Chapter 22
CHAPTER 22
JAMES
I t’s already been a week since I confessed everything to Ana and we have fallen into a relationship of sorts. We work all day and then alternate between our apartments at night. I never realized the power of a relationship before. I guess that’s what this is, although we haven’t put any labels on it. We don’t need to. It’s as natural as breathing and yet I’m aware the clock is ticking down to judgment day.
Ana is making good progress with the information she needs and I’m aware she is feeding it back to her brother in Russia. I don’t ask her too much about it because I realize that one day she will be called back there and I don’t want to dwell on that. If I’m honest, it concerns me a lot. Ana has a business there, an extremely successful one and her family lives there. I’m an American citizen and my future is undecided.
I realize I can’t work here any longer. I must sever all ties with The Rose Foundation and Adele Kenricky because it’s toxic and will break me in the end.
My heart sinks as the sand nears the bottom of the timer, because tomorrow is the day I devote to Adele. The last Saturday in the month is hers.
In a fucked up way I used to look forward to it. It was a cleansing of my demons that I needed so badly. Since Ana, those demons were unleashed and no longer hold the same influence over me. If anything, I have more power now and I know what I must do.
“You’re quiet tonight.”
Ana is sitting opposite me in an Italian restaurant, our usual arrangement after a long day at the office. We’ve ended up in the habit of grabbing a meal on the way home and then spending our evenings in bed.
“I have a lot on my mind.” I sip the wine and note the curiosity in her beautiful eyes, and set the glass down with a sigh.
“I should tell you, I’m busy tomorrow.”
Her eyes widen and my voice is laced with derision as I hiss, “I’m meeting Adele.”
I hate the pain that flares in her eyes as realization pushes aways the easy atmosphere between us.
“I see.”
If anything, she appears thoughtful and then nods, a determined glint in her eye.
“So, she is in town.”
“Unfortunately, yes. She flies in once a month to check on The Rose Foundation, among other things. ”
“Other things?” She raises her eyes and I nod miserably.
“Meetings, gala events, generally networking and flogging me half to death makes for a pleasant trip.”
“I’ve been thinking about that.”
Ana’s eyes shine with the determination that I’ve grown to adore about her.
She leans forward. “I have a plan.”
“You do?”
I shift closer and the spark of mischief that lights her eyes causes me to grin.
As she whispers the details, I listen to every word because if we are going to be successful, I must play my part. It’s risky and could go extremely wrong, but right now I have nothing to lose and the rest of my life to gain.
When she finishes, I nod with a reluctance that causes her to say anxiously, “I’m sorry, James. If I could think of a better way, I would.”
“It’s fine. It’s a good plan.”
We finish our meal in silence, my appetite having somewhat deserted me, but I try my best to remain cool knowing the only way out of this nightmare is to play the woman at her own game.
The receptionist doesn’t even look up when I grunt, “Nicole Francis. ”
“Sure, room three two five.”
My heart is heavy as I head to the elevator and attempt to quash the fear that always accompanies these visits.
I used to count down the days until I could forget. To empty my mind as she dominated it. Now, more than anything, I wish I were anywhere else because the man who is walking in my shoes changed when Ana burst into my life.
I hold my breath as the door closes and I press the display for the third floor.
I am alone.
It always felt as if I was, but now this seems wrong. I am in a relationship now. At least that’s how I see it, and picturing Ana’s pretty face makes me hate myself more than I ever thought possible.
The door shudders open and my footsteps are silenced by the brown and tan carpet that stretches the length of the huge corridor. This hotel is not the best one in town. Not even close, more like in the middle, and it’s that way for a reason.
Anonymity.
Adele uses a different name every trip and texts it to me the day before she arrives. Today she is Nicole Francis, a fictitious woman for a reason, because if news got out that the governor’s wife was into shit like this, he could say goodbye to the Whitehouse.
That is Ana’s plan. To set Adele up and present her with the evidence. To blackmail her for my freedom.
Just the thought of what happens in that room being on camera makes me want to hurl, but I know it will never get out into the public domain. Adele will never let that happen and, as plans go, it’s basic but brilliant.
Ana told me to leave the surveillance to her. Mikhail would arrange it, along with the subsequent threat. I’m beginning to wonder if there is nothing this family can’t do and wonder if I’ve stepped from one hell into another.
I reach the room and my heart sinks as I rap loudly on the door, only a second passing before it’s opened and I’m ushered inside.
As soon as the door slams behind me, Adele fixes me with a disdainful glare and hisses, “Get on your knees.”
I drop down to my usual position, my eyes riveted to the stained carpet, and she says with pure venom, “You’ve been a naughty boy.”
“I’m sorry, mistress.”
“Naughty boys must be punished before they earn pleasure.”
“Yes, mistress.”
My heart is heavy as she snaps, “Take off your clothes and kneel facing the wall.”
I do everything she says without question because I know what would happen if I did.
The first blow catches me on the back of the neck, the hiss of the whip the only warning I got. It catches the side of my ear and I bite back the groan of pain. The first hour is usually an extreme test of resistance and pushes my pain threshold to the limit.
As she whips me hard, she throws insults my way, the cuts on my skin weeping bloody tears of the damned.
When I am cowering on the floor, she steps on my abdomen, her sharp heel inches from my cock and sneers, “Enough. Now you must prove you are worthy of my attention.”
She grinds her heel inches from my cock and the blinding flash of pain blurs my vision.
Then she lies naked on the bed and says roughly, “You may worship your mistress.”
My heart drags against my chest and I feel every beat of my heart as I stumble to my feet and stagger across, noting her lying back, her legs open, ready for my attention.
On an ordinary day, I would fuck Adele in every position, pleasure her, make her cum several times and be rewarded by her flogging me half to death for the pleasure. Not today. Not ever again and as I stand looking down at her hateful face, I say one simple, “No.”
Her eyes narrow and she whispers, “No?”
“I won’t do this anymore.”
As quick as a flash, she is off the bed, reaching for the cane and as she raises it toward me, I snatch her wrist in a hard grip and say roughly, “No, Adele. This is over.”
“Over?” She laughs incredulously.
“This will never be over, James, or at least until I say so. Have you forgotten that I own you? I have done since I took your virginity when you were fresh out of high school. I own your soul because I taught you and gave you everything. You are mine to control and always will be.”
She shakes her head and her eyes fire daggers in my direction as she sneers, “You are here because of me. I found you a job. I promoted you to CEO of my charity and for what? To become an ungrateful bastard who has decided he doesn’t want to play anymore. Well, you don’t have that right, James. You will never own that right because you are mine to do what the hell I like with for the rest of your miserable life.”
“I said no.”
I turn away and wish I hadn’t when a sharp blow across my lower back causes me to stagger and almost fall. There is no respite either as she delivers blow upon blow, hissing, “You ungrateful piece of shit. Don’t you dare walk away from me.”
Blood is pouring down my skin from open wounds, but I can’t fight back. Mentally, she has always controlled me and to go against her physically is like a road block in my mind.
The pain is unbearable as she beats me to a pulp and punches me hard. Her finger nails claw at my face and hair and she is like a woman possessed by a demon, yelling, “How could you? I own you. Beg for forgiveness, you miserable piece of shit.”
A loud knock on the door stops her at once and she gasps, “Be quiet, they’ll go away. ”
Another thump is followed by a light, “Room service.”
“Stay there and be quiet.” She hisses, dropping the bed cover over my body before grabbing a robe.
“I’ll get rid of them.”
As she walks to the door, I drag my body to the side of the bed and take deep pain-filled breaths as I attempt to clear my head and as she tentatively opens the door, she cries out as the door crashes open and hell enters the room.