The silence between the three was only broken by the sounds of the men’s shoes along the floors of the hall; each step echoing back steadily and in perfect time with the other. Maddy’s heart felt like it would tear through her skin, her throat closing, making it difficult for her to breathe. Her bare feet ached from the chill of the stones upon which she walked as it seeped past her skin into the delicate bones. Her neck hurt and felt locked, her body continued to tremble from fear of where she was being led. Desperately, her mind ran back to any memory that would help her escape the present. She thought about the fear she’d felt before her performance that night, about how silly that fear seemed in comparison to her current circumstances. She forced her thoughts to a place far from where she stood, to a time when she was safe within the confines of a sheltered life. Her uncle had raised her in a meager home after her parents died when she was young. Their home could have fit within the ballroom she’d just occupied, but it was warm, filled with love of each other and the love of music. She’d never understood wealth growing up, never knew the need of anything beyond the warmth of the home her uncle had provided her.
They stopped suddenly, causing Madeleine to bump against Aaron’s back before she could stop herself. Peeking up through her lashes, she watched as his eyes moved to hers; her fear returning in a dizzying wave when their gazes locked. Instantly she felt violated by his stare; his eyes seemed to penetrate the hidden depths within her.
Xander stepped around them, his hand grasping the handles to the large, rounded set of doors. He pushed down on the handles and against the doors, both opening to reveal another large room on the other side. Aaron turned his attention away from her, pulling her with him as he entered the room.
Her eyes were assaulted by the continued theme of decadence and luxury that permeated every corner of the space. The room would have been foreboding in the choice of dark, rich colors and dark wood furniture, if not for the lighter colored accent of silk throw pillows and the cloth spread along a large dining table. They entered into a living room area that was offset by the elegant dining area to the right. The living space was filled with plush leather couches, the leather stained to a deep red brown. Wing-backed accent chairs were set amongst the sofas. The walls of the living area were lined with floor to ceiling bookshelves with expensive, superb decorations perfectly placed among the large leather bound tomes.
Two sets of rounded, wooden doors set opposite one another on either side of the living space. This room, just as the last, was large with high ceilings that also curved into a dome. However, unlike the other room, the chandelier in this room was formed from dark iron, one large circle that hung heavily upon four chains, lights fashioned to mimic candles dotting along the circular frame. Unlike the splendor of the crystal from the other room, this chandelier held a far more mystical feel, masculine in its formation, casting shadow rather than light.
“Sit here.” Maddy was shoved down onto one of the large couches in the room. Instinctively, she folded over herself, the feel of leather against her skin reminding her of her nudity. She flinched when Aaron’s hand came down to move her hair away from her face. His gentle touch was striking in its contrast to the cold and unfeeling expression painted across his face; his eyes only momentarily widening at the mark left on her cheek. His tone was abnormally soft as he instructed, “Stay on this couch, Madeleine. The doors are locked, preventing your escape. You will only anger me if you attempt to move away from where I’ve placed you.” Like fur along her skin, his voice soothed her. Her brain raged against the comfort, finding it disconcerting, given the monster that must reside within his exquisite beauty.
He removed his hand from her, only to turn in the direction of the other man. “Xander, follow me.” Walking through one set of doors, the two men left her alone. She cowered in fear, trying to bury herself within the folds of the leather couch.
Chapter Five
Aaron watched as Xander closed the doors behind them. Once the large wooden doors were secured, Aaron’s eyes narrowed on his best friend and guard. “Did you take part in this?” Seething anger rolled off the carefully spoken words, Aaron’s inquiry carrying an underlying question of Xander’s loyalty.
“No.”
Aaron looked over his friend and saw nothing but honesty in Xander’s casual posture and in the calm manner of his response. “I wasn’t informed of her presence until she’d arrived to the compound. There was no time between my becoming aware and the event for me to tell you what your father had done.”
