The Unfortunates (Unfortunate #1) (7 page)

“Yes,”
Elizabeth panted, her arms squeezing her breasts together.

He felt it in his balls, the familiar tightness, and his shaft swelled, leaving even less room inside her. She was tight and he grunted every time he
had to force himself that little bit deeper. She began to gasp, shutting her eyes and clawing him harder.

“Yes!”
she cried out. The noise, the sound of a woman nearing climax, was fucking sexy and it pushed him to the edge. As Elizabeth came, Kade sucked a breast into his mouth and bit down as he spilled himself into her. His climax was nice, but boring, in a way. Foreplay. It all came back to foreplay for him. He wanted to be wound up to the point of combusting before feeling the velvety insides of a woman. Kade pulled himself out and off of Elizabeth, who rolled happily onto her side. A shower and bed was now all he needed for a good night’s sleep. He put his clothes back on and headed for the door without another word. It wasn’t because it was awkward or because he disliked her. Kade liked Elizabeth, she was one of his dearest friends, but they’d been at this for nine years and there was nothing new to say to each other. To be honest, Kade didn’t want to linger just in case she decided to read into it. He wouldn’t put it past Elizabeth to have a wedding planned and ready by the morning. 

Kade pulled the door open and stepped out.

“You’re welcome,” Elizabeth called, forcing Kade to turn around.

He
laughed once, peering around the edge of the door. “Let’s not pretend. We both know it was
I
that did
you
the favour.”

She opened her mouth and Kade shut the door bef
ore she could speak her retort. That would keep her up tonight. Elizabeth never could handle someone else getting the last word in.

∞

Master Kade strolled up the wide hallway, ignoring all of the paintings on the wall. He’d been wandering these halls since he was a kid and he knew every detail of every painting. He was sick of it, sick of this house. He wanted to be right in the city, with his father. Kade’s father lived in the Sario building in the middle of the city. Coincidently, it was the tallest building. Only the figurehead of a main house could live there. He didn’t envy his father too badly, not when he thought about all of the bullshit his dad had to deal with. In the new world, there wasn’t much work for the Fortunates. The Unfortunates took care of everything. They did the farming, they ran the shops, and they served the Fortunates. Every Unfortunate was born with a number and every slave had a place. If the slave wasn’t where it was meant to be, then it was located and killed. Fortunates didn’t have the time for renegade slaves. It was rare that anyone escaped Freeport. Those that did were either tracked and killed or left to die out in the wild. The moderators were half Fortunate, half Unfortunate, and although birth control was compulsory for all Unfortunates, sometimes things slipped by. It wasn’t right to treat the offspring like Fortunates and it wasn’t right to treat them like Unfortunates, either, so they created a medium. That medium turned out to be very helpful. Fortunates didn’t have to degrade themselves and slum it in Unfortunate camps or on work stations while the Unfortunates picked the food or sewed the clothes, the moderators did instead, and they were paid well for it.

Kade’s shoes scuffed against untiled flooring and the noise brought him back to reality. He glanced around the dark room and heard a sleepy sigh. He took a step back, at first, when he
realised his unfocused state had brought him to Nine’s quarters. She had her own room, his father had apparently sorted that out for her. Most personal slaves shared a room connected to their master’s room, but Kade wasn’t open to the option of having someone so close to his personal space.

It was his animalistic nature that forced him forward again. He kept going until his shins pressed against the low, thin mattress. If he listened closely, he could hear the slow, relaxed pattern of her breathing. It was the first time since her arriv
al that he’d heard her breathe at a normal pace. He decided he liked it quicker… he liked affecting her. He stuffed his hands into his pockets to prevent from touching her. He wondered how she’d react if he stroked her between her legs or played with one of her nipples. He recalled earlier when he released her from her dress that she attempted to cover her breasts. She wouldn’t like to be touched against her will at all—that was obvious—so Kade didn’t touch her, but she’d have to learn to like it. If she was going to help him and his family, she was going to have to like being touched whenever and wherever a Fortunate saw fit, and in order to make her like it, he was going to have to gain her trust. He had to pick the right moments to seduce her, to break her down and put her back together again. Kade was certain that when he was finished with her, she was going to trust, love, and fear him.

