This Darkest Man (16 page)

It
was Margaret who woke me in the morning as she brought in my breakfast tray.
She gave a sadistic, smug smile as she saw my predicament but at least she
released my stiff limbs from their bondage. It was funny how I didn’t even care
about being naked or humiliated in front of her anymore, it had happened so
many times. Throughout the night, I kept hoping that Daniel would come back and
put me out of my misery, but he never did. So I got to lie there in the dark
and try to think of things other than sex.

I
rushed to the bathroom once I was free. My bladder had been screaming at me
since early morning but I had managed to hold on. The humiliation of wetting
the bed would have been too much to handle. While I was sitting on the toilet,
Margaret marched in and turned the shower on. Seriously, nothing fazed this
woman.

“You
had better hurry up. You’re going back to the city soon,” she said as she
placed a clean towel on the rail.

“What
for?”

She
didn’t answer and just walked out, probably knowing how infuriating it was not
to have questions answered. When I was bathed, dressed and fed, I walked down
to the entrance way where Daniel was waiting, texting on his phone. He gave me
an annoyed look.

“What
took you so long?”

“Sorry,
I was a little tied up.” I gave him a stunning smile as I walked past him and
through the open door to where the driver waited. If he wanted confirmation
that the night had been utter torture for me, I wasn’t going to give him that
satisfaction.

He
didn’t speak to me during the entire ride back to the city. Instead he spent
the time on the phone, barking orders at his poor assistant on the other end.
He was strictly business, even though it was the weekend. I was glad that he
didn’t speak to me. I just stayed on the far side of the seat, away from him
and stared at the scenery passing us by.

When
we finally came to a stop, it was outside a hotel which was no doubt part of
Daniel’s empire. I stared up at it as I stepped out of the car, its thousand
windows reflecting the light of the day. “Hurry up,” Daniel grasped my arm and
pulled me along. Inside the lobby, employees greeted and bowed and scraped in
front of him. He, being the prick that he was, barely acknowledged them as he
pulled me toward the elevator.

We
ended up on the top floor where Daniel’s private penthouse suite resided. “Is
this where you live in the city?” I asked him as pulled out his phone again.

“Go
find a bedroom. Your stylist will be here in a moment,” he barked at me as he
answered his phone and turned away from me. I made a face and went to explore.
Enormous windows showed the city and made me feel slightly sick when I stood
and looked down. There was no bad energy here though, everything was new and
ultramodern. But it was cold with black glass tables and leather furniture. No
doubt it was supposed to be masculine and scream bachelor pad, but it was the
type of place that could never be called a home. I imagined Daniel bringing his
women back here and screwing them, before dismissing them coldly. I hated to
admit that it brought forth a spark of jealousy within me. That was another
thing to dislike about him.

The
bedroom I chose was small in comparison to the grandeur of the place, but still
opulent with velvet furnishings and warm wood. I ran my hand over the bed, it
looked so inviting and soft that I could have fallen asleep there and then, but
a knock on the door interrupted me.

I
was confronted with three model-like women. “Ms. Larsen? We’re here to get you
ready,” one said as she barged in. They all carried cases, which they set down
before they began to order me around. One did hair, the other make-up, and the
last was a personal stylist who rolled in a rack filled with outfits before she
began to inspect my body shape.

My
hair was twisted into submission by heat and product. The end result was some
complicated chignon-type thing that made me look older and far more refined.
Next, the make-up artist got to work, painting my skin with foundation and
covering all my flaws. My eyes were surrounded with smoky kohl and my lids
painted a metallic gray. The end result was, of course, a stranger. Last was
the outfit. The stylist ordered me to strip and I did so without even blushing.
Nakedness in front of others was now almost second nature to me, as was obeying
orders.

