Buttons and Shame Read online

  Ariel walked beside me as we approached the chopper. It landed on the grass with grace before the engine was shut off. The propeller still spun as the engine cooled down. We stood side by side as we waited for our guest.

  Ariel’s loose strands flew back in the wind from the propellers, and slowly, they fluttered until her hair was perfect once more. She placed her hands in her pockets, looking just as terrifying as me.

  Dunbar came from the rear and joined us, his arm crossed over his muscular chest.

  Ethan emerged from the helicopter carrying a woman in his arms. She was unconscious, her head dangling over the edge of his arm. Her long brown hair blew in the wind. She wore dark jeans and a simple top, obviously used to the humid weather of New York City in the summertime.

  She was in for a surprise.

  Ethan carried her toward me, the rest of the team in tow. In a black hoodie and dark jeans, he carried London effortlessly. “She was a bit ornery. Had to put her under.” He shifted her in his arms before he handed her off to Dunbar.

  I took a peek at her, seeing the fair skin of her flawless cheeks. She had a small nose, full lips, and eyelashes that would make her eyes stand out if they were open. Petite in size, she didn’t seem like she could put up much of a fight. “She reminds me of a puppy—so innocent.”

  Ethan chuckled. “This woman is not innocent. She almost got a hold of my gun. There’s no doubt in my mind she would have pulled the trigger.”

  Now my interest was truly piqued. “Maybe she has more in common with Joseph than we realized.” I nodded back toward the house. “Let’s go.”

  We walked back inside and went downstairs to the basement. It was still in the formation of a prison, with cement flooring and walls. There was a small cot in the corner, a toilet and a sink, but nothing else. There weren’t any windows because the basement extended deep into the ground. Only a few lights were on at a time, keeping my prisoner in near darkness.

  Dunbar set her on the cot and pulled the blanket over her shoulders since she was frozen from the trek across the lawn. He pulled her hair out of her face and took a good look at her. “I’m excited for a go. She really is as beautiful as Ethan said.” He left her on the cot then closed the door, locking her up in a cell made of steel bars. She had no privacy from anyone within the basement. But now that she was no longer a real person, it didn’t matter. She was my retribution for what Joseph had done to me. I would get the four million dollars that was owed to me.

  Actually, London would.

  Everyone except my butler left for the day. Ariel and Dunbar took the helicopter back to the mainland, where they lived their own lives and spent their free time. I remained in the living room, drinking scotch in front of the fire and placing the cool glass against my temple when I felt a migraine coming on.

  I enjoyed the peace and quiet this island provided. Sometimes it felt like just me and the sea, the waves crashing down against the cliff right outside my front window. I liked to keep the windows open so I could listen to the rhythmic sound. Something about its consistency stilled my nerves. Just like the sun would rise and set every single day, the waves would meet the shore, unaffected by any living man. The absolute power the elements had over mankind was fascinating to me.

  I would be lying if I said I didn’t crave that kind of power myself.

  Thump.

  I stopped breathing when I heard the sound.

  Thump. Thump.

  I concentrated on the sound to pinpoint where it was coming from. Sometimes the wind howled on a cruel night, but there hadn’t been a storm in the forecast. I abandoned my scotch on the table and rose to my feet, thinking of where my weapons were stowed in the house, easily accessible from every room.

  Thump.

  My eyes darted to the ground, realizing exactly where the noise was coming from.

  The basement.

  My guest was awake.

  I walked down the stairs to the basement wearing jeans and a t-shirt now that everyone had left for the day. After I opened the door, I peeked down the stairway and spotted London. She stood back on one leg and kicked the bars as hard as she could, trying to make them crack under her power. The force was so minimal, the bars didn’t even shake. She aimed for the hinges of the door but that didn’t make a difference either. Absorbed in her poor attempt to free herself, she didn’t notice my light footsteps as I approached the bottom of the basement. “The only thing you’re going to break is your knee.”

