His hand tightened on my chin. “Emily.”
It was just a word. It was just a word. “Master.”
“Good girl.” He didn’t smile; actually he frowned, and then he got up abruptly and went into the bathroom and slammed the door.
I waited on my knees until he finally came back out a cold mask of determination on his face. I didn’t like that face, it wasn’t mad or calm or smiling; it was unreadable, and that was dangerous.
“A girl will bring you clothes. Wear them. I’ll be back to get you in a half hour.” He didn’t even bother looking at me as he walked past, unlocked the door, and left.
When he came back I was dressed in a black dress that dipped so low in the front that it barely covered my nipples. It fit tight to my body, over my hips to my upper thigh. It wasn’t sexy; it was trashy, and I felt that way. I would have rather worn the white nightgown than this dress.
Logan told me to stand then looked me up and down, and then, as if satisfied, nodded and reached out his hand. I walked toward him and took it.
“I wanted to keep you hidden from this, but that isn’t going to happen. You need to learn to tune out what is happening around you. Just like I taught you to overcome your fear with anger, you need to overcome your emotions and bury them. Numb, Emily. That is what it will take to survive.”
Why was he telling me this? So, I didn’t freak out again? What did he care if I was tortured? He watched another man shove his fat finger up inside me, did nothing as I was whipped over and over again. Why does he care about me at all?
“Come.” He pulled me after him, and we made our way through the massive house, girls passing us, heads lowered, never making eye contact. Several guards wandered the premises, and I noticed some of the doors had a guard standing outside of them.
Logan ignored everyone and walked with long strides through the complex down a path to another building that had two guards standing on the outside. When they saw Logan they opened the double doors and nodded to him.
I kept my head down, but I tried to see as much as I could as we passed what looked like a set of weights then several red punching bags where two men were currently working out.
Logan stopped. “Stay here.”
I waited, hearing the constant sounds of smacks and grunts as men trained. In front of me was a platform where two guys were sparing. I couldn’t get a good glimpse without raising my head, and in a room full of men I didn’t want to take the chance of anyone seeing me. I was learning fast about what was expected of me, and the pain and humiliation was far less if I kept my mouth shut and my eyes down.
Was that weak? No, it was survival. There’s a time and place where I’d fight, and I would. I didn’t know if it was in me to ever give up. I’d never given up on my dream to ride horses. My mom was an alcoholic who insisted I was useless, ugly, and fat, so I did what I had to … I worked after school since I was sixteen and saved every cent. Then at eighteen I moved in with Kat and her brother Matt. It was Matt who let me borrow his car so that every weekend I could go to the stable.
“Emily.” Logan’s voice slammed into me, and I looked up at him. He frowned, and I quickly lowered my head again. He chin-lifted to a spot over to the right of the ring. “Kneel over there. I’ll come get you when I’m done.”
He wanted me to kneel on the cement floor? To stay there and wait for him like a dog? Why didn’t he stick a prong collar on me while he was at it? My thoughts must have been vivid in my expression, because he grabbed my arm and walked me over to where he wanted me to kneel and pushed me down.
I opened my mouth.
“No.” His abrupt, cold warning was enough to have me looking at my hands in my lap. He nodded to the left, and my eyes looked in the direction, but I was careful to keep my head down. My chest tightened when I saw Jacob, Alfonzo, and Raul. They were near the door talking to a guy hitting a speed bag.
I stiffened when they began their approach, and my entire body was already running and hiding in one of the cupboards on the other side of the room. A foolish and completely useless thought, but when men you feared were coming toward you, well your mind came up with the most ridiculous ideas.
“Sculpt,” Raul said. “Where’s Dave?”
“On his way.”
“Good.” Raul’s eyes shifted to me, and I quickly lowered my head even further. “I have a shipment coming in that needs to be checked out. After training, you and Alfonzo will go look after the contents.”
I knew how angry Logan was by the slight twitch of his index finger on his left hand. He wasn’t happy about Raul’s request or, rather, his order. “Send someone else.”
Raul slapped Logan on the back and chuckled. “If I wanted someone else to go, I’d have asked them.”
“I fight. I’m not one of your men.”
Raul shrugged then reached down and grabbed me by the hair and pulled me to my feet and shoved me at Alfonzo. “You’re right. You’re not one of my men, and my fighters don’t get slaves as they are a distraction.” Raul nodded to Alfonzo. “Get her out of here. Put her up on auction. Forty thousand.”
My eyes widened with panic as Alfonzo leered down at me. His beady eyes laughed at the fear trembling through my body.
“I’ll do it.” Logan’s tone was cold and calm, but loud enough for Raul to take notice and hold up his hand to Alfonzo. “Let her go.” Logan glared at Alfonzo, and I thought he might smash his fist into his face. “Now.”