Admittedly, I was not like a lot of fourteen-year-olds.My father saw the gift I had for killing, for ruling, and I was not bound by any rules or law.I killed without mercy.
There were a few things I wouldn’t kill.Against all odds, I happen to be an animal lover, especially dogs.I would never harm an animal.I don’t see the joy in that.Hunting dogs, cats, birds, or any form of wildlife just doesn’t sit well with me.Some might think I’m a pussy, but there is no real challenge in that.
A knife, a gun, and you’re the king of the jungle.I like my opponents to be like me—able to fight.I’m not after easy wins.I love the joy of the battle.
Which is why I can’t fucking stand this.This is no real battle.The women and men here can’t fight.They are a means to an end.Debt collectors or debt settlers.
My father, bless his evil soul, made a deal with the Taylors.They had attempted to kill him, turned traitor on him, and tried to take power from him.My father was going to kill them all, completely wipe out the family, until a deal was struck.It was a different kind of deal.A life for a life.Or in this case, a life for a family name.
The Taylors agreed to keep trying for a daughter.Not only did they have one daughter, but they had two, in case one died.
Maeve’s life was in my hands.
This was not an auction.Technically, there was chance for some wiggle room, but there was no one else I wanted.All the men and women here were collecting a debt.If someone wanted to trade, now was the time to do so.
I was not going to trade.I liked what I saw.Maeve Taylor was mine.
It would be a lot of fun to make this torment last.One glance around the room, and I saw a couple of men were not happy with their ...products.
Maeve was even more perfect than I imagined.While the other women were pure and virginal, Maeve was inked.The other women didn’t have a single mark or scratch, which made Maeve stand out like a sore thumb.
In the last twenty-four hours, I had all her stuff transferred to my home in the country.
When she learned her place, I would be able to take her out by my side.For now, I wanted to play these mind games with her.It might be kind of fun to see how hard she could be pushed.
Many of these men and women wouldn’t last a month.There were some sick and twisted people who enjoyed taking a life ...owning a life.They liked to hurt, to hunt, to stalk prey.That was not me.
Maeve was no match for me.It wasn’t a fight I wanted to play out.
The truth was, I wanted to kill the Taylors, not take their daughter.However, she had intrigued me for the past year.Her details had been released to me on her eighteenth birthday.Maeve was not aware of this, but I could have demanded her life then.Instead, I decided to wait until she was twenty-one.I had toyed with the idea of just killing her.It would be cold, and this sorry mess would be over and done.
However, Maeve was nothing like her parents or her family.She was different.I imagined it was because they had treated her differently.The first-born daughter didn’t have a life.They stopped her from being able to live.Until she learned the truth and rebelled.
Only, Maeve didn’t rebel the whole way.She didn’t give up her virginity.Her body was still pure, and I loved to see that fire.The ink was stunning.She had no idea I was aware of every move she made.If she ever went too far into that darkness, I was there to keep her safe.Maeve was going to make it in one piece.
This was not a feeling I was used to, but it was one I was more than willing to explore.I liked women.I liked obedient women.At least, that is what I thought, until now.Watching Maeve, I wanted that fire and to dance with it.
Stepping up onto the podium, I watched as the other women flinched.They didn’t hold my attention.Maeve was mine.Her hands were bound in metal cuffs, to which I had the key.Pulling the key out of my pocket, I released the cuffs and let them fall to the floor.No one stopped me.No one questioned if I wanted to trade.They all knew not to mess with me.Those that did never lived to tell the tale.
I took her hand and met resistance, so I wrapped my fingers around her neck and pressed my lips against her ear.
“I suggest you move with purpose.If you don’t, I can make those men hurt you, and then I will make you pay.”
The threat was there, but I would not let another man touch her.She had a choice.This could go easy, but there was only so much I was willing to do.I wouldn’t trade her to anyone, but I also wouldn’t tolerate her acting like a brat.
I understood that she was pissed.Who wouldn’t be?But that didn’t change the fact that we were in this situation and there was no way out of it, for her or me.We were stuck.
Maeve took a second, slightly longer than I hoped for, but finally her gaze found mine and she stepped a little closer to me.
Now, that was progress as far as I was concerned.
