Surrender: Keeping Her in the Dark Vol. 4 (12 page)

“Thank you,” I passed him and then turned back, “And it’s Mrs. Hastings,” I said.

“Very good, Ma’am,” he nodded and kinda bowed too, then he walked past me and opened the doors.

“Mrs. Hastings,” he announced.

Nick was standing next to a long book shelf. He turned around with a big smile on his face. He was wearing navy blue dress pants and a white button up shirt.

“Norah, you look lovely,” he said. “I’m so glad you came,” he walked toward me and leaned down to kiss my cheek.

“Ahh, thank you,” I hesitated a little. I looked down and ran my hands over my stomach and down the sides of my thighs. He touched my chin and forced me to look up at him. Again I fidgeted with my necklace which was a nervous habit of mine.

“Are you nervous?” he asked.

“A little.”

“Here have a drink,” he walked over to a small bar table and made me a gin and tonic. “Gin and tonic, right?” he asked. I nodded and took the glass from him. I took a long sip and then rolled my shoulders.

“Dinner will be ready in five minutes,” a lady in a maid outfit said.

“Then we will head to the dining room,” he put his hand to my lower back and gestured for me to move toward the door.

I sat at the dinner table while Nick texted with someone on his cell phone. It felt a lot like the first dinner Liam and I had together. It was interrupted by business and I sat alone looking around the room. But I wasn’t about to give Nick a blowjob like I had Liam.

He looked up from his phone and apologized.

“Norah, I apologize. There is a problem with one of my factories in Guam. I need to make a call. Please have a look around the first floor. This house is very beautiful. I’ll find you as soon as I am done,” he stood up and walked out of the room. I heard his footsteps going up stairs.

I walked around and found the kitchen with a few busy workers in it, a very large living room with a television at least 80 inches, a PlayStation, movie selection, and large leather couches and recliners. I found a bathroom and another room in the back of the house down a long hallway with a large cherry wood door only cracked open an inch.

My curiosity got the best of me so I pushed it open. The room was dark. The light from the hallway let me see what looked like a trunk, a mattress on the floor with a blanket, and shackles hanging from the ceiling. I pushed the door open a little further and I heard a clanging sound. It sounded like chains against chains. I glanced to the other side of the room and saw a small cage. I felt for a light switch but couldn’t find one.

I stepped closer and then I saw her. She was inside the cage laying on her side. She was naked with shackles around her ankles. I couldn’t see her face but I was 100% sure this was Holly. This was the young girl Nick had purchased from the auction.

“Holly?” I whispered. She moved a little but not much. “Is your name Holly?” I asked again. Again she didn’t move. I started to step toward the cage but then she spoke.

“He’ll kill you if he finds you in here,” she said. I stopped moving. I looked up and saw hooks hanging from the ceiling. They looked like meat hooks. On the back wall was a large cabinet which I was sure held lots of scary toys.

“Norah?” I heard Nick’s voice from the other end of the hall. I walked backward keeping my eyes on this girl laying in a cage. I moved the door back to just a crack of an opening and ran down the hallway.

I saw another room with glass cabinets and walked inside it.

“There you are,” he said. “Enjoying my antique collection?” he asked. I didn’t think he suspected anything.

“Ah, yes, it’s beautiful. What’s that?” I pointed to what looked like an antique jewelry box.

“It was a jewelry box I bought from an auction about 5 years ago,” he chuckled at his own words. “It was one of the artifacts from the Titanic. They were able to restore it to its natural beauty. I saw it and had to have it,” he winked at me.

“Funny. I know the feeling,” of course I was referring to being in an auction myself and Liam having to have me and then trying to restore me as well.

“Dinner is ready,” again he put his hand on my back and lead me out of the room.

Dinner was quiet. We ate butternut squash soup with a cheese nioki, asparagus risotto and braised duck legs with an apple and ginger sauce.

“I have fresh cut fruit and chocolate cake for dessert,” he said.

“I love chocolate cake,” I said.

“I know,” he nodded.

“How do you see your life playing out without Liam?” he asked. It was a bold question. I hadn’t thought about it. I didn’t want to think about it.

