A Beautiful Prison, page 9
Flattening her tongue and doing what he said required her to take in more of his length in, but he was far too thick and long for her to suck all of him inside. She licked the underside, swore she felt the vein there pulse with excitement, and couldn’t stop the moan that came from her. It certainly wasn’t a flavor that she would have thought would taste good, but God it did, and in that moment, she didn’t think about how she’d come to be in his presence. All she wanted was to please him because for some fucked-up reason that pleased her as well.
Letting her mouth do the work, she started sucking him with fervor. Taking hold of the root of his dick with her hand, she stroked what she couldn’t reach with her mouth.
“That’s it. Suck me until I come down your throat.” He still had his hand in her hair, and kept her head stationary as he moved in and out, fucking her mouth like he’d fucked her pussy just this morning. Aside from the deep breaths coming from him, he didn’t make any noises. Looking up at him, she saw his attention on her mouth. “You should see your lips right now, stretched wide around my fucking dick. It’s such a damn turn on.” He increased his speed until the tip of his erection slammed against the back of her throat. Gagging from the forcefulness of it, her eyes watered and saliva dripped down her chin. Despite that, she grew wetter. “Christ, Ruby.” He was always in such control of his emotions, so hard and stoic. For one second, just one, she saw the human that lay behind his coldness.
A deep groan left him then she felt the hard jets of his cum move down the back of her throat and tasted the saltiness of it as it coated the interior of her mouth. He kept her prisoner with his hold on her head, and she had no option but to swallow it all. Slowing his thrusting hips, she felt his cock start to grow soft. He took a step back, slipping from her mouth, and she felt a drop of wetness slide down her bottom lip. Reaching out with his thumb, he moved it along her lip, collecting that drop of cum. He pressed the pad of his thumb back to her mouth until she opened for him.
“Suck it clean, Ruby.” Eyes half lidded, he kept his focus on her mouth as she suctioned her lips around the digit. She ran her tongue around the tip of it, licked, and sucked off the slick fluid, and didn’t stop until he was pulling it away from her mouth. Taking her under the arms with his hands, he hauled her up and slanted his mouth on hers. Apparently, he didn’t care that he had just come in her mouth because he thrust his tongue inside, swirled it around hers, and groaned. By the time he moved back she felt hot and sweaty, and so very turned on. “Don’t be bad while I’m gone. I have a nice little reminder on how good you can be, Ruby. Don’t make me have to come back here earlier than necessary.” His expression was once again hard, and he spoke while tucking himself back in his pants, zipping it up, and straightening his suit until he looked like a collected businessman once more. Then he turned and strode away, and a moment later, she heard the door open and close.
Ruby rushed to the foyer and looked out the window beside the front door. Gavin got into another stretch black limo, and she knew he was going to the hangar and small private airstrip he owned. She was all alone, well, aside from the two servants he had watching her. Did she risk trying to escape, failing once again, and having to endure whatever wrath would surely come from Gavin as a result? Or did she stay here, earn his trust, and hope that one day, hopefully very soon, he would take her into one of the towns where she could get some help?
“You are okay?” The deep thick accent came from behind her and she turned around to see Adelbert. He had a pair of very big and sharp shears in his hand. He must have seen the fear on her face as she looked at them, but he started speaking again, and then shook his head as if realizing she didn’t understand. “For flowers.” He lifted the shears, opened and closed them until she heard the distinct “clip-clip,” and nodded.
She didn’t know if she should be polite or give this guy the finger. She could open the door and try for the woods. Surely, she could outrun him. Eyeing him up and down showed Ruby that although he looked like he was in his fifties or early sixties, he was also in phenomenal shape. In fact, he looked just as muscular and toned as Gavin. Why did you think they were that old? Her inner question didn’t matter because she still had to decide what she planned to do. It shouldn’t have been a difficult decision, but for some reason, it really was.
