Aphrodite

CHAPTER 3

Day 6 

Wherever we were it was completely surrounded by tall brick walls withguards standing at the gates and several walking the perimeter with Germanshepherds. The property was massive with several buildings and one mainbuilding that looked like a mansion. Logan drove up the long, narrowdriveway then stopped at the house and shut off the car.I looked at Logan, my body beginning to shake as I realized whereverwe were was not a place I wanted to be. His hands gripped the steeringwheel so tight that his knuckles turned white, and I could hear the leathercrack beneath the pressure. It scared me. No, it terrified me.He got out of the car as did the two men in the back, and I sat with myknees to my chest watching as he spoke to them and nod toward the house.Both men disappeared inside, and Logan stared at me through thewindshield. It was like he was unable to move, his body stiff and lookingevery bit the fierce fighter, not the gentle rock star who wrote me a song Inever had the chance to hear.He strode toward me, and I wanted to disappear into the leather seat. Icouldn't control the trembling, and it made me angry that Logan would seeit. I wanted to be tough, to have him feel nothing but anger from me, but thepanic treading across my body was too overpowering.The door flung open. "Out."It took me several tries to unclip my seatbelt, because my hands wereshaking so badly. When I finally did, he snagged my forearm and pulled meout. "Do exactly as I say." His voice was low as he spoke. "Don't look atanyone. Eyes down at all times, and do not speak unless asked a question."

"Where are we? Logan? Please why are you doing this to me?" Icouldn't help it. The words tumbled from my mouth in quick succession.What little connection I felt he tried to make shattered the moment Logangrabbed me by both shoulders and shook me."Don't you get it yet, Emily? Raul owns you. He's ruthless, and he'llbreak you down, torture you, and when you beg him for mercy he'll tortureyou some more." His bruising fingers tightened, and I winced. "Do not fuckthis up."I broke. I couldn't help it, and I hated myself for falling so low as to lethim or anyone else see me do it, but for that one second I let the fear takehold of me as I said, "I'm scared."Logan stared at me with eyes that were cold, dark, and without a sparkof ... anything. "You should be."My breath hitched, and it was at that moment I knew I had to face myfear head-on and conquer it or I was going to die. Logan wasn't going tosave me; only I could do that.Walking into what looked like a huge dining hall, I kept my head downlike Logan told me to, but my eyes drifted upward. It was an uncontrollablereaction. Survival maybe, I didn't know why, but I was facing the unknown,and I had to look at what the unknown was.The room was filled with over a dozen men, most sitting at a longwooden table laden with food. I could smell the aroma of cheeses, wines,and the sweetness of an array of fruits. The sound of laughter echoed off thewalls, along with the clinking of glasses and men talking and shouting.But it was the subtle sounds of groaning and sobbing that caught myattention. My heart started pounding harder and faster. The noises werewrong. They reminded me of trapped animals in cages and their sobs ofdespair. I raised my head, eyes searching the room as the sounds pulled atme.

Lying shivering on the floor was a naked girl.Then another tied to a chair.Beneath the table.Over in the corner of the room, a girl kneeling.My eyes widened, and my breath caught in my throat as I staredhorrified at the women ... They were young, some maybe younger than me.My stomach rolled and lurched, and I staggered backward, fightingagainst Logan's grip as I heaved with revulsion at the scene before me.I shook my head back and forth over and over. "No. No ..." I repeated,my hand over my mouth.One girl knelt at a man's feet while he fed her pieces of meat like a dog.She had a metal collar on that had a chain attached to the man's belt. Shewas naked, and I could see red welts running the length of her spine.Beneath the table, another girl was between an overweight man's legs.She was ... her mouth was on his cock as he groaned and pushed her faceback and forth into him.But it was the girl kneeling on all fours nearest me that was the onesobbing quietly. Her cheek was pressed into the floor with her butt in the airas a young man pumped into her from behind. He was also naked andwearing a collar, and he had scars running the length of his back."Emily."