Shaking her head, her eyes begged him to stop, to not take from her something she’d never offered. He smiled at her response. “I like pain, but you must understand, that I also like to return it to the giver. You can bite me as much as you please, but know that the sting of my teeth will follow.”
Madeleine shuddered at the venom in his words. There was no doubt that this soulless creature was made more beautiful in order to entice even the most virtuous of women. Pure mockery was his tone; conquest and spite, the meaning of his words.
“I’ll not fuck you now … ” A finger slowly slid along the crease of her silky slickened skin. “ … but I will have you — and when I do, you’ll be dripping wet, crawling towards me. You’ll be begging for me to take you.” Quickly, his hands reached up, ripping away the remaining material from her body. Once her pants and shirt had been removed, he moved to pick up the other clothes spread at the base of the bed. “Modesty was a gift I attempted to give you, but your behavior shows me you cannot be rewarded as of yet.” Moving to the door he cradled the pile of clothes in his arms, turned to look back at her naked form once more. “You’ve undoubtedly attracted some unwanted attention today, Madeleine. As a result, I’m expecting guests. I’ll leave you, naked and bound for their inspection, but I’ll not let them touch you … if you behave when they visit.” He allowed her a moment to let his words sink in before delivering the final threat. “If you misbehave, Mouse, I’ll leave them alone with you, to play with you as they see fit.”
He closed the door, but didn’t bother to lock it. His mouse was chained to the bed, locked into a position meant to seduce and satisfy the feral side of a man. The slick of blood on her skin coupled with the indignity of her nakedness and position would suffice to make any man believe Aaron was doing as he was told. Moving quickly to his room, he dumped the evidence of his kindness where they would not be found, before he walked back out into the living room, into the concerned glare of his friend.
Brushing aside Xander’s silent question, Aaron moved to the bar, picking up the scotch and filled his glass to the rim. He slammed back the strong bite of the liquor, replaced the glass on the surface of the bar and turned toward the man standing faithfully behind him. “She’s been prepared. There will be no question that I’ve succumbed to cruelty and lust.”
“Have you?” Xander took a few steps back, leaned casually against the wall as he scrutinized Aaron. “I heard her cries. Do I even want to know what caused them?”
Aaron’s lips turned up into a savage grin. “She’s been left dripping wet and displayed for any man that arrives. The smell of sex has been left as a fine sheen on her skin … ” He eyes glared back, daring Xander to protest his actions. “ … That is all you need to know.” As Aaron turned to walk toward his office, he heard Xander push himself upright, his footsteps following closely behind. Aaron turned back, met eyes with the raging blue orbs that glared back in his direction.
“I worry about you, Aaron. Do you slip as your father did? Have you lost yourself to the temptation of flesh that has been gifted by a madman?” Carefully spoken words, questions that could easily result in violence. Xander stood strong against Aaron, a beacon anchoring him to sanity, to remaining true to his task.
Aaron sighed, his shoulders dropping with defeat and regret. “I didn’t fuck her if that’s what you are wondering. I did enough to make it appear that I have, but she remains whole, untouched inside.”
Xander winced, instantly understanding what Aaron must have done. His eyes softened as pity coursed through his veins. Wishing to free Aaron of his guilt, he nodded his head, spoke lies intended to soothe. “It is understandable Aaron. Your mouse would forgive you if she knew how your actions are designed only to save her life. You had no other option.”
“And if they don’t come … if the maintenance crew somehow kept to themselves the sight of a clothed slave?”
Xander considered Aaron’s question, knew better than to believe that any person within The Estate could keep such a sight a secret. “They’ll come. How long have we lived here that you can possibly doubt that the rumor isn’t spreading like flames within the network? You did what you had to do.” A meaningful look occurred between the two men, prisoners, themselves, to a world of brutality and madness. “The regret you wear is enough to tell me you haven’t been lost, Aaron. He will not win in this game. We are too close to ending it.” Xander was resolute in his words, sure that they would pull enough men to their side, that, eventually, they could overpower even the most evil of the devil’s creatures.
“If they don’t, I’ll be nothing more than an animal. A man who took pleasure in a woman’s torment.” It was a confession; one he knew his lifelong friend would hear. Turning again, he took long strides toward the doors of his office, throwing them open, he walked to his desk, sat down the full weight of his guilt into the leather chair, picked up papers that would lead him to the next man that dared to steal from The Estate. His hands itched to take a life, the satisfaction of watching another traitorous creature go blank underneath the slice of his blade. It was a cruelty built from years of being the executioner for The Estate; the lethal force hidden behind the cloak of a suit and tie. He wondered if it was any different, the amount of lives he’d extinguished surely made him nothing more than a man who deserved to end up on the receiving end of that same blade. Before, he’d been able to soften the brutality, been able to mask it under the belief that those he killed deserved their fate. In a sense, he’d rid the world of thieves and murderers; he’d helped eradicate a filth that poisoned other innocent lives. But there was no such excuse for his actions against Madeleine. Only that he would save her from a more brutal form of rape, of the pain that would be inflicted on her by men with no morality left within their conscience.
