This Darkest Man (13 page)

I
didn’t feel like laughing anymore. There seemed like something darker had come
over Daniel right then. The seriousness of those words hit me, and it was like
he had been saying all along. He controlled my life. If he
chose,
he
could destroy me.

“Punish
her!” Someone called while others laughed.

Daniel’s
grin widened. “Excellent idea. Strip her.”

Fear
went through me. I was here, on my knees, no panties, and bound. Suddenly, the
bears were hauling me up, hands ripped my outfit, sending it to the floor as my
breasts fell free and I didn’t even have the use of my hands to cover myself. A
slim black crop had appeared in Daniel’s hand, looking lethal and cruel.

My
heart began to beat faster and my mouth was dry. “Daniel, don’t.”

He
caught my eye, staring for a moment before directing his gaze at Colt. “Bend
her over the bed.”

“Sorry,
babe,” Colt whispered and he pulled me toward the small bed on the stage. He
pushed on my shoulder and I fell on my knees obediently before being pushed
again so my torso was flat on the bed, my cheek pressing against the mattress
as my rear stuck out for all to see. And there Colt left me, the only potential
ally that I had, while the audience yelled for blood, and Daniel once again got
to take his sick revenge.

A
hand removed my wig and brushed against my hair that had fallen free. “You
should have been obedient, Mattie. We get on so well when you do what you’re
told,” Daniel told me in a low voice. I didn’t answer him, just squeezed my
eyes shut as tears rolled out of them and I shook. I tried to mentally prepare
myself for the whoosh of the crop in the air and the stinging pain.

But
it never came. All I heard were the curtains beginning to close and the
audience booing. The crop was thrown down on the bed beside me and I opened my
eyes in surprise.

“Colt,
pull up a few of the older rich women who never get a chance and give them a
show,” Daniel ordered.

“Yes,
sir.”

A
hand pulled me up and I was turned to face Daniel through my swollen eyes.
“You’re still being punished,” he said harshly, and pulled me off the stage. I
struggled to keep up with him as I was roughly pulled toward the lift. He
didn’t speak to me as we began to move, and his iron grip never released me.
When it stopped on the floor on which his office was situated, once again I was
manhandled.

“What
are you going to do?” I asked desperately, partly relieved to escape a very
public beating with the crop, but on the other hand, my apprehension built up
as I wondered what would happen now. “It’s not my fault. You gave me a drug
that made me so—”

“I
didn’t say you could speak,” he said in a tight voice like he was barely
containing his anger. He released me from his grip before walking over to a
book case. With two hands, he pushed it. To my surprise it was on wheels and as
it moved, it revealed a narrow door behind it. He pulled the door open, to
reveal a dark room no bigger than a closet.

Breathing
hard, he said, “Get in.”

“What?
No. I’m not going in there.” I shook my head. He stared hard at me for a
moment, before his face relaxed into a smile. I sighed with relief as he moved
behind me and started to release my wrists.

“Are
you still horny,” he whispered in my ear before delivering a kiss to my neck.

Wordlessly,
I nodded.

“Good.”
Without warning, I was pulled into the closet and deposited firmly in a chair,
my hands shackled to the sides before I could even register what was happening.
It was like a padded dentist’s chair, but the base was wide, meaning that my
legs could be spread. And that is exactly what he did, pulling them apart so
they were uncomfortably spread, shackles at my wrists and ankles securing me.

“Daniel…”
I whimpered.

“No
talking, remember?” he said gently. He kissed my cheek before moving over to my
mouth where he gave me such a seductive sweet kiss that I nearly forgot that I
was trapped. I closed my eyes, enjoying his lips and how his hand swept over my
breast and rolled my nipple tantalizingly between his fingers. When his mouth
pulled away, I let out a sigh. The drugs were obviously still running through
my system and I ached for him to be in me.

But
something else was pressed into my open mouth. A hard gag was quickly fastened
at the back of my head as I struggled and panicked.

Daniel
moved coolly in front of me. “Enjoy the show, Mattie.” He stepped out the door
and swung it closed while I tried to scream at him through the gag as I was
plunged into darkness. I immediately stopped screaming; it was stupid since
there was clearly no one to hear or to care and all it was doing was to tire my
poor gagged mouth.

The
longer I stayed in the dark, the less I panicked. The old familiar comfort that
I had always found in the absence of light swept over me. My breathing calmed,
despite the cruel intrusion Daniel had stuck in my mouth. The only thing
missing, of course, were the ghosts.

