Buttons and Shame (Buttons 4)

I’d tested out the waters, and so far, they were pretty murky. Cane’s true colors hadn’t come to the surface yet. I took up his offer and sat at the desk. I smelled the cheeseburger and fries then stuffed myself. I ate quicker than I ever had before, stuffing my face and feeling my stomach ache in joy once it was full of greasy, fattening food. “Damn…this is so good.” I wasn’t saying that to Cane. It just slipped out because I didn’t care if I was talking to myself.

I wiped my plate clean, eating every single crumb until only a pool of leftover ketchup sat in the corner. As embarrassing as it sounded, I was tempted to lick it away. I managed to push the plate to the side and wipe my oily fingers on a napkin. Now I wanted to sleep, to recuperate from my week of hell.

Cane tossed a plastic bag on the desk. “Some clothes. Put them on. We’re leaving.”

“Do you ever say a full sentence?” He spoke like a caveman, conveying his thoughts in the fewest words possible. It frustrated me when it shouldn’t. This man just put a full meal in my stomach, but I was in the mood to bite the hand that fed me.

“Interesting. I thought you would be in a better mood now that you’re full. I guess I’ll keep you hungry, then.” He grabbed his laptop and shoved it into his bag before he pulled it over his shoulder.

I took a look inside and found underwear, jeans, and a t-shirt.

Cane stopped right in front of me, staring me down with irritation. “Get your ass dressed, or I’ll make you. What’s it gonna be?”

I didn’t want to push him any further for fear of what he might do. I didn’t want to get naked in front of him, not when I had some of my rights back. So I went into the bathroom and changed. Once I did, I stared at myself in the mirror and couldn’t believe how normal I looked. I touched my face and felt the soft skin now that I’d scrubbed down. I didn’t look like a woman who’d been tortured and beaten. I didn’t look like someone who’d been raped dozens of times. I didn’t look like a slave.

I looked like me.

8

Cane

“Don’t run.” The taxi pulled up to the terminal. She sat beside me in the back seat, silent like she should be. “If you do, trust me, you’ll regret it.” I’d beat the living shit out of her if she made me. I wasn’t about to get arrested and sent to prison for harboring a victim. Not only would it jeopardize my life, but also my business. Once you went to prison, no one trusted you anymore. No one knew if you carried a wire from the cops.

“I’m not going to run.” Unlike before, she spoke in a bored voice. Now that we were outside the airport, she flipped a switch. She’d possessed fire and a vicious attitude just thirty minutes ago. Now she was passive, acting exactly like a slave.

I was surprised she was so accommodating, especially after the treatment she’d just endured. I expected her to scream at the top of her lungs until someone helped her. Honestly, I respected her less for not trying.

I could never respect someone who gave up.

There were security guards and cameras everywhere in the airport. There was no better place in the world to make a run for it. I was outnumbered with nowhere to hide. If I ever had a wife someday, I would tell her to scream bloody murder if anyone ever grabbed her.

We walked into the airport and checked in at security. We made it all the way to the terminal, and she didn’t make a peep. She stared out the enormous window and watched our plane be prepared for takeoff. Now that she was clean with a fresh pair of clothes, she looked exquisite.

I tried not to stare at her.

I was eager to have her in my bed, alone in my house where I could do whatever I wanted. This time, I didn’t just want to eat her pussy and come all over her tits. I wanted to stick my huge cock inside her and have her in whatever way I wanted. I wanted to get my money’s worth from Tristan’s deal. I wanted to conquer this beautiful woman and make her completely mine.

When we boarded the plane, she was just as passive. It was a direct contradiction to her personality. She gave me lip when I fed her and allowed her to shower, but when it really mattered, she didn’t stand up for herself. I spotted at least three different escape routes, and it didn’t seem like she even considered taking one.

What was wrong with her?