Kade turned on his heel and left Nine’s room
. Behind him, he heard her shuffle on the bed, and he hunched a little as his weariness began to take over. He ran his hand over his face and thought about his large bed as he climbed the wide staircase to the second floor. He loved night time—to be specific—he loved the time when he could climb into bed and forget about all the shit he had to deal with. The only time he could rest was alone in the dark. He didn’t like company in those times. He didn’t like light, either. The darkness was his ally. It allowed him to be still and content. It was only in darkness that he found himself truly at peace, and when the light began to seep through the curtains in the morning, he put his face back on and hid his peaceful nature behind his assertive front. It became apparent to him as a teenager, after his mother was murdered, that he needed to be hard in order to survive. The weak fall… the strong prosper, and that was the way the new world went.

Chapter F
ive

Nine

Two weeks. I’ve gone two weeks without being summoned by Master Kade. I spend most of my day in my room, waiting around just in case he calls me. He hasn’t yet. By lunch time, I step out into the garden just to touch things. I like the feel of the dirt between my toes and the smell of the leaves. I can’t describe the scent that emanates from a torn leaf… it smells green—no—earthy. Earthy is a much better word. And the flowers, the flowers smell amazing
, like nothing I’ve ever smelt before. We hardly saw flowers in the Unfortunate camp… we hardly saw anything except mud and dirt. I push my tongue against the roof of my mouth. I can still taste the mud in the back of my throat.

“Hey you!”

I startle, yanking a handful of grass from the ground. I didn’t realise I’d sat on the ground to feel the grass. A female Unfortunate jogs over to me. Her frizzy hair bounces around her shoulders and the sun gleams against her gorgeous, dark skin. I quickly pull myself to my feet and drop the handful of grass. I’m careful not to get any dirt on my purple dress.

“Nine, right?”

I recognise her from the branding ceremony. She poured Kade’s drink while I got towels to clean up the alcohol she spilt. I don’t remember telling her my name, but we work in the same house, so I guess it wouldn’t be too hard to figure it out.

I nod. “Yeah.”

She smiles, exposing a set of perfect white teeth. She seems so upbeat and happy… why can’t I be upbeat and happy? Will I be, eventually?

“I’m Portia.”

I frown. Portia? I was expecting a number or something a little more degrading.

“Portia?”

She hooks her arm around mine and pulls me along beside her. My heartbeat quickens and I peer over my shoulder. Are we allowed to walk around so casually? Touching and chatting like the Fortunates do?

“They replaced my number when I started here. Sometimes, they run out of numbers and give you a na
me instead so they can reuse the number in the system.”

“They have a system?”

“Absolutely.” She giggles. “They’re not total barbarians.”

Aren’t they? Why doesn’t she think so? Questions form in my head one after the other and as I open my mouth to voice them, I see Master Kade walk by.

“Look, there’s Master Kade. It’s his birthday today.”

I freeze and dive into a near bush so he doesn’t see me. As soon as I’m hidden and
sticks jab into my body, I regret it. What the hell am I doing? There’s a stick poking right into my brand, thankfully, it’s almost healed, but that doesn’t make it hurt any less.

“Portia?” Master Kade demands, his voice getting too close for comfort.

Through the branches, I see Portia peer nervously at me. I shake my head, begging her not to tell him. She clears her throat. “Yes, Master Kade?” 

He strolls up to her, his handsome face pinched into a frown. Cold sweat trickles down the back of my neck and bubbles over my top lip. I ignore the leaves tickling my nose and the stick prodding my ass.

“Make sure Nine gets her dress.”

She nods, dropping her head. “Yes, Master Kade.”