Every muscle in Aaron’s body clenched with the thought of his father’s gift. He’d known for years that the old man’s mind was slipping into a cavern of deeper depravity, but he’d never imagined he could sink to this depth. The capture and enslavement of an innocent woman; she had nothing to do with his family; she owed nothing to The Estate. The heavy blanket of guilt settled over his thoughts; Aaron knew this woman had been stripped from her life due to his interest in her.
His mind drifted to the small woman, currently cowered like a cornered mouse in his living room. “What are we to do with her, Xander? You heard what my father said; she is to be treated like a slave and nothing more. Has he lost his fucking mind?!” Aaron’s hand shot out beside him, violently knocking aside the papers and objects littered along his desk.
Xander winced at the sound of the breaking glass. His face remaining trained on Aaron’s, a fierce determination within him to calm the raging bull. “He lost his mind many years ago, Aaron, you know that.”
Fury, like a poisonous river, coursed through Aaron’s veins, splintering and fracturing within the capillaries of his skin. Fists clenched at his sides, he could feel the pins and needles from the blood loss to his hands. With steps, pulsing and heavy, he paced along the dark wooden floors of his office.
Xander’s voice broke through the pounding of blood within Aaron’s head. “He seeks to control you, Aaron; to tame you by forcing you into corruption. It is the same game you’ve played with him since the beginning.” Xander’s posture relaxed as he brought his hand up as if to inspect his fingernails. “I don’t understand how you can be so shocked.”
Aaron glared at his first guard for the flippancy of his statement. Yes, his father had grown madder with age; once keeping his crimes within the dealings of business, he’d eventually moved on to cruelties only possible for those who’d lost all sense of morality. Dipping into the shallow dealings of drug trades and prostitutes, murder and conspiracy, his father had kept his crimes limited to the lowest of society, to other criminals who knew beforehand what they were getting themselves into. But this girl? She did not belong in this world. She had done nothing to deserve this fate. The cobalt light of her eyes flashed within his mind, the gleam he’d seen as she’d spoken to him backstage. Even then, she appeared afraid, but nothing like in the ballroom, the gleam all but removed by the dark tint of fear within her wide-open eyes.
“I’m not shocked that my father has acted against me, yet again. His obsessive need to drag me to his level has grown old. He knows I will not reduce myself to garbage. I will not mess with innocent lives!” The walls shook from the strength of Aaron’s voice, he grimaced at the thought that, perhaps, the mouse could hear him through the walls.
Xander chuckled, further enraging Aaron. No other man could get away with Xander’s actions; but the two men had grown up together. Xander was Aaron’s friend before he became his guard.
“Well, what do you suggest we do with this new development? If you free her, we die. It’s the only reason we remain locked up in this hell hole … our lives are at stake.” Xander’s voice lowered on those last words, not wanting to vocalize the futility of their plight.
A lengthy pause before Aaron’s words rolled from his lips. “I will die. Your use of the word ‘we’ is erroneous.”
Their eyes met and each man’s posture straightened from the exchange. The silence between them was as palpable as was Xander’s loyalty to his friend. “You are mistaken,
Aaron … ” His words spoken smoothly, pointedly, “ … if not in this hell, then I will exist in the one that welcomes you upon death.”
Aaron turned, raising his hand to brush aside Xander’s words. “No need to rush the inevitable. For now, we’ll deal with this one.” Picking up a pewter letter opener from his desk, he pressed his finger to the pointed tip, calculating his next step. Silence fell heavy upon the two men before Aaron finally spoke again. “I won’t train her. That bastard looks to corrupt me, but I’ll have nothing to do with this game. We need to decide on another approach. I want nothing to do with that woman; not in this place.”
“If you feel nothing for her, why did you approach her backstage at the concert hall? Why not just accept what your father has given you, play along until we can ensure that more men are loyal to your side? We’ve been working toward ending that asshole! We can’t afford to screw it up over that woman.”