  At the sound of my voice, she stood back, her forehead gleaming with sweat and her hair messy from exerting herself. Her hands were still held in front of her body, prepared for anything.

  I walked to the door and looked at her, noting the way her jeans hugged her curvy hips and thin legs. The gray V-neck she wore pointed to her tiny waist, her natural hourglass figure obvious. She was definitely pretty, but she didn’t do anything for me. The guys talked about her like she was a perfect ten.

  She was a perfect nobody to me.

  “These bars are made out of steel, in case you didn’t notice. And we’re in the middle of the ocean on an island, so if you break something, you’re on your own. All I’ve got is Tylenol.” I stood at the bars and examined her, my arms crossed over my chest.

  Despite her dire circumstance, she didn’t seem scared. She only appeared calculating, her brain working furiously to figure out what her next move should be. She tried to find a solution rather than give in to the panic.

  “It’s time to make introductions. I’m Crewe—and I own you.”

  As if I had slapped her, her eyes narrowed into a threatening expression. “What did you just say to me?” She walked toward the bars, having no reluctance for coming close to me. If I slid my arm through the bars, I could grab her by the neck. “I don’t give a damn who you are. You don’t own me. Nobody owns me.” She jabbed her finger into her chest, amplifying her meaning.

  I liked her fire. She had a lot more courage than that pussy-shit brother of hers. “You’ll change your mind…in time.” I came closer to the bars, getting a better look at her. She had a nice mouth, wide with soft lips. I had the urge to run my thumb along her bottom lip, but I had no interest in kissing her. I just wanted to touch her—to pet her.

  “I’m gonna get out of here. And when I do, I’m going to rip your eyes out of your head and shove them up your ass.”

  The threat was so unexpected I actually laughed. “Whoa, you’ve got quite the mouth on you.” I chuckled from deep inside my chest. “But I like a woman with a dirty mouth.”

  She didn’t let the implication deter her hatred. “Trust me, you aren’t going to like me.”

  She was stuck in a prison with nowhere to run, but yet, she wouldn’t drop her guard. She wouldn’t drop her hostility or her pride. She could easily fall to her knees and weep. But she still stood on her own two feet—strong. “I think I already do.”

  Stupidly, she thought I wasn’t paying attention to every single move she made. She waited until my eyes were locked on hers before she launched her hand through the opening between the bars and tried to grab my neck.

  I’d been expecting it, so I dodged to the left and grabbed her wrist. I pinned her arm down, bending it at just the right angle to twist her elbow in an agonizing way. With just a little more pressure, I could’ve snapped it right in half.

  She breathed through the pain but didn’t wince. The fire was still in her eyes, refusing to let me believe I had any power over her.

  Somehow, my respect grew. “Don’t fuck with me, London.” I pressed my lips against her ear, listening to her heavy breathing. “I promise, you’ll lose.” I released her arm, allowing her to keep it for another day.

  She immediately pulled her arm back into the cage and stood where I couldn’t reach her again.

  “Smart girl.”

  She let her arm hang limply by her side, refusing to caress it despite the pain she must have been experiencing.

  “The sooner you behave yourself, the better you
r life will be. We’re on an island in the middle of the sea. There’s nowhere for you to run or hide—unless you want to jump to your death from a cliff.”

  She stared at me with vicious eyes. “Doesn’t sound so bad right now.”

  The corner of my mouth rose in a smile. “If you get your act together, you can visit the rest of the house. But if you’d rather put up this fight, then you can stay in here.”

  “I’m never going to act like an obedient dog, so it looks like I’m gonna stay down here.” She moved to the cot and leaned against the wall, pulling her knees to her chest while she stared me down with pure hatred.

  “It’s awfully cold down here,” I warned.

  “Better than being any closer to you.”

