Twisted Perception (Flawed #2) Read online

  “You must be Aria,” the redhead said, as she entered the room. I nodded my head while she looked me up and down. “Did you like the show?” she asked, raising her eyebrows at me. I tilted my head to the side and smirked up at her, she was taller than me in her heels.

  “Been watching you for a week now. You look different in person compared to on camera,” she said, her eyes still on me.

  Huh? What did she just say?

  “Oh, you didn’t think he would just hire a pretty face from the street, did you? No, he’s done full checks on you. Had you surveillanced for the entire week. He’s good at his job.”

  I didn’t reply. Instead, I ignored her and wondered how he did it without me noticing. I was a pretty clued in person. I’d had my fair share of drama and stalkerish guys over the years. He must’ve had a shit load of money, actually scratch that, he fucking did. This house proved it.

  “So tell me…Why are you so fucked up that you’d want to work here?” she asked while lighting a cigarette. I had to think about that question for a minute, because honestly, I wasn’t fucked up. I just had a twisted perception on life. I had secrets, we all do I knew this was illegal and wrong, but there was this part of me that believed it wasn’t and it was something that I would enjoy doing.

  “I’m not,” I tell her, taking the smoke from her hand. She laughed at me, and I asked her the same question.

  “Why are you?”

  “I’m beyond fucked up. My boyfriend beat and tortured me for three years. My brain doesn’t know right from wrong no more. I’m more than happy to make a man bleed and get paid for it. But I think you’re lying, you have something…we all do.”

  I shook my head, gave her the cigarette back, and got up to leave. I didn’t need her to believe me. Fuck! I was trying to make myself believe me.

  One of the bodyguards stopped me on my way out. He didn’t touch me, he just stepped in my way and looked at me with hard eyes. “May I?” he asks. I nodded my head, then he grabbed my arm and quickly dropped it. I had no idea why.

  “You need to build muscle,” he said, not looking anywhere but my eyes. I raise mine to him. “Tomorrow morning, be ready by six am.”

  “Yeah, right,” I said to him. He didn’t laugh or crack a smile, he was deadly serious.

  “Be ready,” he reiterated and stepped to the side for me to pass. I didn’t say anything as I left. I would have liked to have told him not to bother, but I had a feeling he wouldn’t listen.

  The redhead was at my car when I walked out the front door though I didn’t see her pass me. She smirked like she knew what I was thinking.

  “You and I are going to be best friends,” she said, stomping on her cigarette then walking to a fancy black car. I wanted to laugh at her. A woman like her—someone who was so fixated on their appearance—could not be my best friend.

  Chapter 3

  “Wake up!” Someone had shaken me. I hit her, she needed to leave me alone. Jessa hated waking me up, so I was surprised that she did. My eyes didn’t open and I wanted to go back to sleep.

  “Fuck!” I screamed and jumped from the bed. Jessa ran from the room, knowing if she were near me I would hit her. She had poured freezing cold water all over me and my bed. My white top was now see through, my shorts looked like I’d pissed myself. I thought that I might just hit her. I took the stairs two at a time. “Jessa, you better be hiding!” I yelled. I got to the doorway and the bodyguard was there, staring at me. But not at my wet clothes, he just looked directly into my eyes.

  “You’re late,” he growled, sounding angry. I looked around to see Jessa in the doorway, smirking. I pointed to her. “I won’t forget that, you brat,” I said and she pointed to him, blaming the bodyguard. But did she really need to pour water on me?

  “Get dressed right now,” the bodyguard ordered. Honestly, he didn’t even look down to my see-through top where my nipples were peeking through.

  I ran upstairs and changed quickly, I was wide-awake now, thanks to Jessa. When I ran back downstairs, he was standing there looking at his watch and tapping his foot firmly on the ground.

  He walked out of the house and Jessa laughed. As I walked past her, I reached the back of her head and smacked it. Hard! The little bitch, I got her back.

  We didn’t walk for long. Well, I didn’t follow him for long as he stopped at the park not far from my house.