With unspoken threat, Aaron stepped forward toward Xander. His hands were again itching to strike out, to show Xander that under no terms would he defile Madeleine. Aaron was not a good man. He’d cheated in business, he’d killed when it was required, but never had he acted against an innocent person; and never had he taken a woman against her will.
“You can’t ignore her. She has been gifted to you as your slave. I’m sure you understand exactly what is entailed in the role of her Master. If your father suspects you’ve disobeyed his directive, I hate to think what consequences will follow; not only for you, but for the girl.”
Like the sharpest of blades, Xander’s words instantly sliced through Aaron’s resolve, reminding him that his decision would not only bring torment to his life, but to hers as well. Aaron loathed the choice he would have to make. Madeleine would need to learn the expected behaviors of a slave and the hierarchy of the Estate. She would endure ridicule and humiliation in her role, the injustice of being forced to act against her own will. Aaron wasn’t sure such a small, innocent thing could survive the role that even the most corrupt and sinful of women could barely tolerate.
“Fine.” One word, gritty against his throat, swelled closed from contained rage. “We’ll train her; but she will not endure the abuse of the other slaves.”
Xander’s expression betrayed his confusion and disbelief at Aaron’s words. “And how do you expect to pull that off? You know we are constantly watched. Your father’s men will never let even the slightest infraction slip … ”
“We’re not watched here.” Aaron’s rage finally overwhelming him, his tone was raised, yet cold; each word spoken slowly, effectively: “She’s safe within the confines of my apartment. There’s plenty of space.”
“But, he will want her displayed, Aaron. You cannot hide her away in here forever. He will want to see that his gift has been accepted … used … properly.”
Aaron stomped toward the doors, the weight of his feet sending tremors through the wooden floor. “This discussion is over for now. She will be trained, but do NOT violate her, Xander. You are a better man than that.” His hand slammed down upon the handle. A gust of wind blew against his face as the air objected to the movement of the large wooden doors. His eyes instantly sought her. She remained where he’d left her, balled tightly in the middle of the large sofa. Even if you weren’t looking for her, you still wouldn’t be able to miss her; the dark mahogany of her hair and the alabaster tone of her skin helping her contrast sharply against the rich, brown leather.
As Aaron passed, he noticed how her body would flinch with each approaching footstep, how her skin was prickled from the cold of the room. Cursing the situation, he turned to enter his bedrooms through the opposite set of doors. He walked the long corridor, finally bursting through the door at the end of the hall. His bedroom was another large, ornately decorated space; lavish fabrics and dark woods softened by the elegant touch of fine metals and plush carpeting. He only used the room for sleeping, spending much of his time outside of the large compound, or buried deep within business in his office. Marching toward the bureaus, he ripped open a drawer to grab a pair of sweat pants and a black t-shirt. The clothes would swallow her, but he couldn’t let her sit around pissing herself from the frigid air in the rooms.
The back of the bureau collided heavily with the wall as Aaron closed the drawer. Spinning on his heel, he noticed Xander standing quietly in the doorway to his room. “Who are the clothes for? Please tell me you’re feeling the need to dress more casually.”
“They’re for the girl.” Noting the disapproval in Xander’s expression, Aaron quickly added, “Has she eaten, or gone to the bathroom; hell … or been bathed?” Before Xander could respond, Aaron moved his hand dismissively to his own question. “The concert was last night, it hasn’t been twenty-four hours since the time they could have grabbed her.” His words came out a tired mumble, as if thinking aloud rather than attempting communication.
“She was bathed before the party. She … pissed herself when Marcus tried to pull her from the room.”
Aaron’s voice thundered at what Xander had just explained, “Marcus?! What the fuck was Marcus doing anywhere near her?! Is he the reason for the mark on her face?”
Xander let out a calming breath. “Yes. Marcus was placed on our team today. He’ll be removed and never allowed near her again for his inability to follow instruction.” Xander’s eyes looked directly into Aaron’s, his honesty and intent evident, but a touch of guilt darkened his gaze. “I requested that Marcus retrieve her; I didn’t consider that he would be violent in his task.”
