Chapter 4
Zoe
I stared out the window and watched dozens of my father’s men stride across the compound, through the gardens and into the other smaller buildings that made up our estate.
A dark jealousy burned through my gut due to their freedom of movement, their ability to communicate not only with each other or my father, but the outside world as well.
No one forced them to remain inside the gates and certainly not within the confines of the house.
I was locked away in my own hellish space that I had once considered to be my ivory tower. I had the entire floor to myself which held a sitting room, a master bedroom and bathroom, a kitchenette, and a spot I referred to as my library. It was all designed by me, yet it was still a cage, a prison.
At first I had been allowed to roam the entire house to my heart’s contentment, but I got caught using the computer in the library to try to reach Prime or any of his men. That mistake had cost me dearly. I was now limited to my floor.
I hated every moment I spent here and resented my father’s stubborn attitude and lack of communication.
He refused to speak with me even though I sent word to him on a daily basis through the guards or the maid who cleaned my space and brought me meals prepared by our chef.
All I got back was their sympathy and an explanation that he was constantly splitting his time between Chicago and Houston.
My patience had run out. I had obeyed the rules long enough. I had remained locked up without even a phone per his instructions. Now I was done with it. I was getting out of this room today, one way or another.
I missed having conversations with Prime to the point that I sometimes spoke out loud as if he was here with me.
He was the only man who saw me as an equal and trusted my opinions.
Sure, Father took my opinions into consideration for a while, but I knew he was only indulging me, not truly believing I was worthy of being a confidant.
“Prime, have you written me off by now? Do you think I have deserted you and the Sinners? I want so badly to tell you that Aleksei is dead and there is a struggle between my father and my uncle to take his place. I fear that if Uncle Damien wins he will somehow destroy your MC or force you to do his bidding, which is far worse than anything my father would ever come up with,” I said to the empty room just to hear my own voice for a second or two.
“Maybe you already know all this. I hope so.”
“Uncle Damian orders men killed for the tiniest infraction, and it would thrill him to have you be his personal assassin, and it is his idea of fun to taunt and torture his prey before they die. He would never let you have freedom again. The man enjoys watching others die and if you balked at his demands he would not hesitate to kill you. It is sickening to me, yet I know there is a chance I may eventually need him. I hate knowing that there will come a time I have to use him rather than ask anything of Father.”
“Has anyone found Aguilar? What is being done to stop him? I need to know something, anything!”
I checked the time on the clock and glanced out the window once more.
Now was my best chance of getting out for a short time.
The shift of guards was changing. For a short space of time my door was going to be unguarded.
They thought I did not know it, but I had been keeping track of everyone’s movements for days.
They did not even realize I knew they had stopped locking my door a couple of days ago.
They foolishly assumed I had grown accustomed to exile and would not try to escape.
I carefully opened the door and was relieved to see I was correct.
I saw no one in the hall or on the stairs.
I heard the voices of the changing guards and their laughter from the floor below.
I turned swiftly to the servants stairs and scurried down them.
The chef’s back was to me as I slipped through the butler’s pantry and out into the empty dining room.
I knew I would not make it out of the house entirely, but I could at least try to get to a phone. If I managed to reach Prime maybe he could find a way to get me out of here permanently.
I headed for Father’s office, the most likely place to find privacy and a phone.
According to the maid he was in Chicago again.
I discovered I no longer cared where he was.
He had lost most of my trust and allegiance when he had locked me up and seemingly thrown away the key.
I felt forgotten and unloved once again.
Before opening the door, I had an idea of a way to frustrate the guards. I might not be able to get past them into the courtyard, but I could cause them a few hours of difficulty which would bring me some joy and a little revenge.
I backtracked to the front door and hastily slid the cover to the alarm off.
Once inside I used what knowledge I had gained by hanging around some of the men to change the passcode.
Once done, the guards swipe keys would no longer work from outside the mansion.
Someone inside would eventually figure out the problem and fix it, but until then they would build up a full head of steamy anger while I had a good laugh.
On the way back to the office I swiped a cold drink from the mini bar inside one of the sitting rooms. I popped the top and took a drink before trying the door. I was ready to discover that it was locked and was considering where else I would find a phone when it easily turned beneath my hand.
Suddenly, it was yanked open from the other side. I screamed and threw up my hands, sending my icy drink into the face of Sebastian, my father’s most trusted guard.
He calmly yanked a pristine white handkerchief from his suit pocket and wiped the sticky wetness from his cheeks and off his glasses. He ignored the stain that was spreading over his white shirt, instead he reached out to grab my arm in a vice grip.
“Well, I see you’re up to your tricks again.
I was beginning to hope that you’d decided to mind your place and behave like the woman you’re meant to be.
I know now that you won’t ever fit in that place or act properly.
It’s too bad that some poor schmuck will be stuck with you as a wife.
You aren’t the prize they believe they’ll be getting,” he disdainfully declared.
“I do not think I will ever marry, but if I did the man I wed would get more than a wife. He would receive Father as a powerful ally, an army of loyal men, and money beyond his wildest dreams. And I am an intelligent woman who can help him rise in power. Father claims I am a treasure worth more than anything else he owns,” I boldly replied while trying not to let him know I was scared or that he was hurting me.