I
had always been aware of them as a young child when I was exiled every summer
to the old family home. As I crept around in that house that seemed massive at
the time, I knew that I wasn’t alone. The presence was strongest in the
basement, and even at a young age, I was aware that there was more warmth in
that presence than I had ever found sitting side by side with my aunt. I would
speak to it, chatter in flawless language free of stammering. Of course, it
never spoke back but I knew that it was there and listening all the same.

Then
I saw light. Something on the door flickered and it revealed a small flat screen.
It showed a room with a bed and I remembered it from that scary night when Josh
had tried to force me to have a threesome. I remembered now that Daniel had
said there was a camera in the room and that he saw everything.

Now,
apparently, it was my turn to see everything. The screen was split into four to
showcase the no doubt numerous cameras that were hidden in the so-called
private room. There was no possibility of missing a thing that went on.

A
stunning woman walked in first, her red dress vivid along with her matching
lipstick. She was model beautiful, and the arrogance of her features was
matched by Daniel, who walked in behind her, closing the door behind him and
ensconcing them in a room that should have been private. I quickly realized
that this was happening in real time because Daniel’s suit and hair were the
same. The woman swiftly turned to him, her hands on his chest as she kissed
him. He towered over her and she looked like prey. I imagined that Daniel would
have that effect on anyone. I watched as they undressed, almost like they were
engaged in a sultry dance. Then they were kissing, a blonde head and a dark
one. She broke the kiss and sunk down to her knees, freeing him and taking his
erection in her mouth and smearing her bright lipstick on it. He closed his
eyes for a moment, as if enjoying the ecstasy of having this arrogant woman
degrade herself. Then his eyes opened, he smirked, and looked directly at the
camera, at me, and winked.

My
eyes stayed mesmerized by the screen as I watched the two model-like figures
fucking beautifully. When they finished, I saw how she looked at him. She
looked like a woman in love. And he looked like a man who couldn’t care less.
He left before she had even dressed and didn’t give her a second glance. She stared
after him, her sadness evident as she held her dress to her naked body, her
mouth twisting.

I
guessed that his intention had been to turn me on, or make me seethe with
jealousy. But the only result was for me to be left feeling utterly cold.

I
wasn’t sure how long I was left in the dark, bound to that chair. The screen
flickered off as the woman dressed and she fought back tears. Once the room was
restored back to darkness, my mind remained on that woman. Did I act that
pathetic around him? Was she just another plaything for him to amuse himself
with?

Finally,
I heard noises and the door swung open and I blinked against the intrusive
light. The first thing Daniel did was to remove my gag that was disgusting with
drool but he didn’t even seem to react to it. Then, slowly, my wrists and hands
were released. The first thing I did was to wipe at my mouth, ignoring how
uncomfortable and stiff my limbs were. I wouldn’t show weakness.

When
he went to help me stand, I pushed him away and used the chair for support as I
unsteadily regained use of my legs. I felt like some gawky creature, a baby
giraffe, trying to walk for the first time.

“I
want to go home, now,” I said in a shaky, urgent voice as I stared at the
floor, one arm held against my breasts in an attempt at modesty although I
didn’t know why I bothered. Daniel just watched me with that unnerving stare,
staying nothing. I raised my eyes at his silence. “Now! I want to go home
now
.”

I
stumbled backward out of the room, finding my footing and keeping my eyes
firmly on him as if he might pounce. He slowly followed me as I walked
backwards, only stopping when I banged into his desk and jumped around wildly
in surprise. This was worse. I was standing in the bright light of his office,
stark naked, mouth sore from the gag, saliva on my face, and aching wrists. And
he was dressed expertly in a suit, not a hair out of place. This displayed the
power imbalance between us perfectly, I thought bitterly.

“Mattie,”
he said, softly as he stepped forward. “You’re getting upset. You need to calm
down.” The condescending tone of his voice made me sick; worse, was the way
that he was crowding me against the desk with his body, trapping me and giving
me nowhere to go. His hand reached out to stroke my hair gently. “I must say,”
a small smile was on his lips now, “I do like you naked in my office.” He
twirled a strand of my hair around his finger while I watched him with wide,
anxious eyes. “I like the idea of you on your knees, tethered to my desk, awaiting
my attention.” That finger now trailed down my neck to stop at the base where
it swept across my skin before he loosely wrapped his hand around my neck. I
swallowed. “All we need to do is to get you a collar,” he murmured before his
lips came down on mine.

I
shouldn’t have kissed back. It made me foolish and weak. It made me pathetic.

