Love LockDown (8 page)

Every area is so clean you could eat your dinner off of it.

A fluffy bathrobe, hanging on the back door is like a magnet to my hand. I run my fingertips over the soft wool, sighing at the light texture; I was already imagining myself wrapped up in it later.

The bathroom is amazing, beyond anything I could ever imagine. But after all of the surprises I have seen today, the fact that every shelf and open space is filled with an array of luxury creams, shampoos, conditioners and other feminine things surprises me further. The individual thought to have these items, the same smell of jasmine as the cream used on my wounds yesterday, put into the room, melts my heart.

“I have one more surprise for you and then we’re good for today.” He takes my hand, and leads me from the bathroom without me acknowledging him even doing so.

“Now, I’m not a hundred per cent on the size, but I got what I could on such short notice.” Huh, size?

He opens a set of double oak doors pulling them towards him. Stepping out of the way he lets me through them. He switches the light on from the switch on the wall outside of the room then he addresses me once more. “I hope there are a few things you can use.”

I take in the space once again. It’s a walk - in closet, well more like a room than a closet, rails and rails of clothes, from dresses, to skirts, to trousers, jeans, leggings, tracksuit bottoms, even jumpsuits. Another few rails are filled to the brim with blouses, t-shirts, shirts, jumpers, vests, anything a girl could ever need or want was in this closet.

In front of me, straight ahead of the doors, I see five rows of shelves framing shoes, every kind of shoe I could ever need is staring back at me!

A chest of drawers catches my attention and I walk to open the top one. Inside is the most luxurious array of underwear, knickers, lacy boy shorts, thongs, even comfy granny pants or period pants as I call them, being the only underwear I could comfortably get through my monthly cycle with.

Every bra type also lay available, all in my size, from the sexiest demi barely covering type, to smooth and padded t-shirt bras.

I burst into tears, unable to take in the generosity of this wonderful human being, unable to come to terms with the sudden drastic changes since yesterday.

His firm muscular arms encompass me, pulling me into him. “Shhh, don’t cry sweetheart, I want you to have everything you heart desires. Please don’t be upset. You’ll get used to it eventually, I know it’s a shock and a huge change to what you’re used to. Please I just want you to enjoy your new life and not dwell on the maybe’s or what if’s.”

I control my sniffling and stare into his eyes. Running my hand across his cheek and down to his jaw I lean up and kiss his cheek. “Thank you Leighton. I’ll never be able to get over this, or you or how my life has changed in less than twenty four hours. You truly are an angel sent from above.” I wrap my arms around him, wallowing in the safeness and comfort I find there.

He kisses the top of my head, I feel him breathe in the scent from my hair. “You’re more than welcome Abigail, as I’ve already said I’m pretty lonely here, I’ll enjoy your company, as I’m sure you will mine.”

I release him, walking from the room and sitting down on the bed, wiping the remnants of my tears away with my jumper sleeve.

“Leighton, why are you so alone here. Do you not have a girlfriend or wife?” I’ve continuously wondered that. He is, for all intents and purposes, out of this world sexy, he has a beautiful personality, his kindness and generosity is crazy and he smells unbelievably amazing.

“Nope.” popping the P, he answers me.

“Why? How could you not. Sorry but have you not seen or met you?” okay so verbal diarrhoea is obviously a regular occurrence in the last twenty four hours.

“Never met anyone I’ve wanted to be with.” He shrugs back at me.

“So you’ve never, you know?” I nod my head towards him, not wanting to ask the question.

He bursts into laughter and once again I feel that stupidity I had at his apartment in Angelo’s. “Sorry I don’t mean to laugh. I mean, referring to your last question, have you not seen me. Of course I’ve had sex. How could I not. But there’s never been anyone worth keeping around for more than two or three times. All the women seem to be after either my money or want to use me in another way.”

“That’s disgusting, some people sicken me. Since when has money been the be all and end all of life?” I had come to realise over the last few years that yes money would be nice, but a friend, family and a roof over my head was worth more than all the millions in the world.