  When I first saw her being carried off the helicopter, I had a completely different assumption about the kind of woman she was. I’d assumed she would be like everyone else, whiny and weak. I assumed her backbone would be just as soft as her cheek. But she took someone like me by surprise—which was difficult. “In case you haven’t noticed, there’s not a shower down here.”

  Her expression didn’t change.

  “You won’t be allowed to take one until you behave yourself.”

  “People used to only bathe once a year,” she countered. “I’ll be fine.”

  I chuckled, loving the fact she had a response to everything I said. “Give it a week, and see if you change your mind.”

  She pulled the thin blanket over her legs to keep warm. “If you’re done taunting me, you can leave.”

  She was excusing me? “You don’t have any questions?”

  “No.”

  “You don’t want to know why you’re here?”

  “It’s obvious.”

  It was? “How so?”

  “I don’t live under a rock,” she said coldly. “I know I’ve been abducted into sex trafficking. But I’m not worried about it because there’s a solution to every problem. I will find one.”

  The smile left my face. “This isn’t school, London. There’s not a solution to every problem. Life isn’t as simple as a mathematical equation. I’m one of the greatest criminals of the underworld. I’m the kind of problem with no solution. I’m the kind of problem that can’t be solved. The situation you’re in is far worse than being sold into slavery—because you’re my slave.”

  27

  Crewe

  I walked into Ariel’s office. “What’s on the agenda?”

  She remained at her desk, her black glasses sitting on the bridge of her nose. She spun a pen in her fingertips as she pressed her lips tightly together. “We have a new buyer in Ireland. Wants to buy a large order of Highland Whiskey. And when I say large, I mean enormous.”

  “How enormous are we talking?” I fell into the chair and unbuttoned the front of my black suit.

  “We’d need to hire an extra crew just to oversee the production. You were thinking of expanding anyway. Perhaps we should pursue that now.”

  If a business wasn’t growing, then it was at risk. That’s how I saw it. “Let’s do it.”

  She made some notes. “Alright. I’ll take care of it.”

  “Anything else?”

  “Yes. Her Highness Wilhelmina is having a ball next weekend. Of course, you’re on the invite list.”

  “Excellent.” I rested my fingertips against my lips as I listened to her. “What else?”

  “We haven’t heard anything from—”

  “Sir, I’m sorry to interrupt.” Finley walked inside, wearing slacks and a collared shirt. “London refuses everything I make for her. It’s been three days, so I thought I would bring it to your attention.”

  I tried not to smile at the information. “I’ll take care of it, Finley. Thank you.”

  “She hasn’t been drinking anything either.” He gave a slight bow before he walked out, closing the door behind him.

  Ariel pulled the glasses off the bridge of her nose and rested them on the desk. She was just a few years younger than me, but her reading glasses aged her at least ten years. “Our guest has been a bit of a fuss, from what I understand.”

  “She’s interesting…” There was no better way to put it. “Has a bigger backbone than Joseph.”

  “So do a lot of people,” she jabbed.

  I chuckled then rose to my feet, buttoning the front of my suit again. “I’ll get her under control soon enough. That’s when the real fun will begin.”

  Ariel smiled before I walked out. “We’ll finish this conversation when you’re ready, sir.”

  I walked across the house until I reached the entrance to the basement. The house was two stories tall, and it seemed like a mile from one end of the house to the other. I descended the staircase and found her sitting on the cot, stacks of food piled up on the opposite side of the cell.

  When she realized I’d come for a visit, she turned her head in my direction, keeping her eyes glued to my movements.

  “No appetite?”

  “Maybe your servant just isn’t a good cook.”

  She was the biggest smartass I had ever met. “I could make you something. And I’m definitely a good cook.”

  “No, thanks. I’ll pass on the poison.”

  I rested my elbows on the bars as I examined her in the cell. A quiet chuckle escaped my throat, quiet enough for only me to hear. “What’s your plan, London? Starve yourself to death?”

  “Starve myself until I figure out a way to get out of here.”