But
I couldn’t help it. His touch, his tongue — it seemed to sweep everything away.
His touch was as electric as always, sending jolts through me by just touching
my skin. In between kisses, he shrugged off his jacket so it fell to the floor,
then he lifted me effortlessly to place me on the desk and immediately he was
standing between my legs as his mouth took over mine. The wood was hard and
warm beneath my bare behind, and for some reason it made me feel beautiful to be
naked on this desk where he worked while this fully dressed man ran his hands
over me.

But
then flashes of the scene that I had witnessed while locked in the dark room
came to mind and I couldn’t stop them, as much as I wanted to. A mere hour
before, he had been with another woman. He had used her for only his pleasure;
he had treated her like a plaything, something to be thrown away.
Just like
he was treating me…

His
lips moved to my neck with urgency, kissing me with such forcefulness that it
was like he was claiming me. The difference now was that before those kisses
had forced all thoughts to flow from my mind, now they were like constant
bitter reminders of what he was. His hand was on the desk beside me, steadying
him while his other arm wrapped around my waist, holding me tightly. Beside his
hand was a paperweight; a triangular shape with geometrical cuts in the glass
that made reflections of us from every angle. I saw myself; naked, hair messed,
eyes half open in a haze. The ultimate toy.

I
reached for the paperweight, it was surprisingly heavy.  He kissed the base of
my neck, and I brought that paperweight heavily down on that hand that rested
on the desk.

“Fuck!”

I
was released, nearly falling as he grabbed at his wounded hand.

“What
the hell, Mat—” His face was twisted in fury, his features no longer handsome.

“You’re
a monster, you’re a creep,” I spat. “And I told you that I wanted to go home.”
I bent down and reached for his jacket that had been discarded on the floor,
throwing it over my nakedness. I was engulfed in it and I relished its
coverage, just as I relished the pain on his face. I backed out of the room,
scared that if I turned my back that he would pounce; after all, wounded
animals were the most dangerous.

“Mattie…”
Was that warning in his voice? His eyes were certainly flaring in anger like he
sought to control himself

“Shut
up! I’m going and I want you to leave me the fuck
alone
.” Shaking, I
still took steps back, aiming for the door.

He
hadn’t moved. He didn’t even hold his wounded hand anymore, and that made me
nervous. Finally, I backed into the door and I groped for it, pulling it open
and readying myself for escape. If only I could drag my eyes away from him.

“Mattie…”
he said finally. His tone was soft, his eyes had softened, and I stopped,
waiting for what he would say next. He licked his lips and lifted his chin.
“Kiss your life goodbye.”

It
took a second for me to register what he had just said, and when I did I
narrowed my eyes at him. “Fuck you!” I stormed from the room, breaking into a
run as I hit the corridor. The lift was open and waiting and I slammed my fist
into the button that should provide an exit from this place. It seemed to move
at an agonizing pace, and I hugged myself and prayed for it to hurry the hell
up. The fact that I only wore a jacket over my nudity was eclipsed by my
impatience to be free.

The
lift jerked to a stop, opening in a deserted lobby. Glass doors that heralded
freedom were ahead of me and I ran once the doors were fully open. The marble
was cool beneath my feet and I nearly slid on it, before regaining my footing
with my arms out and ready to push the door open with all my weight.

Only
it didn’t move and I looked around frantically for a way to release the lock.

“Ms.
Larsen.”

I
jumped, spinning around to be faced with the unsmiling driver. “What do you
want?” I clutched onto the door for security in the hope that it would
miraculously open and freedom would be mine.

“I
have instructions to take you home,” the man said coolly.

I
shook my head. “No, I’m not going anywhere with you. I just need to get out of
here.” I hated the panicked tone in my voice. “How do I get out of here?”

He
regarded me for a moment before saying, “The exit button is to your left.”

I
twisted my head and spied the green button at a low height and pushed it with
the palm of my hand.    I heard the mechanism unlocking and I pushed on the
door again. This time it swung free with ease and I was outside on the pavement
in seconds. I looked around me; the street was deserted except for a few cars
driving past. Where the hell was I supposed to go now?

One
of the cars stopped. It was beat up old Toyota and the window rolled down to
reveal Colt behind the wheel. “Matilda? Do you need a ride?”

I
twisted my head toward the club doors; the driver still stood watching me from
behind the glass. “Yes, please.” I ran to the passenger door of the car and
opened it, rushing inside and slamming it securely behind me.

He
frowned at me. “Are you okay? Where are your clothes?”

I
hugged myself, shaking my head. “Can you please just take me home?”