Having become lost to his work, he didn’t hear when a knock sounded at the doors of his apartment. It was only when Xander moved to answer that Aaron looked up from his desk, gazing across his office and the room beyond to watch and see who stood on the other side of those large, wooden doors.
When Xander’s spine straightened and the muscles beneath his shirt tensed, Aaron understood who’d arrived. He pushed back from the desk, stood swiftly and moved to receive the visitors that darkened his door. Xander stepped aside, revealing Emory and Vincent standing in the hall.
“Come in. I’d like to say I’m surprised to see you, however I suspect you’ve been sent for a particular purpose.” Aaron stopped and stood in the center of his living room, watched as his father’s men moved into the interior of the apartment. Both men were large, their height and brawn matching that of Aaron and Xander. But their eyes held a different light, a deep-seated insanity that spoke of violence and decay.
The men stood, both with brown hair slicked back, revealing brown eyes so dark they mimicked the darkest of night. They could have been twins, had their facial features not been so drastically altered. The tan skin of Emory’s face was shadowed by stubble, the only break in the hair being a large scar that ran down the side of his cheek. Vincent also had the coloring of a person who’d spent hours in the sun, but his face was clean shaven, his cheekbones sharp points that made his face appear sunken and hollow. Silence hung heavy between the four men, the threat of violence scenting the air, creating a heaviness that seemingly absorbed the oxygen in the room, made it difficult to breathe. Emory spoke first, his voice grating against Aaron’s nerves.
“There’s a rumor circulating the house; one that’s peaked your father’s curiosity. The maintenance crew could swear they saw your slave beating against one of the windows of your quarters. They weren’t sure, Aaron, but they believe she was clothed as she attempted to gain their attention.” Emory moved forward, a slight curve to his mouth, the only indication of his amusement. “You must know better than to provide clothing to a slave.”
Aaron stood strong, his shoulder’s pulled back, his spine locked into place. “Of course. I’m sure it was only a reflection that they saw.
The slave is as she should be; she had a moment of insanity that has been curbed. It’s to be expected while she is being trained.”
Emory glanced back at Vincent, both men wearing expressions of ill intent. Vincent spoke next, thoroughly enjoying his next words. “We will need to see her, Aaron, so that we can report back to your father as to how she was found.”
Xander stepped forward, anger raging red across his face. Aaron held up a hand, reminding Xander to hold his temper. Stepping toward the doors of the corridor, Aaron spoke back to the men from over his shoulder. “Then come take your look. But in the future, I do not appreciate being disturbed while in my quarters. I’ve been given a week, I’ll use it without interruption after this visit.” His words a razor edged warning, Aaron led the men to Maddy’s room, cursed under his breath about what he must do. Opening the door, he stepped into the room, held the raging blue of Maddy’s eyes as the three other men entered behind him. Her skin blushed red when she noticed his guests, her arms and legs uselessly pulling at the chains keeping her bound and displayed.
Turning to the men, Aaron motioned to the naked woman. “As you can see, she wears no clothes. She’s been used to my satisfaction. You can report back to my father that there is no need for concern.” Shifting back to the door, Emory stepped close to Maddy, moved as if to touch her when Aaron quickly moved to block her from Emory’s hand.
His words dripping with menace, he spoke a reminder. “Is it your hand you wish to lose today? You heard my father, it was you that he requested spread the word of his directive.” Emory’s dark eyes met Aaron’s as he pulled back from his attempt. Through clenched teeth, Aaron continued. “Do not think you stand in his place just yet, Emory. He has not been so completely lost that he’s placed you on his throne.”
Emory smiled, a veiled threat hidden behind the face of a man not unknown to violence and death. “Then you will touch her for me. Give us something to take back to your father, so that he can feel satisfied to know that you are well aware of how to appreciate his gift.”
Maddy tensed at Emory’s words, looked to Aaron with eyes filled with panic and disgust. Letting out a slow breath Aaron turned to glance at his mouse, his eyes begging her to understand that, in this moment, she must behave appropriately. Blinking once, Aaron moved to demonstrate his dominance over the small creature that lay helpless before him.
Chapter Twelve
Maddy’s breath caught as Aaron moved closer to her, saw something in his eyes that she thought she’d mistaken for remorse. He slowly reached toward her, rubbed the tips of his fingers along her legs as he held her stare. Leaning down he brought his mouth to her ear, whispering so that only she would hear the words he spoke. “Behave for me, Mouse, and I’ll keep the wolves behind me from touching you. Struggle against me, and I’ll have no choice but to leave you to their mercy.”
Raising his head slightly, she could feel the warmth of his breath brushing down across her cheek. His lips, so close to hers, she wondered if it was his intent to kiss her like a man would a lover. Such an invasion would be an insult, but then again, every touch, every brush of his fingers against her skin had been taken against her will; the ultimate insult being her continued display to the multiple men in the room. Her eyes moved to look over his shoulder, to the two men with whom she’d not yet had contact. One man, the one with a jagged, wide scar that ran from his ear, down his cheek, to the tip of his chin … his was the face of a monster. His cruelty was openly displayed in the violent black of his eyes and the threatening leer on his face, the wicked curl to his mouth. Her eyes went to the second man, his expression no different than the first. She shivered at the sight of the men, knew that they would be more cruel than the ones who’d held her until this point. Looking back into Aaron’s eyes, she saw a small glimmer in the deep shades of green, a plea that she wouldn’t have noticed if her fear hadn’t been mirrored back in his gaze. He was nervous, afraid of some unknown threat; one that Maddy felt must have something to do with their newfound audience.