  “Warm up,” he said brashly. I stretched and warmed up. For what? I didn’t know.

  “I’m going to push you today, then again tomorrow, then the day after that. I don’t want to hear you bitching about it either,” he told me, instructing me to run. I gave him the finger and ran.

  I finished two hours later, exhausted and wanting to sleep. He was like a drill sergeant. I had to run, do pushups, and crunches. You name it, he made me do it. And there was more to come. Fuck, this paycheck had better be worth this shit.

  I quit my waitressing job after my grueling workout. I was scheduled to work that day, but I couldn’t move. I lay in bed most of the day, watching shit television. My father arrived home from work at five and brought me a pizza. I didn’t see anyone else for the rest of the evening until there was a knock on my door late that night. Jessa ducked her head in to tell me someone was at the front door for me and then ran the other way. I managed to make it down the stairs to see the redheaded woman standing in my doorway, wearing a very skimpy dress. She smirked when she saw me, showcasing her perfectly white teeth with red lips.

  “Yes?” I asked, not even bothering to be polite.

  “Aria, was it?” she asked, acting like she didn’t know. Of course, she did. She probably knew a lot about me.

  “And you are?” I asked her when I realized I still didn’t know her name.

  “Sarena,” she stated with a dazzling smile. “I’m here to take you out. I need to show you some work,” she explained, looking around for anyone. She stopped when she spotted a photo of Jagger and myself. “Wow, is he yours?” she asked, pointing to him.

  “That’s just gross.” I shivered. “What do I wear?” I asked her. She walked up to me and then walked up the stairs.

  “Show me your closet,” she said, heading in the direction of my bedroom.

  Sarena walked straight into my room as if she already knew which one it was. She opened my closet, pulling things out to look at and her face scrunched up quite a bit at my attire. I sat on the bed watching her and waited to see what she would actually pick. It took her a good fifteen minutes before she decided on a black leather skirt and a bright red top. I cringed at her. I wanted to wear shorts and a loose fitting top, but I knew I couldn’t, especially if she was here deciding on my wardrobe.

  “Put some makeup on and get dressed. The car is waiting,” she said smiling. It got on my nerves, because, who smiles that much? Who looks that well put together?

  By the time I was finished and downstairs, Jagger and a friend of his walked in the door. He glanced at me and raised his eyebrows in question. I didn’t even bother answering as I stashed my ID and money down my bra and walked out the door.

  Sarena didn’t talk much on the drive; she was glued to her phone. We were in the back seat and we had a drive ahead of us. I felt privileged, like a princess. Well, maybe not a princess, possibly more like a dark queen.

  We arrived at a mansion, the size of five mansions joined as one. It was beyond crazy, this house was one of the biggest I’d ever seen. It literally took two minutes to drive from the gate entrance to the entrance of the house. Once we stopped, Sarena exited the car and I followed, having no idea what we were doing here, or even why.

  She handed me a mask before we entered and I held it to my face while she covered her face with one she held. An older gentlemen opened the door and bowed. Really, honest to God, he bowed. I was still in shock when Sarena grabbed my hand to keep me moving and to stop me from staring. People were dressed very slutty, tiny dresses, short skirts, skin showing everywhere. Now, I wasn’t opposed to skin, I showed mine a
s much as was possible, but not with the type of clothes these people had on. My skirt cost me twenty dollars. The piece of fabric covering the woman’s breast more than likely cost her one hundred.

  “Mingle. Introduce yourself to the women,” Sarena said and waved to a few older ladies who looked damn good. I snuck up behind her and stopped her before she reached them, then pulled her around to face me.

  “What do I say? How can I help you today? My name is Aria, and I want to deliver you a young man you can hold hostage and fuck anytime you please?” I question her, dropping my shoulder to emphasize she needs to tell me more—teach me more.

  “Don’t be silly, they all know who you are. They just need to see that you can do the job.” She rolled her eyes and pulled her arm back from my grip.