He walks off without another glance in her direction and when he disappears inside the house, I force myself from the bush. When I’m out, the cool air stings new scratches on my arms and legs.

“Are you insane?” Portia scolds me, her thin eyebrows furrowing.
“If he saw you we both would’ve been done for.”

“He didn’t see me
,” I say, running my hands over my dress and plucking off stray leaves. “Thank god.”

She folds her arms. “Why’d
you hide?” 

“Because I’m avoiding him. Obviously.”

She shakes her head. “You can’t avoid him, silly child. You are his. If he wants to find you, he will.”

If he want
s to find you, he will.
The words make me shudder. Avoiding Kade isn’t the only reason I hid from him. I hid because it’s his birthday and I don’t know what that entails, exactly. Will he want things from me? Am I expected to do things for him? To him? Do I say happy birthday?

Portia snatches my wrist. “You look like you’re going to be sick.” She giggles. “If you keep your head down and do as you’re told, you’ll be fine. Now come, I’ll show you your dress.”

∞

I peer out the window at the beautifully lit back yard. Tiny white lights shin
e from almost every inch of the back yard and stunning large, bowl-like lights hang from the canopy. I’ve never seen anything so mesmerising. I watch Fortunates mingle and dance—laugh and drink—and I envy them. They’re so carefree. No one expects anything from them. No one wants to hurt them… or humiliate them. All they have to do is exist. I turn from the window and back to the mirror. My short beige dress doesn’t conceal my nipples—even with the pretty, flowers shaped sequins on top. I have the feeling I’m meant to be on show. I’m Kade’s gift… and he wants me to dress like one. I touch my hair. Half of it is pinned back by a pretty hairclip. I’ve never had my hair clipped before nor have I worn such beautiful accessories. I stare at my face. I don’t look like myself. Portia insisted I wear makeup. She outlined my eyes with a black pencil and combed through my eyelashes with another black tool—for a whole hour she put things on my face to ensure that I looked like ‘the untouchable possession’ Kade wants me to be.
Possession.
It’s an ugly word.

I rake my eyes over my outfit again and a familiar pang of uncomfortable tightness strikes.
I’m not wearing the dress. I grip the hem of the dress and pull it up over my head. I toss it on the bed and retrieve my purple one from its crumpled heap on the floor. I pull it on and instantly I can breathe better.

There’s a knock at the door and I freeze, watching the door handle. It turns slowly before opening and an unknown Unfortunate peers inside. She’s not happy like Portia, her
eyes are wide, like she’s seen a ghost.

“Master Kade wants to see you.” Her eyes flick to the other dress on the bed. “If I were you, I’d take the dress
, too.”

I nod and she leaves. I swallow hard and inhale.
I hold it for a few seconds, until my lungs burn, before exhaling. Then, I grab the other dress and march to Master Kade’s room with my head held high.

∞ Kade ∞

He let
s his stare roam her body. Shadows, cast from the fireplace, nestled in the hollows of her cheeks and under her breasts. She wasn’t wearing the dress he’d picked out solely for this occasion and solely for her. Kade had given her time to adjust and two weeks was plenty. He’d wasted enough time taking her thoughts and feelings into account. Now, he was ready to use what was his—and she was an idiot if she thought he didn’t see her dive into a bush earlier today just to avoid him. He saw it. He should’ve dragged her out by her hair and made an example out of her and Portia. Portia knew better than to lie to him. Granted, he never asked her a question, but he didn’t have to. She was guilty by omission.

It was clear from her shaking form
that Nine was in no position to seduce anybody tonight. He was going to have to put off his plan until a later date. It didn’t really matter right now, it’ll all work out as long as she’s confident in sex by the time he needed her.

In the meantime, he’d
keep her on her toes and make sure she’s doing everything an Unfortunate should. As for the mine situation, Kade decided to dispatch his own people at his own risk. The mines needed to be sorted out and fast, and he’d request assistance from another house when Nine was capable of compelling cocks and minds in favour of his house.