Drika came in, her words fast and angry as she spoke with the man. They argued for a few seconds, and finally the woman threw her hands in the air and made an exasperated noise. She turned toward Ruby, gave her a once-over, sighed, and shook her head before turning and leaving. The older man started chuckling and pointed to where the woman had left.
“My sister, she is crazy,” he said, laughing. So, they were brother and sister, and she was clearly a lot meaner that he was. “You go see flowers with me?” His English was pretty broken, and with his thick accent it was hard to make out his words, but she picked up on it enough.
He tilted his head toward the back, and she glanced at the front door. “You have seen the flowers with Master Gavin, yes?” She slowly nodded and clasped her hands together so she didn’t fidget. “Then let us go.” He smiled, and it appeared warm and gentle. She smoothed her hands down her skirt and decided to go with him, because for all she knew, Gavin was watching, and waiting for her to make her move. She had time, and she needed to use it wisely.
When she started following him, he grinned, and slight wrinkles around his eyes and mouth became evident. He led them through the dining room and into the kitchen. On the other side of the kitchen, there was a set of double French doors.
They stepped into a conservatory. It was large, with floor to ceiling windows that let in the warm morning light. There was wicker furniture around the room along with fresh and colorful tulips. The windows showed the back property, all flat, grassy land, with tall, swaying grass, and a blue picturesque sky. Ruby could see Drika out by a clothesline, stark white sheets fluttering in the breeze. It seemed weird to see a clothesline in this opulent estate.
“It is good for the soul.” She glanced at Adelbert, who had a smile on his face. He was pointing at the clothesline. “Sun and fresh air makes everything happier.” He didn’t wait for her to respond, just motioned for her to continue following him. He led her out of the sunroom, to the back of the house where she knew there was a sea of colorful flowers. Even though she had seen them before, she still stopped and took in the sight.
All her life asphalt, grime, cars, and smog had surrounded her. But here everything was fresh, clean, and so very open. There were no buildings blocking the sky, no cars with noxious smog. Gavin was right; this place was so isolated it appeared untouched by man. She shouldn’t be gazing at the land as if she wasn’t the captive of the gorgeous, sadistic man, but she was. They were out in the middle of nowhere, but the scenery was so beautiful, all Ruby could do was sigh and take it all in.
“It is very beautiful, yes?” Adelbert questioned.
She nodded, not looking away from the rainbow of colors in front of her.
“I must fix the trees.” He pointed to the endless row of willowy trees that lined the other side of the property. “But you can pick flowers for dinner?” She assumed he meant as a centerpiece for the table at dinner, and not actually to eat. Turning to face him, she watched as he looked down at her with that same pleasant smile.
“You know why he has me here?” She didn’t wait for him to answer. The questions just flowed from her as her emotions spiraled. “He has me captive, held against my will. He bought me at an auction, and I fear for my life.” She wasn’t sure if the last was the whole truth or not. She didn’t know how far he would go in his need to possess her.
“You are hurt?” As far as she could tell, he wasn’t being sarcastic or cruel in how he phrased the question. He honestly seemed interested in her answer. “The Master of the Estate has harmed you?” Master of the Estate? She smoothed her hand down her skirt, felt the tenderness of the bruises that Gavin had given her, and opened her mouth to tell him that yes, the Master of the Estate had harmed her, and she had the marks on her body to prove it. Why did she feel it wrong to think that and say it aloud? Yes, he had hurt her, but she had enjoyed it.
It shouldn’t matter that she had derived pleasure from it. However, before she could say anything, Drika was striding toward them in hurried steps. She stopped in front of them and looked at Ruby. Once again, she started talking quickly to Adelbert, but her eyes stayed on Ruby. “My sister has to keep a strict schedule and says I am talking too much with you. She says Master Gavin will not be pleased if our work is not completed.” He chuckled at his own words.
Ruby watched as Drika walked back to the estate.
