Chapter 8

• Iris’s POV
• Although I didn’t want to admit it to myself, the dungeon was the perfect prison for a slave girl who was desperately seeking to escape.
• It was a dark, smelly, large room, the walls designed with splashes of red and claw-like designs—sometimes I fear that these splashes of red might be the blood of actual humans, and I get spooked—just how evil were these people? How many people have they tortured here? Will they do that to me too?
• The first day of being locked up in the dungeon went by very slowly—at first, I screamed until my throat dried up, then I cried and cried, then I thought about my actual parents and where the hell on earth they were. Towards the end of the first day, I just stared into space, mute and sad, as it slowly dawned on me that I wasn’t getting any food. It wasn’t even like I had an appetite for food.
• The same routine was repeated on the second and third day, and throughout my first week being locked up in this Godforsaken place.
• I slowly started to lose my mind from the second week—I had gone without water or food for days now, and I was getting weak. The overwhelming emotion of hate started to seep in towards the end of the week.
• I hated Mimi for doing this to me—she might not have loved me, but this…this was next level.
• Then I hated that stupid Don—he hadn’t even bothered to show his face or check up on me. I thought he claimed I was a property of his. Wasn’t he bothered about how I was faring? I would even let him know that his perverse underling had done more than lay a finger on me…
• He had slapped me.
• Although I hated and was disgusted by the fact that I wanted Don to check on me, I couldn’t deny the obvious fact that I would feel some relief if he showed his face.
• What was wrong with me?
• Then, I hated my parents. My real parents. The ones that had abandoned me at the church. I hadn’t bothered about it before, but now I was locked up in the dungeon of some Don, I was vulnerable and broken, so I couldn’t help but wonder why my parents had even had me in the first place if they did not want me.
• Why do this to an innocent child?
• Despite Mimi and my parents being the worst betrayers, I still harbored the most hatred for Don, for reasons I couldn’t understand.
• Now, too weak to even lift a finger, I just moved my eye sockets around the room, and beyond, which was a cocoon of high stone walls and narrow passageways.
• One of the men had mounted guard just outside this room, and I knew this because I’d heard him bickering with Mary on some days, just outside these walls.
• Poor, sweet Mary.
• She was the only one who had come down here to check on me since I got thrown into this dungeon. Surprisingly, she had always come bearing gifts. This was baffling to me, because I had betrayed her and escaped, leaving her at the mercy of the Don.
• But, she was still such a sweet soul.
• The man standing guard outside groaned, drawing me out of my thoughts, and my ears pricked up.
• “God, Mary. Why are you so stubborn?” he queried, his voice mirroring the frustration he felt.
• “Just let me see the girl, Leo. She hasn’t had water or food for days now!” Mary cried.
• “Look, Mary, I feel for her too. Don’t get me wrong. But you know how Julian can be. He has given strict instructions concerning her, and I wouldn’t want to cross him.”
• She had called him Leo.
• Leo sounded pretty concerned for me, but his hands were tied—God what is wrong with me? Am I trying to understand a criminal?
• “Please-“ Mary started to say but was interrupted by a gruff voice that sounded farther away.
• “Oh, Mary. Poor Mary.”
• I froze in place as I heard the voice. It was a feverishly familiar voice, one that I despised so much.
• The voice of Julian, the evil pervert.
• ***
• Damon’s POV
• “Take your clothes off.”
• My tone was gruff, probably from raging need, and my eyes burned as they raked over the body of the Russian brunette that stood before me.
• No doubt, she was beautiful. But that wasn’t the problem.
• The problem was, why did I keep seeing the face of my little petal each time I closed my eyes? Now my eyes were open, and roaming over the beautiful body of this Russian goddess. But…I still saw her. My little petal. Iris.
• I hadn’t gone back to the manor for over two weeks now. I have been so swamped with work, booked and busy, closing deals, killing traitors, signing contracts, and domineering.
• I sighed. That was an obvious lie— the truth was, I have been so disturbed by my little petal. She has haunted my dreams these past few days. Each time I closed my eyes, I saw her. Sweet. Innocent. Defiant. Sexy as hell. Fierce.
• I longed to devour her each time she appeared in my subconscious. And this was my fear. This girl was taking away my control. I needed to regain that control. That is why I have stayed away from the manor for two weeks.
• I have been in my private penthouse on the Randalls and Wards Island, with the pretty Russian brunette, trying to forget my little petal and regain my slipping control.
• But it doesn’t seem to be working.
• “You seem distracted,” the Russian brunette observed, strutting closer to where I sat at my desk. I had been going through some tax records earlier when she walked in, in just a set of temptingly revealing bikinis.
• Her words dragged my thoughts away from my little petal for a minute, and I looked up and watched her walk closer, taking off the bikini sensuously.
• “Come here, Alina,” I said, patting my thigh.
• She sat on my thighs, stark naked, and her eyes gleamed with need.
• “I’ve told you severally to not bother me while I’m working,” I scolded, running my fingertips in circles on her arse.
• “You seem worked up,” she whispered in my ear. “Just let me take care of you,” she continued, pressing her chest against mine.
• I looked down between our bodies, at her perky boobs and I closed my eyes. Fine, I groaned inwardly. I needed to forget Iris, anyway. Maybe this would help.
• I felt Alina’s tongue flicker against my ear, and I gripped her arse, letting my mind drift. Soon after my mind drifted, Iris’s face came into view again. Soft. Sweet. She was running her tongue over my ears, teasing.
• I was reaching out for her, crazy to feel her. Wanting to possess her completely.
• Suddenly, my eyes jerked open, and I pushed Alina off my thigh.
• She looked stunned. “What the hell?”
• “Get dressed, Alina. Put on some clothes.” I pushed out of my chair and walked towards the door. “I don’t have time for this. I have somewhere to be.”
• Yes. I needed to go back to the manor.
• I knew what to do now.
• All I have to do is fuck Iris, to get her out of my mind, and regain my control.
• Today would be the day.