Kindly Abused | 18+

Chp. 15 Business Talk

*Him*

Lovya was sitting across from me at the dinner room table. Her long acrylics tapping fiercely on her phone. As always she was dressed appropriately for either a classy Boston strip club, or a sleazy New York Italian restaurant.

I could tell her trip went well. Her spirits were high and her chauffeur had no slap marks across his face when he carried her bags inside.

I'm always glad when she's in a good mood from a trip. It means less guilt tripping and less business talk.

"Everything went well with the British." She paused, eyeing me, "We won't need to worry about them trying to cut us off from the European market again."

"Oh? That's good..." I never liked talking about the business.

"You do need to pay better attention boy. If you want to continue using the perks of being my protégé, you need to actually show some interest in taking over if something were to happen to me." She set her phone down and leaned back slightly, "You of all people should know how risky this business is."

I clenched my jaw, she was never one to miss an opportunity to bring up what happened to my parents.

"Of course Lovya," I said through gritted teeth.

She chuckled to herself. Evidently she found my frustration entertaining.

"How long now have you had your slave?" She changed the subject.

"A couple weeks now. But I've been busy and haven't trained him much."

"I'm sure you've broken its spirit though, right? Of course you have. You yourself were trained by me so you wouldn't let a silly little slave get any leg up on you."

"If he's wasn't up to your standard when you last met, I'm sure his time with Collin has helped,"

"Ah yes, my favorite pet. You know, when I got it, the thing that really put it in the mood to obey without a second thought was a trip to the warehouse," she smiled thinking of that.

I remember the look on Collin's face when he saw the family business. Until then he'd only seen a kinder side of the slave trade.

I didn't want my innocent angel, Jeremiah, to have that look on his face. If Collin was that disturbed, how would someone who grew up free react? But then again- if I refuse Lovya, he'll be much worse off.

God, why did I have to find such a perfect boy?

"I take your silence means you won't argue with me, is that correct?" Her voice held amusement.

"Yes Lovya."

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"Joseph! Come downstairs now!" Lovya's incessant demands hadn't stopped in the few days she's stayed here after her trip. There's always something I hadn't done or didn't do right, and she had to make sure it was known.

I sulked down the hallway, careful to righten my posture before I came through the kitchen door.

"Yes?" I hid my annoyance at that fucking bitch.

"I need to go down to one of the offices for a meeting about that Virginia deal, you remember the one I mentioned last month, and you are going to come with me." Like always her wording made it clear I wasn't to argue. "After the meeting I plan on going to a club with the heads of the Virginia training school to help the deal run more smoothly. You better make sure your pet is trained enough to not embarrass me in front of them."

I clenched my hands into fists, but kept my gaze down to the floor. My baby was nowhere near ready enough for the club. I guess that meant I was going to spend all morning training.

"Yes Lovya. May I use Collin to help work with Jeremiah on his training this morning?"

"Do what you please, just don't maim or murder it."

I guess it was time to see Jeremiah again.

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648words

I'm very sorry for the late update and short chapter, I've just had writers bloke and my life has been hectic lately.

I do hope you enjoy this chapter at least! We're getting to learn a bit more about life outside of the basement, and now the man has a name?!?? (He's had a name in my notes this whole time, I promise it didn't take me over a year to pick a name)