Brushing past Xander, Aaron exited the room and walked briskly through the corridor, back out into the main room. He approached Maddy, but stopped short when her body began to visibly tremble at his close proximity.
“I’ve brought you some clothes.” His voice thundered through the room causing Maddy to whimper at the sound. Aaron’s head tilted as he stretched his neck, relaxing the taut muscles. Lowering his voice so that it was softer, he said, “They’re likely too big for you, but they will warm you up.”
Madeleine continued to quietly shake, Aaron’s patience waning with each passing second that she didn’t respond. He opened his mouth to command her, scare her into submission, but his compassion got the better of him in that moment. She was so small, so absolutely terrified that she was nearly catatonic. Xander entered the living room and Aaron walked past him, forcefully shoving the clothing into Xander’s hands. “Make sure she puts these on. See to her basic needs, but let her sleep after that. I’m in no mood for defiance tonight. We’ll start the training in the morning.” He began to walk away, but stopped abruptly, turning to quietly ask, “Has she spoken since she’s been here?”
Nodding in response, Xander’s eyes flicked to the huddled woman. “She spoke to me very little, but she spoke.”
One curt nod and Aaron moved toward his office, disappearing behind the large wooden doors before slamming them closed.
Xander moved slowly toward Maddy. His steps were soft against the floor, not wanting to startle her as he approached. In a soothing voice, he cooed, “Tsk, Tsk, little Cricket. That is not the way we treat our Master.”
Chapter Six
Madeleine had heard bits and pieces of the men arguing behind those large doors. The angry tone of Aaron’s words was terrifying, only punctuated by the high-pitched splinter of crashing glass, the heavy sound of the larger objects hitting the floor. Her muscles quivered and rippled in revolt of their constant constriction from fear.
Her mind was tired, flooded with chemicals, drowning in panic and dread. However, even as terrifying as the heated argument had been, it compared little to the moment he passed her by. Each step echoing, brushing against her senses, warning her of his approach. Adrenaline coursing through her veins, screaming for her to run even though she knew there was nowhere for her to go. Her mind, racing with ideas and images of what he would do next. She’d tightened into herself, pushing past the exhaustion of her body; but he’d kept walking … without a touch or a s
ound. When he’d walked through the opposite set of doors, she forced back a sob, finding that the waiting, the not knowing, was the most terrifying part of all.
“You’ll need to stand and get dressed, Cricket. There is no tolerance for disobedience where you are concerned.”
Cricket ….
That name he kept calling her, a false semblance of affection. It was the type of name you were given as a child: from a man to a girl; from a father to a daughter; from an uncle to a niece. It sickened her to hear the pet name, knowing full well this man held no affection for her at all.
Xander’s hand came down to brush against her face. Moving aside the clumped and knotted strands of her hair, he removed her from the only hiding place she had. He brought her back to the present, to the undeniable truth of the nightmare from which she couldn’t wake: staring squarely into the beautiful faces of the monsters that held her. Growing up, her uncle always warned her that evil hid itself within the most enticing of forms, drawing its victims in with a false sense of wonder … of hope. Madeleine now understood his warnings, wishing she’d never ventured out of their small, warm home, into the night that would grab her and never let her go.
“Stand, Cricket. NOW!” His voice shook her small frame. If not for her fear of being struck, she would have remained wrapped within the cocoon of her body. Forcing herself into an upright position, tears leaked from her eyes, small bits of heat sliding along her cheeks, turning cold before running along the crease of her lips. The salty taste seeped into her mouth; another reminder of her pain. Her muscles screamed in objection as she stretched out her small frame. Her arms instantly moved to cover her breasts, shame once again enveloping her thoughts. Xander remained quiet, allowing her the time to adjust, to come into compliance with his request.