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I am one of them now, after all.
It feels different walking through these halls, but then again most things have felt odd this last week. That urge to jump out of my own skin doesn’t seem to go away, and I won’t lie and say I’m not looking forward to seeing Kinsey. The woman’s been on my mind a lot this week, and I’ve beaten off more than once thinking of her touch. It hasn’t helped, though.
Maybe her real touch will.
I’m amazed at the anxiousness running through me as I follow one of the guards through the halls and toward her. Maybe not anxiety so much as anticipation, and my blood thrums with the thought that I’ll see her in only a moment.
“Right here,” the man says to me as he pushes a final door open and we step into an opulent room. The smell of sex and sweat immediately wash over me and I resist wrinkling my nose, my eyes immediately scanning the room. They widen when they land on a familiar figure on a small stage in one corner. She’s wearing the white dress again, standing beside a pole. She stops moving when her eyes find me and I watch her neck as she swallows deeply.
“Girl, come on,” the guard shouts, moving across the room. He grabs her arm and yanks her off the stage and I watch her stumble. The second he touches her, I see red. I’m across the room in two steps, shoving him aside.
“Stay the fuck away from her,” I threaten. The man looks up at me from the ground with narrowed eyes and opens his mouth before the door opens behind us.
“Atlas, I figured I’d find you here,” Ivor’s voice says. My eyes don’t leave the guard, burning into him until he looks away. I blow out through my nose and look up to Kinsey who's looking at me with fearful eyes.
I hold a hand out for her and she looks at it and then me, as though she’s not sure she should take it. I frown and shake my hand a bit.
“Come on,” I say impatiently. She swallows again and takes a tentative step forward to put her small hand in mine. I dart one more glare at the guard who has now pulled himself up before looking at Ivor.
“I’m here to take what’s mine,” I tell him, my grip on her hand firm. Ivor smiles with a small nod.
“Girls, Craig, leave us please,” he says and I’m suddenly aware of the other girls littering the room as they scurry out the door we came in. In seconds, it's only me, Kinsey, and Ivor left.
Ivor looks at me a moment before turning to Kinsey. When he speaks, I know it’s me he’s speaking to, even though he still watches her.
“You understand your commitments if we allow this?” he asks, and I nod.
“Yes,” I reply. Simple enough. They don’t want her getting out and calling the cops or something. Not that the cops would do anything. I now know law enforcement across the country is tied to the Iron Elite. I have a lot more to learn about what the Iron Elite really does, how far their reach goes, but what I’ve already learned is more than I imagined.
Ivor’s stare turns to me and he grins, clapping a hand on my shoulder.
“I know we had the proper ceremony already, but getting your first woman is a special step. I remember when my son got his, a joyous day.” A slightly distant look hits his eyes at the mention of his son, but he quickly brushes it off. “Welcome to the Iron Elite.”
* * *
Kinsey doesn’t saya word as we’re led through, until we reach some kind of changing room. The guard, Craig, glares at me but keeps his distance from her even when he hands her a small pile of clothes. She looks down at the pile and around the room, and I can tell she’s looking for a place to change. Craig smirks, clearly also aware of her discomfort, and crosses his arms.
“Turn around,” I bark at him. I see his teeth grind, but after a moment, he does. I give Kinsey a short nod and turn myself. After a moment, I hear the rustling of clothes.
“Done,” a tiny voice says, and I turn back around. She’s wearing a long, sleeveless black dress that illuminates her pale skin. I give her a small smile and she looks away.
I frown, wondering where the shyness came from after the other day, but know getting her out of this fucking place is probably all that needs to happen. Poor fucking girl been stuck here for weeks now, it’s a wonder she’s not a fucking mess.
As far as I know, she hasn’t been touched by anyone. Except me, of course.
The fearful glances and furtive looks I’m getting now makes me wonder what’s happened since last time I was here.
“You ready to get out of here?” I ask, hoping to get a smile out of that.
Her face remains impassive. “Yes, I’m ready.”
I sigh and mentally shrug.
The entire timeI keep thinking she’s about to bolt. She’s acting like she’s scared of me, something I’m used to from other people, but I have no idea what would elicit this from her now. Even when we were on that stage, she didn’t seem scared.
I keep my hand on her arm and walk her through the front doors, not failing to notice how she trembles slightly under my touch. She squints looking up at the daylight, pausing just outside the doors.
“I thought it was later,” is all she says before taking my arm once more and letting me lead her to my car.
