AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Welcome to your new home.
Alexander
I re-read the three lines over and over. My new home? My eyes must be deceiving me. It simply can’t be. Gripping the letter tight, I head straight for the heavy timber door and pull it open, only to be met with emptiness. “Mr. Black. Where are you?” I call out at the top of my lungs. With my breath held, I stay still, listening hard for any response, but nothing comes. Barely glancing at the numerous artworks hanging on the walls, I walk along the hallway till I reach a large staircase. I lean against the intricately carved timber banister and call out again, “Alexander Black. Get your ass out here and talk to me right now!”
When there’s still no response, I move quickly, making my way down the staircase, my feet not making a sound on the soft rug covering the wooden risers. Once at the bottom, I look both ways before deciding to go right. The first door I come to is an empty office; my eyes scan over the desktop as I approach before assessing the other pieces of furniture. There is no computer or phone to be seen anywhere, so I pull open the drawers, hoping to find something, anything to contact my parents to come get me. But there is nothing besides pen and paper with Alexander’s name embossed at the top, along with a coat of arms. A white rose entwined with a black rose, surrounded by golden leaves. Just who is this guy? And why does he have his own coat of arms?
I leave the room and continue searching the house. After what seems like hours—and discovering bathrooms, a library, kitchen, and dining room—I come to a door that doesn’t have a door handle. No matter how hard I try, I cannot open it. This has to be where he is hiding. I curse at the locked door, pounding on it with my fists. When nothing happens, I turn away, making my way to the end of the hall. I’ve almost given up seeing him and decide to retrace my steps and return to my room. Once there, I will begin the search again, ensuring I am more methodical this time. I’m in the middle of forming the perfect plan in my head when I turn the corner and see him coming toward me.
Dressed in dark jeans, riding boots, and a brown leather jacket, he looks sexy as sin, even more so than in the tuxedo he wore last night. The anger inside me bubbles to the surface and without thinking whether this is a good idea or not, I run right at him and slam my fists into his chest. “You have some goddamn nerve, pal! Kidnapping is a federal offence, you know,” I scream at him. He takes control of my wrists with his strong hands—with what appears to be extraordinarily little effort—preventing me from hitting him again.
“I’m well-aware of what constitutes a federal offence, Rebecca, but I assure you I haven’t kidnapped you. You agreed to come home with me last night, remember? And so, you have.” He answers smoothly, his accent even more pronounced than it was last night, and I no longer have any doubt that he’s British. As much as his accent makes me weak at the knees, I remain here in the moment, holding onto my anger. He pushes me away and tries to walk past me, but I’m not letting him get away with this so easily. I put my entire weight behind me as I launch myself at him and knock him into the wall.
“Take me home, right now,” I almost hiss at him. He brings himself up to full height, which is considerably taller than me. He steps toward me, gaining ground with every step; I try to back away, but for each step backward he takes another until my back collides with the wall behind me. His eyes show that he is barely controlling himself, and in these moments I feel two things: one is how badly I want him to take me against this wall, and the other, for just a flicker of a moment, I fear for my safety.
“This is your home now, so get used to it,” he snaps above me, his nostrils flaring.
“Alexander, this isn’t funny. I agreed to come home with you to have some fun. I didn’t agree to moving in with you. I’m leaving.” I turn on my heel and walk back into the large open entry foyer, continuing until I am right in front of two timber doors with leadlight glass paneling that throws stunning colors across the floor in front of me.. I take in their beauty for just one moment before reaching out and tugging down on both handles. Neither of them budge. I lash out at the doors, kicking them both at the base. My foot already aches as I bring my leg back to kick again, but strong arms pull me against a warm muscular chest and my flailing feet can no longer reach them.
“You need to listen to what I am telling you, Rebecca. I’m only going to say this one more time. There is no going home. This is your home now and you will not leave this estate. Do I make myself clear?”
“Fuck you, pal.”
A growl vibrates behind me, coming deep from Alexander’s chest. His grip on my arms tightens, and he pulls me hard against his body. I put all my effort into struggling, pushing my body against his, trying to break free, but it’s no use. He is too strong and easily overpowers me, and while I’m left frustrated, he only laughs. The fucker just laughs at me and this situation we are in.
