AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The attendant placed a hand on my shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze, and tears stung the corners of my eyes as I accepted the first gentle touch I had felt in a long time. Then he left.
Casting my gaze out the window, I saw we were far from London. I still didn’t know where we were going, but I felt a tightness in my chest loosen with every mile that I put between me and the horrible man that bought me.
I ate the crackers and drained the water before resting my forehead against the glass again. Day turned to evening as I drifted in and out of sleep, knowing that I would need rest to handle whatever happened next.
I jumped in my seat when I heard the blaring of a horn. The train had stopped. Before I could even try to figure out where I was, a gravelly voice came over the intercom system.
“We have arrived at our final destination. Welcome to Zermatt, Switzerland.”
* * *
I waited for the rest of the train to clear out before taking my turn. I got lucky for the first time in years when I saw that someone left a coat on a seat near mine. It was thin, but definitely better than nothing. Just as I was about to step out of the train, the old man appeared again, pressing another packet of crackers into my hand.
It was such a small gesture, followed by a dismissive nod, but I felt a lump in my throat as I took it. I knew that no matter what happened to me, I’d never forget the man’s kindness.
The terminal in this station was less crowded, so I had an easier time making my way out of it. But the moment I stepped out onto the sidewalk, I stalled. I was dirty, had no money, and felt way too scared to linger in town just in case some nefarious person associated with the sex trafficking ring showed up here. The frigid air made my nose and ears go numb, and the coat did little to protect the rest of me. Even my boots were no match for the bitter cold and Switzerland snow.
My eyes landed on a large black pickup truck just down the road. It looked like it was being loaded with food supplies, even though I didn’t see anyone around doing it. That was perfect, my only shot. I rushed down the street, drawing a few curious stares along the way. That wasn’t surprising, since I probably looked like a soiled rat.
Luckily, there weren’t many people on the street, so I could get into the back of the truck and lay next to a crate of root vegetables before pulling a tarp over my body. There were nervous butterflies in my belly as I waited, my body tense. If someone discovered me now, all of this would have been for nothing.
Once again, a bit of good luck came my way when the person loading up the bed of the truck didn’t add anything else. Instead, I heard the driver’s side door open and close, and the engine fired up. Then we were moving, and I allowed myself to relax. I had to be safe for a moment, right?
The truck picked up speed, and I lifted my head out from under the tarp. There was flat land all around, but I spotted a building in the distance. Was that a freaking castle?
Large and made of dark-gray stone, it stood out against the barren landscape around it. I could see towers with pointed roofs beyond a tall gate that surrounded the place. My gaze riveted on the castle, I wondered if it was actually in use. Who could live there?
I wasn’t expecting the truck to take a sharp turn as we got closer, heading straight for it. We came to the gate, which opened with a creak. A thick coating of untouched, almost fluorescent snow lined the path to the large dwelling. All the untouched whiteness was beautiful, but I couldn’t help thinking about how dangerous it was for me to be out in the elements without proper clothing.
As we got close to the castle, I saw that there was a line of trees near the edge of the property. When the truck slowed down, I took advantage of the opportunity to jump out of the back. My knees wobbled when I landed, threatening to give out, but I stayed on my feet and ran over to a large tree, hiding behind it as I watched the truck stop near the entrance of the castle.
The huge front door opened, and I tried to see who came out, but the thick trees prevented me from getting a good look. I couldn’t make out the man’s face, but he was big, tall, and broad. Tempted to step out from behind the tree a bit to get a better look, I changed my mind when he walked in my direction. I hid even further behind the tree, my heart pounding against my ribcage.
The thick tree between us kept me from seeing the large man's face as he kneeled nearby, and my curiosity was piqued. He stretched out a hand covered in a leather glove, and I realized I wasn’t the only one lingering among the trees. There was a deer nearby, and the man was holding out an acorn for the animal. It tentatively moved forward to take the food, and the hand patted the deer’s head before walking back to the castle.
After the truck was unloaded, I watched it drive away while the mystery man disappeared back inside. I waited a few more minutes to make sure the coast was clear, my body shivering from the cold. Finally, I couldn’t stand it any longer. I needed to get to shelter.
And that was exactly what I was looking at. It was a risk, but everything I had done today was, so why stop now?
I made my way to the front door of the castle. I hesitated, looking around wildly before trying the handle. Shock flickered through me when I found it unlocked. Without allowing myself to overthink it, I slipped inside.
Chapter2
Sebastian
Ileaned back in my chair and tapped my pen on the surface of my desk while I stared at the computer screen. I hated webcam meetings. It was too difficult to exert control.
But work needed to be done, regardless of how spread out around the world my associates were.
“And the rebranding is right on track,” one man on the screen said as if he wanted a prize for doing his job.
We were rebranding one of our underperforming products in the European market, hoping that a new name and package design would help sales. It had proven to be a successful strategy in the past.
“It had better be,” I replied. “Time is money, and I’ve already sunk too much into this for any delays.”
“Of course, Mr. Carrington.”
“Update me in two days.”
