A Bedtime Story (14 page)

L
aura awoke to a peculiarly excited Olga,
carrying a picnic basket into her room.

“How about breakfast outside today?” She lifted the basket,
grinning from ear to ear. Confused, Laura was not sure how to respond.

“But… Olga…”

“Master Kayne said it was okay. Actually it was his idea,” she
affirmed as a proud mother.

“Are you sure…?” Laura had learned too long ago the truth behind
the adage
If it’s too good to be true
… Even if that meant taking fifty steps
out the entrance.

Olga nodded confidently, her smile growing even wider. “Come on,
let’s go. It’s a beautiful day.”

They set a red checkered blanket on the grass by a weeping willow
tree. The security guards left them on their own. Laura had brought
The Kite
Runner
, intent on finishing it. Olga had her crochet, weaving an impossibly
intricate design she’d been working on for as long as Laura could remember. She
constantly undid whatever advancement she had just achieved, muttering through
gritted teeth in Russian. But she was a stubborn woman, waving Laura off
dismissively when she had suggested choosing another design.

Laura sat in silence, unable to read, just taking in the moment. It
truly was a beautiful day. She felt the sun on her face, the warm breeze dance in
her hair. She took off her shoes and rubbed her feet in the grass and she smiled
gratefully, tearing up with emotion. In that moment, she was happy. She wondered if
she had the right to be; she shrugged her shoulders in response. Sometimes,
particularly in those times, a moment of clarity would come to
her.
Past the pain, past the despair, she would reach a place where nothing could hurt
her anymore, and she felt only submerged in a feeling of inner peace. This time, it
came in the shape of a green leaf carried by a warm breeze, falling gracefully to
the earth as the sun shone behind it, of the same warm breeze that played with her
hair, made her shirt flutter against her skin and the grass wiggle wildly under her
feet. In this moment, she got it,
the secret
. They stayed outside all day,
watched the sunset with glasses of red wine under warm blankets, content. It was
past seven when they headed back to the house. They crossed paths with Kayne who was
deep in conversation with Lucas, on their way up the stairs. Lucas was speaking to
him in a hushed tone, waving his hands about excitedly, when Kayne stopped, turning
to Laura without saying a word. She held his stare, a modest smile on her lips as
she mouthed
Thank you
. Without openly smiling back, he nodded, slowly, his
eyes conveying the understanding they shared in that moment.

L
aura had gone outside every day since.
Even on rainy days. She hadn’t been with Kayne since their last supper and felt a
rush when Olga came to fetch her outside to advise her that Master Kayne was inside
and would like to see her.

He was dressed in a silver suit, looking dashing as he sat on
their
sofa. Laura felt silly in her denim short shorts and purple
T-shirt. There was a familiar-looking carton box, gift wrapped with a ribbon, on the
table, and her heart beat a little faster at the memory.

“Hey…” He leered at her exposed skin, grinning mischievously. “Hi…”
She smiled nervously, her eyes fixated on the box.

“How are you?”

“I’m okay… you?”

He smiled, tapping his palm on the arm of the La-Z-Boy, motioning
her to sit. She did, her eyes constantly reverting to the box, terrified at what it
could mean.

“Laura.” He waited for her eyes to rest on him before he went on.
“Would you like to accompany me to a wedding?”

She was stunned. “I don’t understand… You’re not taking me to a
party
…?”

He shook his head, smirking, but kindly, the way only he could. “A
wedding… like outside?” she asked, still feeling suspicious.

He nodded.

Her eyes brightened up at the thought.
Outside, she would leave
this house
. “Yes… definitely yes!” She smiled again, a smile he had been
forbidden for too long, genuine, warm, and meant for him. He picked up the box from
the table and handed it to her. She smiled coyly at him, at the déjà vu. Opening it,
she found a
gorgeous long ocean blue chiffon dress, strapless with a
sweetheart neckline.

“It’s beautiful… Thank you…” She held it close to her chest,
smiling away.

Kayne watched her silently, taking in her radiant smile, her
childish joy. He had kidnapped her, locked her up, made her cry and beg, and had
enjoyed every second of it. And now watching her smile, he realized just how much he
reveled at being the cause of it. Her tears made him want to do things to her, her
smile made him want to do things for her. He didn’t know which he liked more.

