Chapter 7 Chapter 7
ISLA
The minute he walked away, I walked into the room and locked the door. The room was bigger than what I even had at the Rhodes manor. I walked over to the bed; it looked so soft and comfortable. I haven't slept in a proper bed for years.
I just stood looking at it. I heard a light knock but didn't think about it, then I heard it again, and it startled me. The knocking came again, and I froze. The knocking became more insistent, and I dropped to the ground and covered my ears. Suddenly the knocking stopped. I heard a sound like the door was being opened, there was a pair of shoes in front of me, then another shoe.
I removed my hands from my ears and looked up; he was standing there along with an older woman in a uniform, and she was holding bags in her hands.
“Sorry if I scared you, Ms.; I just brought some clothes for you,” she said, putting the bags on the bed and leaving. He just stood there, his face cold and unreadable.
“Why didn't you open the door?” he asked. ”
“I… I was scared.”
“No one will hurt you here,” he said coldly, and I nodded.
“Turn around,” he said in that same cold tone, so I did it. It wasn't; I felt him tugging the neck of the shirt, and I froze. He began pulling the shirt down to my shoulder, but I didn't move, couldn't. I was sold; I belonged to him, and he could do whatever he wanted, and I couldn't stop him.
I felt him stop; his hands were on my shoulder, not moving, and I stayed still.
“Go to sleep,” he said. I heard him move, then the door open and close. I turned around and was alone.
I moved the bags onto the chair and pulled the covers back. I got onto the bed; it was so soft. I put my head on the pillow and lay down. I didn't turn off the lights. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep.
I woke up to a shadow over me. I sat up, and he was standing at the side of the bed. I jumped off the bed and stood in front of him with my head down.
“Shower and come have breakfast,” he said before walking out.
“Okay”
After he left, I let out the breath I was holding in. I showered quickly and wore a pair of jeans and a t-shirt I found in one of the bags, then went down. When I got downstairs, he was at the table, just sitting there. I walked over and stood there.
“You don’t need permission to sit, eat, walk, or talk in here. You’re free to walk around the house,” he said.
“Thank you,” I said as I sat down. The same woman brought my breakfast and placed it before me.
“Thank you.”
After breakfast he left and went back to the room at the far end of the wall. He was the only person besides Jacob that was kind to me. I was still sitting there when he came back.
“Go up to your room and lock the door. Don't leave. “Now,” he said, and I nodded. I hurried up to the room and locked the door. Through the window I could see the driveway with multiple cars driving in. I walked around the room. His name was Nikolai. I had no idea who he was or what exactly I was sent here to do. Maybe he was just being kind now and would send me somewhere worse later.
I wonder what those three would be doing. I never existed to them, so they wouldn't miss me. I lay on the bed; I guess I was tired because I woke up with a start. He was standing over me; I rubbed my eyes and sat up.
“N…Nikolai, is something wrong?”
He didn’t answer; he just stared at me. I looked out the window, and it was dark. Did I sleep all day?. I got off the bed and stood beside him and looked at him for two seconds before looking down; his eyes were so intense.
“Take your shirt off and turn around,” he said. It wasn’t a request; it was a command. I turned around slowly and pulled my shirt off; I kept my head down. I felt it, that first touch. His finger was tracing my birthmark; his finger traveled down to the marks on my back.
“How did you get these?” His voice was now cold.
“Punishment,” I replied quietly.
He stopped suddenly, grabbing my hand and turning me around, grabbing my chin, and forcing me to look up at him, his eyes on mine. He leaned in closer, and I could smell it; it smelled like alcohol. He let go of me suddenly. Wear your clothes and come to dinner. During dinner he didn't eat; he just stared at me. His phone began ringing; he answered it, and I stayed quiet.
“What? Yes. I have no use for broken things. Get it done,” he said, ending the call. I kept eating after I was finished; I stood up and excused myself.
I went back to the room and stayed there. I couldn't go to sleep, so I decided to walk around the house. I opened the door and stepped out. I headed down the stairs and down the dimly lit hallway. I passed a room that had a pool table and a bar. He was rich just like the Rhodes.
I kept walking, and when I turned the corner, I stopped short. He was walking towards me. His skin was wet, and he was shirtless. I stopped in my tracks; I didn't know if I should even be here. He saw me, but he didn't stop; he kept walking towards me. He walked into me and I backedme, away; he backed me into the wall, his hands cupping my chin. I was afraid to breathe.
He leaned in closer, so close I could feel his breath on my cheek.
“Why aren't you sleeping?” he asked quietly.
“I… I… “I couldn’t sleep,” I said with a whisper.
He leaned in closer; his lips touched mine. The touch was soft, almost as if he was afraid. He pulled back, and the look in his eyes scared me. He leaned in again and kissed me again harder; his hands moved, and he grabbed the back of my neck. Pulling me into him.
I had only ever kissed one boy in my entire life, and that was years ago. He pulled away and looked at me.
“Go back to bed,” he said in that same cold, authoritative tone.
I hurried back to the room and got into bed. That didn't happen; why would he do that?.
The following days were quiet. Breakfast and dinner were quiet and silent. He showed up, ate, and left. Two weeks. I counted the days because I saw the calendar in the living room; every day it changed. It was January 7. For the first time, I knew what day and year it was.