“Come.” Adelbert set the shears down and took Ruby’s hand. “Master Gavin told me to make sure you are happy, to keep you company. He says you are frightened, that you might run because of that, yes?” It was hard to get past his deep, thick accent and broken English, but the longer she was in his presence the easier it was becoming. “We are all captives of ourselves, yes?” She stared at him, not hiding her confusion. Had he taken her earlier words that she was speaking rhetorically and not literally?
She was so stunned at first that she allowed him to pull her toward the field of flowers. When they reached the edge, she glanced around and watched as they moved in unison when the wind picked up. It was like a colorful wave.
“Yes, the wonder of God, the glory of creation. We should enjoy it and not run from it.” He was looking at her now, but took a small step back and held his hand out toward the flowers. She stayed still for a second, but then got down on her haunches, closing her eyes, and inhaling deeply to allow herself this moment of peace. She had never smelled anything so wonderful before. She opened her eyes and looked up at Adelbert. He reached into the small utility belt he wore around his waist and removed a gleaming pair of scissors.
“You help me, and we will talk.” For some reason, she wanted to talk to someone, wanted conversation where she could stay by these flowers and enjoy the sun on her face. She reached out and grabbed the scissors he held out. He gestured to the flowers, and she grabbed a vibrant yellow one, bringing the blades across the stem. “Master Gavin helped me and my sister many years ago.” She glanced over at him, but his attention was on the flowers as he cut them with another pair of scissors. “The town I lived in is very far away.” He cut the flowers and set them on the ground. “Drika and I, we lost everything because of a fire, not only our possessions, but our parents as well.” Although he spoke evenly, she saw the twitch in his eyebrows when he said those words.
“I’m sorry.”
He reached out and patted her on the shoulder. “It was long ago, and death, it is a part of life.” He reached out, cut the stem of a pink flower, and placed it right over her ear. “Master Gavin wanted land to purchase. Even young he held power. He heard of our misfortune and offered us refuge.” He cleared his throat, and she felt sorry for him even though he was loyal to the man that she should despise. “Without him I don’t know where we would be. He is a good man. He could have left us there, with nothing. Our village was poor. There was no one to help us.” He set his last flower on the ground and looked over at her.
“I’m very sorry, I am, but I don’t think you understand what I meant—”
He shook his head, but kept his smile in place. “My English, it is not good, but I understand. You must understand me, too, yes?” She had no idea what he meant. “Look around.” He gestured to the openness. “Master Gavin is a kind man. You must think with this,” he reached out and placed his big hand right over her heart, “and not with this,” and then he moved that hand up to her head. “Happiness is not always where you think it is. Fear can make you run from it. You must look deep to see what you really want.” He took his hand away from her and his smile faded.
“We are given only one life in this world, and there is no wrong way to live and enjoy it.” For some reason, that last phrase pierced something deep inside of her, and she had to look away from him as emotion clogged her throat. “We all have secrets, ones that we try to bury deep inside of ourselves, but no matter how much we want to erase them, they are always a part of us.” Ruby turned and looked at him again. It was as if he was speaking about her, as if he knew her. “We should embrace it.”
He stood, tapped her on the head as if she was an obedient child, and turned back toward the estate. She watched him and then looked at the field in front of her and then at the woods. Was it really so bad being here? It wasn’t about the money that Gavin clearly had, or the possessions that surrounded him. This was a very beautiful home, and the land was breathtaking.
She had to ask herself if she wanted to leave the only person that actually made her feel something other than loneliness and despair. Sure, the way they met was less than conventional, and there were aspects of Gavin that frightened her, but when she was around him and he touched her, she felt alive.
Ruby stood, not sure, at that moment, if she would run or head back inside. Looking over at Adelbert, who now stood by the backdoor, she knew that strangely, she didn’t want to run as badly as she had that morning.
“You bring the flowers, and I will show you how to make Jodenkoeken, a very delicious butter cookie.” Ruby couldn’t forget about how she had gotten here, or why she was still here, because it wasn’t that easy. She just couldn’t discount the fact that Gavin made her feel alive. She was more than just someone that took up space. She looked down at the flowers at her feet, bent to scoop them up, and rose.