He got off his seat and, caressing her cheek, informed her to be
ready at three sharp. She stayed in her seat long after he left, feeling dejected
and confused as she realized her disappointment at not having to try on the dress
for him.
In front of him
. Did he not want her anymore? She caught herself
worrying.

She showed up at three, her hair up in an elegant bun, donning drop
diamond earrings and silver sandals. She got the reaction she wanted. She felt her
insides swarm with excitement. She was leaving the house, with Kayne, as his
date.

He offered her his arm, and as they reached the door, he took her
hand and pulled out a jewelry box, which he deposited in her open palm. She lifted a
brow in question to which he responded by nudging his head toward the box.

It contained a diamond platinum bracelet. It was perfect, so simple
and so beautiful.

“Thank you…” Laura breathed, unsure what else to say.

He smirked, turned it around, and showed her the engraving,
From
Your Monster
.

She didn’t react. She stared at him, just fighting the urge to lean
and kiss him,
her
Monster. He would’ve let her, she knew he would have. But
she couldn’t muster the courage, so she stared, trying to communicate what her body
couldn’t, knowing he could read her mind,
hoping
he could read her mind.

He didn’t lean in. He took the bracelet out of the
box and put it on her, securing the elegant screw that held together this unusually
beautiful design.

“There, now you can’t take it off… even if you want to,” he
cautioned teasingly.

***

They took a private jet there. Laura threw him side glances the
whole way, trying to read him, to pick up anything and decipher the puzzle that was
Kayne Malkin. She didn’t know what to think.
Who was this man? Who was the man
that held her life in his hands?
Every now and then, he would catch her
stare, and he would shake his head at her, a knowing smile advising her to give up
the futile quest.

The wedding was quite an elegant affair. It was set outside in a
big green open space, the blue sea for a backdrop. There was security everywhere,
important celebrities, men and women dressed as royalty. Kayne introduced Laura
around, keeping close to her, his eyes locked on her when she wasn’t on his arm.

Mrs. Drugova had lured her to the group of women chatting away by
the bar. Natasha Drugova was the matriarch and left no doubt about it. She had
maintained her beauty, her distinction shining through her posture and elegance, her
piercing gaze only contrasted by her indulgent but reserved smiles. Laura didn’t
want to leave Kayne, feeling nervous at being surrounded by strangers. But Natasha
Drugova had a reassuring authority about her, and Laura had followed her obediently,
though she looked back often and found Kayne staring back at her, every time. She
would smile at him, feeling safe under his enveloping gaze.

The women relentlessly questioned her, about her, about Kayne,
about their relationship. She became nervous, trying to stay vague, which only
heightened their curiosity. Apparently, she was very different from his previous
dates.

Mrs. Drugova smiled somewhat compassionately at her before pulling
her away. “Shall we take a walk…” It wasn’t a question;
it was a
polite order. She started walking away before Laura even answered.

“Don’t worry, child, he feels the same.”

“Excuse me?” Laura uttered nervously.

“It’s obvious. He’s been watching you like a hawk, from the moment
you left his side.” She smiled knowingly.

Laura was grateful to escape the beautiful hyenas badgering her.
She wondered what Mrs. Drugova would think if she only knew why he watched her
constantly. It wasn’t sweet young love, it was a captor supervising his prisoner,
knowing that at this very moment, she contemplated walking out of the place. As
simple as that.
Keep walking, never turning back, walk past the fancy garden,
past the unsuspecting security, or were they?
But Laura knew she wouldn’t.
It was more than a fear of reprisal that kept her locked in his world, more than a
sense of safety in her captivity acquired through conditioning, more than Stockholm
syndrome. Laura looked out the open gated entrance, considered the scary and
beautiful world awaiting her past these doors, and knew she wouldn’t walk out.

“These women are idiots,” Mrs. Drugova proclaimed once they were at
the safe distance from the pack. “But you’re not, are you?” She looked at Laura and
smiled before pursuing, “You know exactly the kind of man he is.” She waited for
Laura to concede, the latter barely nodding her head uncertainly.

“It’s a gift and a curse to be born a woman in this life. You’re
neither his date nor his girlfriend,” she remarked.

Laura’s eyes watered, feeling trapped, caught in a lie she was
forced into. She shook her head, looking down.

“But you want to be.”

