Run (14 page)

It surprised him, that the little spitfire who had so much fight in her was actually capable of shedding tears. Seeing her in such a vulnerable state, made him feel like an intruder in his own home. And, it had killed his hard-on. Gently he lifted her into his arms, pulled back the covers and tucked her in. She moaned softly before snuggling in the covers. He left her then.

“Hello? Are you still there?” Foster called to him, jolting Dare from his thoughts.

“I was thinking about business.”

“You can think of business when you have a wildcat at home to contend with?”

“Some of us don’t want to settle for living off of our family’s trust fund,” he took a jab at Foster’s playboy lifestyle.

“Just because I don’t spend all my time in the office, it doesn’t mean I don’t work hard. Since you’re my friend, I’m going to let that slide. By the way, there was a pretty big commotion at the debriefing this morning.”

Dare raised a brow in curiosity. He hadn’t heard any report from his EA. “Since I haven’t received a report from Ronald, I assume he was able to handle whatever the situation was.”

“Of course. The man is as efficient as a machine. Whatever he’s getting paid probably isn’t enough. Aren’t you at least interested in what happened?”

“Not particularly, but it seems you’re eager to tell me. I assume that was the reason for your call in the first place.”

“Why do you even own The Run if you care so little about it?”

“It makes me money and it doesn’t make good business sense to get rid of a profitable business.”

“Cut the bullshit. You can sell The Run if you wanted and you’d still be one of the wealthiest men in the country. He’s dead, you know. You don’t have to keep it for his sake.”

There weren’t many forbidden topics between him and Foster but his friend hit the one that always struck a nerve. “Are you going to tell me what happened or should I wait to read it in Ronald’s report later? I assure you, I don’t care either way.”

Foster paused before he spoke. “I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“It’s okay,” Dare sighed, annoyed at the turn their conversation had taken. He wasn’t sure why his friend seemed to be intent on pressing his buttons.

“Apparently, the girl that West tagged was so badly bruised when he checked out, the other patrons took note. Your Briggs had to pull up the footage of the tag and he beat the girl up. Since she was technically the property of The Run while she was still on the grounds, Briggs fined him twice the entry fee.”

Dare frowned. He vaguely remembered the brunette who had been with Aya before he’d taken her. The last thing he’d seen of her, West had dragged her unconscious body off. She’d been in decent physical condition then.

“The staff doctor took care of it, I’m sure.”

“Of course he did, but that’s not the point. That little shit must have terrorized that girl. She was covered head to toe in bruises. She even had a black eye. When Briggs hit him with that fine, he caused a commotion saying the game is rigged. He said he had his eye on your girl and he had practically tagged her but you’d taken her. He was telling anyone who would listen. You know if people start to talk, this could reflect badly on you.”

Dare shrugged unconcerned that West would be given any credence. And even if he were, it would probably be the liberals who wanted to shut The Run down in the first place. That wasn’t going to happen. “I’ve never really been concerned too much about what other people think about me. People have been whispering behind my back since I was a child, and those same people would smile in my face. It’s a fickle world.”

“Is it true?”

“Is what true?”

“What West said? Did you take a girl away from him?”

“The only thing I took was mine. Anymore questions?”

“Aren’t you even going to ask about the girl?”

“You already said the staff doctor took care of her. Briggs paid the fine I’m sure so what else is there to know?”

“He was still allowed to take her. That’s what the big deal is.”

Again, he shrugged. “He paid for her, so it was his right.”

“Do you hear yourself? Had you seen her, maybe you would have a change of heart.”

“But I didn’t see her, so that’s a moot point. Furthermore, you participated in the game yourself. What about the woman or women you tagged? If you think The Run is so wrong, why do you keep participating?”

“I didn’t tag anyone this weekend. I had someone in my sights but apparently, she already belonged to someone else.”

“So now, we’ve gotten to the crux of the matter. You were interested in Aya, too, weren’t you?”

Foster furrowed his brow. “There were a handful of patrons who were, you can’t fault me for wanting to take a shot at her. It just seems strange that some of the patrons mentioned getting coordinates that didn’t quite match up to who they were looking for. After West’s outbursts, it wasn’t hard to put two and two together.”

Dare had had enough of this conversation. He hadn’t had to justify anything to anyone since he was a teenager and he damn sure wasn’t going to start now. “I’m going to sign off now. I trust, I’ll see you at the gala next week.” He tapped the button on the side of his watch without waiting for a reply from his friend.

He couldn’t help that Aya was desired by other men and perhaps some women, too, but she belonged to him. And as long as he wanted her, Dare would make sure Aya or anyone else would never forgot it.

