“What the hell are you talking about,” Caleb growled.
“Cameras, Caleb. A man like me, in the business I’m in, I can trust no one. And so, I watch. Everyone,” Felipe said and smiled.
Caleb’s heart hammered fiercely in his chest, but he did his best to remain calm. He thought about what had happened between him and Kitten since they had arrived. He thought of all the things he’d confessed to her, believing they were alone. It was enough to have him seething with rage and thrumming with anxiety. “What do you want, Felipe?”
Felipe shook his head, “I really didn’t want it to go this way, Caleb. Truthfully, I wish you no ill will. I only wanted to talk. You’re the one who made this nasty.”
Caleb tried his hand at feigning remorse, “My apologies. I’ve had a bad morning.”
Felipe smiled, “Yes, I know. However, I plan to keep what I know to myself. I only wish for you to grant me a favor.”
Caleb’s jaw hurt from how hard he was grinding his teeth, “What favor?”
“I’m having a party tomorrow night. I would love it if you and Kitten would attend,” Felipe said cordially.
“That’s it? You want us to attend?” Caleb didn’t buy it.
Felipe quirked an eyebrow. “Well…seeing as you’ve made use of my Celia, I was hoping I could borrow yours for the evening.”
“She isn’t mine and you know she’s a virgin,” Caleb said.
“Yes, but I also know she has other talents that don’t require her to be…” he pretended to struggle for a word, “compromised.”
Caleb wanted nothing more than to grab Felipe by the throat and choke the life out of him in a slow and satisfying fashion, but he knew it would only make matters worse. “I want whatever you have and your assurances Rafiq will hear nothing on the matter.”
Felipe smiled and nodded. “Of course, Caleb. I know you care for the girl. Rafiq won’t like it, but I understand. She’s quite…intriguing.”
“Yes,” Caleb ground out.
“She loves you,” Felipe said.
Caleb side swept those words. “Will Rafiq be at the party? He’s been difficult to get in touch with lately,” he said instead.
“Hmm,” Felipe said, “these things are always so unfortunate, when they happen.”
Caleb watched the other man very carefully. “What are you getting at, Felipe?”
“Rafiq’s been pulling away from you.” His expression was amazed when Caleb didn’t respond. “Are you so involved with your plaything that you haven’t you noticed?”
Caleb set his drink down. He didn’t believe it. The mere implication was untenable. “The auction is in a little over two weeks, he’s been preoccupied. I know he’ll be here any day. I’m asking you if he’ll be at the party tomorrow night.”
“Yes,” Felipe said ominously. “I believe he will. Don’t you think it would be a perfect opportunity to showcase all the progress you’ve made with the girl?”
“Yes,” Caleb whispered. His thoughts were upstairs with Kitten and his chest felt simultaneously empty and too full. Their time was coming to an end.
No, it’s already over. Let her go, Caleb.
Caleb stood and left the room. He’d had enough bullshit confrontations for one day.
Chapter Fifteen
Two in the morning. Caleb stood outside Kitten’s door absorbing the knowledge he didn’t have much of a choice in what had to happen next. After his confrontation with Felipe he’d spent the day going through his room. He’d found several cameras and still could not be certain he’d found them all. Felipe was a sick bastard, an obvious voyeur with no sense of decency or shame.
Caleb had half expected someone to try and stop him from shattering every lens he found, but no one did. In fact, everyone had stayed away from him. Caleb wasn’t sure if it was a good thing. He would have loved to take his frustration out on someone.
After he was reasonably sure he’d done away with the cameras, he thought long and hard about everything Felipe could potentially know. The answers were nauseating. He’d found cameras in the shower, discreetly hidden in the vent. What he’d assumed to be a screw holding the lights above the bathroom mirror had turned out to be a camera. Felipe had them everywhere. He’d seen Caleb masturbate, f**k, and even punish himself.
Caleb decided he’d kill Felipe when the time was right. For now, Felipe held strong cards and Caleb had none to play. Rafiq would be returning tomorrow night. He would want to see Kitten and make sure she was ready. He would want Caleb and Kitten to return to Pakistan with him and prepare for the auction in Karachi.
