A Debt To Pay

22

Before I could say anything, a knock sounded at the door. "Yes?" I called, turning away from the two women and expecting either Logan or Gavin to enter. Instead, a short, middle-aged man shuffled anxiously into the room. "Who are you?" I asked when he cleared his throat but said nothing. I watched as he looked me up and down a couple of times, his eyes wide.

He coughed and started to blush when I caught him staring. "I...I um... I work for Logan," he managed to splutter before shaking his head, "I... I'm new."

I nodded slowly and opened my mouth to speak before he continued. "I um..., I'm replacing the man that um..., that he killed," he said with another cough.

"Okay," I said, biting my lip to keep from laughing, "what do you want?"

"Ah," he mumbled, blinking a few times, his eyes falling from my eyes to my cleavage for a moment before he coughed yet again. "Logan is waiting for you," he finally stated.

"Well, tell him I'll be out in a minute," I answered, turning back to face the mirror so he could no longer see my breasts. I reached for one of my perfume bottles and spritzed it on the base of my neck before I heard the man clear his throat once again.

"Miss," he started, "I... was told to fetch you."

"And you did," I said with a shrug, "but I'll be out in a minute. Tell Logan that he will just have to wait."

He hesitated for a moment, opening and closing his mouth a couple of times before nodding and leaving. I rolled my eyes at the poor man; he was nervous beyond belief and I'm sure I hadn't helped but I couldn't bring myself to care.

"Miss?" The maid that did my hair called. Both of them looked rather uncomfortable after the interaction with Logan's newest employee. "I think there was a misunderstanding before," she said softly and I frowned. "It's true that we were purchased from auctions miss," she stated and suddenly all my annoyance returned. Hearing the words made my blood boil. How could anyone treat people like that?

"But Miss, he saved us. The men that participate in the auctions are cruel and violent. It's a life that's difficult to get out of but Mr Logan bought our freedom."

I scoffed. "Freedom?" I asked incredulously. "He forced you to work for him like some sort of slave," I spat in disgust.

She shook her head. "No, he offered us freedom but most of us, we had nothing. No home or money, no life to return to. All we had was each other," she said, turning to smile at the woman beside her, "he offered us work, he pays us more than any other employer would. He gave us somewhere to live. We owe him everything," she finished and I stared, speechless, at them both.

Before I could digest what she had said and concoct some sort of response, there was a knock at the door, one much harsher than before and I recognised it immediately. A moment later he stormed in, his eyes scanning the room before they landed on me and he faltered. "Out," he barked to the two women and they nodded with a polite smile in my direction before scurrying away. "You don't make anything easy, do you?"

He was dressed in a suit, like he always was, but somehow, this was different. It was as expensive looking as all the others, pristine, black and without a single crease. His shirt was crisp white and clung to his large muscles. He looked good. Really good. The lines of his face looked even sharper than usual and there was a dangerous air around him.

"Why did you buy your staff from auctions?" I asked him, point blank.

He looked surprised for a moment. "How did you know that?"

"They told me," I said and he sighed, shaking his head. "Why do you do it?" I repeated, "Why bother?"

He shot me a look. "I told you, I don't approve of trafficking people and even though I'm more than willing to kill anyone that crosses me, but I don't like innocent blood being spilled. Those girls spend their short lives being bought, sold and used and then they're killed when they lose their beauty."

I couldn't help but scoff. "Innocent blood? You mean like Henry's?"

"You think Henry was innocent?" He laughed coldly. "Did it ever occur to you that someone that kind and innocent wouldn't work for someone like me?"

I frowned. Of course, Henry was innocent. He'd never done anything to suggest otherwise. He was kind to me and he tried his best to keep me safe from Logan. "My guess was that you forced him," I spat back.

He chuckled darkly. "Oh no. Henry chose this, he was desperate to be a part of this life and he suited it, right up until the moment you arrived and then his behaviour quickly changed." He folded his arms across his chest and eyed me while I felt panic stir in my stomach. Whatever he was about to tell me, I wasn't going to like it. "When I watched him kiss you on my cameras I had him checked out, he had date rape drugs in his room and photos of you on his phone."

My heart stopped beating and I met his gaze in horror. "Photos?" I gasped, tears gathering in my eyes.

He nodded. "In your lingerie."

"That you made me wear!"

"And who do you think gave me that idea?" He raised a brow. "Don't get me wrong, I thought it was a brilliant idea but it was his idea. As was staying in the room with you while you changed apparently."

"He said that you told him to stay," I argued, shaking my head.

"Well, he lied. Why on earth would I do that? How would that benefit me in any way?"

I stared open mouthed at Logan as a smug grin crossed his face. "You're lying," I demanded, unwilling to believe that Henry would do something like that. "He was my friend."

"No," he said, shaking his head, "he wasn't. He was a liar and a manipulator and you fell for it. Now hurry up and finish getting ready, we're going to be late."