Chapter Five
Maeve
My captor took me on a surprise shopping trip. I had not expected him to offer me such luxury. My wardrobe was completely full. I didn’t need to go shopping, and I happened to hate shopping. However, he insisted, and I wanted to know his name. No one would tell me his name.
I had no idea what to call him. My captor? My beast? My savior? I didn’t know how to refer to him.
The assistant at the shop didn’t help either.
There was no introduction, although they did embrace as if they were friends .
.. or were they lovers? I found myself angry and jealous, which was so stupid.
This man meant nothing to me, and yet a stranger clearly knew his name and hugged him.
Did they have sex? I’d never been jealous of anyone in my life.
I didn’t even know that emotion could exist in me, yet that was exactly how I felt.
That swirling pit of despair was not going away.
I felt sick to my stomach as I was escorted to the dressing rooms. Of course, it had to be a luxury suite, with a nice sofa for my whatever-the-fuck-he-was to sit and enjoy refreshments while I waited for the assistant to bring the clothes I had chosen. My owner had also chosen outfits.
“You’re angry,” he said.
“I’m not.” My arms were folded beneath my breasts, and I had a feeling there was a glare across my brows. Maybe I was a little angry.
He was nice to everyone! How was that supposed to make me feel good? Sure, I’d been dancing on that high of him removing my family from the restaurant but that had been days ago. Right now, I was so ... hurt.
Had he been with other women? Why did I even care? Did I want him to myself?
I didn’t even know his name!
He chuckled.
“Is she an old lover?” I asked, and the moment I did, I hated myself.
This was not going the way I had hoped.
“You think the shopping assistant is a lover?”
“Well, is she?” I asked.
“Would that bother you?”
I wanted to tell him no, that he could fuck who he liked, but that would be a lie.
I happened to hate lying. I know, I know, I’m not exactly in the best position of my life, which was literally in his hands.
I should have no trouble with lying, but it didn’t feel right to me. Lying was not good for the soul.
“Yes!” I hated that I had to admit it. This was all messed up.
He sat there, and I couldn’t tell if I had surprised him or not.
It didn’t matter, because Miss Flirty arrived with a long rack of outfits.
Turning on my heel, I grabbed the first one off the rack and stormed into the dressing room.
I didn’t stare at my reflection, because I didn’t want to see the truth staring back at me.
I changed quickly, and I hated that the first outfit I tried on was a pair of slacks, a shirt, and a jacket, actually the one he had chosen. One glance in the mirror without looking at my reflection, and I liked it.
This was not going well. He clearly had good taste, and this was going to get worse.
As I stepped out of the dressing room for him to look, he clicked his fingers. Some of the outfits he chose he didn’t like, and a few others were really nice. He did agree to all of mine.
At some point, the assistant asked to speak to him in private. This made me feel even worse. Were they about to go and have sex?
I stared at my reflection. I was not perfect, I had always been on the larger side, and now as I looked at myself, I wondered if he even liked curvy girls. My hips are wide, I have a small waist, and my thighs are full, with a few bits of cellulite.
I probably should be more self-conscious, but perhaps that is due to living for the past five years with the knowledge that my life didn’t matter. My family didn’t love me. They had me for the sole purpose of paying a debt. I had large tits, and I had cut my hair so it landed at my shoulders.
As I stare at my reflection, the curtain opens, and I spin around in shock as a man I had never seen before comes in for the attack.
I’d taken defense lessons and they come in handy, as I read his body language a second before he attacked, and I was able to dodge him at first. I had never seen this man before.
He punched me in the stomach, winding me, and I tried to stay upright, but he slapped me around the face so hard that I saw stars.
This was not good. Did my captor want me dead, just not at his hands?
Within seconds, my attacker’s hands wrap around my windpipe. I grab at his arms, but I’m no match for him. I’m flailing around, doing everything defense tells us not to do, and I know I am going to die. This is the moment it all ends.
I need to breathe.
I need to do something.
I’m going to die.
This must have been all part of the plan.
Just as I am close to losing consciousness, like a dark angel, I see my captor. There is no light in his eyes, as I see him stab a knife into my attacker’s neck, taking him by surprise.
That grip is gone, I fall to the floor, gasping for breath, and as I do, I see my captor is not done, as he has lost his sanity.
