Seduced in the Dark (28 page)

He hadn’t thought about Rafiq in a very long
time. He’d been too busy playing house with Livvie. Too busy to
think about the debt he owed and why he owed it. It was probably
the reason Rafiq had been in his dreams as of late. It was his
subconscious’ way of reminding him not to lose focus. He’d ignored
it. He couldn’t do it anymore.

The night before, he’d had a dream about
speaking with Rafiq about the murder of his mother and sister.
Caleb had been in Rafiq’s study, learning the English alphabet and
the sound each letter made. He’d been proud to discover he could
use the sounds of the letters to make sense of words. They had
begun to look less like a collection of squiggly lines and slowly,
but surely, he could read some words without sounding them out.

Rafiq had been teaching him English and
Spanish at the same time, because they used the same letters. It
had been confusing at first, because they didn’t make the same
sounds, but Caleb was learning. The Arabic and Urdu were much
harder to read, but easier to speak because he’d grown up with
them. His Russian was a mess on both counts, but Rafiq insisted he
learn it.

Caleb knew he had to learn the Russian
because it was Vladek’s native tongue. Caleb had become hungry for
information about Vladek after Narweh’s death, but Rafiq often
refused to give too much detail when it came to the murders of this
mother and sister.

Somewhere in his mind, Caleb knew the
incident was painful for Rafiq, but as Caleb didn’t have a mother
or any siblings he knew of, it was difficult to wrap his mind
around Rafiq’s emotions. With the exception of Rafiq’s thirst for
revenge, which Caleb understood empirically, he often wondered what
Rafiq was dealing with emotionally.

Rafiq had given him a long speech about
family, loyalty, duty and honor. He said he had had
responsibilities to his father and to his country.

“
I expect obedience, Caleb. I expect your
loyalty. Anyone who betrays me will only do it once. Do you
understand?” Rafiq had said ominously.

“
Yes, Rafiq, I understand,” Caleb had
replied.

Caleb finally returned from his far off
thoughts and began to dry off and dress. It was going to be a
shitty day. That much, was obvious.

A knock on the door drew his attention. He
answered and Celia immediately cast her eyes downward and held a
deep curtsy.

“
¿Qué
quieres?
”
he asked more harshly than he intended.

Celia stood slowly, eyeing him with
confusion, but then explained her master, Felipe, had requested an
audience with him.

Caleb reluctantly agreed to come down stairs
after he was fully dressed. He also reminded her to please feed
Kitten. He wouldn’t be returning to her room for the day and he
didn’t want her starved. Celia nodded, gave him what he interpreted
to be a judgmental look and walked away. Caleb slammed the door
behind her.

Caleb dressed quickly, but not because he
was in any particular hurry. Afterward, he descended the stairs and
met Celia at the bottom. He noted the stern expression and
instinctively knew it had to do with the state in which he’d left
Kitten. However, he had better things to do than indulge the scorn
of someone else’s fuck toy.

“Take me to him,” he said.

Celia eyed him with open disdain, but still
dipped her head in acknowledgment and led the way to Felipe’s
library. It was the same room in which he’d first encountered
Rafiq, and for a moment, he had to wonder if it was truly, Felipe,
who would greet him when he entered. He squared his shoulders and
prepared himself mentally for any eventuality.

Celia knocked on the library door and waited
for Felipe’s recognition before she glared at Caleb one final time
and walked away in a huff.

Fuck you, too.

“Come in, S
eñor
Caleb. Let us have a conversation,” Felipe said jovially. Whatever
was up Celia’s ass, Felipe didn’t seem to share it. “May I offer
you a scotch?” Caleb entered the library and took the beverage
Felipe offered.

“
Gracias
,” Caleb said and took a seat
in a reading chair near one of the book shelves. He refused to sit
across from Felipe’s desk.

“
De nada
,” Felipe replied and joined
Caleb by the books.

Caleb got comfortable in his seat and sipped
from his scotch. It was perhaps too early to be drinking, but he
reasoned it had already been a long day. He was eager to get this
conversation with Felipe over with and find more interesting
diversions for the day. “Forgive me, Felipe, but why am I here?”
Caleb got to the point.