  I stood there watching her as she touched everyone she met, with a slight brush of the arm or even a touch to their shoulder. She laughed with them and always smiled. I hoped that was not what I had to do. Otherwise, I would suck at it.

  I found the bar—yes, I had to find it. Did I forget to mention how big this place was? Well, it was massive and there were at least one hundred people in attendance. I know that sounded small, but then there were at least twenty servers, all men wearing G-strings, by the way. People were scattered everywhere, it was like walking through a maze. Nothing was where you thought it may be. There were statues of naked people, and water fountains containing chocolate that were so high I couldn’t see the top.

  I ordered straight tequila. Turning to drink it, I spotted a woman watching me. I tried to smile, I really did, but I couldn’t pull off Sarena’s smile, that bitch had it down pat. The lady started to take steps toward me like she knew who I was. Maybe she did.

  “Aria, I presume?” she asked holding out her hand. I took it and shook. Her hands were soft like well-kept ladies are. Mine were rough in comparison.

  “You presume correct,” I responded.

  “You’re as lovely as you were described,” she said, looking at me closely. Half my face was covered, so I didn’t know how she knew. “Can we talk?” she asked. I nodded my head and we sat at the bar. With a flick of her wrist, the bartender disappeared and we were left by ourselves with just people in the background.

  “Did you know I was the first client?” she asked, eyeing my drink as I twirled the straw through it. I looked into her eyes and she connected with mine.

  “No, I did not,” I said because, honestly, I didn’t know shit.

  “I was. I requested it from Zeke. He’s a good businessman, that one.” She smiled at the mention of this man’s name.

  “Zeke?” I asked her, not knowing who she was talking about.

  “Yes, your boss.” She read my confused face and answered, “Dominic runs it, and he does an excellent job but where do you think he got the funding? Or even the idea? It was Zeke. Such an odd man, that one, but good at whatever he does.” I nodded my head in understanding when really I had no idea.

  “I still have my first, Thrall, though he’s getting old,” she told me and had me confused yet again.

  “Thrall?” I questioned and she nodded. She then stood from the bar and waved her hand for me to follow. We left the ballroom; well, that was what I called it. And she walked me to a quieter place in the mansion. We stopped at double doors and when she opened it, a man in his late twenties was sitting on the floor, drawing. He looked up and automatically jumped to his feet. He was toned and very good-looking. I knew why she kept him. I could see the outline of the package he was carrying.

  “Welcome our guest,” she ordered the man. He nodded his head and walked to me. I didn’t move as he stepped in front of me. He was taller than me, which wasn’t hard. He knelt down and bowed. I was a bit shocked at first and didn’t quite understand, then he stood and walked backward while facing me. The lady, whose name I still didn’t know walked to him, and ran her hand along his midsection, then dragged her nails down his back. She walked around him, not lifting her hand as she did. When she got to the front she grabbed his package, a well-endowed, massive cock, and she squeezed it.

  “He is good, no?” she asked me, still clutching the man’s cock. I nodded my head and lifted my eyes to see his reaction. He enjoyed it, but I could see a part of him berates himself for it.

  Her hand dropped and she escorted me back out, leaving the man unsupervised in his room. “He won’t leave, he’s tried before, didn’t like the consequences,” she answered my unasked question.

  “How many Thrall’s do you have?” I asked her, and she smiled and replied without hesitation.

  “I like to change it up a bit. I’m a big client in your business. I usually sample the men for about a year, then they go to a lady of my choosing. I have none now, except Derrick. He’s the one I haven’t parted with. He’s good.” She waved her hand in front of her face, fanning herself.

  Chapter 4

  I mingled. Well, Carol introduced me to people. They asked me when and how much, of which I had no answers. The woman never told me her name, one of her guests said it, and I found it odd she never introduced herself to me. Every lady that was there either wanted a Thrall or has had one and wanted a new one. Carol told me this was a small attendance and that it was a massive business. I listened to everything she said, it was more than Sarena had given me. I hadn’t seen the redhead since the beginning of the night.

