Captive Beauty

It’s strange to look at him now. He seems so civilized, so different from the man I met just yesterday. The man who had my brother and I kidnapped, who threatened to break his legs. A man who deals in drugs and sex. Who makes trades that save one man’s legs from being broken in exchange for the ownership of another’s body.

“What are you thinking?”

I shake my head, realize I’ve been staring at him. “Nothing.”

He takes the open bottle of red and pours us each a generous glass.

The kitchen door opens and Helen, the woman I’d met earlier in Kill’s penthouse, enters, followed by two young girls in uniforms. One is carrying a large, closed serving dish from which wafts the most delicious smell of beef and spices. The second girl has a plate of roasted vegetables. Helen directs them to set the dishes down and removes the lid from the main dish.

“Mmm, my favorite, Helen.” Kill closes his eyes as he savors the scent.

Helen smiles and I know she’s been with him for a long time. She knows him. And he seems to trust her. “I figured homecoming required a special meal. Girls.” The two girls begin to serve us. They fill Kill’s plate first, then mine, and I can’t help but appreciate the exotic scent wafting up from my dish.

Once they’ve served us, they leave us alone. Kill takes his napkin and places it on his lap. He glances at me over a forkful of food. “Eat.”

I follow his lead and take my first bite and oh my goodness. It’s heaven. The meat melts on my tongue, the flavors exploding, tasting like nothing I’ve eaten before.

“Helen is an amazing cook. She’s been with my family for years.”

“Are we going to make small talk?” I ask. “I mean, let’s be straightforward about the fact that I’m here against my will. This isn’t exactly a date.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t be anything but straightforward. But I like to take care of my things. Don’t want them breaking down. Passing out. Fading away with hunger. What would be the point?”

I set my fork down. I’ve lost my appetite. His reminder is blunt, cutting.

He sips his wine and takes another bite. “Don’t pout, Cilla. It’s not becoming.”

“What do you want with me? You can have anyone you want. You have a strip club full of women I’m sure would love to be here in my place right now. What do you want with me?”

He tilts his head to the side as he chews another forkful. I realize I’ve given something away. I shouldn’t know about Mea Culpa. I’m sure that’s where I was when I was blindfolded, but I shouldn’t know it. And from the look on his face, he didn’t miss my slip.

I clear my throat and force a potato into my mouth.

“We made a deal. I want what you promised. And in return, I’ll keep my promise. That’s all.”

“There’s a closet full of clothes upstairs.”

“If you prefer to walk around the house naked, that’s certainly—”

“I know who you are,” I blurt out, wanting a reaction. “I know what you did.”

He considers me, his eyes clouding, darkening. Like they did last night before he attacked me. I wring the napkin in my hands and push my chair back a little, readying to run. But where? Where would I run to?

Kill takes the last bite of food, cleaning his plate, then wipes his mouth and sets his napkin on the table. He rises and looks down at me.

I push my chair farther back and stand. He leads the way out of the dining room, past the living room and to another door. When he opens it, I stand in awe. It’s a library. A fully stocked library with high oak shelves and arched, leaded windows. This room must not have a floor above it because the ceilings are high on one half and a staircase leads to a balcony on the other with more books lining the circular back wall.

Kill walks inside and moves directly to a cart of liquor. He pours two glasses of whiskey and turns to me. “Come inside and close the door.”

I do. It’s darkly intimate with only three lamps providing the softest light.

He points to the leather armchair and I sit, taking the drink he holds out to me. He remains standing.

“Rules for the time you spend at Rockcliffe House. You’re allowed to come into the library whenever you like. You can spend as much time in here as you want. Same with your bedroom. When you’re hungry, go to the kitchen and Helen will prepare something for you. When I require your presence for a meal, you’ll dress as you are tonight.”

“You mean almost naked.”

“You’ll curb your tongue when speaking with me. From this moment forward, I will punish you when you aren’t respectful. Am I clear?”