Beautiful Captivity (The Club #1) (3 page)

Her

…

Raven is the one who wakes me, but she does not say much. She simply informs me that Zed will be bringing my breakfast and reviewing tonight’s agenda. Then she instructs me to dress quickly before he arrives, pointing to an armoire in the corner.

There are plenty of clothes in the armoire, and they are all my size. It surprises me, as I still don’t think it’s been that long since I was at the club. Even if they knocked me out for a day, it could not be more than three days now. I select a green blouse and black leggings. It will do.

Zed brings breakfast. He’s not in a suit, and it’s jarring to see him like this. He’s wearing jeans and a dark t-shirt. Clearly he’s just showered. He looks so normal, like a man I could have met in any ordinary way. However, this is anything but ordinary.

“Did you sleep well?” he asks and places the food on my night table. There’s fruit and cereal and toast and yogurt, but I don’t want to eat anything. At least not with him here.

“Fine,” I say.

“I would like you to eat. You need to keep up your strength.”

“For what?” I ask.

He sighs. “Well, let’s go over the list.”

He picks up a leather portfolio from the tray of food and opens it. I can’t see anything inside of it, which I’m sure is intentional. The simple businesslike manner of all this unnerves me. As if I am any transaction. An exchange of stock holdings.

“He has asked that you refer to him only as
R. He is in his mid-fifties. He is particularly interested in your being a virgin, so many of his requests will come before the sex.”

“I’m not sleeping with him,” I tell Zed.

“Yes, Willow, you are.”

“No.”

He sighs again. “Willow, he has paid a great deal of money for you, for a virgin-”

“I don’t care,” I snap.

“Please allow me to continue.” His eyes look over my body before resting on my face. He stares at me as he continues. “He does not want you willing. In fact, he has very clearly asked that you cry and beg. He wants to take you by force.”

“That’s fucked up,” I cry.

“Language. I’ve tried to explain, but what we offer here is the chance for people who have the resources to get the things they cannot get otherwise. We are not a brothel. These men can find prostitutes. We provide them with their darkest desires. The sort that they want to keep hidden. You must understand that everyone has a hidden secret. It’s our business to allow those secrets to come to light, without judgment.”

“So you fucking buy women to sell out to perverts who want to force us to have sex with them?”

I can’t believe how calmly he says this, as if he’s explaining a simple buyout.

“I will not tell you again, Willow. If you use that language again, I will punish you.”

“How? By selling me to the next fucking asshole who comes along?”

He stands, quietly, and reaches under his shirt. I didn’t realize he was wearing a belt until he has it off and in his hands. He approaches and grabs a handful of my hair, flipping me over so I am face down.

“I do not play games, Willow. Now you
will
watch your language.”

He brings the belt down hard on my ass. Although I’m wearing clothes, it stings and I scream. He hits me five times, before he flips me over to face him. His eyes are raging.

“Please do not make me do that again.”

“Your precious commodity is going to have bruises tonight,” I spit.

“Willow, R wants to own you. I imagine he will be prepared to bruise you as well.”

HIM

…

She looks so scared. I maintain my composure and sit back down, returning to the list. I will not show any emotion. I will not feel anything for her. For Nichole.

“You will be brought, naked, into the reception room, where all of the bidders will be able to inspect you. No one may touch you, until it is their booking. However, they may ask you to do things. For example, they may want to see between your legs. You will do what they ask. I cannot be clear enough that you cost us a lot. If you do not earn that back, I will have no choice but to ensure I am compensated in another way. And I cannot guarantee you that you will be given a list of interests in advance. Nor can I promise that the interests will not turn violent. I can tell you that here. R intends to be rough with you, but as there are rules for you to follow, so there are rules for him. He must leave you as he found you. Except for your virginity. He has paid dearly to possess that.”

Her eyes grow wide and she crosses her legs. I can see her thinking about crying again. It bothers me and I push it out of my mind. “Please save your tears. Upon the end of your inspection, you will be delivered to R and the two of you will spend the night in the penthouse. It has been soundproofed, although there is a panic button beside the bed. If you are in danger, and you
best
be in danger, you may utilize it. Otherwise, you will go with him. He has asked that you beg him not to touch you.”

Nichole begins to weep softly. She’s in shock, I can tell, but I continue, afraid of my own feelings for her.

“He says that he wants to feel your mouth on him while you cry. He likes to have that power. If you cannot cry, we have powders to assist you. I will not fill you in on everything he intends to do to you, as that is for him and you to explore. However, I will also tell you that he has requested that you remain on your knees the entire time you are in the penthouse. He will not be using the bed. In addition, he prefers that you do not speak at all.”

She doesn’t respond, just nods.

“The event will begin at seven o’clock sharp. You must be cleaned and showered by six, so that I may check on you. Otherwise, you have the afternoon to yourself. If you need anything, my office is at the bottom of the stairs. Go straight and you will see them.”

She says nothing and I take the list and go. Her sad eyes nearly broke my heart.

Her

…

My ass stings from Zed’s belt. However, my pride stings worse. I also hate to admit it, but I liked it a little. I don’t know what came over me, but it felt somehow… freeing. I’m sure it’s just how good looking he is, and the fact that my mind refuses to accept where I am. I probably convinced myself subconsciously that this was just a role play. Although I have never been into those sorts of things, since the only boyfriend I had was Keith, and my sexual experiences consisted of one bad blow job and a few awkward finger fucks, I was turned on by Zed.

