Madeleine Abducted (6 page)

“YOU ASSUMED WRONG!” His voice boomed throughout the room,
rattling the windows, causing
Maddy
to jump from the
sudden anger that rolled from his voice. “Now remove that fucking chain before
I shackle your ass to a bed tonight!”

Maddy
was sure
Xander
would flinch at Aaron’s threat, but when she dared look up at him, she noticed
a coolness about him that was unexpected.
Xander
simply nodded at Aaron and reached down to remove the shackle from her ankle. After
he’d removed the chain, he let it slip from his hand to the floor. “Aaron, I do
not want to question you in front of the woman, can we speak privately in the
hallway … please?” Disdain dripped from that last word, his lack of trust in
Aaron’s decision evident in his tone.

Aaron’s hand reached behind him, finding the handle to the
door and forcefully pushing the door open, before stepping backwards out into
the hall. His eyes never left
Xander
as he exited the
room. Once Aaron had moved to accept
Xander’s
request,
Xander
walked swiftly across the room,
exiting through the door before shutting it silently behind him.

Maddy
could not hear the
discussion between the two men, but instead, she used the opportunity to remove
herself from the bed, moving to the corner of the room where she sunk to the
ground, curling herself back into a protective ball. Her heart pounded against
her chest and her chest heaved from her heavy breath and the sobs she attempted
to suppress. Her muscles, once again, screamed at the constriction of being
curved in on herself; the tight ball she assumed, an unforgiving position that
her body had never known until arriving to this place.

The door swung open again; both men, silhouettes against the
bright light of the hallway.
Xander
silently marched
around the bed picking up the chain and moving back to the door. He brushed
past Aaron as he exited out into the hall. Aaron stepped into the room, slowly
closing the door behind him. Once closed, the room was reduced to darkness,
only the moonlight from the windows providing enough light so that
Maddy
could track him as he crossed the room. He stopped
just short of her, his tall frame hovering over her like she was a child.

Her sobs finally broke free of her throat and tears that she
wasn’t sure she could produce trailed down her cheeks. Fear crippled her body
as Aaron stood above her. After a few moments, he reached down, stopping
suddenly when her body trembled violently in response to his movement.

“I’m going to lead you back to the bed, Madeleine. You need
sleep. I have ordered
Xander
to leave you unchained,
however I will tell you that your escape is impossible from this room. The
windows cannot be broken and the door will remain locked from the outside.”

His large hand wrapped around her upper arm as he gently
pulled her up from the floor. She attempted to stand, having no choice but to
comply, but her muscles failed her and were unable to hold up her weight. She
dared look up into Aaron’s eyes and was surprised to be met with compassion
behind those gorgeous green orbs. His smooth voice softly rubbed against her as
he said, “I’m going to pick you up. Nothing will be done to you, except to be
placed back in bed. Do not scream.”

Madeleine stared up at him, confused as to why he protected
her. He was, after all, one of the monsters, one of the men who were holding
her against her will, forcefully taking her freedom. Curling up into herself,
she dared not move, too afraid that he would change his mind; too afraid that
she would not escape being beaten or raped by either of the men who’d been
handling her.

After placing her on the bed, he immediately released her,
backing away so that distance was between them; but he never left the room. He
watched her, his broad shoulders, thin waist and hips, silhouetted by the
hallway light behind him. She wanted to beg for him to let her go, convince him
in some way that she deserved her freedom, but her voice failed her. Frozen in
place, she remained huddled, knowing full well she was at the mercy of the man
that stood before her.

Aaron stood watching her as she lay perfectly still on the
large bed. Not wanting to further torment her with his touch, he’d placed her
down and immediately stepped away. Although she would need to learn to accept
the touch of a stranger, to obey his commands; tonight, he would let her sleep,
so that she could better accept the fate that had been handed to her.

Her entire body was bathed in shadow, only a large black
mass existed where he knew she lay; but still, he couldn’t look away. Achingly,
his heart went out to this gentle musician; one who’d done nothing wrong, who’d
dedicated her life to her music. She knew nothing of the evils that awaited
her, the futility of existing as nothing more than property … an object to be
used and tossed aside. Aaron knew he had to do something for the poor mouse,
anything that could keep her moderately safe, while not seeming to defy his
father’s instructions. Even though she was veiled by the cold, darkness of the
room, he could see her body tremble at his presence.

“I truly am sorry for this, Madeleine.” His voice was
nothing more than a whisper as he stepped out into the hall, softly shutting
and locking the door behind him.

Aaron’s steps were surefooted and strong as he marched down
the corridor to the living room.
Xander
silently fell
in step behind him, matching each of Aaron’s steps with his own. Shutting the
doors to the hallway, Aaron continued forward, directly through the living room
and through the doors of his office. He took a seat behind his large desk,
leaning back into his chair while
steepling
his
fingers before touching the tips of his index fingers to his mouth.
Xander
moved to sit in one of the large wingback chairs
opposite Aaron, the smooth surface of the desk creating a barrier between the
two men.