“Tell the women queuing at my door for a bit of me that, will you? Not trying to sound big headed Hun, but it’s literally that.” he shrugs his shoulder nonchalantly. With looks like his he has every right to be big headed, I know I would be.

“Even if I thought you were big headed, which I don’t, you have every reason to be. If I looked like you, I think I’d walk around naked every day.”

His eyes widen at the mention of me naked. I see him trying to shake of the clear image his brain was concocting of me.

“Referring to your earlier question once more, have you not seen you?” he says to me. Me stunning? I don’t think so.

“I haven’t seen the real me in a long time, Leighton, she seems to be reappearing a little but I don’t see me anymore.” It is sad, but so very true. I want nothing more than to be that girl again, the girl who enjoyed life, went to college, had a boyfriend, family and friends. But I know it isn’t possible anymore, it isn’t attainable.

He strides to me, wrapping his arm around my back and lifting me from the bed. He pulls me against his chest “Let me just clarify this for you. You are beautiful Abigail, everything about you, your smooth skin, your eyes, your lips, your heart and most of all, your smile. When I see it, it lights the room up. So no more negative thoughts about you Miss’ or you won’t sit down for a week.” he instructs me and I gulp. The images my mind is concocting were not good for anything.

“Okay.” one word, one word is all I can reply.

“Now, get yourself settled, I’ll be in my office, I have some work to take care of, come down when you’re ready and we’ll go out and get something to eat.” With that he turns and leaves.

I fall back down onto my bed, throwing myself deep into the sheets.

“Oh dear lord have mercy.” I cry, how am I going to survive anymore time around this man?

I clamber from the bed and go into my walk in closet/room once more. What do I wear? Something nice? Something sexy? or something plain?

Searching my underwear drawer more thoroughly, I choose a delicate thong and matching bra, running the lace through my fingertips, feeling the material grazes my skin. I open the drawers below, this one full of stockings and suspender belts. The next one filled with silky nighties, corsets and baby dolls.

Closing it up, I walk to the rails and choose a tight fitted pair of black jeans and beautiful silk pale pink blouse.

Returning to my room I get changed. No need for a shower as I had only had one a few short hours before.

The clothes feel perfect against my sensitive skin, the lacy underwear rubbing me in all the right places, places that haven’t been loved for three long years.

Glancing at my frail body in the full length mirror in my room, I see my bruises and cuts, some fading, some not. My bony body is disgusting to look at, how could Leighton find me beautiful? I am disgusting, dirty and poison. My body had been used and abused for most of my life by one person or another. There was always the reminder of every person that had hurt me haunting my mind.

I cover myself with the clothes I had chosen, not wanting a recap of the last twenty one years I had lived.

I look at the nasty looking cut on my lip and forehead, it needed covering. I look around for makeup. Having no luck in the bedroom I venture into the bathroom. A glass door cabinet fixed to the wall, a reminder of my own one back at Lisa’s home, beckons me. I open the doors and smile at the supply of cosmetics I find.

The shades of foundation and powder purchased, just right for my pale skin. A multitude of different colour eye shadows, blushers and bronzers lay in the cabinet.

Makeup. I sigh. I haven’t worn any makeup for a long three years.

I apply a thin layer of foundation and then smooth it over with a pressed powder. Applying a litter blusher to my cheekbones I give myself a happier look. I smoke my eyes up a little, looking slightly sultry and sexy, well as sexy as a bruised and battered girl can. A black line added to each eyelid and then finished with a few coats of lengthening mascara. I look like a new person. Well actually more like the old person that I once knew.

I brush my long locks through and give them a shake. The blonde curls tumbling down my back, looking more alive and silky than a day ago.

I breathe out and then back in before putting my feet into some pink ballet pumps, the colour matching the soft pink of my blouse. I felt good. I felt happy and my little emotional breakdown from a few minutes before was temporarily forgotten.

I walk from my room, following the long hall we had walked through earlier today to the huge staircase. The golden fixtures gleaming endlessly in the winter sun peering through the windows.

Taking the steps quickly I try and find my way to the kitchen. It doesn’t take me long as the first room I stumble upon had an oven, fridge/freezer, kettle and other kitchen appliance so I all but assume I was in the correct place.