Over and over, his hand comes out and goes back in, and I know without a shadow of a doubt he is stabbing my attacker repeatedly.
It is only over when the man falls to the floor, and I don’t think he has anything more to stab.
I’m still gasping for air like the precious gift it is. Repeatedly I inhale, not wanting to let it stop. I’d never experienced anything like that before.
My heart is racing. I feel the fear, and the moment his arms wrap around me, I feel safe. It made no sense to me, because I shouldn’t feel anything but fear. This man makes me feel safe, and I don’t even know his name.
“I’ve got you,” he said.
I close my eyes and sink against him. Someone had tried to kill me, but why? I have done absolutely nothing wrong, and it made no sense to me.
****
Draven
I killed the sales assistant. She had been paid to lure me away from Maeve so she could be killed. If I hadn’t gotten to her in time, I would be burying Maeve. I haven’t stopped holding Maeve as I walk out to the car with her. My men are on high alert.
I’d called ahead to the shop as I knew it was one that was size inclusive, and my Maeve was on the fuller side with her lush curves.
Everyone leaves me alone as I climb into the back and hold Maeve close.
There was only one person that could have ordered this, and it had to have been Maeve’s father.
Why would he send someone to kill her? Was it to distract me?
What was the reason for this, unless Mikhail Vasiliev had sent the order?
The moment we arrived at my home, I open the door, grab Maeve, pull her into my arms, and then carry her up to the house. I don’t stop, but I’m not taking her to her room. I’m taking her to my room.
“I can walk, you know,” she said.
It was nice to know that even though she was nearly strangled to death, she still had a little fire. Bruising was already starting to appear around her neck, and seeing it pissed me the fuck off. I’d not gotten to her in time.
Lying her gently on the bed, Maeve looked up at me. “I guess he was saving you a job,” she said.
“I have no intention of killing you, Maeve,” I said.
“You don’t?”
“I have no reason to.”
She had a small smile on her lips. “There was no reason for me to be used in a sale, but it still happened.”
“That’s true.”
She’s staring up at me, and I just can’t help it, I lean down and lightly press my lips against hers. Maeve doesn’t pull away, nor does she flinch.
“Draven,” I said.
“What?”
“You wanted to know my name, and I think today you earned it. I’m Draven Adams,” I said.
“Draven Adams?”
I love the way it sounds rolling off her lips.
“Yes.”
“I don’t know who you are.” She offered me a smile. “I feel like you’ve told me your name, and you’re like a celebrity I should know.”
“I’m not a celebrity.”
She chuckled. “Who are you?”
“I’m a lot of things.”
“You killed that man for me today,” she said.
“You’re not scared?”
“No, I’m not.”
I stroked her cheek and looked into her striking blue eyes. They were focused on me, and they were not filled with fear. I don’t think I have ever seen fear in her eyes.
“You’re safe now,” I said. “I won’t let anyone kill you.”
“Why?” she asked. “Wouldn’t it be easier for you? Just get the job done.”
“I have no interest in killing you and getting it over with.”
“You’re going to torture me?”
“You think living with me has been torture?”
Maeve smiled. “Actually, it has been the most fun I’ve had in a long time. Do you know what I realized recently?”
“What?” I’d never been one to make small talk, but I like Maeve talking to me. I love listening to her voice. She’s not lying or faking.
Walking into that changing room today and seeing those hands wrapped around her neck, knowing she was close to dying ... if I had waited just a second longer, that bastard might have killed her. It filled me with a rage I had never felt before. I’d always been calm and collected.
Sure, there were times I had gotten pissed off over the years, but it had never exploded like this. I hadn’t thought, all I had done was react. Saving Maeve was all that mattered to me in that moment.
“Although I had a family, I was never part of it. My family didn’t even hesitate in giving me up.
All my life, they had separated me from them.
I was never allowed on family vacations.
I couldn’t spend time with them. I wasn’t even allowed to watch movies with them.
” She shrugged. “They’re not really my family. ”
“You know someone from your family sent that man to kill you,” I said.
“How do you know?”
“It would be punishment for kicking them out of the restaurant.”
“I’m so sorry.”
I shake my head and stroke her cheek. “You have no reason to be sorry. They will pay for this.”
“But I’m nothing. I’m just a debt you have to kill eventually, don’t you?”
“No, I don’t.”
Maeve groaned. “I don’t know how any of this works.”