Little Doll (18 page)

The man I looked desperately to
shot daggers at Juan who was evidently taking joy in the tragedy playing out. Aiden remained quiet, his chest rising and falling heavily, his silence ploughing through me like a demolition ball. He didn’t need to say anything; I knew now he had been behind Ethan’s death.

A montage of images
played in my mind of all I had learned of Aiden since being here. He was in charge of security, a trained killer. He had disappeared for two days without divulging any information to me. During those two days, Ethan was killed. Aiden told me things were happening beyond my comprehension, that I should trust him because he had my best interests at heart. I had let him be intimate with me, to touch me and be inside me. I had been betrayed, and, worst of all, he knew all along that given the chance, he would kill Ethan.

My heart
shattered. My legs crumpling beneath me. I hit the carpeted floor heavily on my knees, my head in my hands as endless tears spilled from my eyes. I sobbed hard, not caring about those in front of me witnessing my breakdown.

Hector’s cutting tone
interrupted my cries.

“Get up,”
he demanded.

I looked at
his angry face, but I couldn’t move.

“I said get up,”
he ordered again. “Stand up on your feet, you stupid girl.”

My body was limp, lacking all strength.
I didn’t move.

What
I needed was a moment’s peace to mourn for my darling brother. I needed time to say my farewells because I was robbed of the chance to see his face again. I needed to stop the awful pain that felt like a crushing weight on my heart. I needed to breathe. What I so desperately needed didn’t matter in this place.

My chest grew tight
.

Just
breathe.

“Is she fucking deaf?” Hector turned his head slightly toward Aiden and Juan, his incredulous tone making up for the slow motion I was experiencing. I didn’t hear any replies
, but I could vaguely make out Aiden’s face. He mouthed something to me, but that too appeared to be in nauseating slow motion.

I hated him!

Hector moved across the space, bending down as he got closer. Through the blur I saw his scornful face studying mine, then felt the pain, both in my heart and my face.

My left cheek stung, a dull throb finding its way through my whole jaw. T
he metallic taste of blood tainted my mouth. I was still on my knees, but my face and arms now lay haphazardly on the carpet. Hector had backhanded me with full fury, the unexpected brutality of it waking me somewhat from my stupor.

I could feel his breath on my sodden cheek. He was bent over me
, whispering so the others in the room couldn’t hear the vehement warning.

“Stand the fuck up
this instant before I slit your throat.” 

With my face still on the
floor, I blinked furiously to clear my cloudy vision until the right side of the lounge room gradually came into view. My weakened body required some effort when trying to stand, my muscles having turned to liquefied jelly. Placing my hands on the carpet in front of me for balance, I stood on wobbly legs. I watched somewhat entranced as the tears fell down my cheeks, staining the carpet at my feet.

“Your insolence is intolerable
!” Hector barked. “If I didn’t need you alive to pay for your stupid brother's theft from me, I wouldn’t hesitate to put a bullet through your head along with his.”

I met his eyes and the challenge.

“Go to hell.”

“
I do not expect to be there before you, that much I can promise," he snorted in derision. "Perhaps in your new home, you will understand your insubordination carries consequences that may just remind you of a hell on earth. And while we are on that path, your new master has expressed his desire to obtain your affections in trade for his lost others who have all but vanished. Therefore, I have agreed to his request. If you want to wish anyone into damnation it should be your brother, for clearly lacking the heart to save his only sister from a life of servitude.”

That stung.

Deeply!

Like a fucking crater sized wound.

I wanted to believe Ethan would never have allowed this happen if he knew I was here. He would have found a way for us both to be safe again.

“
How can you live with yourself? You can’t trade women like they are cattle,” I seethed.

His
hateful, cruel laugh grated my already inflamed nerves. Hector would never stop trying to intimidate me and I only wished he weren’t so good at it.

“I
. Can. Do. Whatever. I. So. Please,” he enunciated every word to its full effect and then paused to gauge my reaction. I didn’t grace him with any.

“So the
parameters of our arrangement have changed,” Hector continued pacing in front of me as he spelt out my fate. “Due to the excessive use of resources, not to mention the original loss of my stakes, you will be handed over to your master upon his return in two days. Therefore, my lady, you will no longer be my problem and I cannot tell you how happy that makes me.”

“You were never going to set me free.”

Hector glanced over his shoulder at Aiden before returning his hateful glare to me. “Maybe so, but you are no longer my responsibility. And all I can say to that is fucking good riddance.”

I was acutely aware my mind had become numb to the emotional head
fuck that was this place. These weren’t people with hearts, they were sadists who knew nothing about humanity, nor possessed a moral bone in their body. Aiden included.

Hector
sauntered behind my numb body. He stood so close I could feel his pressed suit against my back. His mouth moved close to my ear where he continued with the vile taunting.

“I bet that beautiful head of yours is contemplating how to possibly satisfy a man like
Alexsonov.” His cigar smelling breath irritated my sensitive skin, cold shivers running down my spine. “You see, he is a lot like me. I like my women cultured in the art of gratification.”

His cold fingers ran the length of my arm, the touch sending my body rigid with fear.
Juan and Aiden watched on like perfectly attentive audience members.

“I also like them to know their place and the role they must play.
I know for a fact that Alexsonov is a man of particular tastes.  You can expect to be introduced to his most detailed fantasies, his sickest desires. If you are lucky you may survive longer than a week with him, although I am currently betting that after a day you will be ready to take your own life. Your prerogative, of course.”

H
ector's hand travelled freely over my body, as if it were he who now possessed it. I cringed at his touch and his shocking description of my future. Juan, who stood in front of me, smirked at my reaction.