  “You expect to overpower me after fasting for three days?” I asked incredulously. Even if she were healthy, she would stand no chance against me.

  Her silence told me she didn’t have a comeback—for once.

  “Eat.”

  “I’m not stupid. I’m sure you slipped something into my food to knock me out.”

  “And why would I do that?”

  She looked away. “Let’s not beat around the bush.”

  I understood her implication. “Lovely, if I wanted to fuck you, I would hold you down and do it. I wouldn’t knock you out first. It’s not nearly as much fun that way.”

  Her face immediately drained of all color.

  “Now shut up and eat.”

  She still didn’t move for the food, probably wanting to wait until I was out of the room.

  “So, do you have any questions?” She still didn’t know why she was here, on the other side of the world and away from the life she once knew. I wanted her to know that her brother was responsible for her demise, that if she blamed anyone, it should be him.

  “Nope.”

  Her stubbornness baffled me. It was worse than mine. “I guess you don’t want that shower then?”

  “I’ll pass.” She looked to the left side of the room, ignoring me like I wasn’t even there.

  I didn’t expect it to take this long to get her to cooperate. I expected her to be somewhat scared after the initial shock wore off. But this woman was too courageous, too proud to give in to the fear.

  So I’d have to make her give in to the fear.

  Swiftly and silently, I unlocked the door and crept into her cell. The lights were off, and she lay in the small cot, the air freezing. I leaned over her, prepared to grab her by the neck.

  But she must have heard me because she struck first. She threw her hand upward, aiming right for my eyes.

  I was annoyed that she was so in tune with her surroundings. She didn’t trust her environment, not even for a second. For a woman in medical school, she had the reflexes of an assassin.

  But I easily overpowered her, pinning her hand down along with the rest of her body. I forced my weight on top of her, keeping her against the hard cot and immobilizing her. I stared her down and watched her twist and turn underneath me, doing whatever she could to get free.

  But nothing worked.

  She eventually gave up her struggle when I didn’t move an inch. Like a mountain, she couldn’t move me with only sheer determination. Her hands finally went limp, and she stared at me with
defeat in her eyes, not fear. “Let go of me.”

  My voice came out as a whisper. “Make me.”

  Fire glowed in her eyes, and she tried to throw me off with her hips.

  But it was pointless.

  She tried pushing me off her body with her legs, but that didn’t work either. She hissed between her teeth, sweaty and out of breath from the pointless exertion. She was too small and weak to overpower someone like me.

  However, I did enjoy watching the fight. “You can’t beat me. Stop trying.”

  “I’ll never stop trying,” she said through her heavy breathing. “One day, your guard is going to be down, and I’m going to hit you where it hurts.”

  I separated her thighs with my knees, positioning her underneath me with a hint of sexual violence.

  She stiffened, the terror finally entering her face. It was the first time she showed an ounce of fear. It was a trigger I suspected I could hit. I would use her body to make her feel dirty, defiled. “Don’t…” It was the first plea, the first beg.

  The ball was back in my court, and I felt a surge of adrenaline. I pressed my face closer to hers, feeling her breath fall on my lips. “You don’t want me to fuck you? I promise, you’ll like it.”

  She stared into my eyes, all her courage and strength completely gone.

  I had the upper hand, the power. And I would use that to my full advantage. “If you don’t want me to, say please.”

  Her lips parted, but the word didn’t escape. Her hesitance stemmed from stubbornness, not true desire. She didn’t like giving in to me, following any kind of command. She knew that would give me the small amount of power she possessed.

  My hand moved to the top of my jeans, and I undid the button.

  “Please.” She spit out the word quickly, squirming underneath me.

  “Please, what?”

  “Please don’t do it…” She couldn’t say the R word, the terrifying word every woman never wanted to say.

  I exerted my dominance, my control—and that was all I wanted. I got off her and stood on my feet. “You’re coming with me. Now.”