Twisted - Esme Devlin Page 0,24
journey, ever since he gave me that riddle for an answer. I clear my throat.
“This is where you live?”
Baron nods once.
“But not alone?”
“Awfully big place for me to rattle around in on my own, don’t you think? It used to be a golf resort.”
Golf… I did learn about sports when I was a child. I just get confused about which one is which. “Golf?”
“Tedious game. You hit a ball with a club—a long stick thing—and try to get it in a hole some distance away. My home used to be a hotel, where people would travel from all over the world to stay and play golf.”
I nod. “I know what a hotel is.”
He laughs at that. “I’m surprised. You are so very… sheltered.”
I glance over at him. I might not be able to recite every single old-world recreation off the top of my head, but I don’t think I am any more sheltered about the way of the world now than anyone else is.
I don’t argue with him though. I’d rather he thinks of me as sheltered if that amuses him enough to keep me alive.
We drive the rest of the way in silence, passing through a set of gates that open only when he presses a button on the roof of the car.
The closer we get, the heavier my stomach feels.
On the journey I’d felt… not exactly safe, but not in any real immediate danger, either. I’d hardly expected him to pull over and maul me on the side of the road.
But here.
This is his home.
This is a place where his rules are law.
He is the Maxim of this show, and in this show I am not the favorite. I’m not the special one, the one who gets allowances made for her.
Baron stops the car in front of the main entrance. There are two men outside, dressed completely in black like him, and they have long pointed guns across their chests. Rifles? I think that’s the correct term.
No masks, though.
He gets out and says something to the two men, who both turn around and stare in opposite directions. Then he comes around and opens my door for me.
He’s peering down but not saying anything, and I’m not sure what to do. I have no shoes on, no proper clothing, and Baron makes no move to get out of the way and let me out.
“We need to fix this,” he finally says. “This won’t do at all.”
“What?”
“Hand me the blanket,” he orders, holding out his hand.
“I’m naked!”
“Quite,” he says with a chuckle. “Why do you think I told them to turn their backs?”
I look at him, confused about what he’s asking me to do.
He sighs dramatically. “If you are worried about me seeing you, may I remind you that I was the one who took the clothes off in the first place…”
I feel my cheeks heat at the thought of that, which is strange because I’ve never been one to care until now. “I don’t care if you see me. I care about being cold.”
Baron leans down into the car, positioning his head so it’s next to mine. “Precisely why I made the deal with you.”
He grabs hold of the blanket, pulling it with him as he retreats. I’m half forced out, and half scrambling to keep up with him so I don’t lose it entirely.
“There’s a good girl,” he says, scooping me up into his arms and arranging the blanket so it covers me completely. Then he presses my head into his chest and casually kicks the car door closed behind him.
All I can see is his shoulder and the side of his mask. That smell envelopes me again, diesel and something dark.
He takes the steps leading up to the door quickly, turning around to open it with his elbow. Inside it is dark, but it doesn’t stop me from turning my head and trying to look around.
“None of that,” he scolds me. His voice is a low mumble when he continues, “If there is one way to get yourself on my naughty list it’s reneging on our deals, and I assure you, you will not like my idea of punishment.”
Heeding his warning, I tuck my head back into his chest and feel him move as he chuckles. He enjoys this. Finding ways to threaten me. It’s like he takes a sick joy from it.
Lights go on, and I peer around slyly and see we’re in a large entryway. There are countless doors on every wall and a grand