Read His Black Pearl for Free Online

out how to get out of
here, and then everything will go back to normal.
    And that’s what I really need right now.
Normal.
    The shopkeeper places a bowl of water in
front of me, and my master removes my gag. I know what they want me
to do, and I know if I had any self-respect I wouldn’t do it, but I
can’t help myself. I’m thirsty, so thirsty, and the water’s right
there. I lunge forward, and when I dunk my whole face in the bowl,
more sona’s surround me.
    I guzzle down every last drop.
    My face and hair are drenched by the time I’m
done, but no one chastens me. My master just pulls me into his arms
and lays my back across his lap. The shopkeeper hands him a
towel.
    I feel the fabric skim across my chin, my
jaw, all the way down my neck, but I can’t focus on anything but
those gorgeous blue eyes staring down at me. They’re gentle and
firm, kind and commanding, serene and yet still passionate.
    So, so passionate.
    His hand trails to my breasts, and his
fingers toy with nipples. A moan builds up in my throat, but no…
No, I can’t give in. I’m Adair Bartlett. I’m a good girl. I have to
at least try to do the right thing.
    I rest my gloved hand on his forearm, and he
goes still.
    “Please,” I say. “Please, I—“
    The crop smacks across my thigh.
    I cry out. The man in the white coat raises
his weapon again, but my master just holds up his hand. He pulls me
tighter into his arms, and I cry against his shoulder as he strokes
my hair.
    What was that even for?
    I hadn’t been bad. I just said please, that’s
all. My skin still burns from my whipping, and I’m sobbing at the
complete unfairness of my life when the shopkeeper puts a gloved
hand on my shoulder and whispers into my ear.
    “Is only little pain, bella. Master no hurt
you much, and only then to make you learn. Just be good. No speak.
No ever speak. If want to be happy, just obey. That all it take.
Old Pietro already know you good girl. Now just show master how
sweet you are.”
    My cries turn into hiccupping sobs. Show
Master how sweet I am? What does that even mean?
    My master rocks me in his arms, but I can’t
calm down. This man is a monster—a hypnotizingly beautiful monster,
but a monster nonetheless. I can’t just submit to him. He’s asking
me to give up my words, my freedom, my entire humanity, and in
exchange for what? The illusion of happiness?
    I snort.
    No amount of joy is worth the sacrifice of
independence. Even the founding fathers knew that. My life back
home might have been miserable, but at least it was my own, and no
matter how much this crazy old shopkeeper might think otherwise,
giving up my free will couldn’t possibly bring me any pleasure.
    Or could it?
    I shiver at the thought.
    No, I’m just scared, that’s all, and fear
leads to doubting, and doubting leads to mistakes, and I can’t
afford to make any more mistakes. Not now.
    I look up at the men surrounding me.
    They’re all watching, waiting. More than
anything I want to run away, but the crop in the white-coated man’s
hand keeps me still. I have to be smart. I can’t handle pain—I
already know that. If I try to fight them, they’ll just break me
faster. No, my best strategy is to wait for the right moment. If I
pretend to go along with what they’re doing, maybe they’ll start to
trust me. They’ll have to let their guard down sometime, and then I
can escape.
    I smile just thinking about my salvation.
    “Oh, now there my good bella.” The shopkeeper
pets my head. “No more sad thoughts. Old Pietro find good home for
you, now you be happy.”
    He says more words in that strange dialect to
the other two men, and he shakes each of their hands before
climbing to his feet. He strides towards the door.
    He’s already outside before I realize I’ll
probably never see him again, and for some reason, I almost miss
him. He kidnapped me, sure, but at least he was the devil I knew. I
don’t even have names for these other two men aside from Master