Kade stepped closer
. The room was so quiet he could’ve sworn he heard Nine swallow.

“Is there a problem with your dress?”
he asked before he tipped the last few drops of alcohol down his throat.

“Yes
,” she simply said. She squared her shoulders and angled her head toward him. It was a brave act, but he knew that’s all it was—an act. “There seem to be a few layers of fabric missing.”

Kade couldn’
t help himself. He chuckled, dropping his empty glass onto the rug at his feet. “I can assure you there’s no fabric missing. I want those perfect, pink nipples of yours exposed.”

It wasn’t for him. Having her dressed this
way was part of his game. She was the juicy slab of meat he was going to dangle in front of lions. By making her alluring and telling them not to touch, he was certain she’d get snapped up by someone he could use.

“I don’t feel comfor—”

“Tell me,” Kade interrupted, closing the distance between them. “What part of your existence is meant to make
you
feel comfortable?”

Nine visibly flinched
, dropping her gaze to the floor. Kade caught her chin and angled her face back toward his. Her skin was soft, even on the tips of his fingers.

“You have twenty seconds to put the dress on, or
I’m taking you out there naked.”

He flicked his head toward his bathroom and lowered his hand from her face. Without a word, she dragged herself into the bathroom and shut the door. Kade exhaled and
sauntered back to this desk. He retrieved a new, clean glass and filled it with his favourite whiskey. Quickly, his mind fell onto his birthday. Kade hated birthdays—his especially—for as long as he could remember. He felt they were a waste of time and money. Vince was different. Vince loved a good birthday party. He took any chance he could get to drink booze until he couldn’t walk and fuck girls who weren’t in any mind to decide if he was a good guy or a bad guy. Vince was a bad guy. Always was and always will be, and while Kade wouldn’t necessarily refer to himself as good, he knew he wasn’t as messed up as Vince. Vince enjoyed life as a Fortunate. He used it to his advantage whenever he could—humiliation, rape, assault—you name it, he did it. Kade enjoyed being a Fortunate, too, but he knew that although the Unfortunates were a lower class people, they were still people. Vince had lost his humanity a long time ago, when their mother was killed and could no longer guide him down the right path. He was too young to remember her lessons, but Kade remembered them well. Though society had groomed him into the cold man he now was, he was still his mother’s son deep down. He remembered every lesson and every point she ever made.

Kade
filled a new glass and dropped into his chair. He pinched the bridge of his nose, hoping it’d relieve his throbbing headache. No such luck. He tapped his fingers against the top of his table, waiting for Nine. He knew if he wasn’t there to force her to get dressed, she’d go to the party in the purple one she arrived in and Kade couldn’t have that.

Soon enough,
Nine stepped out from the bathroom and Kade stopped tapping the desk. He took her in inch by inch—her long exposed legs, slim hips, and narrow waist before stopping at her breasts. Amongst the distraction of beige fabric and glistening sequins, he saw her nipples—barely—but they were still there. Finally, he pulled his sights to her face. She looked anything but happy. At first, her expression was pinched into a scowl, but when her violet eyes locked onto his, her scowl fell away, and was replaced by a shy, uncomfortable cringe.

“Perfect
,” Kade said, shifting forward in his seat. “Was that so hard?”

She gritted her teeth and stared at Kade with eyes so intense it made his heart race.  He couldn’t let her get away with defying him. It would catch on and other Unfortunates would know.

“You disobeyed me. What do I have to do to get it through to you that
I own you?
Do I have to punish you? Do I have to humiliate you?”

She
shook her head, her eyes suddenly pleading. “No.”

“I think I do.”

He relaxed back into his chair. “Get down on your hands and knees.”

“But—”

He shook his head at her and she stopped speaking. This would be much easier if his father had picked a competent Unfortunate—one who didn’t question his every order. She exhaled and slumped as she lowered herself onto her hands and knees. She looked at the floor, not wanting to watch him and Kade didn’t mind. He didn’t need her unique violet eyes distracting him.