By the time her two o’ clock rolled around, Aya was grateful to get out of that house filled with strange staff who wouldn’t so much as make eye contact with her or even say a word to her beyond seeing if she needed anything. She’d spent the morning in her room lying on her bed bored out of her mind because the servants picked up after her. She wasn’t allowed to make her own bed. By the time she would come out the bathroom from a shower, it would be made and her room tidied.

When the driver stepped out of the car, she was happy to see a familiar face.

She smiled at Ben. But instead of the friendly guy she remembered, he simply nodded and opened the door for her. Shaken by his distant attitude, she didn’t find the words to speak until the car had pulled off the estate.

“Ben, what happened since yesterday?” she asked.

He didn’t answer.

“Ben?”

“Miss Smith, I don’t think it would be appropriate if we talked. I need to concentrate on the road.”

“These fancy vehicles basically drive themselves. I don’t see why we can’t talk on the way to wherever it is you’re taking me. Won’t you please tell me why all the staff is acting so awkward around me? I feel like I’ve stepped into another world. I’ve never been in a situation like this before and I would be inclined to think that maybe this is how things are done among the Elite but you were so friendly yesterday.”

“I was doing my job yesterday.”

She sunk into her seat feeling defeated. “I see. So I guess when Mr. O’Shaughnessy doesn’t need me I’m supposed to just sit around and be ignored by everyone in the house?” she said more to herself than to Ben.

“It…it isn’t like that Miss Smith.”

Aya was surprised he actually answered. “Then, what is it like?”

“You’re a special guest in Mr. O’Shaughnessy’s house and you’re to be treated with the same respect we’d give to any of his other guests.” She could almost hear the sympathy in his voice but it didn’t make her feel better.

“You’ve had guests before I’m sure and I bet they weren’t treated the way I’ve been. Don’t worry Ben, you don’t have to speak to me. I was just hoping I would make a friend here and make the most of a bad situation.”

“I’m sorry Miss Smith.”

“Not sorry enough,” she snapped. She sighed. It wasn’t his fault. “I’m sorry. I guess, I’m a bit irritable after what I’ve been through lately. And having to participate in that stupid game, was probably one of the worst experiences in my life.”

“I understand, Miss Smith. Look, I could probably get in trouble for telling you this but the staff has been instructed to stay out of your way, no conversation and no eye contact.”

“Who briefed you?”

“Mr. Garrison. He oversees the staff.”

“Yes, I met his hologram this morning. But, I’m sure he received his instructions from Mr. O’Shaughnessy.”

“Probably. Look, if you’d like, we can talk when we’re in the car alone together, but when anyone else is around, I’m going to have to maintain my distance.”

“I understand. Thank you, Ben.” She was so grateful to have someone else to talk to Aya gladly accepted his terms.

“I’m sorry you’re here under these circumstances. I can imagine how this must feel but if it’s any consolation, Mr. O’Shaughnessy is a fair employer.”

Aya snorted. “No, it’s not much of a consolation. And I’m not sure how you could possibly understand how degrading The Run is to its participants.”

“I have a pretty good idea. I had a sister who participated in The Run a few years back.”

“Oh. What happened to her?”

“The same thing that happens to a lot of the girls who participate. Once their owners no longer want them, they either volunteer for The Run again or they look for work to support the family. Most of them end up working in the brothels. Though it’s not an ideal situation, my sister works for one of the high end establishments. She makes a decent living which helps support the family, so our other sisters won’t have to go that route. I’m the oldest boy in a family of seven. My father died in mining accident years ago and my mother left us after my youngest brother was born, before Dad died even. I was lucky to find this job. Bill, Mr. O’Shaughnessy’s main driver, recommended me. He knew my father. The money is decent and between what me and my sister make, we can send our younger siblings to school.”

His story seemed so sad. It made her realize how fortunate she and her uncle had been. They may not have had much and were barely making it, but she had to remember that some families were worse off than hers had been, that was until Dare had come along and wrecked everything.

“What did you do before you worked for Mr. O’Shaughnessy?”

“I used to work at a textile factory but shortly after I started, there were massive layoffs. Since then I was doing odd jobs here and there, doing what I could to earn money. How about you?”

“I worked at my uncle’s bar, Arthur’s Place.”

“Oh, yeah, I’ve heard of that place. It was one town over from mine. Me and a few buddies even stopped by for a drink there once. I’m surprised I didn’t see you. I definitely would have noticed you. I mean…if you worked there, I meant. Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. I know what you meant. It was only my uncle and me working there and sometimes he’d hire some of the local kids to do a few things around the bar or make supply runs for him. You must have come on one of those rare occasions when I wasn’t there.”

“Your uncle, he seemed like a nice man.”

“He is a nice man.”  She looked out the window, her spirits dampened by the mention of her uncle.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why do you keep apologizing?”

“You sounded sad when you mentioned him. You must miss him.”

