s's

having wolfed down the food to the very last bi

taunting smile

little petal." "I think it's about time I let yo

ast space. I stared at him, waiting for some kind of landing. But he just stared ri

gged.

questions, littl

all me that?"

He scoffed as he wiped the corner of his lips with a napkin. "Soft,

flicker of something hot rise in my

pushing to my feet and moving to c

lear, and she wasn't about to find out what would happen i

lled the chair fo

before I could stop them. Anyway, it was a question I was bound to ask sooner or la

ecially about Sarah. W

ction house, leaving her behind, and it had left m

here with this imposing man-Don Vyon or whatever his na

ven have such

me, with a somewhat...patient look on

nute that I wasn't supp

e to where I sat, the confident, deliberate prowl of a predator

olest me? My breath came out in hot, ragged puffs, a

ite a while to realize that it was the sound of his laughter

to me, you see." His finger was on my face now, tracing a path down my cheek, towards my

s gripping the edge of the table

ld, suffocat

hispered in my right ear, "maybe if I taught you a lesson or two, then you'd learn." Then, he l

seemed like forever of silence, no response

e last time I would entertain any questions from you." He

minute-

lready concluded this man to hav

ve the time, or luxury to analyze the

is phone. But then, his was a striking, impeccable face

ked this..good-fine as hell was a be

the church, after all. And these men could only pass for moderate looking, in their white garments and dull counte

just have to bend you over on this table," Do

glint in his eyes...something unreadable, and i

me, sweet, innocent, little petal," he ground out

ld hardly understand any of this-his w

y man that had served us appeared almost i

antically. "She's proba

at Iris is tucked away in her room, qu

erring to me like I

s,

at me, and I felt my insides boil. I bolted to my feet bef

look at me, a wicked glint in

ave to pay for y

read me, his face expressionless, and then, he burst into a sn

onfidence rise. "I don't

hands jammed into his pockets. "And tell m

rassment. "I can work and pay you

be able to pay for your freedom." He leaned down to meet my gaze on the same eye level. "You

way, leaving me trembling with fe

*

etly, as the pleasant-faced, round woma

t like Mary, t

eturn later tonight. If I should let you go, he would kill me." A patient smile spread across he

ted around the house, searching for a means of escape. I had

it did not mean my life would end here. She, or this don, would not

r now, and the woman gestured to a corrid

the thoughts stumbled to a halt in my head as my eyes landed on the door at

but she was desperate to escape. And she would feel comp

he small of my back, I decided to seize the chance, and without warning

d with an unmistakable fear. "Don't do this!" she screamed, bu

, loud and clear, was to flee. Far fr

from