She
forced my body into a torsolette which gave me a smooth line as well as lifting
up and padding my breasts so they stood at an unnaturally perky angle. This was
all at the expense of barely being able to breathe in the constricting
undergarment. Next she dressed me in a dark red dress. I was surprised by how
conservative it was. It had short sleeves and a small V-neck that revealed
nothing, the hem fell just above my knees, and while the line of the dress
closely followed my curves, there was nothing revealing whatsoever about this
outfit.
In spite of all of this, I looked undeniably sexy. I looked like had class and
money. I looked like a stranger. All I could do was stare in the mirror in
wonder as my feet were pushed into matching red heels and a purse placed in my
hands.

“All
done,” said the stylist just as Daniel banged on the door and one of the women
let him in. I waited while his eyes cast up and down me, and I held my breath
as I waited for what he would say. But he made no comment about my appearance.

“Hurry
up,” he said, gruffly. “We’re going to be late.” He turned on his heel and
strode down the hallway, while I followed, slightly disappointed.

It
was only once we were travelling in the car again that he deemed it appropriate
to tell me where we were going. “It’s a dinner held by Josh’s company. They’re
showcasing new software and I’m one of the people they’ve invited to invest.
Josh and his parents have sunk everything into it.”

I
sat up straight. “And you’re going to destroy the company? You’re going to ruin
his family?”

He
dragged his eyes away from his phone to give me a look. “So?”

I
opened my mouth, and then shut it again, looking away. Finally I asked, “How
are you going to do it?”

“That’s
not your concern.”

I
didn’t speak to him again, not until we pulled up to the restaurant. “I know
that you have a vendetta against Josh, but is it right to bring down all the
other people who have their life savings tied up in that company?”

He
acted like I hadn’t spoken, exiting the car without waiting for the driver to
open the door. I sighed and followed him out. The new company had hired the
entire restaurant for the night and had their logo displayed prominently. I
spotted Josh straight away. He looked handsome in his suit as he greeted other
guests, and had the ability to display his arrogance with even the simplest of
gestures. I watched him for a moment, amazed that the old feelings of fear and
nervousness weren’t making themselves known as they normally did in his
presence. Was that because of Daniel and the knowledge that he was a far bigger
predator than Josh could ever be? Or was it me? Had I changed? Daniel had
managed to manipulate and control me, but in spite of this I felt stronger
somehow.

When
Josh spied us, he gave a broad smile and headed toward us. It wasn’t me, of
course, that he greeted first, but Daniel. Josh shook Daniel’s hand with what
was probably a strong, well-practiced power grip. “Mr. Hellman, We’re so glad
that you could make it.”

Daniel
flashed him a smile. “I’m always interested in new opportunities.”

Josh’s
grin widened, and I could imagine him congratulating himself in pulling in a
new investor, self-doubt never even crossing his mind. Only then, did he
acknowledge me. If it surprised him that I was with someone like Daniel Hellman,
he didn’t let it show.

“Matilda,
you look wonderful.” He leaned in and kissed me on the cheek.

“Thank
you,” I told him as I reached for a glass of champagne from a passing waiter.
An arm snaking around my waist took me by surprise and I nearly spilled it.
Daniel pulled me in close, and stroked my hair like I was a pet.

“Matilda,
so clumsy as always,” Josh said, in that way he had of making an insult sound
like it was good natured. I forced a smile and took a sip of the champagne.
Daniel planted a kiss on my neck.

“She’s
not clumsy where it matters, isn’t that right, Mattie?” Daniel murmured, a hand
stroking down my body. “In fact, I’d say that sometimes you can be nothing less
than graceful.”

I
twisted my head so I could meet his eyes. “You say the sweetest things.” I took
another drink. I was going to need a lot to get through the evening.

Josh
was watching us keenly. “So, how long have you two been seeing each other?”

Daniel’s
eyes were still firmly on me, but now he looked serious. “I’ve been chasing after
this one for a quite a while now.” Then the serious look passed and his smile
widened as he turned to Josh. “Actually, Matilda’s the person who convinced me
to consider your proposal. She’s obviously still fond of you.” His hands
slipped from me, and for just a second I missed them. “If you’ll excuse me, I
see some acquaintances I should greet.” He left us, and I stared after him,
uncomfortable at being left alone with Josh.

