Little Doll (15 page)

“Why do you stay here if you detest it so much?”

Aiden remained lost in thought as he contemplated my question. “Perhaps I feel some form of obligation toward him. I could have become an orphan after my parents were murdered. To be lost in the system somewhere. But Hector… he saved me from that fate and cared for my wellbeing for most of my life. For that I am eternally in his debt.”

Aiden’s obliged loyalty
wasn’t sitting well in my gut. If he knew what his father and brother were doing stemmed from evil then how could he possibly feel the need to back them?

“Isn’t
Hector afraid he will be caught? I mean, surely he isn’t invisible to the DEA?”

I didn’t want to believe Hector was of
a magnitude that rendered him completely impenetrable. The more powerful he was, the weaker I became.

“
Like I said, he is a smart business man. He distances himself from the production of the drugs. Most of it takes place south of the Mexican border.

"
Hector has a strict rule that no drugs are ever to be on the premises. He produces, but never uses. Not that he would have any trouble if the authorities did turn up on his doorstep. They are all on payroll and have been for many years.

"
But when it comes to women, he keeps them close. Hector believes in using women as a means of networking, to entice and entertain his associates as well as profiting directly from them.”

“Like me?”

“You are a special case, but yes, like you.”

“
Why have you told me all of this?” I asked, confused.

T
he incriminating information he divulged was significant enough to send everyone in this place straight to prison. Perhaps he figured I was a dead woman anyway so it didn’t matter what he said.

Aiden folded his arm
s across his chest, an element of regret flashing across his face from the one-sided confession.

“So that you understand the magnitude of the situation you are dealing with.”

“I understand.”

“Do you?” he sounded doubtful.

“I understand that right now I am just a girl who is being trained to be a whore for some rich guy.”

Aiden visibly cringed at my description and his jaw set in a
n uncompromising hard line. Silence settled as the weight and gravity of the situation played before us.

“Perhaps,” he said indifferently.

That stung. There was no sugar coating.

“You were right about what you said last night
.” In a blink of an eye, Aiden turned so cold I felt the arctic chill engulfing me.

“I’m sorry, I don’t recall.”

“While you are here under my guidance you will refer to me as Master. You will speak only spoken to you and follow all instruction. Understand?”

He
spoke as if the last half an hour had not even happened, like he hadn’t just told me his life story and dished the dirt on his father or whoever the hell he was. I felt crushed and belittled. The lump expanding in my throat became difficult to swallow and my eyes prickled with tears of frustration and sadness.

“
Yes.” My voice was distant and defeated.

“
Yes?” Aidan closed the space between us with two easy strides until our bodies collided. The feel of his hard, sculptured body against mine left me flushed and breathless. He cupped my chin roughly with his right hand and pulled my face to his, leaving our lips only a breath apart. “Yes what?”

His lips brushed mine and my knees threatened to give way. His
green irises now blazed with fury, fingers digging deeper, yet I was almost certain he wouldn’t hurt me. Aiden’s intensity came from restraint, whereas Juan was more 'smash and conquer'.

“Answer me
, damn it!” he demanded, his breath tantalizing as it worked over my skin.

“
Yes,
master
!”

Aiden’s hand relaxed around my chin
, but his hardened gaze remained locked to mine. There was no hint of satisfaction or victory in his eyes which I was thankful of as it would have wounded the last ounce of pride I had left.

A knock came from the double doors
, allowing the hypnotic pull between us to be broken. We both turned to see Sophia standing in the doorway waiting to take me back to my room.

My lesson wa
s over and I was walking away having learned a great deal, but unsure what I was expected to do with the knowledge as it wouldn’t help me at all in surviving Alexsonov. I stole a quick glance at Aiden, but he was pouring himself tequila at the bar with his back to us.

A
n impatient cough sounded from the door. Turning on my heel, I headed toward Sophia while trying my hardest to ignore the heat wave of humiliation swamping my body. Why my lessons always ended so quickly and on a bad note left me confused.

Sophia
eyed me with mock pity as I passed by her. I ignored the taunts and at the same time tried to ignore the pain in my chest brought on once again by Aiden’s split personality and blatant dismissal.

Chapter
Twenty

Laila

The next few days passed
by without incident partly due to the shame I felt and because I had fallen into a dark place in which I sensed no return. My time was divided into two areas of the house, my room and Aiden’s room. When I was alone, I couldn’t save myself from the depression that ate away at my sanity. Sophia visited my room infrequently to drop off food and water. She was pleasant enough, but her scowl quickly returned when she retrieved tray after tray with the food untouched. The need and desire to eat had all but abandoned me due to the constant knot of anxiety that twisted my gut.

Although I performed all my lessons as if I were a robot
, seeing him every night and listening to his deep calming voice became an unexpected comfort. Outwardly, I had become totally void of emotion. Inwardly, I still cringed at the instructions he delivered. The time we spent together, with him teaching me the rights and wrongs of etiquette, were not what I had expected.