I can’t believe I’m even thinking about this. He just told me that I will be forced to lose my virginity tonight to a man I’ve never met, who prefers me weak and submissive.

I go to the bath and run the water. Settling into the heat of it, I feel the soreness from the belt even clearer. I also feel the desire as it pools between my legs, thinking of Zed and his control over me. I don’t even realize I’m doing it before my fingers slide inside of myself and I ride them to orgasm. It only dawns on me after what I’ve done. I’ve allowed a monster, my captor, to become attractive to me.

As I lie there in the tub, I make a decision. It’s a terrible decision, especially since acting like a slut got me in this mess, but I refuse to give up my virginity to an old man, while he forces me to cry. I don’t even know if he will say yes, but I figure it’s worth a try.

I rummage through the dresser and find a gorgeous pair of white lace panties. I skip the bra. The bra is just in the way of my intentions. In the armoire, I take out a short green skirt and a tight black tank top. I go to the vanity and apply makeup, lining my eyes and lips until I look irresistible. It might not work, but it’s worth a shot. I don’t want him, either, but at least it’s an active choice.

There is no one in the hall and I head downstairs, knocking on his office door. He answers quickly and looks me over.

“Willow, what are you doing? You need something already? Shouldn’t you be resting?”

I push past him and shut the door behind me. His eyes grow wide as I unzip the skirt and let it fall to the floor, before lifting the tank top and dropping it as well. I lean against one of his leather chairs.

“I don’t want to sell my virginity. I’ll lie for you, and I will cry and pretend it hurts and do whatever you would like. But I want to choose my first time. And, as my choices are limited, Zed, I am asking you to fuck me.”

HIM

…

I can’t do it. She has to be a virgin. That was the agreement. That was what we sold. But her body…

I step closer against my will and her eyes go to my insane erection. I can barely walk. I want to touch her, to taste her, to feel her against me, but I resist.

“I’m sorry, Willow. No. You have been purchased as a virgin, and I imagine he will have his questions if you are not. Please. Return to your room.”

Her face flames red and she takes her clothes, not even dressing before she runs back to her room. My body is angry with me, as is my mind. Why is she doing this to my mind?

I shake my head and go back to the booking sheet. I need to meet with Hyacinth before she uses the play room tonight.

She’s in her room, of course, looking out the window. There is a book in her lap. I don’t bother to check what it is.

“Hello, Zed.”

“Hyacinth, you have been booked tonight with John, Q, and Nine.” They are obviously not real names, but these three are frequent customers.

“I know,” she says. “I imagine we will be in the play room.”

“You are aware of their-”

“Yes, Zed. I have been with each of them individually. Nine mostly watches. When it was just us, he made me insert things into myself and then he ate them. It was odd, needless to say. Q has an ass fetish. John just likes a lot of rough play. So having the toys will help.”

I nod. “You did your research.”

“Do you like being here, Zed?” Hyacinth has never been one to fight me. She was a runaway and I think she’s just happy to have a warm room. Even if it means pleasuring herself with food for a grown man to eat.

“I do. It’s been a successful experience.”

I came to this from nothing. I was one unemployment check from homelessness. I’d gone through all the normal channels, but jobs were impossible to come by. When my company went under, I was left with nothing. Despite my education and work history, I was out of work and broke. I was wasting my last bit of disposable income for the week in a bar when a man approached me. He said I looked like I needed work. When he explained later what he did, I felt a slight moral rejection of it. But I needed work, and these girls were being bought whether or not I was here to help. The pay is good, and I can at least do my best to provide a reasonable place to live for them. I also try to avoid incidents of returns. It’s why I don’t want Raven to become useless.

“Are you married?” Hyacinth asks.

“No, of course not.”

She laughs. She’s adjusted very well and sometimes I feel like she even likes being here. “Don’t sound so surprised. I bet most of the men who come here are.”

She’s right. Although the girls know nothing about them other than their chosen names and what they look like, I have access to all of their information. We do not accept just anyone as a client. They must be vetted first, as there is too much to lose if we take on the wrong person. Since, as Hyacinth pointed out, almost all of them are married, they desire the same privacy we do. The girls are not allowed any communication with the outside world, so I maintain the secrets of many, many men who have habits and desires too far outside the norm.

“You’ve never been with one of us, either. Are you gay?”

I laugh. “No. I just don’t mix business with pleasure.”

She shakes her head. “Okay, Zed, but it must get lonely.”

After I leave Hyacinth, I check in on the other girls. No one needs anything and Raven has already gone with her afternoon client. They are in one of the basic bedrooms on the third floor.

When I return to my office, I sit, and look over the folder for tonight again. Reagan Harrington III. Fifty-six, owner of the city’s largest investment firm, married with four children. He has only been here once before, but the girl did not please him as he had hoped. He prefers young, and virgins. Nichole is exactly what he wants. Usually he seeks what he likes at other establishments, ones with less strict guidelines on what they will allow. I’ve heard stories of one in New Jersey where there is very little they will not provide. It makes me a little sick to my stomach.

I decide to rest and head back to my room, but my feet carry me to the other end of the hall instead. Her door is open a crack and I push on it, only to find her lying on her bed. She’s awake, but she’s staring at the ceiling.

She sits up when I enter, and she smiles. It’s not a flirtatious smile. Her eyes are sad. She’s changed into pajamas. Boring red flannel pajamas. I look over her body and close the door, locking it. I think I knew as soon as I turned in the direction of her room how many bad decisions I was going to make.