  Most of these women were married, some weren’t. Their husbands were dicks from what I could tell. Their men were cheating on them, never home enough, not meeting their desires in some way or shit in bed. Nothing that surprised me. But they wouldn’t leave them, they brought in the money, they would support their wife no matter what. So they took that money and came to us to buy a young plaything, which they call a Thrall.

  A hand wrapped around my midsection when I was talking to one of the ladies. My first reaction was to kick my leg back and hurt the person, but they placed their legs directly behind mine so close I couldn’t move them.

  “Enjoying yourself?” I knew that voice. It was Dominic.

  “Immensely,” I said and he removed his hands. I turned to see him dressed in a suit and looked good.

  “Zeke wants to meet you,” he said and grabbed my hand to pull me away from some of the ladies. I followed, and when he came to a stop, I ran into someone’s back. A very strong back. Dominic tried to pull me to the side, so I was near him, but my hands were on the stranger. By the looks of his back, he would be extremely fuckable.

  He turned and I was met with blue eyes. He scanned my body and glanced to the hand attached to mine, then nodded. “She it?” he asked Dominic. Dominic nodded.

  “I have a name and it’s not she,” I growled, pulling my hand back from Dominic’s tight grip.

  “She does…does she?” His voice was one of the best I’d heard, ever.

  “And you are?” I asked him, standing taller.

  “Your boss.”

  “And does this boss come with a name?”

  “Snarky and fast. Yes, it does, Zeke.” Well shit, he was the boss. The big one from what I’d heard. Why didn’t they tell me he was so good looking?

  “So you hate men?” I challenged and Dominic tried to reach for me, but I swatted his hand away. Zeke’s eyes narrowed, and he didn’t say a word at first, just stared at me.

  “No.”

  “Just love the money then?” I said back to him. He turned to look at Dominic and that was when Sarena appeared.

  “Aria, why don’t you come with me?” she asked, sounding like she was wearing her broad smile that annoyed the shit out of me.

  “I’m talking,” I snapped back at her. The smile finally dropped and I wanted to high-five someone.

  “Put her to work,” Zeke demanded and walked away, all mysterious and shit. He was one fine ass man.

  “You can’t talk to him like that, Aria. He’s not a friendly man,” Sarena told me.

  “Friendly, really? He traffics men and God knows what else. And all you have to say is
friendly,” I huffed out at her.

  “Sarena is catching tomorrow night, and you’re going with her,” Dominic said, sounding angry. I nodded my head and smiled, probably the first real one tonight.

  “Yes, boss.” I saluted him and made my way out the same way I came in.

  My smile didn’t leave me the whole way home, even when I entered and saw Jagger and his friends drinking in the kitchen. Usually, I’d be angry that all his friends were here in our parents’ house while they were away, but tonight I didn’t care.

  “Sis, why you smiling?” Jagger slurred his words to me. Obviously, he’d had way too much to drink. I ignored him and kept walking, but he didn’t care and followed me anyway.

  “Why you smiling?” he mumbled and collapsed onto my bed. I threw a shoe at him to get him out and he didn’t even flinch.

  “I have a new job,” I said, still smiling.

  “So do I,” he replied with a grand gesture. “Hence the celebrations.”

  “Doing what?”

  “Lawyering.” He laughed.

  “Who would hire you? You haven’t even finished college.”

  “Well, I have. I was taking extra courses.”

  I didn’t know that. “And who for?”

  “Some man named Zeke. Who will pay me a shitload of money.”

  I stopped and looked at him. It couldn’t be the same man, could it? “Do you know what he does?”

  “Yeah, he’s bad news. But for the money, hell, I’d sell him my first-born. Speaking of that. I bought us a house. We can finally move out of our parents’ home.”

  “What? Hold on, you just switched from new job to new house. What else are you on?” I asked because it was definitely more than alcohol.

  “Some coke, possibly? Anyway, we move in tomorrow.”