It was all coming to an end and there was nothing Caleb could do to prevent the inevitable. There was nothing he could do unless he was prepared to surrender everything he knew, perhaps even his very life. Caleb had struggled too long and fought too hard to survive. Forfeiting now was unacceptable.
Caleb opened the door slowly and entered Kitten’s room. He noticed immediately she hadn’t turned on her nightlight which was uncharacteristic of her and made the room unusually dark. He took a moment to adjust to the dark though he didn’t really need it. He’d been in her room enough times to have memorized the layout. He came close to the bed and heard Kitten breathing. For a moment he thought about leaving the room and letting her sleep in peace, but he steadied himself – it had to be now.
He opened the curtains and let the moonlight come spilling into the room and onto her sleeping form. He studied her intently and noticed her eyes were red and puffy. Her body was wrapped around one pillow and her hair lay across another, the comforter pulled up to her chin. He reached out and touched her hair. Kitten sighed fretfully and buried herself deeper in her blanket.
“Be gentle,” she’d said, as he’d looked into her eyes earlier. He lifted a corner of the comforter and encountered her naked shoulder and a little lower, her bare back and ribs.
“If only I could be,” he whispered into the dark, certain she couldn’t hear him. He threw back her blanket and lust tugged sharp in his belly.
Kitten woke, startled and naked, before she sat up and covered herself with a pillow. “What’s going on?” She rubbed her eyes.
“Come with me,” he said with enough bravado to let her know he was in no mood for protests. She hesitated for only a moment, then cast the pillow aside and stood in front of him with a questioning expression. He looked into her eyes steadily and saw the questions disappear as she looked toward her feet.
“Come on,” he said and walked to the door with her trailing close behind. They walked down the hallway in silence, which was both better and worse, Caleb thought. He glanced back expecting to see her eyes wandering, but she seemed more preoccupied with her own shivering.
“Are you cold?” he asked. He stepped down the stairs.
“A little, Master,” she replied smoothly. He stopped for a moment, surprised at her address, then continued walking.
“You won’t be for long.”
Caleb didn’t relish the idea of pushing Kitten away for good. It didn’t give him any satisfaction to know she would soon come to hate him with such fervor as to annihilate any warm sentiments she may or may not harbor toward him. He didn’t like knowing Felipe, and possibly Celia, had been watching her, watching them, since they arrived. Without exception, he loathed the thought of her being sold to Vladek Rostrovich. Regardless, he had spent the day trying to make peace with each of those things.
As he descended the stairs, he could hear Kitten’s naked feet slapping against the marble behind him. He glanced back and watched her br**sts bounce as she took each step. If there was anything left to be excited about, it was the guilty pleasure of still having time to spend with Kitten. Even if, the time would be spent torturing her with pleasure or pain…or perhaps, because of it.
Caleb’s tastes, while narrowing toward a specific person, had not changed. He still liked power and control. He still liked tasting Kitten’s tears and forcing her to ache for pleasure she’d first said she didn’t want. In short, he was still the sick f**k he’d always been and he was going to enjoy every minute of what he had waiting in the dungeon downstairs. He’d been sure to sweep for cameras.
As he reached the bottom of the steps he turned and waited for Kitten. “Stop looking around and hurry up,” Caleb prodded.
Kitten’s gaze met his for a fleeting moment before she covered her br**sts with her hands and took the last few steps at a brisk pace. As she stood in front of Caleb, he could see how much she trembled.
Caleb turned quickly and made his way toward his destination with Kitten close on his heels. Finally, he approached the heavy wooden door that would lead them down into what had previously been a wine cellar, but was now a dungeon designed for far more interesting pursuits. He begrudgingly had to give it to Felipe – the man had an impressive imagination.
“Give me your hand,” he said to Kitten. It felt cold and clammy to the touch, but Caleb didn’t mention it as he delved into the darkness below. He carefully placed each step and guided Kitten along. A few more steps and Caleb reached for the light switch. The light flickered as it came on and bathed the stairs in a soft yellow glow.