Page 19 of Don't Say A Word

I hand the photo back without comment.

“I know it’s beyond the scope of what we normally do, but I want to indulge him. He’s my son, my blood, and I’m feeling generous.” He folds his arms across his chest. “But she cannot go to him untrained. She’d most likely not survive it. He has no patience, that boy.”

I allow myself to chuckle. It’s expected of me. Mr Atterton has made no secret of his only son’s shortcomings. I’m expected to make fun of the kid, but only to a certain point. Junior is blood. He is an Atterton. I am not. But no patience is an understatement. Junior Atterton is used to getting what he wants. He’s entitled and cruel, a dangerous combination. Not only that, but there is something different about him. Something off. I’ve never been able to pinpoint exactly what it is about the boy, but there’s this uncharacteristic calmness to him, despite his proclivity for anger. He’s also an undeniably talented pianist, something which has my sister enthralled.

“I will need you to do it.”

I blink and clear my throat. “I’m not sure I quite understand, sir.”

“I need you to train the girl,” he states plainly, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

“But won’t Junior want to train her himself?”

“I’ve talked to him, he understands. He knows this is the only way I’ll agree to it.”

I push a little further. “Surely you have men more skilled to take on the job. Marcel, maybe, or Winston.”

Mr Atterton trains a few girls a year, just a small selection of girls that usually come from far away. His trainers would know what to do. I do not.

He shakes his head and walks back around the desk to take his seat. Dropping his hand, he clicks his fingers. The girl crawls to him and he rests his hand on her head.

“He doesn’t want those brutes near her, and if I’m honest, I don’t blame him. The trainers are used to a certain amount of freedom and perks in their position. They like to taste the goods. Ensure their quality.” He winks. “That cannot happen with this girl. You are the only one I can trust not to maim, fuck or hurt her.”

I shift uncomfortably in my seat. I have no idea about training. Not with horses or with girls. There are too many things that could go wrong. Too many mistakes that I could end up taking the blame for. “My only fear is that my inexperience would somehow hinder her.”

His eyes whip in my direction and I brace myself for the lash of aggression, but it never comes. Instead, he turns to the one subject he knows will ensure my obedience.

“Your sister called this morning. She seems to be going well, enjoying herself. Have you heard from her lately?”

“I spoke to her over the weekend.”

“And she seems to be happy, yes?” His eyes fix on mine, saying all the things his words don’t. And that’s all it takes. Just the mere mention of her, the unspoken threat, and I know I can’t refuse.

Choosing to look at the girl rather than me, he strokes her hair as he continues to speak. “This means a lot to my son and therefore it means a lot to me. For whatever reason, he wants this girl and I am determined to give her to him. My son might be an entitled prick who is quick to anger, but he is my son. What he wants, he gets. You could almost call it our family motto.” He chuckles at his own joke. “It has to be you, Ryker. You are the only man I trust with this.” He reaches into the manila folder again. “Here is a list of instructions and commands that Junior wishes for the girl to know by the time she gets to him. Cameron has already collected her, and she is at Silver Oaks waiting for you.”

Reaching over to take the piece of paper, I scan over it. Junior has scrawled a simple list complete with commands and demands. Her skin is never to be broken. I am never to draw blood. He wants her trained in silence. She must assume a certain position on the command, ‘Don’t say a word.’ She must respond to commands with, ‘It’s my pleasure to obey you’ and she must mean it.

They were specific and strange. Just like the boy.

“By the time she gets to him, she must obey basic commands. She can’t shy away from being touched or hesitate in any manner. I need her to last longer than a few months. You can do whatever it takes to ensure this, as long as you follow Junior’s rules. You might have to get creative. And, of course, it goes without saying, but I will say it anyway so there can be no misunderstanding between us.” He dips his hand into the girl’s mouth, yanking her chin down violently. He looks at me directly as the girl kneels beside him, her mouth gaping open. “Your cock is not to enter any part of the girl. Do you understand?”

I clench my teeth together, insulted that he would even suggest such a thing. Forcing a girl held captive may be his style, but it certainly isn’t mine.

“Yes, sir.”

“You can indulge yourself with hand jobs, that’s fine. But nothing else.” He withdraws his thumb from where it was hooked over the girl’s teeth and tells her to stand. “Get her used to being touched.” He runs a hand down the girl’s arm then grabs one of her breasts roughly. “Touch her often. Bring her to orgasm. Get her used to being used, but do not abuse her. She is not yours.”

He’s standing in front of the girl now and bends down to take her breast in his mouth. I shift uncomfortably, but it’s nothing I haven’t seen before. Mr Atterton doesn’t hide from me. There is no need to. Unlike others, I know every aspect of his life. Nothing is hidden because I am loyal. He’s ensured it.

When he finally moves away from her, there is a single tear rolling down her cheek and a ring of red around her nipple. Atterton thumbs her cheek, wiping the tear and feeding it back to her.

“I’m counting on you, Ryker. Do not let me down.”

“Yes, sir.” I nod once in acknowledgment and get to my feet, eager to leave before his attention to the girl becomes more amorous.

CHAPTER TEN

RYKER

---