Laura’s head snapped back up, shaking it repeatedly, with forced
conviction, to which Mrs. Drugova smiled indulgently, amused. “I know Kayne. I’ve
known him since he was a little boy. He cares for you. If he didn’t, you would be
dead, Laura. Or worse…” Mrs. Drugova gave her the once-over, sizing her up.
“Men like Kayne…” She shook her head. “When I met Dimitri, I
immediately fell in love with him. But I wasn’t a fool about it. I did what I had to
do to be with him, in a way that was tolerable for me. Do you understand what I’m
telling you?”

“No…” she breathed, terrified.

“Don’t be naive and dream up a romance. He will have you, and I
don’t just mean physically. I can see in your eyes how you feel about him. Be smart
enough to make it on your own terms. That’s the best advice I can give you.”

“No… I can’t… It’s not like that…”

“So you’ll be his whore then, and you’ll be discarded when he’s
done with you,” she stated with finality.

Laura’s eyes widened with shock, at the crude word coming from that
regal woman’s mouth, from the truth of it. Everything felt surreal, the beautiful
sunny day, the beach, Kayne watching her with his unique smile, this intimidating
woman she never met, who knew all about her, giving her advice.

Her words were still playing in Laura’s head, when they rejoined
the others. Mrs. Drugova smiled at her and nudged her head, indicating to Laura to
turn around. Kayne was already walking to them and, embracing Laura from behind,
exchanged a few pleasantries with Natasha.

“She’s a special girl. Hold on to her,” Mrs. Drugova finally said,
gently squeezing Laura’s hand before she excused herself. A slow song was playing,
and Mr. Drugov approached them to steal her away onto the dance floor.

“Don’t worry, she’s not going anywhere,” Kayne replied in a silky
voice, more for Laura’s benefit.

Still in his embrace, Laura felt a shiver run down her spine. She
turned her head sideways toward him, her apprehensive stare landing on laughing
eyes.

He stepped back and took her hand, leading her to the dance floor
as well. They danced with his hands on her waist, her arms
around
his shoulders, and their eyes locked on each other. He smiled kindly at her intense
gaze.

“Why are you being so nice to me?”

He smirked mischievously. “I’m always nice to you.”

She snorted humorlessly in response. “I thought you never lied…”
she then said, bitterness creeping in her soft voice.

He answered with a devilish smile, pulling her even closer, cheek
to cheek. With his arms around her, he whispered in her ear, his tone surprisingly
serious. “Believe me, Laura, I’ve been nice to you.”

They remained like this for the remainder of the song, cheek to
cheek, in silence, until her eyes welled up with tears; she was unsure why. She hid
her face in him, resting her head on his shoulder.

“Have you thought of running away?” he asked her softly in her
ear.

“Yes…” she conceded, shamelessly, softly, her head still on his
shoulder.

“Why didn’t you?”

She didn’t answer, he didn’t insist.

He caressed her back, the entire song, and the next as they
remained locked in this embrace.

“What will happen to me?” she eventually asked him in a childlike
voice, her face still hidden in the nook of his neck.

He didn’t answer, she didn’t insist.

***

That night Laura heard again the clicking of heels and felt her
heart tighten. She didn’t cry.

L
aura was going through her room, from
boredom, from a relentless feeling of anguish and a desire to belong, to know every
corner of the only home she would ever have. A bedroom. She went through every
drawer, every closet, pulled out all the clothes and put them back.

It was in a top drawer she found the picture. A beautiful brunette
was smiling back at her, her hair curled up like they did back in the day, her hazel
eyes vibrant, gleaming with mischief. Laura couldn’t stop looking at the picture,
recognizing the familiar traits in them.
Kayne’s mother
. Who was she? What
happened to her? What kind of woman gives birth to this kind of man? Was she like
Mrs. Drugova, pragmatic and jaded? Like Olga, seeing goodness wherever she could
find it? Or was she like herself, just seeking refuge in fantasy from a world she
wasn’t armed to face? That night, she brought the picture with her, tucked into her
back pocket, and went to meet Kayne for supper. She stopped, taken aback at finding
his seat unusually empty, and looked at the time. She wasn’t early. She took her
seat, her unease only increasing.

She was lost in thought when two big hands gently grabbed her
shoulders. She jerked, stunned, hearing a gruff chuckle behind her, before the warm
hands abandoned her. Kayne took his seat, smiling devilishly at her.

“What’s going on in that little head of yours?”

