
In casual conversation, Devon noted, “My slave tells me yours was in class with her. Nicole also mentioned how beautifully yours danced just this afternoon.”
Possessively and wanting to punch the taste out of Devon’s mouth for even speaking about Maxine, Philippe questioned, “Why were you talking to Nicole about my slave?”
“Who isn’t talking about your slave, Philippe after that ridiculous high price you put to outbid her?” was Devon’s rebuttal. “Do you think we could see her dance, Philippe?”
Getting Maxine out of here was his only concern and the feeling of danger was sitting in his gut like dead weight ever since Maxine had walked through that door a few minutes ago. “Then we leave,” Philippe stated.
It wasn’t a request, but Devon still responded as if it had been. “Of course. Then you can leave.”
Philippe turned to Maxine. There didn’t need to be an exchange of words. She nodded with obedience knowing as long as he was there, everything would be fine.
Devon called everyone to order with an ordere
d pounding of the floor and then the lights dimmed as Maxine made her way to the middle of the ballroom.
There was a slow African Rumba and for a moment it didn’t look as if she was going to move, but then her body began to move with the music as if she controlled the beats with her hips and hands.
The entire room was mesmerized by her fluid movements and Philippe’s heart swelled with pride and his own body began to respond at her erotic movements.
This was more than what Nicole had taught her. Maxine had combined something else and her body held everyone’s attention. The lessons as a child and her love for Philippe fueled her movements.
Philippe began to blink because his vision felt fuzzy and he suddenly felt very sleepy, but couldn’t understand why. Minutes later, the room began to spin and he felt hot all over. As the tempo in the music increased, his heart rate did as well. He shook his head to push away the feeling of exhaustion.
He moved to the closest chair and sat down before his legs gave out.
Devon stepped over to him looking only slightly concerned. “Are you okay, Philippe? I wouldn’t want you to miss your slave pleasing you and now I see why she is so valuable.”
“She’s mine,” Philippe said possessively.
A wicked smile graced Devon’s lips and he said, “Not for long.”
Faster and faster the room spun until, his consciousness couldn’t take it. Soon he couldn’t stop his eyes closing.
Darkness over took him and he slumped forward in unconsciousness.
Maxine suddenly stopped dancing when she saw Philippe slump over at the table.
Chapter 37
Maxine had been consumed with the dance, but made sure she kept her eyes on Philippe no matter where she moved.
So when he stood up and teetered and then almost fell down back into his seat, she worried and that worry increased when she saw Devon moving over to Philippe’s side and whispering something into his ear.
When Maxine whirled around, that’s when she saw Philippe slump completely in the chair. His eyes were closed and his body was subdued.
Instantly she stopped dancing and started to run towards him, but a huge handler grabbed her around the waist, just as two more handlers went over to Philippe and drag him out of the chair midway point towards her with Devon following
The triumphant craze smirk on Devon’s sniveling lips made Maxine’s stomach turn and her heart feel like it was going to burst out of her chest.
The music had stopped as she screamed at the top of her lungs for Philippe.
“Calling your master by his name directly,” Devon said and tsked as he came to her. “That’s disobedience, slave.” He snapped his fingers and the doors to the banquet halls were closed. All the entrances seem to suddenly become guarded by large handlers that had been carefully placed in the room before so as not to seem dangerous, but now…
Now she knew there was no escape!
Derrick broke through the crowd and started to run toward Maxine, who was steadily trying to wrench away from her handler. A glimmer of hope filled her, but when he was inches from her to help her, another handler came up behind him and knocked Derrick over the back of the head with a glass pitch from a table.
His body fell at the handler’s feet who was holding her so tight she could barely move now.
The room seemed to fall quiet suddenly as everyone realized that there was no depth of evil willing to be ascertained in order to get what Devon wanted. A wave of lust and acquiesce seem to be felt all around her, but though she was bound and all hope seemed to be lost, Maxine wasn’t through fighting.
Still she had to wonder had all the other masters been brain fucked by Devon? Not all of them were like this? They couldn’t be?
Audaciously, she screamed at them, “What the hell is wrong with you?! This man is insane! Help Philippe! PLEASE!”
The handler who had hit Derrick over the head, knelt down by Derrick with a knife pressed to Derrick’s throat as Devon spoke.
“Keep fighting slave and I’ll slit his throat.”
She stilled her movements and quieted her mouth with tears running down her face as she looked at Philippe and Derrick who could not help her.
“Now that we have order, I think I should let everyone know why I’ve chosen you to punish publicly tonight.”
Protesting, Maxine said, “I’ve done nothing wrong.”
Devon backhanded her across the face for disobedience. “Liar!” he hissed.