Felipe smiled and sipped from his glass. “I
only want to talk. You and your slave have been here for quite some
time and we have shared very few conversations.”

Caleb sighed, but tried to keep it
respectful, “What did you want to discuss?”

Felipe leaned back. “So serious, my friend.
How are things progressing with the girl?” Felipe asked. He was too
casual for Caleb’s taste.

“Fine.”

“Only, fine?” Felipe seemed incredulous.

Caleb’s face warmed with a building anger.
“Felipe, I realize you’re a friend of Rafiq’s, but I fail to see
how the girl is any of your business. As you’ve said, we’ve been
here for a while, why the sudden interest?”

“Kitten,” Felipe said through an obnoxiously
saccharine smile, “The girl’s name is ‘Kitten’ is it not?”

“Yes,” Caleb said through gritted teeth.

“Well, Caleb,” Felipe’s expression suddenly
turned sinister, “Kitten is your business, but Celia is mine and
seeing as you’ve involved yourself in my business, I don’t see my
questions as an intrusion in yours.”

Caleb had expected this sooner. “What do you
want, Felipe?”

“Well, to be quite honest Caleb, you’ve
overstepped yourself and done my house a great dishonor. My purpose
here is to let you make it right.” Fire spread through Caleb’s body
and anger flashed in his eyes.

“To what dishonor, are you referring?”

“You know the one,” Felipe said. Malice
edged his tone.

“I did nothing out of the ordinary, and I
had no idea you were so enamored with your property. You obviously
don’t feel as strongly about your horses. I believe I rode one of
them once as well.” Caleb was purposely smug.

Felipe’s entire body tensed with rage, but
he smiled nonetheless, “You should be careful, Caleb,” Felipe said
calmly, “I’m a very dangerous man in some circles and I happen to
know a great many things about a great many people. Including
you.”

“Watch yourself,” Caleb said through
clenched teeth.

“I’ve
been
watching, Caleb. I’ve been
watching you. And, Kitten,” Felipe said. Suddenly, he was the smug
one. “I wonder what Rafiq would think if he saw what you’ve been up
to.”

“What the hell are you talking about,” Caleb
growled.

“Cameras, Caleb. A man like me, in the
business I’m in, I can trust no one. And so, I watch. Everyone,”
Felipe said and smiled.

Caleb’s heart hammered fiercely in his
chest, but he did his best to remain calm. He thought about what
had happened between him and Kitten since they had arrived. He
thought of all the things he’d confessed to her, believing they
were alone. It was enough to have him seething with rage and
thrumming with anxiety. “What do you want, Felipe?”

Felipe shook his head, “I really didn’t want
it to go this way, Caleb. Truthfully, I wish you no ill will. I
only wanted to talk. You’re the one who made this nasty.”

Caleb tried his hand at feigning remorse,
“My apologies. I’ve had a bad morning.”

Felipe smiled, “Yes, I know. However, I plan
to keep what I know to myself. I only wish for you to grant me a
favor.”

Caleb’s jaw hurt from how hard he was
grinding his teeth, “What favor?”

“I’m having a party tomorrow night. I would
love it if you and Kitten would attend,” Felipe said cordially.

“That’s it? You want us to attend?” Caleb
didn’t buy it.

Felipe quirked an eyebrow. “Well…seeing as
you’ve made use of my Celia, I was hoping I could borrow yours for
the evening.”

“She isn’t mine and you know she’s a
virgin,” Caleb said.

“Yes, but I also know she has other talents
that don’t require her to be…” he pretended to struggle for a word,
“compromised.”

Caleb wanted nothing more than to grab
Felipe by the throat and choke the life out of him in a slow and
satisfying fashion, but he knew it would only make matters worse.
“I want whatever you have and your assurances Rafiq will hear
nothing on the matter.”

Felipe smiled and nodded. “Of course, Caleb.
I know you care for the girl. Rafiq won’t like it, but I
understand. She’s quite…intriguing.”

“Yes,” Caleb ground out.

“She loves you,” Felipe said.

Caleb side swept those words. “Will Rafiq be
at the party? He’s been difficult to get in touch with lately,” he
said instead.

“Hmm,” Felipe said, “these things are always
so unfortunate, when they happen.”

Caleb watched the other man very carefully.
“What are you getting at, Felipe?”