Silence, a heavy weight hanging over their heads,
Xander
finally spoke. “I’m sorry for my actions earlier. I
thought you would want the woman bound. She could easily break the windows to
attempt escape.”

Aaron’s eyes ran over the tapestries and paintings that
adorned the walls of his office. His mind was a ticking machine as he pondered
how he would handle his father’s gift. Finally coming to a decision, he turned
suddenly to face
Xander
across the large wooden
expanse of the desk. “Even if she were to able to break one of those windows,
we both know she would not make it off the grounds of the compound. She would
be found … returned.”

“But in what condition?”

A humorless laugh escaped Aaron as he responded, “Now, THAT,
Xander
, is something I intend to take care of this
evening.” His movement was fluid as he stood, crossing the room, expecting
fully that
Xander
would follow. He stopped suddenly,
twisting to look over his shoulder at his best friend. “Don’t tell me you meant
to protect her with those
chains ….
” His voice
carried an air of mockery. “Have you come to care about our little mouse?”

Bowing his head slightly,
Xander
responded, “She is so weak, Aaron. I wonder how she will survive.” Aaron was
shocked at
Xander’s
confession. Although he knew his
best friend and first guard was, at the core, a moral man, he’d never witnessed
him show concern for anyone’s safety but Aaron’s.

“She’ll survive; but I’ll need to speak with
daddy
to make sure of it.”
Xander’s
eyes widened in response to Aaron’s statement, but
he faithfully fell in step behind him nonetheless. The two men traveled the
distance from Aaron’s apartment to the ballroom where he knew he would still
find his father, piss drunk and covered with whores. Now was the perfect
opportunity to cement another rule in this game. His father wanted nothing more
than to corrupt his son with his gift, but Aaron wanted to publicly ensure that
no one was to touch Madeleine beside himself. If he could get his father to
agree to the new condition in front of the members of the Estate, his father
would have to honor that condition, forbidding every man at the compound to
touch that which was Aaron’s.

Two men, both dressed in black on black suits, moved to open
the large, double doors so that Aaron and
Xander
could pass through. After their grand entrance, the chaos of the room quickly
hushed when the revelers noticed who had returned to the party. As expected,
his father sat upon his would-be throne; one woman massaging his shoulders
while another had her head buried in his lap. His face showed no reaction to
the bobbing of her head, his shame at public displays such as this, lost years
before. Eyes the color of steel moved to look at Aaron; the father finally
acknowledged the presence of the son.

“Aaron … ” His slurred words reverberated throughout the
hushed silence of the room, “ … so good of you to return to the celebration of
your
birth. I do hope you’ve found … enjoyment
from your
gift
.” Laughter, drowned in
mockery and disdain rolled from his father’s lips; his sloppy movements and
slurred words made his inebriation blindingly apparent. “What brings you back? I
thought for sure you’d be riding her raw this evening.”
Another
dark laugh.
“Or, has it been so long that you’re all dried up?”

Aaron waited for the responsive shouts and jeers by the men
in the room to simmer down before answering. “I thank you for the gift,
father
, however, I have a condition I’d
like to request before I agree to use her as you require. You see, I prefer my
dick not shrivel and fall off my body, so I have a thing about not fucking
whores who have been passed around liberally.”

A perfect eyebrow arched quizzically on his father’s brow. “And
what, exactly, is it you’re requesting, Aaron?” His father’s voice deepened as
he spoke. Aaron hoped that his father believed he’d succeeded in finally
corrupting him; however, he knew the man was far too shrewd to believe that he
had caved so easily. They’d been playing this game for too damn long.

“I’m requesting that the slave is mine, alone; that you
order your men not to touch her while she remains in my service.”

His father’s hand grabbed the head still bobbing in his lap,
wrenching the woman back by her hair and tossing her aside like nothing more
than garbage. She’d cried out at his father’s actions, but knew better than to
move away. Crouching at his feet, the woman remained motionless, her eyes
lowered to the floor, as she waited for when she would be made to continue. Aaron
kept his eyes trained on the steel grey eyes of his father, not wanting to look
down to see his father’s unabashed display.

His father took a moment before responding. Suspiciously
eyeing his son, he finally spoke. “I have to admit, I’m a little shocked by
your request. I thought for sure you would have tossed her aside, refused my
offering.”

Rolling his shoulders back, Aaron carefully chose his words.
Madeleine’s safety was at risk, he needed to ensure she would be viewed as his.
“I assume, father, that you located this woman due to my interest in her. Perhaps,
you had me followed the night of her performance. Given that to be the case,
you know I was interested prior to your gifting of her to me. It would make no
sense for me to turn her away now.” He made sure his voice was purposeful and
strong, showing no signs of his desperate need for his father to agree publicly
to his request.

