Page 63 of Indiscreet

Angel jerked away from him, and he let her. “No. I’m in the trade show today and I get to stay.”

“Not if you cause trouble,” he whispered.

“You don’t control me,” she hissed at him then started laughing again. He followed her around the room as she continued her spectacle, trying to stop her from knocking over vases and lamps, tilting pictures on the walls, or picking up the pillows on the back of the lounge chairs to throw on the floor. One of the women tried to help him keep the order, and that I didn’t understand. The rest of us stared at Angel in shock. I couldn’t believe this was the same woman who’d headed her own company. I elbowed Liz and gave her a hard look. Liz didn’t know Angel, but she had to see that the woman before us was where we were all headed if we didn’t do something about it.

Liz cast her eyes down, and I sighed in acceptance. Whatever I chose to do, I’d be doing it without her help.

“Mommy, Mommy.” A little girl toddled into the room in a pink party dress with little wings. She had springy blonde curls, the same color as Angel’s. She brushed her chubby little hand on our dresses as she passed by. “Pretty…pretty…pretty…”

Could she be Dane’s? When she approached my seat, I quickly put my hands on my knees. Her hand tapped my own and she paused. Her eyes—which were so like his—met my own, and my heart broke. I’d seen her before he had the chance. I didn’t think for a minute Dane would give up his daughter. Her being there proved Liz was wrong about him and Elliott.

“Angel, Melinda’s here,” the guard said, taking the little girl’s hand.

Angel didn’t turn around. She stared out the window.

“Get her out of here.” Vincent’s voice came from the archway. “Where is the nanny they brought with them?”

I recognized the woman in uniform from Marco’s home as she came rushing in and swept the child up in her arms. The guard followed her out before pulling a pocket door to close off the room.

“I see you’re all here,” Vincent said, walking over to the fireplace. He was dressed in a shirt and trousers, almost casual. Above where he stood was a painting of a younger man who resembled him. Marco had been right about taking us to his uncle’s home. “You four had to come here first because we think you need more training. Angel, come over and show the girls how to get into position.”

Angel quickly rushed over to him and dropped to her knees.

He petted her head. “How about you show the others how we want them to behave at the show?”

She lay down on her back and pulled up her dress then slid down her panties. She bowed her legs out, revealing her bare sex before him.

“Now spread your lips,” he demanded.

My stomach lurched, and I turned my head away from the display. I’d never do that, I thought, yet a seed of doubt planted in my head. What if the man that bought me drugged and hurt me?

“You’re perfect baby girl,” he cooed to her. “That’s good training. You will all learn to be just as willing to please when asked. It will be like one long green mixer at the trade shows, but the rest of the time will be mostly yours, as long as you behave. You have access to the best men in the world, and once things are settled, you won’t want to leave.”

It was a struggle to school my face. I didn’t care who they were; I’d go to the police the second I was free. It was as if Vincent plucked the plan from my mind.

“Leaving won’t help your situation,” he said. “It’ll get worse. Who but us could right your accounts, get judges to throw out any ruling against you in court? Without one of our backings, you could end up humiliated, ruined, and in jail. You’ll lose it, trust me.”

I bristled. Like I’d ever trust you.

The door pushed back and a guard stuck his head inside. “The men are all here.”

“Great,” he said. “Now Angel, I need you to wait upstairs.”

She sat up on her knees and started rocking. “I’ve been good.”

“Yes, but these ladies haven’t worked out, so I’ve got to work with them before they go to the show,” he explained in a childlike voice. He pulled the silk at her back, causing her skin to stretch into little peaks, and she moaned. “Don’t worry, I’ll give you a playmate to take back with you once we’re done.”

Her eyes widened. “He said to pack everything. I’m going back?”

He snickered. “Of course you are baby girl. You wouldn’t want to leave your home. You’ve got mansions, cars, servants, and your daughter. Why would you want to leave?”

Angel leaned toward his ear like she was going to whisper a secret. He blew out his breath and cocked his ear. She came close to him and laughed loudly.

“Stop,” Vincent said, yanking harder on the fabric at her back, but Angel didn’t comply. She laughed louder and louder until the room was filled with her high-pitched shrieks.

Vincent glowered at her and yelled, “Get her out of here now.” He tried to push her forward, but she didn’t fall. The guard came in, swept her off her feet, and carried her out.

I snickered. If only she could have ruptured his eardrum.

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