Her lip trembled at the atrocities she could see he wanted for her. The blow had barely messed with her and for once she had to thank her hardship as a child to be able to withstand Devon’s rough treatment.
Since she wasn’t moving as much, the handler mistook her stillness for docility and allowed her feet to touch the ground so she could look forward to Devon’s lustful planned punishment. She met Devon’s beedy eyes boldly.
“This slave has been seen speaking to officers of the law and no doubt in total disobedience against our rules telling them about us,” Devon announced pointing accusingly at her.
The lights came down around the walls and seem to show only where she stood. This was all a farce! This was just an attempt to make everyone think she was the enemy.
“She’s violated her sacred oath to us and let others know of us.”
There were boos and hissings. Two handlers dragged Philippe down by Derrick. He was rousing from his drugged state and one of the handlers tied his hands behind his back.
“And her worse crime is she has turned one of our best members against us. Cursed him; got him to do her will,” Devon continued on his rant.
The other handler, who had help drag over Philippe, handed Devon a glass full of water and Maxine grinded her teeth. This had all been planned somehow and she was not going to let Devon get away with this.
“She MUST BE PUNISHED!” Devon yelled insanely.
The crowd around the darkness erupted into cheers.
Philippe mumbled something as he was coming to. The handler who had tied his hands was holding him securely.
Devon moved over to Philippe, who was struggling out of his drugged state and knelt down at him grabbing Philippe’s chin and pointing his face toward Maxine. “You should have sold her to me when I first asked, Philippe,” he said speaking low so only the handlers, Philippe and Maxine heard Devon. “Now she’s mine no matter what.”
Philippe must have been coming to enough to understand him, because he seemed to try to nudge Devon away, but it was a failed attempt and Devon only laughed wickedly.
Maxine felt the handler release her arms just enough for her to slide her hand down into the pocket where Derrick had slipped the cold metal object. She determined she was holding a switchblade with a knife about three inches long. She just prayed the blade was wicked and the tip was pointed when she decided to make her move.
The back doors to the banquet hall opened and two slaves rolled in a metal table similar to the one Maxine had been strapped down on the previous week.
Panic rose in her and she prayed someone could come and help her. Derrick was rousing from his state of unconsciousness, but no one seemed to see this but Maxine.
The table was pushed in front of the handler holding Maxine. She still played it cool, but inside her head, she determined she was not going back on the table like last week. Her hands rolled the cold metal in her palm Derrick had given her earlier and she knew she needed to make her move.
Devon came over to her and she shivered as he caressed her face. “I’m going to enjoy taking you again and this time, I’m going to fuck you raw, slave. After I finish, I’m going to make sure everyone has a turn until you’re begging me to slit your throat to end your pathetic life.”
She didn’t speak. Everything in her wanted to spit on his face, tell him to get his nasty clammy hands off of her, but she knew she needed to stall for time and get Devon to talking. Philippe was coming to and hopefully he could become conscious enough to help her or just enough to
be able to walk out of there so she wouldn’t have to cry to drag his big body, which she knew was going to be impossible.
Devon had to be behind the deaths of Lisa and the other girl. Maybe the first time was a mistake, but the second he cleaned up his act and made it look like it had nothing to do with the organization.
Bottom line: He was still a killer!
Derrick’s eyes fluttered opened and she prayed no one was paying attention to him, so he could get up and help her.
The handler held her tight by her arms so she couldn’t go anywhere as Devon grabbed the front of the dress and ripped the fabric. She was completely topless and feeling ashamed because she could feel every man’s lecherous eyes on her.
“I’ll never be yours,” Maxine sneered. “Is that why you killed others? Because they wouldn’t be yours either.”
Devon hit the other side of her cheek. This one was a little bit harder and for a moment she saw stars, but she recovered without him or the handler knowing. “Killing them was a necessity, but you…” He grabbed a chunk of her hair.
Her skull screamed in pain.
“”You! I’m going to enjoy watching the warm blood run out of your body,” Devon sneered.
Gripping the cold metal harder in her palm, she didn’t want to jump the gun and use it yet; Not until she was sure she could get away.
“Come here, Anna,” Devon ordered letting go of Maxine’s hair.
Two other handlers came over and pulled an ankle apart as Anna walked to her with a slow deliberateness like a snake. Her busted face still showed her triumph as if she had won. The woman was severely deluded by her imprisonment and by this man’s insanity.
Devon roughly grabbed Anna and kissed her passionately.
Anna returned the kiss as if this was her last.
“You gonna give’em a show, baby?” she asked breathlessly. “You gonna show her she ain’t shit.”
“Yes, baby,” Devon agreed. “You’re going to help.”
Anna only smiled ready and willing to do whatever Devon wanted her to do.
Dark Facade (Book Four) (Dark Facade Series) Page 7