Aiden
touched me when required, but often stoically, his eyes lacking all emotion. He resembled a man battling his own demons while maintaining a controlled persona. There were times I was rendered motionless by Aiden’s hypnotic gaze, his eyes penetrating mine with such intensity I could feel my soul shaking. He would watch me, his jaw set in a strong line, the veins in his neck twitching.

I cont
inued to address him as master and obey his every word until the simplest tasks became second nature. The lessons lasted longer than the first two, I guessed because of my silent compliance. There was nothing overtly sexual about the lessons, continually reinforcing it was more about teaching me discipline and the rest should follow suit.

W
hile Aiden had not ventured into the practical side of the subject, he had made himself explicitly clear that if I refused or protested against Alexsonov’s sexual needs I would, without doubt, be punished.

The
penalty for disobedience frightened me beyond all hell and, while I knew it would be a struggle to allow my body to be used and abused the way I knew was coming, I was still scared of being beaten and tortured within an inch of my life.

Although I was doing everything within my power to ensure I was making him happy, Aiden became increasingly
agitated as time passed. He didn’t acknowledge my achievements or comment on my continued compliance, which upset me for some reason I couldn’t decipher. Perhaps it was because I needed to hear some praise, some form of positivity when my days were filled with the knowledge I was about to become a whore for some disgusting pig. But there was no praise and soon my emotions became fragile to the point of shattering. The words Aiden spoke to me became insults in my head and I wanted nothing more than to lash out both verbally and physically.

In o
ne lesson, I was instructed to sit on the lounge the entire two hours while Aiden worked at his office, furiously scanning through information that seemed more important than teaching me anything that day. While a part of me was grateful for the reprieve, I was stricken by a few plaguing thoughts. Self-doubt had taken a hold of my mind from the moment I woke up in this hell hole, but now it was running rampant with being ignored. Had Aiden lost all hope in my progress and no longer thought my lessons would pay off? Did he not care about ensuring I was treated right?

I had failed him, I knew that much. The look of indifference that often tarnished his fine features told me his heart was no longer in it. The lessons for him were a waste of time and I was becoming nothing more than a burden.
In fact, the lack of knowledge Aiden had bestowed upon me had left me feeling ill-equipped to go out and face this Alexsonov.

My time
in training was drawing to a close and soon I would be handed over to a man who would own me and I would have no idea how to handle the situation.

***

Sophia led me to Aiden’s door six days before the inevitable trade. My body was growing weak from lack of food and I knew I looked gaunt. Aiden, while still incredibly handsome, had developed dark circles under his eyes and a permanent frown creased his brow. I followed him inside and he gestured for me to sit on the lounge while he sat opposite. 

“Good
evening, Laila,” Aiden said, lacking any sincerity.

“Good
evening, Master,” I replied, my tone mirroring his.

“I am going away for a few days
, so you won’t have any lessons during that time.”

My eyes shot to his
, but I quickly averted them, knowing I would be reprimanded. I felt tears cascade down my cheeks and I had no idea why I was getting so emotional over his proposed departure.

“I have employed a man of my accord to
protect you from the others in the house,” he said with forced calm as he leant forward. “His name is Jorge and he will be here permanently until I return. You have no reason to fear him or feel as though you can’t discuss any concerns with him. He acts for me, not them.”

“Master?”

I still hated saying that word.

“Yes?”

I steadied my breath. “It has been a while and I was wondering if you have heard any news,” I said cautiously.

“News?”

I suspected he knew what I was referring to and I also knew I was being baited. I would take the bait if it meant I could have some peace of mind.

“Of Ethan
. Has he been found?” My voice was small and filled with apprehension.

Aiden leaned forward, elbows on his knees as he ran an exasperated hand over his face and through his hair.
The silence was screaming in my ears as he remained unnervingly quiet. I had grown to understand this trait about him. He said nothing when he was at his maddest.

A
bruptly, he rose to his feet while I stole a glance in his direction. With hands stuffed into his jean pockets, the muscles in his arms bulged underneath his tight shirt. Even when he was furious, Aiden could still make me feel giddy.

He moved to stand before me, his body a looming threat over mine
, all perverse thoughts about his rippling muscles bolting from my thoughts. I was barefoot and so was he, our toes only centimeters apart. My spine stiffened when he made no movement, yet I was bracing for impact. Aiden had never laid an abusive hand on me in all our training, but this was different, he was irrefutably mad.

His
fingers pistol gripped my chin, roughly pulling my face up toward his, our eyes meeting in challenge. It was the first time we had looked in each other’s eyes for nearly a week. It was always overwhelming when our eyes connected. I knew he felt the invisible pull too, I could see how he struggled with it. His beautiful viridian eyes could be filled with so much expression and emotion, yet seconds later that depth would be replaced with a bleak flatness.

Aiden’s jaw tightened into a hard line
before releasing my chin. He stalked toward the bar, placing his hands either side of him, dropping his head down between them. Minutes passed by and I wondered if I should ask if he were alright. I had never seen him like this and, in all honesty, his behavior was unnerving me.

“Is everything ok?” I asked tentatively. He rounded on me upon hearing my voice.

