Chapter 17 Seventeen
ANNIE
Amy was doing her french lessons and I sat on the front porch staring at the ‘far beyond’. The sun was out and it made the surroundings a little too dreamy. It's surprising that I had lost all hope of leaving this estate and had given in to fate.
Honestly, Xavier's estate was a great place to be and social media could be so cruel. One time around a year or two ago, I had watched the news about the illegal selling of arms to both locals and ones in high society and I had looked up Dylan on the internet, they made him look so evil like a serial killer and an evil but good looking man.
“What's my toy thinking?” I looked up, almost surprised.
Almost.
“Stop sneaking up on me and I told you I'm not your toy. I can be milkweed or whatever”, I said, rolling my eyes.
Dylan smirked. “It's been long since I last punished you, Annie”. The way he said my name made my senses alert and the look on his face…a smile that could charm a stone hearted witch yet crush her. I was more scared of his smile than his deep voice and I knew instantly he was born in November.
I said nothing, just staring at my nails, I really needed a manicure.
“I can help you with your nails”, he whispered too close to my ears and my heart raced two beats faster. I looked up to meet his gaze, his dark eyes full of mischief and danger but I was so drawn to it.
Strange.
“No, thank you. That was nice of you to ask”, I said snapping out of my immoral thinking.
“But those nails are pretty good at digging into my skin and fucking yourself”
Flush.
My cheeks went from ivory to pale pink. How could he be so sexy, but it wasn't surprising. He was Dylan Xavier after all.
“So let me help you”, he muttered huskily and it sent waves. “It's just nails , Mr Xavier”, I muttered shakily.
He stood erect and held his chest. “ Now Mr Xavier feels bad, can you make me feel good?”
“I… I'm sorry”, I stuttered. He was playing with and yes! It was working quite well.
“Then make me feel good”, he said and bit his lower lip. How hot could just one person be?
“What should I do?” I asked playing along.
“Come to the basement”
The basement.
I said nothing and he smiled. “I actually fixed up the place and we could have some fun”, he muttered making me feel guilty but I wasn't going to fall for it. The last time I was in the basement, he had chained me on a pole and the feeling… it was a painful sweetness, but I could suggest we did it . That night I couldn't moan and he kept asking how he made me feel.
“Horny”, I had muttered , shaking my life out . “Just that? How the fuck do I make you feel, milkweed”
“Horny”, I had said but this time louder and I could hear his laugh even though my eyes were shutting.
“No, Annie, you're lying. Tell me how I fucking make you feel!” He had growled in my ears, biting my neck and I couldn't hold it in.
“ Like I want to carry a knife and stab the fuck out of you!”
“That's it milkweed, that's what I want you to feel”.
I bit my lips returning to reality. I wasn't going to let him have me even though he could if he wanted.
Flick!
“Ouch!” I yelped, holding my forehead. He had flicked my head with his rough fingers.
“How painful was that?”
“You can't apologize you…” I let my voice trail. Dylan kissed my forehead. “That's enough apology”
“Pervert”
“I know”, he said smiling. That was when I noticed the bloody shirt. I was so accustomed to the smell of blood that I didn't notice it again.
“Where are you coming from?” I asked knowing full well that I wouldn't know even if he told me.
“You can't believe the Carlo's I helped kill their enemy came for me. Said I was a cannibal and all the fuck the world calls me, but then they called you a whore”, he said and I shut my eyes hoping he didn't kill someone because he called me a whore.
“So I killed him, I mean once in a while a lady is a whore to some stupid men but my milkweed is not”
Of course I wasn't, he had abducted me and called me his toy.
“You're sweet “, I said and he grinned. “I know, right?”
Dylan could be so full of himself, but it didn't matter.
“So how do you view ladies?” I asked really wanting to know. He sighed, removing the already stained shirt. “Well, I'm not really someone you can ask that. Just had two women in my life”, he said tossing the shirt on the stairs.
“Amy's mother and…”. He said nothing and I didn't ask further. It didn't matter anyways.
It didn't matter if I was a toy or an object, I just wanted to survive. Dylan took my hand and pulled me up. “ You make me crazy, you know?”
I shook my head and he grinned.
“Fucking you isn't the only thing I want…”
“Daddy!”
I pushed him back and adjusted my dress dusting off the invisible dirt from it. “Hey baby, how's french class going?” He asked carrying her.
“How is Owen Winters so good at it!” She said and kissed his nose. “Because he put a lot of effort and practice”, he said and she nodded.
“You would be seeing him a lot for sometime though”
“What?!” We both exclaimed and he looked at me.
Dylan put down Amy and ruffled her hair. “Let daddy speak with Annie, baby”. The little girl nodded and ran off.
“What did you mean by that?” I asked and he massaged his hair.
“The Winters are coming…” I looked at him as if he were mad. Dylan Xavier never trusted even an ally. “Just his son and the fucked up woman, my men would be working a lot. He suggested it and I couldn't refuse it. The Winters are currently at the top in power with arms and oil…”, he kept talking about politics, but I didn't care.
Strangely and something I couldn't admit openly, but I trusted Dylan Xavier.
“I trust you” I said and he stopped talking. “I fucking trust you. Let the goddamned Winters come it doesn't matter”, I said and he clicked his tongue. “I'll also be away”
“I thought… no, it doesn't matter, I trust you”, I said and he pulled me in for a kiss.
“Just don't get too friendly with the wife, she gossips like it's the only reason she was brought into the world”, he said and I chuckled.
I pushed him away a little. “I should go make dinner “, I said and he nodded.
“I'll be in my office, milkweed waiting for you”, he said huskily and I shivered. He wasn't normal and strangely I liked it.
DYLAN XAVIER
I knew he was going to propose something so foolish. Once a Winter, always a Winter and it made me wonder why I was doing business with them, but again they were able and witty… and annoyingly loyal.
I sat in my office after speaking with Annie. Normally, I wouldn't ask for her opinion, but I didn't know what got over me. Was it her innocence or the fact that she acted so much like Amy's mother?
I sighed, picking up my phone and calling the Winters. My woman agrees to it, your son must be elated”, I said immediately the line went through. Mr Winter laughed. “I'm just doing this to build familiarity”
Fuck familiarity.
“Of course. My daughter keeps talking about your young master so I just felt he's been like that too… such fondness”
It worried me.
Mr Winters laughed. “It helps to build a strong relationship, Xavier, you can't always do it alone”. I said nothing thinking about what he had just said. “Mr Xavier”
“Yes, I'm here”, I said not admitting that I had just zoned out of the conversation. “So when can they come over?”
“Tomorrow” I said, picking a file and looking at it . “Isn't that a bit rushed, Mr Xavier?”
“It doesn't matter. Tomorrow's perfect and we can begin work early”, I said and he laughed.
“Of course, Dylan”
And I hung up.
I sighed, dropping the file on the desk. Was it right when he spoke of not doing things alone all the time?
And the painful realization hit me…
I had no one.