She just pulled out the picture, without saying a word, and handed
it to him. He seemed curious at first, then his eyes instantly narrowed upon
recognition.

“Where did you get this?”

“In my room...” she stammered, feeling her heartbeat quicken.

He looked at her, then back at the picture, his eyes hard.

“Is it… your mother?”

He didn’t respond right away, keeping his eyes fixed on the
picture. “Yes.”

“You look like her…”

“I look nothing like her,” he snapped, his eyes lifting to meet
Laura’s.

“Why are you upset?” she breathed, her eyes watering.

His eyes softened, though the darkness remained. “Don’t worry about
it,” he reassured her, his tone still hard, and deposited the picture far away on
the table, and out of sight.

“I don’t understand... Do you hate her?”

“Drop it,” he warned, his face menacing.

She squirmed in her seat. She couldn’t link such a violent reaction
to the sweet face she had looked at all day.

“Let’s eat,” he said after a moment, his eyes still tempestuous.
They ate in silence, Laura throwing cautious glances his way, looking back down
every time her gaze landed on the pools of darkness staring back.

They finished their supper with the heavy silence still weighing on
them. He then got up and went digging for something in his jacket. He came back to
the kitchen, leaning back against the island counter, watching her, as she remained
in her seat, unsure what to do. She looked so pitiful, fidgeting nervously in her
chair, and that sight alone was enough to pacify his temper. “Come here.”

She looked up at him, as if assessing the situation.
Apprehensively, she approached him, constantly gauging his reaction with each step
that brought her closer. He waited patiently, arms crossed, his expression betraying
his amusement as she embarked on the dangerous journey that led her to him.

When she finally got to him, he reached for her wrist and pulled
her close. He could sense her maddened pulse and reveled in feeling her underlying
panic.
Poor Laura
, he thought patronizingly,
how wrong you are this
time
. He smiled inwardly,
knowing she reacted exactly as
he’d trained her to, always fearful, always on edge, always seeking to please. This
behavior will be rewarded. He pulled out an envelope and handed it to her.

“What is it?” she asked, her voice low and raspy, her breathing
hard.

He leaned into her ear, his expression playful. “Happy birthday.”
She seemed confused at first, then closed her eyes as the fact dawned on her. She
was turning twenty-four. It was her birthday. “Do you want me to open it?” she
asked, still not reassured by his positive mood swing.

“It’s yours. Do what you want.” He smiled indulgently.

She opened the envelope wearily and found two tickets to
The
Swan Lake
premiere from Les Grands Ballets Canadiens for the following
evening. Her eyes were round with surprise.

“You’re taking me to
The Swan Lake
? How did you even know?”
she gasped.

“Happy?” He smirked.

A tear clung to the corner of her eye. “Yes,” she breathed. “Thank
you.”

They remained close, their eyes locked on each other. She felt lost
in his eyes, in his presence, in his world. Adrift in this swirl of madness where he
was the only thing left she could hold on to. She closed her eyes, cautiously
raising herself on her toes, and closed the small distance separating them. Her lips
barely grazed his, for the length of a second, her sweet lips tasted the saltiness
of his. She felt her heart sink in her chest, just like the roller coasters when she
was a child. She quickly pulled back and, avoiding his gaze, turned to walk
away.

She felt his hand grab her arm from behind, slowly making her turn
around and pulling her back to him. Her heart was racing, and she kept her eyes to
the ground, feeling his piercing gaze on her.

He brought a hand to her shoulder, letting his fingers run the
length of her arm; and feeling her shiver, he sighed. He pulled her
into him and brought his mouth to her ear. His voice hoarse, he whispered, “Don’t
play with fire, little girl.”

Her face flushed, she nervously nodded her head. Without ever
looking at him, she rushed out of his embrace and away from him.

***

That night Kayne didn’t make any calls. His mind was fixated on his
captive, on the soft kiss he could still feel on his lips as he ran his thumb over
them. How could anything so sweet, so innocent turn him on to such an extent? He
wondered. He’d wanted to take her, knew he could have, but pulled back, though he
felt his desire reciprocated. He knew she didn’t want him to take her the way he
wanted, though she would have let him. He wondered what stopped him. At the last
second, he changed his mind, let her walk away. It was her birthday after all; she
could have her sweet chaste kiss. He shrugged his shoulders, smiling to himself.
Next time, there would be no mercy.