“I don’t know. I guess I don’t like thinking about it.” I looked down at my food.

“Well you should. You don’t have to be with him, Norah. I know he makes you feel like he owns you, but he doesn’t. If you leave him Norah you can have a brighter life,” he smiled and took a bite of his food.

I thought his words were very ironic. My future could be bright, but the girl down the hall was living in the dark. He says Liam acts as if he owns me, but apparently he had the same feelings for this girl.

“Are you saying you wouldn’t treat me as if you owned me?” I crossed my hands against my chest.

“Well I believe you and I could reach some happy medium.”

“Liam and I have a happy medium.”

“Do you really?”

“Well we use to,” I looked down. I had to remember I was trying to sell a bill of goods. Unfortunately I didn’t like talking as if Liam was part of my past.

“He use to like that I have my own mind, my own wants and my own ambition. But recently,” tears started to build in my eyes. They were real. Not for the reason Nick thought but they were real. He touched my hand.

“Hey Norah, you don’t have to talk about it. I’m just glad you’re here,” he said, then he stood up. “Come with me, I want to show you something.” I wiped my face and followed him out of the room.

We got in a very small elevator and went up three floors. When we got out there was a large room in front of us. The walls were covered in art and there were statues in random places.

“This is my art room,” he held out his hand welcoming me to look around. He had originals from Renoir, Da Vinci, and Monet.

I walked up to one of the original Renoir’s. It was a painting of a women reading a book.

“It’s called ‘Women Reading’,” he was standing behind me.

“Original title,” I said.

“The original was done in 1875,” he paused. “Have you ever seen the movie ‘American Hustle’?” he asked.

“Ah, no I haven’t.”

“Well a few years ago, I found this young man working in Sydney. His name was Ramone. He was an artist and he had learned to perfect famous artists works. He had painted so many fraudulent paintings but he was able to sell them as originals. People were paying a lot of money for his work.” I turned to face him.

“So being that he was able to recreate work from Renoir and Monet, I ask you,” he paused and looked down at me, “who is the real master?” he winked at me and walked to the next painting.

“Are you telling me that these aren’t really originals?” I asked.

“You tell me?” he said. I was sure he was trying to make a point but I wasn’t sure what it was. I followed him around the room and then walked around to look at the statues. He walked up behind me again and pulled my hips closer to him. His hands were on my hips and he left them there. I wanted to move but I knew I shouldn’t.

His hands started to move up my body and then rested on my shoulders. He was standing very close to me. I could feel him behind me.

“Norah,” he whispered directly in my ear. His breath was warm and smelled like cinnamon. He ran his nose over my earlobe and kissed my neck. I tried to respond in a positive way so I moved my head to the left to give him more access.

“Norah, you smell so good. Like chocolate,” he breathed against me.

“It’s the cake,” I mumbled. He leaned up and took my hand.

“Come with me,” his eyes were soft. We walked back to the study and he motioned for me to sit on the couch.

As soon as I sat down, he sat down beside me and leaned in closer to me.

First he brought my chin up so he could look at me. He kissed my forehead and pressed his forehead against mine.

“I’ve wanted this for so long, Norah,” he panted. He kissed my lips and ran his fingers through my hair and then down my back. He pulled at my waist and picked me up and made me straddle his lap. He kissed my lips, my neck and my shoulders. He kissed everything that wasn’t covered with fabric. His hands moved between my breasts and my thighs.

I wasn’t sure how far I was going to let this go. I tried to keep him interested and show him I was into this but I just wanted him to stop. I didn’t want him to touch me. I didn’t want his mouth on me. But I needed him to trust me, I needed him to let me in.

He moved us so he was laying on top of me and he pulled my leg up to wrap around his waist.

“I want you, Norah. I have to have you,” he panted.

“I can’t Nick,” I panted back at him. “I can’t do this right now.” He leaned back and looked in my eyes. I touched the sides of his face.

“I want to, but I just need to have a clear head and right now it’s a little…foggy. Please don’t be mad.” He leaned up and moved away from me.

“I’m not mad,” he said. “Just disappointed.” His phone rang again and he stood up. “Excuse me,” he walked to the side of the room and answered his phone.