Aaron’s eyes never left hers as his hands traveled back down her body, along the length of her torso, winding it’s way back to the apex of her thighs. Standing up straighter, Aaron kept his gaze locked to hers; his eyes, the color of a forest blanketed in the shadow of a violent storm. They were so green, set against the thick black of his lashes, the sun-kissed tan of his skin. His finger found the same spot as before and he started moving it against her, causing her breath to hitch, her body to tremble. His eyes were still and resolute on hers, never moving even when he finally opened his mouth to speak again.
“Show me how much you want me, slave. Thank your Master for granting you pleasure before his own.” The bitter film of disgust covered her tongue, she bit down to stifle the embarrassment and anger building up inside her. But he still worked at the bundle of nerves, her body’s natural reaction a thing so far outside her control, that it slickened even in her repulsion. His other hand came to her breast, his fingertips trailing along the side of it, the chills causing it to peak on its own. She swelled under his touch, kept her eyes trained on his, tried to forget the more frightening men that stood behind him. A now familiar fire began to simmer within her, a tingle along her skin and deep within her body at the same time. Her breathing grew impossibly faster, her eyes daring to break his gaze to roll back in response to what his hands were doing to her body. His fingers pinched down on the sensitive skin of her breast, a sudden flash of pain shooting through her, causing her to cry out from the sensation. Opening her eyes she found mock rage burning behind his, he pinched her again, this time hard enough to induce tears from her eyes.
Aaron’s next words sounded like both a command and a plea at the same time, “I told you to thank your Master, slave. Do so, now.” His voice was saturated in anger while his eyes begged her to respond. He was worried. Only she could tell, the other men at his back not able to see the expression on his face. She opened her mouth, not understanding why she felt compelled to respond.
“Thank you.” Her lips cracked from her breath brushing across them. Her voice, so low, that she wasn’t sure he had heard her speak.
Silence as they stared at one another, relief seeming to flood his body, his eyes lit for a split second by her compliance. His brow furrowed again and he bit out another command so condescendingly, that she imagined she’d been hallucinating to think he could have, for a second, been concerned for her. “Say ‘thank you, Master.’ Another pinch to the side of her breast, the sensitive flesh shooting out sparks of radiating pain. The men behind Aaron laughed, took pleasure in the violence and insult used against her.
One tear finally fell down her cheek. Biting back her instinct to rebel, she decided to play along, somehow understanding that she faced far worse torment if she refused to obey. Her lips ached as she spoke, her voice cracking from the unending friction of his hand against her sensitized flesh.
“Thank you … Master.” Breathy and shallow, her voice caused Aaron’s breathing to become irregular. He felt sickened by the erotic rub of her words against his skin, the odd satisfaction he felt when he should have been enraged. He was the worst kind of bastard, his pants tightening in response to her forced submission. When her eyes began to roll back again, he quickened his movements, added more pressure against her swollen skin. Her lips parted, her head fell back. He felt her muscles quiver against the tips of his fingers as he slid one down to rest atop the opening of her core. The sound of her moans excited him; having become so lost in the expression on her face, he’d forgotten about the men standing behind him. Wrenching himself back to the situation, he brought himself under control, straightened his shoulders and settled a mask of indifference back on his face.
When she stilled and had seemingly recovered from the violent quakes tearing through her body, Aaron pulled his hand up, trailing her own moisture up along her stomach, between her breasts, stopping at the base of her neck. She looked up into his eyes, an odd emotion racing across his face before being
replaced with a distant and emotionless expression.
Aaron cleared his throat, lifted his hand to tap a single finger against her lips. “Good girl.” He turned suddenly and took a few steps in the direction of the other men in the room. Indicating the door with his hand, he stood blocking Madeleine from their eyes. After several moments, she heard footsteps as the men left the room. Her eyes followed Aaron as he moved to the door, glancing back at her one more time, before stepping out into the hallway.
Shutting the door, Aaron followed the men as they moved into the living room. Once freed from the confined space of the hall, he watched as Xander broke off from the group, immediately moving to open the front doors in invitation for Emory and Vincent to leave. His father’s men began to step through the door when Emory stopped, turned back to look at Aaron.
“I find it interesting that you chose to get the bitch off instead of taking your fill of her and tossing her aside. Perhaps your father never taught you what he meant about how to use the whore.”
Aaron attempted to stifle a grin, but its force was so strong that one side of his mouth curved up as the grin broke free. “I’m flattered you were hoping for an opportunity to stare at the movement of my bare ass, but unlike some … ” His eyebrow arched to indicate the man to whom he was speaking. “ … I don’t display my cock in public. I prefer a much more, private, location.” A humorless laugh escaped him. “Now scurry on back to my father. Perhaps he can give you more lessons on what it means to use a whore.”