Becoming His Slave (5 page)

He heard the tight huff on the other end of the line,
“I don’t know where she lives. She always comes to the office to pick up her royalty checks.”

Trenton stilled, usually something like that pointed to unfavorable habits. “What do you know about this woman Amelia?”

“I know she use to date one of the popular models
—
and he did something to her. She’s been hiding and running scared ever since. And don’t go asking any more questions to which I have no answer to. Just find my writer and get her to the event safely.”

“I’m on it.” He grinned, using Amelia's own words to justify putting himself on the job.

~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~

Katianna was on the train heading for the hotel. She could feel the eyes of the man sitting across from her and she tugged at her bone colored London Fog look-a-like silk coat tighter over her legs feeling increasingly vulnerable and naked underneath. Amelia had said arrive dressed sexy, but she no longer had any sexy clothes, not many anyways. She had to leave most of them behind when Garrett had thrown her out and no way was she going to wear any of what she did have on the subway from where she lived. So she decided to go with the sultry trench coat look. The belt tied around her waist keeping it secured while the pushup bra created titillating peaks of her cleavage from under its lapel and her thighs would show as she walked. All paired up with a pair of expensive designer Versace suede ankle boots with the hidden platform and chunky heels. Okay so she should have felt ultra devilish and sexy right now, but the truth was right now she was on the subway in downtown Manhattan and she felt like a target instead. She was certain the man staring at her was very aware she had nothing on underneath her coat.

 She had gotten a call from TL Security earlier to schedule her body guard to pick her up, but she refused. She couldn’t risk having a limo pull up in front of the projects and signal her out. So she was given instructions on how to get to their office where she would be taken to the event from there. But they were out in North New Hyde Park and a taxi cab there would take up what little spending money she had to spare so she skipped that part too and was taking the train across town to the hotel where the event was taking place. They could find her there
right?
Then everything would be okay.

She felt the buzz of her PDA and pulled it out.

“Miss Dumas?”

“Yes.” She tried to contain the nervous tremble she felt inside.

“This is TL Securities, did you get held up? We’ve been waiting for you; you’ll miss your red carpet appearance.”
The man on the other end had a deep willful voice, rich and flavorful like dark chocolate.
She’d have to remember that analogy.

“No. I was running late so I decided to take the train, I should be at the hotel shortly.”

“Miss Dumas—” the man’s tone shifting to something a little more possessive, and she heard fingers snapping in the back ground. “Heiress Quinneth contracted us to look after you and it’s in our specifications to escort you safely through the welcoming crowd onto the premises. Now I insist you stop at the next station and get off and wait for us to pick you up.”

“Okay.” She had agreed and hung up. But as soon as the subway pulled into the next station, she spied the small gang hanging around, ogling rudely at the women on the platform waiting for the train to come to a stop. They bullied the young and elderly men, taunting everyone who waited there. Her eyes fell back down to the coat that scantily covered her and felt the blood leave her paled. She froze. Her feet wouldn’t work. The doors opened and closed without even a budge from her and the train pulled away just as one of the gang members turned to blow her a kiss and grab his crotch in sequence.

Katianna squeezed her eyes shut. Wishing it away, but she knew better. Images of a time when she was younger and she’d gone out in a canoe with a friend, a speeding boat had swamped them and they landed right in the frenzy of young feeding Bull sharks. She remembered her friend struggling to get her on top of the canoe. One of the sharks nipped his ankle before he could climb up. The bite only required a few stitches, but at the time it bled enough that the sharks never left, circling around them for hours till his father came looking for them, when they failed to come home. She remembered how she had clung to him for dear life, she had closed her eyes then, trying to wish the danger away she was so frightened. She’d never been so scared in all her life. Now she never stopped.

She never went canoeing again after that, so what the hell was she doing still in New York treading water filled with sharks? She didn’t even have anyone to cling to here, to hang on to for dear life.

Oh god
she was a nervous wreck, she would die of absolute fright if someone were to jump out and say
boo
right now.

But by not getting off at the station it saved her from having to explain why she was coming from Long Island. She should have never told the lie.

Once she reached Grande Central she transferred to the metro bus line. From there she would ride the final jaunt to the hotel and already her phone was ringing.

“Miss Dumas?”

“I’m sorry—I started to—” the panic that still held her spilled before she could think to contain it. She just couldn’t have gotten off, she really had meant to. “I was going to, but then, I—I’m sorry. I just—”

“Shhh, calm down
—
it okay. Where are you now?”
His calm voice taking over. Strong and reassuring, she could almost feel the warmth as he spoke to her. She could only hope whoever was calling her was going to be her escort. She’d feel a little safer then.

Okay so get a hold of yourself you can be calm just like him, she tried to tell herself. “I’m on the bus, I’m supposed to get off at Broadway and 72
^nd
street and walk two blocks down on Amsterdam.”

“Okay, when you get to the hotel I want you to wait out front so we can find you. What are you wearing?”

“A sort of miniskirt version of a London Fog.”

“Very well we’ll see you out there and remember wait on us.”

~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~

LEATHER AND LACE EXPO: MANHATTAN PALACE

Katianna finally reached the hotel and the place out front was a fiasco. She watched as the limos streamed by, dumping off both the flashy and the slutty alike. She tugged at her duffle bag as it weighted down on her shoulders. She had chosen to stuff everything in it. It was easier than dragging a suitcase on the train.

She drew closer so she could hear the names being announced as special guests and celebrities arrived. So much sparkle and glam. One could almost pretend they were showing up at the Film Cannes or something fancy in Hollywood, all the way up the red carpet until you got inside, inside it all changed. Inside it was all about sex—the romantic, the fierce and the raunchy. To each, their own flavor and the Expo fed all of them.

