Page 68 of The Angel

CHAPTER39

WINTER

Twelve hours of pure pleasure is over, and I was collected from the nursery and delivered to the dressing room by one of Massimo’s guards. None of them can talk because he cut their tongues out years ago. They never even look at me. Just silently guide me to my cage, where I wait for the puppet master to pull my strings.

As always, I stand naked on the pedestal and sometimes stand here for hours. I’m never cold because Massimo keeps an even temperature in the room, but I know better than to move an inch because he watches from the cameras set up at every angle. I am his living doll to dress, play with and discard at will, and this is my shelf. He likes to dress me in the finest clothes, drip the finest jewels from my body and paint a masterpiece on my face. His comment about bleaching my hair raises my curiosity because he has always said how much he likes my hair to be as black as the night so he can see it shine.

The door opens, and he heads inside and my flesh crawls on my body as if it has a will of its own.

“Morning, my darling. I trust you got some sleep because today we are going out to play.”

I say nothing and wait for the details and as he decides on what to dress me in, he tells me where we’re heading.

“Iris Young was my nanny and like a second mother. It was her who raised me to be the strong man I am today.”

He pulls a flowery sundress from the hanger and lifts a pair of white espadrilles from the shelf. Then he selects a white blazer before removing some white shades from the glass fronted drawer.

As he pulls out the most beautiful silk lingerie, I steel myself for his probing fingers to do their worst and as he runs those hands across my entire body, stroking, rubbing and kneading my flesh, I try to stand as still as a statue while he finishes the job.

“Yes, it’s about time you met. She will be so happy to see I have a loving wife at last.”

He fastens the bra around my back and drops a light kiss on the back of my neck and it takes all my concentration not to flinch under it. Despite the degrading way he treats me, it’s never sexual. He isn’t interested in me for that because he prefers young men. But hearing he has a daughter makes me wonder about his past and I am intrigued to learn more about the woman he obviously loved once upon a time.

I am soon ready, and he walks around me critically before snarling, “Iris has betrayed me. She tricked me and conspired with my best friend to keep something important from me. Today she has the opportunity to make up for that and so, Winter, my darling, I am bringing you along to watch what happens when my treasured possessions go against me.”

He twists his mouth into a satanic grin and takes my hand.

“Shall we visit Mother, my darling? She will be ecstatic to meet you at last.”

* * *

Cedar Heights islike a grand hotel and as we pass through the gates, I see a pleasant home set in parkland. It looks expensive, which doesn’t surprise me because Massimo likes the best of everything.

We are met at the door as our cavalcade rolls to a stop and the woman standing there looks impressive in her navy-blue suit and crisp white shirt. Her hair has been pulled into a bun and she stands to attention with a huge smile on her face as Massimo helps me from the car.

“Mr. and Mrs. Delauren, welcome to Cedar…”

“Mrs. Travers, I have a serious complaint.”

Massimo’s word come out like rapid fire, and the blood drains from her face and her lip trembles. “I’m sorry sir, please tell me so I can put it right.”

He snarls, “You allowed my mother visitors against my strict instructions.”

“Visitors?” She looks confused.

“A few days ago, apparently.”

He sweeps past her into the entrance hall, and she follows behind, saying in confusion, “I was away for one day. Perhaps they came then, and my manager forgot to mention it. We had to deal with a mild heart attack, and she may have forgotten about the visit in all the confusion. I’ll enquire into it, and it won’t happen again.”

She is almost panting as she runs to keep up and he shouts so loudly it makes me jump. “NOT GOOD ENOUGH MRS TRAVERS!”

He turns on her shivering form and growls, “I pay you well to follow my rules, and this is your mistake. If anything has happened to my mother because of your negligence, I will make you pay. Do you understand?”

The madness in his eyes is scaring me and she is no different as she sobs, “Please sir, I didn’t…”

“Leave us.” Massimo nods to one of his guards who moves between them and as we continue on, she is guided in the opposite direction.

I walk quickly and silently beside him because when Massimo is in this mood, there is no point in trying to communicate with him. In fact, he may already have forgotten I’m here and as he heads for the unfortunate Iris Young, I am fearful for the frail lady who will be on the receiving end of his temper.

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