“Rafiq’s been pulling away from you.” His
expression was amazed when Caleb didn’t respond. “Are you so
involved with your plaything that you haven’t you noticed?”

Caleb set his drink down. He didn’t believe
it. The mere implication was untenable. “The auction is in a little
over two weeks, he’s been preoccupied. I know he’ll be here any
day. I’m asking you if he’ll be at the party tomorrow night.”

“Yes,” Felipe said ominously. “I believe he
will. Don’t you think it would be a perfect opportunity to showcase
all the progress you’ve made with the girl?”

“Yes,” Caleb whispered. His thoughts were
upstairs with Kitten and his chest felt simultaneously empty and
too full. Their time was coming to an end.

No, it’s already over. Let her go,
Caleb.

Caleb stood and left the room. He’d had
enough bullshit confrontations for one day.

Chapter Fifteen

Two in the morning. Caleb stood outside
Kitten’s door absorbing the knowledge he didn’t have much of a
choice in what had to happen next. After his confrontation with
Felipe he’d spent the day going through his room. He’d found
several cameras and still could not be certain he’d found them all.
Felipe was a sick bastard, an obvious voyeur with no sense of
decency or shame.

Caleb had half expected someone to try and
stop him from shattering every lens he found, but no one did. In
fact, everyone had stayed away from him. Caleb wasn’t sure if it
was a good thing. He would have loved to take his frustration out
on someone.

After he was reasonably sure he’d done away
with the cameras, he thought long and hard about everything Felipe
could potentially know. The answers were nauseating. He’d found
cameras in the shower, discreetly hidden in the vent. What he’d
assumed to be a screw holding the lights above the bathroom mirror
had turned out to be a camera. Felipe had them everywhere. He’d
seen Caleb masturbate, fuck, and even punish himself.

Caleb decided he’d kill Felipe when the time
was right. For now, Felipe held strong cards and Caleb had none to
play. Rafiq would be returning tomorrow night. He would want to see
Kitten and make sure she was ready. He would want Caleb and Kitten
to return to Pakistan with him and prepare for the auction in
Karachi.

It was all coming to an end and there was
nothing Caleb could do to prevent the inevitable. There was nothing
he could do unless he was prepared to surrender everything he knew,
perhaps even his very life. Caleb had struggled too long and fought
too hard to survive. Forfeiting now was unacceptable.

Caleb opened the door slowly and entered
Kitten’s room. He noticed immediately she hadn’t turned on her
nightlight which was uncharacteristic of her and made the room
unusually dark. He took a moment to adjust to the dark though he
didn’t really need it. He’d been in her room enough times to have
memorized the layout. He came close to the bed and heard Kitten
breathing. For a moment he thought about leaving the room and
letting her sleep in peace, but he steadied himself – it had to be
now.

He opened the curtains and let the moonlight
come spilling into the room and onto her sleeping form. He studied
her intently and noticed her eyes were red and puffy. Her body was
wrapped around one pillow and her hair lay across another, the
comforter pulled up to her chin. He reached out and touched her
hair. Kitten sighed fretfully and buried herself deeper in her
blanket.

“
Be gentle,”
she’d said, as he’d
looked into her eyes earlier. He lifted a corner of the comforter
and encountered her naked shoulder and a little lower, her bare
back and ribs.

“If only I could be,” he whispered into the
dark, certain she couldn’t hear him. He threw back her blanket and
lust tugged sharp in his belly.

Kitten woke, startled and naked, before she
sat up and covered herself with a pillow. “What’s going on?” She
rubbed her eyes.

“Come with me,” he said with enough bravado
to let her know he was in no mood for protests. She hesitated for
only a moment, then cast the pillow aside and stood in front of him
with a questioning expression. He looked into her eyes steadily and
saw the questions disappear as she looked toward her feet.

“Come on,” he said and walked to the door
with her trailing close behind. They walked down the hallway in
silence, which was both better and worse, Caleb thought. He glanced
back expecting to see her eyes wandering, but she seemed more
preoccupied with her own shivering.

“Are you cold?” he asked. He stepped down
the stairs.

“A little, Master,” she replied smoothly. He
stopped for a moment, surprised at her address, then continued
walking.