Chapter 4

KIRA

Six hours ago...

Stumbling and fumbling as to keep the towel around her body, Kira ran to her room. Thankfully, the room was next to beach, but still, the little distance felt so huge to her.

'Who the hell was he!' Kira wondered as she unlocked the door and rushed inside. Hastily she locked the door, the latch, the key, and the door chain, and yet she felt uneasy. Why did she feel she was being watched. She even pushed the chair against the door. Why was she feeling so paranoid? Or was it some other emotion that she was confusing with fear?

She hurried and closed the curtains too. But as she did so, she saw him. The window opened up to the beach, and she could see him! He was walking on the beach, casually. She peered from the slats in between the curtains and felt an incredible pull to him. He looked so handsome, graceful and so lonely! Why was he walking all alone? Why was he on the beach all alone? Was he also a victim of actions of someone else and was here to find solace? Was she harsh on him?

With his each stroll, her breath eased. She felt relaxed as she watched him. She felt a unique bond towards him, as if he was her kin, but how could he be? She was British, and he clearly sounded African. She had a friend from Johannesburg back in school, and his family had the same accent as he did...

As she observed him from the distance, she noticed men around him. They were circling him like hawks? Was he in danger? Or were they there for his protection? An instinctive feeling rose in her, she wanted to protect him, and she even turned to walk out the door to warn him but the closed door and the chair she had drawn against it reminded her of something. He was not in danger, she was! Every instinct in her body was screaming so... And lately her instincts have been haywire too. She had never felt this free before, and she had never felt this differnt too. Ever since she had left her aunt's home, she had felt free... maybe it was the adrenaline, after all she was free for the first time in her life..

'You are going crazy,' Kira shook her head, walked away from the curtain - though she did not want to - and went for a shower. She ordered herself tea and snacks and cozied herself in her bed. As she sipped her tea and bit on the nachos, her eyes fell on the door. She had left it unlocked. Watching him walk on the beach and the hot shower had relaxed her enough to forget the security.

'I should lock it for safety nevertheless,' Kira thought as she started to get out of the bed, but her bed shifted. She blinked rapidly, and now everything was shifting. Everything was moving and everything was darkening. What was happening? Why was she falling... falling... falling...

*

Present Day

Kira sniffed as she felt his strong fingers grab her wrist and drag her out.

"Where are we going?" Kira demanded as he forced her to follow him.

"Not your concern," he muttered.

"Who are you?" Kira asked, trying to pry his fingers away from her skin.

"Not your concern either," he repeated.

"You are kidnapping me, forcing me to follow you, how is it not my concern?" Kira shouted as she jerked her hand violently and it twisted hard, but his grip did not slacken. She lost balance and she fell flat on her face, hand still in his.

"Ahhhhhh" Kira cried. A few bystanders laughed at her and stared at her now exposed body lecherously. Eyes watering, she looked up and saw fury rage on his face. "You are hurting me," she cried as she tried to get her hand free. She had been so humiliated throughout the night today that her fully exposed bottom was not even bothering her now.

He finally dropped her hand and she sat in a much dignified position.

"Clothes," the man called out and Kira looked around bewildered. The two bystanders who were staring at the scene with hungry looks suddenly seemed to recognize him! They bowed low to him, mumbled hurried apologies and ran away.

They stayed there for a few minutes, Kira on floor crying silently, and the man standing tall, looking around ruthlessly. Then a man in black suit arrived with a bag in his hand. He looked like one of the men who were circling him on the beach like hawks. So, Kira was mistaken. They were not there to hurt him, they were there to protect him. Oh, Kira was so mistaken... he was not there to warn her, he was there to target her.

"Put it on," the man growled as he threw the bag at her. But Kira just stared blankly at him. What did he wish her to do? Take off the only piece of cloth - his coat - that was covering her in a public place and get dressed here? "NOW!" he barked. Though he was agitated, it did not sound like it in his tone. But Kira could tell it in his eyes and expressions, how exceptionally irked he was.

Kira tried to move, but it seemed all energy had drained from her body.

Huffing, he walked to her and dragged her to her feet.

"You never listen, do you," he snapped as he pulled out of large dress from the bag and threw the bag on the floor unceremoniously. "Firstly, you didn't stay safe," he snapped as he pushed the dress on top of her head, "then you defied me," he continued as he took out her one hand from the coat and pushed it through the dress sleeve, "and now you don't even want to get dressed to save your own diginity," he finished as he pushed her other hand out of his coat and made her wear the dress forcefully. As the dress fell to her knees, now covering her completely, he stepped back and glanced at her body.

"Still," he continued, "Put this on!" he added as he threw the coat back to her.

Kira looked at herself reflected in the mirror on the adjacent wall. Her nipples were protruding from the dress. Quickly, she put the coat back on.

"Let's go," he snapped and turned, but Kira did not follow.

"Who are you?" Kira asked, bewildered.

"Let's go," he repeated grimly.

"You bought me, isn't it?" Kira sobbed.

"Yes," he spoke simply.

"Fifty million dollars is a lot of money," Kira sniffed.

"Maybe!" he shrugged.

"So, you are my master now," Kira asked.

"That I am!" he spoke firmly, standing taller than before.

"So, who is my master?" Kira asked simply.

He stared at her for a long moment. He had only shown two expressions to her so far - he was either calm or he was angry. But a crease appeared on his face for a second, like a reflection of what he was thinking. Kira was astounded by his expression. Who was he? What did he want? But before she could dwell more on his thoughts and personality, he heaved a huge sigh and spoke, "I am Dimitrios, Dimitri for short."