He laughed and I winced. “You are a foolish little girl. Of course, you will marry. Your father will choose someone who he can gain the most from. You are nothing but a commodity, though if you ask me your virginity and beauty are not worth the price any man will have to pay. You’ll be nothing but a liability and a pain in the ass. ”
“And if I am not a virgin?” I taunted.
He scowled and shook me before saying, “You think that’s funny, but it isn’t. You don’t seem to understand that you are worthless without that. If you have been stupid enough to taint yourself then there isn’t a reason for you to stay alive.”
“My father would say differently,” I said though I was not certain of it.
“Perhaps, perhaps not. However, I wouldn’t put it to the test. It’s time to return to your prison, Zoe.
Your guards will be punished for their lack of diligence, which will turn them against you, and a new lock will be added to your door.
This will not happen again. I will be delivering your meals from this point on.
I will also stand guard over the maid as she cleans.
All conversations with her will cease. You will be more alone than ever. ”
My stomach lurched at his words. My few minutes of freedom had turned into a nightmare. Security was going to be tightened and now I had no one to speak to freely. I truly was alone.
My spirits lagged for a couple of days, and I wallowed in my misery.
I felt I deserved at least a short time to feel sorry for myself, but I was born too resilient to remain in that state of mind for long.
I was also resourceful, so I began finding ways to annoy my guards and even Sabastian in hopes they would want to stay away from me enough to relax their guard.
Violence was not an option, though I knew how to maim a man or even kill him with my bare hands.
The heel of my hand to his nose would send shards of bone into his brain and a karate chop to the throat could close off all oxygen.
I just could not make myself murder the men who had protected me as I grew up.
They were only following orders in order to remain alive.
So, I was left with playing childish games.
When mealtime came I put on rock music as loudly as the unit would go. Sebastian opened the door, and the sound actually knocked him backward. He dropped the tray to cover his ears and my meal destroyed his pants and shoes. He stopped coming inside. He sent a guard and remained in the hallway.
Next, I soaked the carpet with water until the water began running under the door into the hallway prompting my guard to call for help and a plumber was sent in to search for an issue while I sat reading a magazine and feigning ignorance.
As a last effort I forced myself to throw up my meal, used a heating pad to make my face red and sweaty and moaned when my door was opened.
Everyone believed the act, mostly out of fear of what Father would do to them should anything happen to me.
A doctor was called, and he declared me to have food poisoning.
All attention was turned toward the kitchen, everything in the refrigerator and pantry tossed and replaced.
With my guards tasked with seeking how the chef could have allowed such a tragedy to happen, my room was left unlocked and the door ajar in case I called out for aid.
I took the opportunity to slip out once more.
I raced for my father’s office because I knew he was home for a short span of time. I intended to beg for mercy. I never got that far. Instead, I heard him shouting into his phone and spent my five minutes of freedom listening in. What I heard was enlightening.
“I will double the fee! Triple it if necessary! I do not understand why you continue to refuse to do my bidding. Have I not been trustworthy in the past? Do you not have as much hatred for Aguilar as I?
“I want the man assassinated, and I do not give a damn how it is done! That is your job description is it not? How many of you has he paid to protect him? You are my last resort. I will pay for your passage to America along with triple the usual fee. It is worth it to me,” Father was yelling.
A fist slammed into the wall, and I heard glass breaking as photos fell to the floor. Something heavy crashed near the door, and through the crack by the door knob I saw a crystal decanter break and its contents spill on the hardwood floor, the strong scent of brandy filled my nostrils.
Sebastian’s voice reached me clearly as he spoke above Father’s rantings. “There are no more assassins whom you trust to get the job done. It’s time to make the call. I realize you don’t wish to use these people, but you have reached the point where there is no choice.”
“Six! Six assassins have turned me away. How is that possible? Why do they fear Aguilar above me? They all claim there is no way to reach him without dying. They say no amount of money is worth what will happen to their families! Why must I always turn to those who have wronged me?”
Sebastian replied, “Because those who have wronged you are obviously fearless. Regardless of how you feel about them they will do the job and not require nearly as large a fee.”
I was stumped as to who they were talking about and so caught up in trying to figure out the puzzle that I did not move fast enough when Sebastian yanked the door open and charged out. I was instantly caught with a death grip on my arm. There would be bruises to show for my spying efforts.
Sebastian quickly glanced back at my father and seemed just as relived as I when he saw his back was to us.
I was unceremoniously dragged to the staircase before Sebastian growled, “You little bitch! I’ve had enough of your childish behavior and your pranks.
I won’t coddle you anymore. If I must chain you to the bed you will stay put. ”
He shook me hard enough to make my teeth rattle. “You may believe you’re a damn princess, but I will show you that to me you are a fucking, worthless adornment, much like the fake breasts of the woman I screwed last night.”
“What are you going to tell my father? When you explain my escapes will you also admit you’re the one who put bruises on me?” I asked while I fought the agonizing pain and refused to scream for mercy.
“I won’t mention you at all, stupid girl.
He has far more important business to handle than a spoiled brat.
The bruises I have undoubtedly given you will either fade before he cares enough to remember your existence or can be covered.
The same will go for any others I choose to bestow upon you if you continue your defiance.
Do not test me again,” ordered, shoving me to the floor of my room and bolting the door shut.
I had been wrong. I was more than willing to kill Sebastian.