“I do. I miss him a lot.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll see him again soon.”

“Maybe.” She decided to switch the topic before she became thoroughly depressed. “Where are you taking me exactly?”

“I was told to drop you off in the shopping district at a boutique called La Boehme.”

Aya froze. That was the shop where she had been arrested. The last thing she wanted to do was set foot in that place when it would only serve as a constant reminder that her kind wasn’t welcome there. “That shop specifically? I mean, it has to be there?”

“As far as I know. Is there a problem?”

“Um, no.” It wasn’t fair to involve him in her issues, besides there wasn’t much he would be able to do about it, if he wanted to keep his job.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Good, because we’re here.” Ben guided the car through an underground garage and finally pulled up in front of a black door. She moved to open the door to get out but Ben shook his head. “I’ll get that for you.”

When he opened the door, he stood a respectable distance from her unlike the last time. He didn’t offer his hand either. Dare had obviously made an impression on him last time.

“How do I get to the shop from here?”

“Ring the bell beside the black door and you’ll be let in.”

“I seriously doubt that. I’ve been to this place before and it only seems to cater to a certain clientele.”

“In that outfit, you look like one of them to me. Give it a try and if you have a problem, I’ll make a call to Mr. Garrison to sort it out.”

Aya looked at the driver with uncertainty but she did as she was instructed. When she rang the bell, to her surprise, she was greeted by a friendly voice. “Welcome, Miss Smith, for your two-thirty appointment.” The door slid open and behind it stood a smiling older gentleman.

“Miss Smith, I’d like to personally welcome you to La Boehme today. My name is Roger Niles and I’ll be your personal buyer today. Please won’t you come in?”

It was almost as if she’d stepped into an alternate universe. Not long ago, there would have been no way she’d get this kind of service. Aya looked over her shoulder to see Ben give her a nod of encouragement. With a shrug, she followed Mr. Niles inside where she was led to an elevator.

“We’re so glad that you chose us today for your shopping needs,” he gushed once they were inside. One would have thought she was a queen or a foreign dignitary from the way he gushed over her. She shifted uncomfortably holding herself as far away from him as possible.

She released a soft sigh of relief when the ride was over. She followed him to a carpeted room which had several mirrors lining the wall. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, illuminating the room with a prism of bright colors. A large suede couch dominated the room, sitting right in the middle. In front of the sofa was a small table which had a tray of fresh fruits and cheeses.

“Please have a seat, Miss Smith, and we can begin.”

There wasn’t much else in the room other than what she’d seen. She frowned. This wasn’t the store she remembered. “I’m sorry, Mr. Niles, but I’m a little confused. I thought I was supposed to be shopping for something. Where are all the clothes and what is this room?”

He smiled at her indulgently as if she were a small child. “The clothes will here, shortly. For our most valued customers, the clothes come to you. Please make yourself comfortable.” Mr. Niles gestured to the couch again.

The door opened and a server with a silver tray balanced in the palm of her hand walked in. “Champagne, Miss Smith?”

"Uh, no thanks.”

“It’s one of the top brands, I assure you. I think you’d enjoy it.” Mr. Niles gave her a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

She took the offered glass if for nothing else than to get the man off her back. “Thank you.”

“If you’d like something more substantial to eat, just let me know. I’m the blue button located on the left arm of the sofa.”

Aya nodded and finally took her seat. This place was surreal.

“Are you ready, Miss Smith?”

She nodded.

“We’ll begin with evening wear first followed by casual every day wear and so on. Begin show,” he announced.

The image of a model sashayed across the room. She wore a long black ball gown. The model halted in the middle of the room, turned around slowly to give a full view of her outfit. The form was conservative with long sleeves that covered the model from the neck down, but when she turned around, her back was completely exposed down to the top of her butt crack.

“What do you think, Miss Smith? Do you need a closer look?”

“No, thank you.”

“This dress is an exclusive in the Ballentine line. There is no other like it in the world. You can see from the hand-sewn beading on the front of the dress that the designer paid a great attention to detail.”

“Um, it’s nice,” she said uttering what she deemed to be the appropriate thing to say.

Mr. Niles nodded. “Next.”

The first image dissipated and a second image appeared. This time, it was a model in a short red sequined dress that hung so low, her breasts nearly fell out. It hugged her body like a second skin.

She scrunched her nose at the dress which she thought looked tacky.

“I can tell from the expression on your face that we’ll take a pass on that one. Next.”

When the next model appeared, Aya’s breath caught in her throat. It was the green dress, the one she’d seen in the window the day she was arrested. She almost stood up to reach out and touch it but knew it wasn’t actually there. It was the same jade green she remembered, so vibrant and alive. Her mother’s favorite color and Dare’s ey— she shook her head to quickly dispel that thought.