I find my way around the room easily to get myself a cup and some hot chocolate powder.

Sitting at the huge island I sip my steaming cup of coco, relishing in the warmth. I hear footsteps along one of the many hallways and they distract me from my relaxing moment.

The once suit clad man, now stands before me in dark jeans, a white fitted shirt and a blazer. His dirty blonde dishevelled hair is sticking out sexily on top of his beautiful head, his aqua eyes glaring at me. Damn he looks good. Through the white shirt his dark ink peeks through. And of what I can see there is a damn lot of it. I’ve always been a sucker for tattoos and muscles. David was covered with them.

“Abigail, you look stunning. The clothes really suit you.” I feel the blush creep my face quicker than I care to admit.

“Thank you; you don’t look too bad yourself Leighton. Would you like a drink?” sipping my coco again I wait for his answer.

“No its okay Abbi, I’m really hungry, so when you’re ready we’ll go for some food. “I stand and empty my last drips of drink in the sink then run the tap to rinse it out before placing it in the dishwasher.

“Ready.” I brush my hands on the silky blouse as I follow him out of the kitchen. We walk the length of one of the corridors to a door. He uses a key to unlock the door and then opens it to usher me through. We take some steps down and into an underground area. First level I’m guessing.

“Is this the basement you told me about?” I asked him, as we made our way to the bottom of the stairs.

“Some of it, there’s more for different purposes.” He smiled cheekily at me as I place my foot on the cemented floor of the lower level.

“Holy Fuck!” I say aloud as I see at least twenty different cars parked in spaces in an underground area. Everything from Audi’s, to BMW, to Mercedes, to Ferrari, to even a God damn Lamborghini sit parked perfectly in designated areas.

“Wow, that’s a lot of cars for one person.” Too God damn many.

“What can I say, I have a car fetish?” He chuckles cheekily at me, winking his beautiful eye my way.

“You could say that.” I scoff laugh at him.

“So which one do you want to ride in.” me, choose? I don’t bloody know.

“God knows. But that,” I say pointing at the Audi R8 sitting sexily in its designated spot, “Is sexy.” The black paint, with silver side pieces shines out in the artificial underground lights.

“That she is.” He clicks a fob and the lights flash on it. “Get in Abbi.” He opens the door for me and I manoeuvre into the low seat, relishing once again in the soft Italian leather.

“Ready?” He asks me, nodding to his reply, he talks again. “What food do you like?” is he serious, what foods do I like. Food is food when you live on the street.

“Don’t care, food is food to me. Cat food was luxury to me. So you chose, I trust you’ll make a good choice.” I see him cringe at my reference to animal dinner.

“Abbi, you will never experience that again. So get used to eating in nice places. You must have a food type you prefer.”

I did have some good memories with Lisa and her family. Eating takeout or dining in nice restaurants.

“My foster mother used to take us to your place and that was real nice.” I say shyly.

“Italian it is.” His beaming smile is warming my insides. These feelings really need to take a hike; they’re nothing but an unwanted and unneeded distraction.

After an hour we arrive once again at his restaurant.

Chapter Five

Climbing out, Leighton opens my door for me and helps me from the car, before handing the keys to the valet and asking if he could have the car picked up by a man named Antonio, my brain deciphering that he was Ant. Even his full name made my body quiver.

“I would like a drink tonight, so Ant will pick my car up. I’ll get Nate to pick us up tonight when we’re finished. ”

“Hmm, okay.” so much was happening in such a short amount of time. This time yesterday I was seated at the back of his club, homeless, lonely and scared. Now I was walking into one of the poshest restaurants I think I’d ever seen.

“Mr Lock, your usual table is ready, please do come through.” A petite blonde, similar looking to Heidi, guides us to a table at the back of the restaurant, away from everyone.

Pulling my chair out for me, Leighton waits for me to sit down. After sitting down he takes the chair opposite me. The padded leather of the chair is soft and comfortable against my backside.

“Wine, Abbi?” Leighton questions me.

“Yes please. It’s been so long since I’ve had wine.” I always cherished the glass Lisa allowed me on a Friday with my Chinese take away.