Much like the apartment, the bathroom was bare, sterile, simple. But it was a bathroom with running water and a flushing toilet. Both were luxuries where I came from, and the shower and tub meant I would remain clean while I was here, which was a simple pleasure in life. And the fact that my trainer was ordering food meant I would also get to eat, which, too, was something I could not usually guarantee on a daily basis. Running the cool water on a neatly folded cloth I took from a shelf over the toilet, I quickly cleaned all my scrapes and puncture wounds. Not wanting to keep my trainer waiting for long, I opened the drawer, applied the antiseptic and bandages, and washed my face. Noticing that there was a comb in the drawer, I ran it down my golden locks as I tried to make myself as presentable as possible. I didn’t want to repulse the man, and it felt good to be clean and orderly in appearance.
As I entered the living area again, I could feel my cheeks warm when the knowledge that I still stood naked set in. I wondered if I would ever be allowed to dress again, but I also wasn’t about to verbally complain or ask. The words of the woman in the carriage still rang in the back of my mind. I had no intention of being punished or even worse. I would do exactly as my trainer said. It would be far easier that way. And then maybe, once he knew he had no reason to punish me for anything, I could take that opportunity to see if there was a way out or any chance of escape.
There was a buzz at the door and my trainer pointed to the table and chairs. “Go sit.”
I did as he asked, my mouth watering with the idea that I would get to eat. It had been so long. As I sat down on the cold wood, I flinched slightly when the temperature made contact with my bare behind. I crossed my legs, grateful that I could somewhat conceal my privates, even though my breasts were on full display over the edge of the table.
The trainer walked over with a tray in each of his hands. He set one in front of me and then sat across from me with his own. He looked at me when I didn’t immediately start eating, even though I desperately wanted to. “Go ahead and eat. I know you must be starving.”
I was. Starving wasn’t even a strong enough word to describe how I felt. I reached for the piece of bread and took as large a bite as I could, cutting my meat as I chewed.
“My name is Loic,” the trainer said. “But you will call me Sir or Master.”
I looked up and swallowed the bread before saying, “My name is Eden Rose.”
He nodded at my food, silently ordering me to continue eating. “I’m sure you have no idea what is going to happen or what to expect.”
I stabbed at my meat and brought it to my mouth before I said, “No, Sir. I do not.”
“You are to be trained to be obedient. Pike wants his beauties to be docile, biddable.” He took a large bite and said as he chewed, “Call it whatever you want. My job is to make sure that you will always be submissive to Pike. I will do to you whatever it takes to make that happen.”
“What if I am willing to be all of that right now?”
He looked at me and studied me with skepticism in his eyes. “You have no desire to flee?”
“And go where?”
“You don’t want to scream?”
“Who would hear me and care?”
“Why are you not crying?”
I swallowed the large piece of meat and softly answered, “I cried all my tears years ago. There is nothing left.”
He nodded and looked down at his food and didn’t say another word. We both ate in complete silence, as if all was ordinary in the world.
Loic
I knew what I was supposed to do now. Feeding her wasn’t part of the plan—at least not on the first night. But she was so skinny. Too skinny. She wouldn’t survive the week if she didn’t have some calories in her. I needed her body to be strong, even as I worked to make her mind weak. I was to beat her. Torture her. Make her scream for mercy. It wasn’t like we had a manual as trainers, but there were acts that were supposed to happen on the first night to help in the process of crushing the woman’s spirit. A broken woman was what Pike wanted, and I had become the master of making that happen. It was easy. So very easy to crush the inner spirit.