“I’d stop trying to get away from me, Miss Kennedy. You won’t escape me. I suggest that you return to your bedroom and either have a shower or a long soak in the tub, then get dressed into something more comfortable. That way you won’t be walking around the house in your beautiful gown.”
I interrupt him my voice dripping sarcasm. “Of course. I totally forgot about that overnight bag I packed.” He stares at me and continues talking, like I hadn’t said a word.
“Once you have bathed and calmed down, you might like to tour the property. The hallway from where you just came contains the only room you don’t have access to. I suggest you become familiar with your surroundings. There is plenty of food in the kitchen when you are ready to eat,” he declares before releasing me.
I take one step forward then spin on my heel, so I am facing at him. I place my hands on my hips and throw him a glare that men should fear. “You’re a goddamn madman, you know that? You didn’t listen to a single word I said to you. I won’t be showering and getting comfortable like you suggested. I’m going home. Now.”
“Enough,” he bellows. I flinch a little and snap my mouth shut. “And you haven’t listened to a word I said either. Now listen carefully, as I won’t be repeating myself. There is no going home for you, Rebecca. Your parents gave you to me as payment for a debt they owed but couldn’t pay. You belong to me now, and you won’t be going anywhere without me saying so. Do I make myself clear?” His eyes are steely. The emotion on his face is that of anguish and yet full authority at the same time. I know I should just nod and walk away, but I don’t back down from an argument. It’s just not in my nature, and since I’ve never done it before, there is no sense in starting now.
“What do you mean they gave me to you? As in my hand in marriage? Is this some sort of weird-ass arranged marriage that I know nothing about? Because let me set you straight, pal, I won’t be marrying you.” I wouldn’t put it past my mother to do something like this though. She has wanted me married forever now.
He laughs at me, bringing me out of my thoughts. “No, this is not an arranged marriage, Rebecca. You are my mine to do with as I please. For the rest of your life, you belong to me.”
I shake my head, not believing for a single moment that what he is telling me is the truth. My parents wouldn’t just give me away. They certainly wouldn’t have sold me either. It’s just not possible. Then I remember part of what he told me.‘Your parents gave you to me as payment of a debt.’I remember my mother’s face in the car yesterday when she told me someone was coming to see them. Someone they didn’t want to meet. I stare at my captor—he was the one she spoke of, I’m sure of it.
“How much am I worth?” I whisper. He looks down at me.
“Pardon,” he replies, even though I know he heard my question.
“I said, how much am I worth, Mr. Black? How much did they sell me to you for?” I need to know this. Was I given away to this man for a debt that was insurmountable, or am I worth next to nothing?
“They owed me fifty million pounds.” He inches closer, pulling my now trembling hands into his. I know he is trying to comfort me and yet I feel nothing.
I falter in my resolve for the first time during this argument. “Fifty million. We have properties that well exceed that amount. Why didn’t they just sell them?” I think about the many properties we own. The waterfront mansion on Sydney Harbour in Australia alone would pay back over a quarter of this debt, let alone the penthouse apartment in New York worth close to thirty million on its own. Then there was our house in the Hamptons, the most recent acquisition in the property portfolio that we won in a contentious bidding war. Why wouldn’t they sell a couple of these to pay back the debt? I’m worth more than all of them put together. At least I should be.
“They agreed on the terms of the loan. They were given ninety days to pay me back, Rebecca. They chose not to. They offered you as payment and I accepted. You now belong to me, and you will do as I say.” His tone is firm and tells me he doesn’t usually have any problems with people obeying his every order. But I’m not everyone else.
“Why on earth would you accept me as payment? I’m not some sort of fucking slave you can just use as you like, and I sure as hell won’t do anything you tell me to.” I spit my words at him.
He pulls me against his chest, his forehead pressed against mine and I feel his body vibrating with anger. His eyes search my own, looking for something. “Watch your tongue with me, Rebecca,” he growls before pushing me away and stalking down the hallway toward the one area of the house he has told me I don’t have access to.
Stunned, it takes me a few seconds to follow him and see the door at the end of the hallway closing. I race toward it. “Don’t run away from me, you coward! Get back out here, Black. Now!” I pound at the door, screaming at him. But it’s no use. He has disappeared and no amount of yelling or slamming my fists is making any difference. He’s obviously not coming back out anytime soon.