“You just don’t listen, do you?” He wasn’t as mad as I thought he was, but his voice didn’t lack disapproval. “Don’t mention your brothers’ name while I am gone. If Juan happens to get to you, which I have no doubt he will try at some stage, remain quiet.”

“Y-yes master,”
I stammered. “I just thought…”

“Don’t think,”
he spat. “Juan will come for you. He knows I am leaving and he will do everything within his power to seek you out. It won’t be hard for him. Jorge will ensure you are kept safe, but Juan will want inside your head.”

I nodded, not really knowing
the right thing to say. I appreciated the heads up. I wasn’t mentally or physically prepared to deal with Juan, but at the same time I couldn’t comprehend why Aiden was being so protective. He wouldn’t be there for me after I was sold so why place so much emphasis on keeping me safe now.

“Mentioning Ethan’s name is a show of weakness for him and he will pounce. I have been trying to get you into the practice of
not thinking of him while you are under this roof, but you are just too fucking stubborn for your own good.”

“I know you told me once before that saying his name could get me hurt.
I am sorry. I guess I am losing my mind a little bit here.” That was an understatement.

“Don’t apologize,” Aiden heaved a heavy sigh of resignation. “I know it can’t be easy for you.” The magnitude of w
hat he said was not lost on me.

“Laila,”
he began, his voice so beautifully gentle it stilled me, “I want to tell you that everything will be ok, but for now you just need to trust me concerning the events that will unfold over the next week.”

For the second time in five minutes
, I didn’t know how to respond to what he was saying. Could I indeed trust him as he requested I do? After everything that had transpired over the last couple of weeks, how could he begin to think it as a plausible notion?

Notably calmer, Aiden stepped back
to rest his torso against the bar where he remained silent and still for what felt like an eternity, his eyes the only movement as they critically roamed my body from head to toe. It made me terribly self-conscious, but I didn’t dare move.

“What did you do before all this happened?”

I was momentarily stunned at his query into my life. No one had asked me ab
out my life before I was taken and he and I hadn’t spoken with familiarity since the night he instructed I call him master. What did he want to hear exactly?

“Master?”

“I’m curious. I want to hear about it.” His voice sounded sincere and encouraging. Anxiety made my skin flush and I grew hot from within. Every time he allowed me to talk freely, I always ended being humiliated, tricked into dropping my game only to face the consequences. Remaining quiet, I rubbed my hands together until the skin was red and sore.

“Laila?” His voice softened. “It’s ok, you can talk. What did you do before you ended up here?”

“I studied at NYU and in Paris on scholarship,” I stated quietly.

“Both excellent places to
spend your college years.” I nodded at his compliment, but said nothing. “So, what did you study?”

“Art History and curatorship.” There was silence after my answer and I began doubting if he had actually heard me.

“Look at me
.”

H
esitantly turning my gaze, I reminded myself to proceed with caution.

“Tell me more.
I know there is a story behind those eyes of yours,” he said intimately and I knew in that second I was a fool for being drawn into his light. Here I was, being that stupid moth again.

“Go on,” he urged
, interrupting the battle in my head.

“
I, ah… I graduated two years ago.” The look on his face made me want to cry. It had been an eternity since I had seen any humanity extended from him and now it was simply overwhelming. Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I wiped at the pools of sweat gathering in my palms. “I was offered a place a New York gallery as a curator as well as doing some art restoration here and there.”

“So, you are an art connoisseur?” he asked, genuinely intrigued.

“
Ah… I wouldn’t go that far. I mean, I do love art,” I replied sadly.

“What about it do you love?”

I had never been asked this question before, but to me the answer was easy. “It’s always a story about someone or something and I love that. It’s a way of informally documenting our lives.”

Aiden advanced forward, his
hand slipping around mine and pulling me up off the sofa. Standing cheek to cheek with me, his mouth grazed my ear. My stomach became a mixing bowl of panic, apprehension, lust and desire. The peculiar combination made my insides lurch and my skin ached to be touched. Aiden’s voice was deep and seductively smooth, but only slightly louder than a whisper. There was electricity charging between us at every point of contact and every nerve ending became alert and tingly as I listened to the rhythmic tone of his voice.

“I
want to know your story, what makes you tick, what goes on inside that head of yours.”

As m
y knees weakened, his muscular arm circled my waist engulfing me in a powerful embrace, my feet barely grounded.

“Look at me,”
Aiden demanded. I did as he said, my mind focusing on the rise and fall of his chest as it grazed my breasts, the delicious heady scent of his cologne taking control of my senses.

With his imposing
frame enveloping mine, Aiden lifted my face with a single finger under my chin. Although there had been times when we were dangerously close in my training, there had always been an invisible barrier between us preventing any loss of control. That line drastically thinned with each breath that passed, but neither of us did anything to prevent it. I ran my tongue along my dry lips and Aiden’s hooded eyes moved quickly to the movement. Before I could blink, his mouth descended on mine, the force and urgency behind it surprising me. His hand snaked around the nape of my neck, holding me in place as his other arm circled my waist, pressing my hypersensitive body against his.