“I could be wrong
, you see. You might thrive on the debauchery Alexsonov lives and breathes. You might find that it’s your… thing! Sometimes he likes to increase the numbers for his own pleasure; men, women, he has no preference. Other times, he will sit and watch while others take you for hours in a day. If he finds you like it too much or not enough, he gets his enjoyment from personally hurting you. The sight of blood and screams of pain only excite and further encourage a man like Alexsonov. He has no limits.”

Leaving me reeling from his words, Hector strolled casually to
the decanter and poured himself a drink. He swallowed the glass in one mouthful before lighting another cigar. He regarded my broken state curiously as he made his way back to me, leaving a trail of smoke behind him. Coming to a stop directly in front of my face, I almost gagged at the stench that clung to the air particles.

“
What a shame I can’t keep you as my own whore.”

His face moved closer to mine,
but I turned away rejecting his advance, his lips grazing my cheek instead of my mouth. Pulling back, he smirked, his eyes hooded. “Of course, if that were the case I would not have found reason to restrain myself from disciplining you; in fact, it would have turned me on seeing you struggle against me for the first day, then be on your knees begging me for kindness the next. But a deal is a deal.”

Stealing a glance
in Aiden’s direction, I wanted nothing more than to see some hope, even the most miniscule amount; instead, I saw him standing face on with Hector, his body upright and composed, his face devoid of all emotion. It was sickening to see he was unaffected by the whole affair. I had been a fool to consider him as anything other than my captor.

“Do you have
anything you would like to say?”

Hector
eyed me suspiciously as he stepped back.

I had a lot to say. Instead, I gave him the one thing that upsets him the most.

Silence.

He studied me carefully, his eyes narrowed into thin slits.

“Take her.”

Hector
dismissed me with a wave of his hand. The brutes lurched forward, grabbing each of my arms and escorted me to the door.

“And ensure the bitch re
ceives our finest hospitality,” Hector taunted. “You know… something to remember me by.”

***

I relied on the brutes to carry most of my body weight back to the room. As soon as I had walked through the l
ibrary door and into the hall my strength had all but abandoned me.

Carlos made no qualms in taking
up Hector’s recommendation of showing me his finest hospitality, though I was too overcome with emotion to allow his words to affect me.

“How does it feel, sweetheart?” Carlos began his jeering. “I know how I can make you feel better. You might not like it at first, but I am certain you would come round to it.”

He laughed
deeply, clearly enjoying his efforts of trying to goad me. I couldn’t have cared less and made no effort to respond.

“Answer
me, puta,” his voice grew angry fast, his arm roughly jolting me as we started climbing the stairs.

“Perhaps she needs
a little encouragement,” said Raul, who before this night, had hardly ever said a word against me. Him speaking out now almost felt like a betrayal.

“
Perhaps
she needs to hear a little detail of how Ethan begged like a bitch for his life.” Carlos mocked.

We were halfway up the flight of stairs when I turned on the asshole.
What did I have to lose? I was dead anyway! Looking at him square on, I welcomed the boiling rage that barreled through my body.

“
Save your breath, asshole. I don’t care what you say to me. Talk all you want, but your opinion means shit.”

Carlos’s
meaty bear paw wrapped tightly around my throat, squeezing with such force I thought his fingers would penetrate my skin. Both my hands clamped around his arm, pulling frantically hoping he would loosen his grip. He drew me closer until our noses touched, his eyes radiating pure hatred. I returned the look with equal measure. I was over being fucked with.

“Listen here
, whore. I met your brother and he was a fucking snake right from the very start, thinking he could fuck us all over. Didn’t use his common sense, you see. Just like what you’re doing now. Fucking me off with your sharp tongue!” His grip increased and I gritted my teeth against the pain. “The asshole deserved to have his brain sprayed across the desert and if you’re not careful sweetheart, you will be joining him.” 

Carlos
flung me backward with careless ease and I landed heavily like a limp rag doll on the stairs, my ribs screaming in agony as they came into brutal contact with the marbled edges. Pain seared through every inch of me as I was rendered immobile. The base of my skull had collided with a sickening thud on the edge of a step, leaving me dazed and unable to transmit signals to the rest of my body.

Carlos
lowered his bulk over my non-responsive frame, easily pinning my hands above my head and trapping my legs with his own. The fear of paralysis faded as I welcomed the pins and needles tingling through my limbs. He seethed through bared teeth, his muscular form restraining me from any movement. I could not gather my thoughts fast enough to counter his swift movements, my head still battling against the constant thudding. Carlos’s hand was large enough to grasp both my wrists, while the other pulled the shoulder strap of my negligee until the small strip of fabric ripped.

“Get off me,”
I screamed, although to my ears I was sure my words sounded slurred. Turning my face to avoid his breath, I saw Raul a couple of steps down keeping an apathetic look out.

“
Keep digging sweetheart,” Carlos sneered. He slid the silk material of my negligee down, revealing my breast. Cupping my pale flesh, his fingers squeezed ruthlessly until a squeal escaped my mouth.

Carlos muttered a string of obscen
ities under his breath, his eyes like a man possessed. Gripping my hair with his free hand, he tilted my head to the side, his offensive tongue sliding over my right cheek leaving a trail of saliva in its wake. He laughed as I openly cringed, then licking his lips, he covered my own. The wetness of his mouth and his groin grinding between my thighs made me want to be vomit. His tongue forced entry through my pursed lips and invaded the inside of my mouth. The slippery thickness of it felt like a slimy slug thrashing wildly about until I caught it between my teeth and bit down hard.