“Sure.”
He put the car into gear and we drove off. I felt myself calming the more
distance that was put between us and Daniel. I even managed to rattle off my
address to him in a clear voice but when he tried to ask questions, I cut him
off.

“Can
you not talk? Please?”

He
was silent for a moment. “Sure thing.”

I
didn’t know if I hurt his feelings or not, and right at that moment I didn’t
care all that much either. We drove in silence until we reached my apartment
building. Only then did I look at him and give him the best smile that I could
muster, which wasn’t that great.

“Thanks
for coming to my rescue.”

He
gave a small smile in response. “You’re welcome, Mattie. Are you going to be
okay?”

I
nodded. “I’ll probably see you at the coffee shop,” I said before I got out of
the car. A couple walking past gave me a strange look and I hugged the jacket tighter
around my figure and lifted my chin as I headed inside the building after them,
ignoring their sniggers. I chose to take the stairs rather than joining them in
the lift. I hurried up them, not even out of breath when I reached my floor.
But only then did I realize that I didn’t have my keys because my bag had been
left at the club.

I
stood in front of my locked door in dismay for a moment, before I turned and
sunk down against it until I reached the floor. Now I would have to wake up the
creepy Super and beg to be let in. I hugged my knees to my body and hid my face
in them. Maybe I could just stay here all night and not have to face anyone or
answer questions.

I
stayed like that for a while, enjoying hiding my face because it always made
everything easier to deal with. I actually fell asleep in that position and
dreamed of ghosts and darkness.

A
jangle of keys woke me, and I warily raised my head to be faced with jean-clad
legs that led up to a t-shirt and then to the face of Daniel staring down at me.

“I
told you leave me alone,” I said in a cold tone.

He
ignored me and inserted the key in the lock which meant that I had to scramble
away from the door to avoid falling into my apartment. He waltzed in like he
owned the place, while I stared after him before getting to my feet and
following him in.

He
placed my purse on the table before kicking out a chair and taking an uninvited
seat and lifting his feet up and placing them on an adjacent chair. I stood
looking down at him.

“What
are you doing here?”

He
gave me a smile. “I needed my jacket back.”

I
glared at him, before spinning on my heel and going to my bedroom to change. I
let the jacket drop to the floor as I grabbed my robe and prepared to put it
on.

“Don’t
bother,” he said from where he stood in the doorway now. “I like you better
naked.”

I
pulled on the robe while I kicked the discarded jacket over to him before
securely belting it around my waist. “You don’t seem to like me at all, naked
or not. All you want to do is manipulate me and humiliate me.” I made sure that
I looked him straight in the eye when I said that. He took a step closer that
meant that he was right in front of me in this shoebox apartment.

“C’mon,
Mattie. Don’t be like that,” he said softly as he reached for my hand and held
it in a gentle grip. I swallowed, hating that instant effect that his touch had
on me, but I didn’t pull away. I just stared at our hands entwined together;
his skin darker than mine, his hand larger than mine. A soft kiss was pressed
to the top of my head and I sucked in a breath. Why wasn’t I trying to kick him
out of my apartment? Why was I just standing here as if mesmerized? “I can
still use my hand, if that’s what worrying you?” I looked up to see if a grin
was on his face, but there wasn’t. He was watching me with an unreadable look
on his face.

“You
deserved that.” My voice was quiet, barely imperceptible.

“You’re
right.” That voice of his was still so soft. “I’ve done some very bad things to
you.” His hands came around so he held me at my waist. “Let me make it up to
you.” He kissed me on my mouth, that familiar kiss that was so easy to get lost
in. My mouth, as always, kissed him back as if it didn’t know what else to do.
He pulled back slightly as I looked up at him breathless, and he gave a small
grin. “You’re so sensual, you know that? You respond to the smallest of
seductions.” Then he was kissing me again in a way that made me nearly choke up
and beg for more — more of him, more of his tongue, more of everything….

At
one point he broke the kiss and murmured into the side of my mouth. “You don’t
have to be so strong all the time, Mattie. Just let go. Let me make you feel
good. Let me make you happy.” His hands then went to the knot in the belt of my
robe, freeing my body of the garment in seconds. He grinned as he stared down
at me. “If it were up to me, I’d have you naked all the time.”

I
took the initiative then, pulling him to my bed, tugging at his clothes like I
couldn’t get enough. All the bad stuff flew out of my mind so that the only
important thing was our two bodies and their desires. Although, it wasn’t just
his body I wanted, it was
him,
even with all the bad.