“You
really do look good, Matilda,” Josh said in a low voice. “I mean that.”

“Thanks,
Josh. I should—”

He
took hold of my wrist before I could move away. “Are you happy with him? His
reputation is…” He must have changed his mind about whatever it was that he
wanted to say. “I worry about you, Matilda, being with someone like him. You’re
too kind, too sweet.” He looked earnest as he said that, as if he truly meant
it. For a moment I was touched by his caring appearance, but then I remembered
who he was. I didn’t need to extricate myself from him. His attention was taken
by an investor who demanded his time and his eyes flicked between us, as if he
were torn. I made it easy, gently pulling my wrist from his grip.

“I’ll
talk to you later,” I told him as I stepped back.

“I’ll
look forward to it.”  I knew that his eyes were following me as I walked away,
and for the first time, I wondered if what Daniel had said was true. Josh in
love with me? At one time I may have thought that, but now? No, ownership was
his only goal.

From
afar, I watched Daniel surrounded by people vying for his attention. He had
spent so much time with me that I had nearly forgotten what a powerful man he
was. As I watched him, two things struck me. He had an air about him that went
beyond the fact that he was tall and good looking; he was powerful and it could
be felt across the room. The second thing I realized was that the unsettling
feeling within me was actually jealousy. I was jealous of these people who
wanted him, and I wanted him only with me.

This
revelation felt like something cold slithering up my spine while something hot
twisted in my stomach. I felt faint, and chilled and hot, all at the same time.
How could I possibly feel this way for
him;
for someone who disliked me
and saw my torment as their entertainment. I gripped my crystal flute so hard
that I was surprised that it did not shatter.

As
if he sensed me watching, Daniel raised his head away from the woman who was
speaking to him and caught my eye. He raised his glass as if in salute to me
and it made me stumble back on my heels, almost like he had physically shoved
me. I turned abruptly and hit a waiter, my champagne spilling down him.

“Sorry,”
I blurted out.

He
gave me a small smile and took my empty glass from me. “No problem. I’ll get
you another.”

I
shook my head. “No, I—” A wave of nausea hit me and I bolted for the bathroom,
not caring who I pushed past to get there. Once I was safely locked inside a
cubicle, I sank down to the floor, hugging myself. How could such a man have an
effect like this on me? The nausea passed, but still I didn’t move. I couldn’t
bear to go out there again and be in his presence.

I
heard heavy footsteps and a light tapping on the door. “Matilda?” Josh called.
“Are you all right? I saw you run in here.”

“Fine,”
I called weakly. “I just felt sick for a moment.”

“Should
I get you some water?” he asked.

I
struggled to stand up, pulling my dress down so I was decent before I opened
the door. “No, it’s okay.”

He
still looked concerned. “You look pale.” His hands came to sit on my waist as
if he were scared that I might fall. I looked down at those hands, and part of
my brain was amazed that I no longer felt anything when he touched me. No love
nor fear; no adoration or anxiety. That was one good thing, at least. I slowly
put my hands on top of his and pushed them gently from me. He released me
easily and even stepped back. “I just wanted to make sure that you were okay,”
he told me quietly. “You have no idea how much I miss you.” He sounded sad and
for a moment, I really felt for him.

I
cleared my throat. “I should be getting back. Daniel will be wondering where I
am.”

Josh
gave a slight nod. “Of course.” But before I could leave, his hand wrapped
around my wrist, pulling me to him. His mouth landed on mine while his hands
gripped my ass through the dress, holding me still as his tongue probed for
entry into my mouth. I didn’t fight him as he kissed me. I remained still as a
doll as he tried to coax me into kissing him back. After a while, he released
me. “I’m sorry,” he breathed against my cheek. “I just needed to do that.”