She started walking back toward the estate. She knew that her life before had been a horror of its own. She had been a captive of her circumstances. Ruby wasn’t so sure that going back out in the world was what she truly wanted. Adelbert’s words re-played over in her head. They made so much sense, and it was as if he had been speaking to her soul.
Chapter Nine
Ruby stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She was in the room Gavin had taken her to when she’d first arrived, even though she hadn’t actually slept in it until tonight. She rested her hands on the counter, bent her head, and closed her eyes. She was very tired, but for over an hour, she had lain in the bed staring at the shadows moving across the ceiling.
The idea of staying in this mansion with Gavin scared her; the way he made her feel scared her. What frightened her more, however, was what lay out there in the real world. She’d never tried to pretend that she was perfect or lived a gilded life. She had survived solely because she had wanted to live. If she had left it up to her mother, she would have died a long time ago. Despite the fact that Ruby had never felt like she fit in, had always been an outcast in school, she had pressed on, because the alternative was not acceptable.
She lifted her head and looked at herself in the mirror again. Her dark hair was wet from the shower she had just taken and hung in loose waves around her naked body. Not able to sleep, she had thought a warm shower would help, but it hadn’t relaxed her; it merely amplified the fact that she was tender, and that every part of her tingled with awareness.
If she closed her eyes, she could practically feel Gavin touching her. A shiver worked through her. Her skin looked pale under the bathroom lighting, and the bruises Gavin had given her stood out like a beacon. She straightened and ran her fingers around the fingerprint-sized ones on her hip, moved her hand down her thighs, and touched the ones that lined the flesh of her leg. Why did seeing those make her feel special and cared for when it should have made her feel abused and violated? Because when he gave them to you, a dream sprang forward inside of you.
She had never been loved, never felt wanted, not even with the few boys she had attempted to spend time with. They had only wanted one thing from her, and when she hadn’t given it to them, they had discarded her just as easily as everyone else had.
She’d felt cared for when Gavin touched her. She’d seen the way he looked at her, like a treasured possession. There was a lot of evil in the world, and she had seen it firsthand. Can an act born of evil ever become something pure?
After she had picked flowers with Adelbert and carried them back inside, she knew she’d just made a monumental decision. She spent the remainder of the evening in the mansion with Adelbert and Drika. They didn’t know that he enjoyed sadistic sexual play, nor did they know she was his masochist. To them, Gavin was their savior.
She ran her hand over the mirror once again when it started to fog up. “Well, what are you going to do?” Silence greeted her as she looked at her reflection. She turned and grabbed the plush robe that hung behind the door. After she put it, on she opened the door and turned off the light. She knew she wasn’t alone as soon as she stepped into the room. It took her eyes just a moment to adjust to the darkness, but she saw him sitting on the edge of her bed, and felt his eyes on her.
“Hello, Ruby.” Gavin’s voice was deep, and now that her vision was clearer, she saw he wore a suit, but he wasn’t as impeccably styled as he usually was. He wasn’t wearing a tie, and the first few buttons of his shirt were undone. His jacket wasn’t buttoned, and the vest underneath was visible.
“You’re back.” She didn’t know why she was surprised to see him; he had said he might be back tonight. Was she disappointed that he was already home? That he hadn’t stayed away longer? No. That realization had her heart racing and her mouth dry.
“Come here, Ruby.” His voice was low, and even though he sounded exhausted, there was that ever-present assertiveness and dominance laced in his words. She stepped away from the bathroom and closer to him. She stopped in front of him and hated the fact that her breathing had increased just at the way he looked at her. The moon was full and the silvery light came through the window where the drapes were half closed. “Did you miss me?” He reached out and tugged on the belt that held the robe closed. She didn’t stop him as he undid the knot, nor when he took each side of the robe and parted the material.