I stood up and straightened out my dress. I walked over to the desk and took a tissue from a box so I could wipe my face. His desk was very neatly organized. He had one of those old large calendars taking up most of the space, a Chicago White Soxx coffee cup with pens and pencils in it, some post it notes, an envelope opener, a pair of scissors and paperclips. His laptop was folded closed in the middle. I also saw a picture of a little boy wearing overalls and playing with a little red truck. I picked it up.

“That is my nephew,” he said from behind me. “His name is Travis.” I turned to look at him.

“I didn’t know you had a…sibling,” I hesitated again.

“Sister. Little sister. She lives in Chicago with her husband and son. She fell in love with the town when she went to college.”

“Thus the coffee mug,” I smiled.

“Yes. She has convinced me to like baseball. I guess I am a White Soxx fan,” he smiled back.

“I should go. It’s late.” I put the picture back on his desk. I wondered if his little sister and nephew knew what a sadistic asshole he was.

He walked me to the car and stood beside the door.

“Well Norah, it’s been another interesting evening. I hope you come back soon,” he leaned down again and kissed my cheek. Just as I pulled away he grabbed my hand.

“I know you want to do things your way this time, and I am going along with it for now. I have realized that trying to force you into something isn’t going to get me the outcome I desire. I am trying to be patient, Norah, because I know you are going through a confusing time. But you will have to make a decision soon.”

“Thank you, Mr. Meyers. I enjoyed myself. I will call you soon.” I got in the car and pulled out my cell phone to call John.

I took his last little lecture as a warning. I knew what a bastard Nick could be. He was warning me that if I didn’t move along faster he would move along with my consent. He was trying to be a gentlemen and let me decide this time, but he was willing to be forceful if he had too. I was just hoping that his patience would last for a few more encounters so I could figure out how to free the girl and ruin him. I wanted my husband. I needed my husband. He would know what to do.

As soon as I got home I ran upstairs and took a long hot shower hoping to get all of the Nick Meyers off of me.

Chapter Nine

Liam

The next day Amir invited me to his home for lunch. I quickly made up dinner plans so I wouldn’t have to stay.

The day after that I told him I had a business meeting when he called and invited me to a pool party at his townhome.

“Why did you turn him down?” Shaw shouted in the phone. “You have to play nice with these men. You have to make friends. He wants you at his home, then you go!”

“Look I know the view is really nice from the cheap seats but I am the one with my neck on the line. I’m sorry if I don’t want to expose it more than I have to!” I shouted back.

“I’m going to the damn auction on Friday and that should be good enough!” I slammed down the phone.

The evening of the auction had finally arrived and I was anxious. I remembered the night I bought Norah I was nervous and very excited. I couldn’t wait to see the women and get my hands on one. When I finally saw Norah, nothing else mattered to me.

None of the other girls in the auction could compare to her. I had to have her no matter the cost. After I won her, after I knew she was mine, I couldn’t wait to get her home and have my way with her.

It didn’t exactly work out that way back then and it wouldn’t work out that way tonight either. I wasn’t excited but anxious. Anxious to get it over with.

I wore a black suit. Norah always told me how handsome and sometimes intimidating I looked in black. I splashed a little after shave behind my ears, clasped on the watch Norah had given me as a Christmas present, and adjusted the cufflinks my father had left me.

I got into the car and made the short 15 minute drive to a private place where the party and auction were being held.

I had a tracker in my shoe, belt buckle and they even had taken one of the cufflinks apart and put one in there. The buttons on my shirt were little microphones and one was a camera. Agent Shaw had insisted none of it would be detected. I just hoped they didn’t dunk me in water again.

“Welcome Mr. Hastings,” a large man said as I walked in the door. Another man came over and took my finger prints and patted me down, then escorted me to an elevator. It reminded me of the elevator I had ridden in the hotel the night I bought Norah.

The man entered a code in the panel and up we went.

When the doors opened everything was dark. Another man nodded at me and told me to follow him, which I did. We walked down a long hallway to a doorway covered by a curtain. He opened the curtain just enough for me to walk inside.