The frantic beat of his heart echoed through Aaron’s ears as
he waited for his father’s response. White noise, a pulsing sound, as the blood
rushed through his head. The silence of the room was only disturbed by the
shuffle of feet, a cough or the sound of a throat being cleared. It was not
only Aaron that waited, but the entire party, as well. Never before had these
men seen Aaron take part in the depravities of The Estate, in the cruel and
sadistic actions of his father. Yes, Aaron had killed, had taken the lives of
those who threatened the network that, over the years, had been built by his
father. However, Aaron had acted only against other criminals, other people
who’d committed enough evil of their own, that the world would never rue their
absence.

If it hadn’t been for his father’s inebriation, Aaron knew
his motives would have been further explored. As it stood, his father could
barely remain sitting upright, much less have enough mental function to see
past Aaron’s intent. “And is it your request that she remain untouched by all
of the men in this room? Is she a toy kept for your pleasure alone?”

Weighted was the question his father asked; one intended to
goad Aaron into a mistake. He knew his father was placing him in a position to,
once again, be reminded who ruled this network of murderers and thieves. If
Aaron gave the wrong answer, Madeleine would be dragged out here now so that
his father could show him who sat at the top of The Estate. “No, father. I am
still well aware that nothing within this compound shall be denied to you. I’m
simply requesting that all others be restricted from touching what is mine.”

Silence, pregnant with the anticipation of his father’s
approval, was deafening against Aaron’s thoughts. No man spoke, even the short
coughs and cleared throats were absent as Aaron awaited his father’s directive.
Standing firm, his blue eyes never looked away from the scrutiny of the steel
grey.

“Well done, Aaron, it’s good to see you understand who
still sits at the top of this food chain.”
Shifting in his seat while tucking himself back into his
pants, his father raised his hand and snapped, summoning forth Emory, his most
trusted man.

"There
will be a new decree that needs to be delivered as quickly as possible …" Emory
lowered his head, indicating that the decree would be made known.
 
"… No man shall touch Aaron's
slave."

Relief
flooded Aaron's body as he fought to keep his stance firm, not wanting the drop
of his shoulders, or the relaxation of his muscles to betray his feelings to
the group. That relief, however, was short lived.

"However,
although no man may touch the slave, it does not mean she can be hidden
away." He turned to Aaron, amusement evident in his dark gaze. "She
will be displayed when requested by me. It would be a shame for your plaything
to be kept, locked away from the enjoyment of The Estate." Lowering his
voice to a dangerously low level, he added, "Do not forget that we are a
community, my son. One in which, only one man is allowed selfishness."

It
was not a complete win, but it would do. Aaron lowered his head in silent
acknowledgment of his father's directive. The tension between father and son
was palpable, causing Emory to clear his throat in order to interrupt the
unspoken exchange.

"And
if a man breaks the decree, touches the woman without Aaron's permission?"

The
steel grey eyes finally released Aaron, redirecting their focus on Emory. "Then
that man shall lose whatever part of his body it was that came in contact with
her."

Silence
again as the group of men took in the seriousness of his words.

Having
received what he'd come to request, Aaron inclined his head before turning to
leave.

"One
more thing, son … "

Aaron
turned back, his eyes meeting the coldest of steel.

"You
have five days. I expect that within that time, she will be brought under
control, taught the ways of her new life. When that week ends, I'll be calling
upon you to display your pet before me, for you to show me how well you can
train a slave."

Aware
that his father's statement was a command more so than a request, Aaron simply
turned to continue his path out of the room, a response was not required.

The
large doors closed behind them as Aaron and
Xander
wordlessly traveled down the long hall back to Aaron's apartment. Once they
were safely tucked back within the walls of his private space, Aaron moved to
the side bar, pulling out a crystal decanter containing the finest scotch money
could buy. Filling his glass, he turned to offer a drink to
Xander
.

"No,
thank you. I believe one of us needs to have his wits about him tonight, should
our guest attempt her escape."
Xander’s
deep
gritty voice carried an air of sarcasm.

Aaron
brushed off
Xander's
remark. He knew the little mouse
was most likely tucked safely within sleep's strong arms; she'd been close to
collapse even before they'd first reached his apartment.

The
liquor bit at the back of Aaron's throat as it went down, distracting him
momentarily from the present. A sigh escaped his lips as he moved to sit on the
large leather sofa, the same sofa that had earlier held the trembling,
terrified woman.

“I’m not worried about her escaping … not any longer, at
least.” With words saturated in arrogance, Aaron held the drink up to eye level,
swirling the liquid within the glass. “It wasn’t a complete win, but it will
do. I was hoping the old man would have been too drunk or high to remember to
correct me on HIS right to her. Even with a whore in his lap, a few bottles
down his throat and the drugs he is always taking, his mind is still as shrewd
as a viper.” Alcohol slowly seeped into his bloodstream and his muscles relaxed
as he sank into the thick cushions of the couch. He turned his head to look at
Xander
. “At what age does dementia start to set in? Is the
old man close?” He chuckled. “It certainly would make bringing his ass down a
hell of a lot easier.”