A woman, hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, dressed in a professional black suit approached, “Excuse me?” The woman glanced at her clip board at the photo attached then back to her, “Are you author Katianna Dumas?”

“Yes.” Katianna answered timidly, not expecting to be recognized.

“Welcome to the Leather and Lace Expo Miss Dumas, please step to the carpet.”

“But—” Katianna started to protest looking around in hopes her bodyguards were coming for her, but the woman was already pushing her towards the carpet and was talking in the mic that hung from her head gear.

“Author of Erotic and Paranormal Romance—Miss Katianna Dumas.” She heard the announcement over the sound system as she was steered onto the red carpet alone. What she wasn’t expecting was to be rushed by a mob. Without an escort she was easy prey for fans and the curious to rush in for their attempts for her acknowledgement. Being in the center of an over energized crowd was bad enough for one person, being that person when you were only 4’11’ was downright suicidal. And her fear had her in its clutches once again.

…Miss Dumas can you sign my book!?
—
Miss Dumas!
—
I love your books!
—
I love your stories miss Dumas. I’m such a fan
—
I would die to be a character in one of your stories
—

The array of appraises swarmed around her making her dizzy. And she was certain she heard an,
I can satisfy you baby,
in there somewhere. Books and paper and pens waved in front of her face. Cameras flashed and flickered. Someone jumped in the middle of the crowd, jerked her up against their side, grinned for the camera and fell away all before she could protest in any given direction. She couldn’t tell who was saying what and she no longer knew how to respond, but then she felt someone’s touch. A hand on her ass and it offended her. She spun trying to back away, but could not escape the crowd of fans that had her pinned, and she felt the hand grope at her again.

“Stop it!” She cried out, stumbling into another’s hands and she felt the belt that tied her trench closed come loose. Her fingers gripped at her coat desperate to keep some public modesty, but she could not see an escape and she was on the verge of sheer panic.

A disturbance was pushing through the crowd, she heard curses meshed with commands to clear out and she thought she heard the distinguished sounds of someone being punched, like a sound effect from a movie. A man broke clear of the pushing fans desperate to crowd in on her was just as quickly ripped from her side and tossed into the crowd of people that was finally breasting back. Strong arms came around her pulling her around to see them. She stilled as her eyes landed on the tall figure of Trenton Leos standing before her, his hands tugging at her coat back into place and returned the belt around her waist, “Next time I tell you to do something you do it okay?” His voice deep, clear and straight to the point dominance.

She nodded numbly and her fingers with no mind of her own clenched into his shirt. He pulled her bag from her shoulders tossing to another man who had appeared next to him, it was Diesel and just as quickly as Trenton had found her he was rushing her through the crowd. Diesel nearly as tall and a tad broader and far rougher around the edges, paced just a few steps in front of them, with her duffle bag thrown over his shoulder, clearing the path for them to enter into the hotel.

Trenton saw her to the front desk. “How may I help you sir?”

And just like that he was taking over, “Yes Miss Dumas is checking in.”

“Yes sir. Right away sir.”

While Trenton took care of the details, Katianna allowed herself to look around taking in the sight of the crowd, from the outside this time. Jeez it looked like the Hookers ball, Dragon Con and the Grammys all slammed together under one roof. It was better from a distance, in the mists was like being dead center of Marti Gras hell—

“Miss Dumas?” Katianna turned to glance at the man when he spoke her name. His eyes flickered down at her hands then smiled at her. Katianna blanched when she saw she was clutching to him and quickly let go taking a step back, “I’m sorry I didn’t—”

“Its okay—” he reached for her hand and brought it back to his shirt, “if you feel the need to hang on to feel secure that’s what I’m here for. I was just going to ask where your bags were so they can be brought up to your room.”

She blinked looking down then back to him, “I only brought the one bag.”

Trenton’s eyes switched to the green military duffle pack—she had probably picked it up right about the same time she picked up that army coat of hers she had been wearing the night he first met her. He grimaced just imagining the condition her clothes would be in when she pulled them out, but when he saw her expression shrink away with a hint of shame his chest caved. He should have been more careful making sure she had not seen any expression she might take as disapproval. But it was too late and there was nothing he could do or say to undo it.

“Come.” He took a deep breath settling his control, “I’ll see you to your room.” Calm and quiet.

Room keys in hand Trenton led Katianna up to her suite, accompanied by Diesel, whom he reintroduced as a partner in TL Securities. She finally got it—
TL being Trenton Leos
—and it had been
his
voice on the phone.

Katianna stepped in, the suite took her breath away. It wasn’t a display of over exorbitant lavishness that had her caught up, it wasn't that kind of room and she knew there were far more elaborate and roomier suites than hers, but it was the romantic arrangement. Something she was certain Amelia had picked out for her specifically and would have to thank her for it.

The large room had a large king size bed, with plenty of lighting in the wall size head board and roll over table. More like a traveling bench on wheels that stretched over the bed provided convenience for those spoiled ones who hated to get out of bed for anything,. Reading and eating in bed all made the easier. Then not more than a few feet from the bed was the open air bathroom complete with a huge garden size tub and twin vanity sinks. The lavatory of course was partitioned off, but her favorite feature was the bathtub set out in the open. And making the room complete was a small breakfast table and a small settee complete with love seat, two comfortable pillow top chairs and coffee table.

Diesel stepped in dropping her bag to her bed then moved to the door that connected hers to theirs and left the two of them alone.

“We’ll be in the room next to you if you need anything.” Trenton looked down at her with a gently controlled expression. “If you want to go anywhere just knock. And don’t go thinking that just because it’s late when you decide you need a midnight snack from the lounge downstairs that you shouldn’t bother us, understood?”

Katianna turned, glancing at him and nodded.

“I mean it Miss Dumas, when you stray off you place yourself in dangerous territory.”