Chapter 37

Shackled (The Lord Series)

37. Angel I cringe at my own thoughts because it has been so long since I had a proper discussion with someone. Even if those working in the house are nice, which I am sure they are, I won’t even know what to talk to them about. This is why I prefer books over people.

I get out of bed and whimper because I am so sore I can barely walk. More painkillers are on the nightstand, a glass of water next to them. I pop three of them in my mouth and drink all the water. It does not take long for the effect to kick in. It still hurts when I walk, but at least I don’t hiss like a cat with each step.

One of Alekos” shirts is draped over one of the armchairs, and I put it on. It is long enough to cover my thighs.

His scent still lingers on the shirt. I sniff it but stop when I realize what I am doing.

ope I am not turning into one of those women who falls for the man who took her virginity. I don’t have time for this s hit right now.

Oh go d. I hope I am Stefan’s room will keep me distracted. I am so curious to see what it looks like. Based on our interaction, I will take a wild guess and say that he has few to no things in there and prefers to sleep on only a mattress or directly on the floor.

leave Alekos” room and walk up and down the hallway. Apart from the living room and Alekos and Reyes room, there are two more rooms. Grabbing the doorknob, I say, “I bet it is a BDSM dungeon,” as I open the door, but it turns out to be a gym. Fully equipped.

This explains why m my men are so fit.

Did I just think of Alekos, Reyes, and Stefan as my men? I might need therapy-lots of it.

I go inside the gym, which smells like testosterone and sweat; I can almost imagine the three of them doing their routines.

I have never been to the a e gym, and my father didn’t have one at home. But I do yoga twice a week.

A bench is in the middle of the gym that I am sure isn’t used for exercise. At least not for any exercise that could be done in a gym. The bench has supports for the knees and arms, as well as straps to prevent one from getting up unless they are allowed.

I know exactly what this is for. Bondage.

They like f ucking women in the gym? Or watch her while they exercise? I run my fingers over the soft leather that covers the bench, and I imagine myself tied to it, n*ked, my back facing up, as Alekos, Reyes, and Stefan take turns to use me. To fill me with their-

I sn atch my hand away from the bondage bench. There is something seriously wrong ong with me. Why else do I have these crazy ideas, then? Maybe it all started when I started cyberstalking Alekos. I stopped when I realized how unhealthy it was. How obsessed I became with him. And still am. I need to put distance between him I really need to find a way to leave the city. If Alekos won’t help me, despite me keeping my end of the deal, I will find another way.

After a small tour of the gym, I head over to Stefan’s room Giselle is in the living room, cleaning, and I stop to make some small talk with her. After saying “hi” to her, I ask, “Is there a laptop or computer I could use?”

Giselle looks at me with anger before schooling her features. Did I do something to upset her?

“There is one in Master Alelos’s office downstairs, but you are not allowed there. Only Lord Reyes and Lord Stefan can enter Master Alekos” office without permission. Besides, you must not leave the Lair until the bond becomes permanent.”

Alekos really has Giselle brainwashed. The way she is referring to the three as sholes when talking about them blows my mind.

“I will only use the computer for a few minutes. No one has to know. And what do you mean by Lair?”

“That is what this part of the house is called. The Lair. It was decorated and prepared for Lady Emily,” Giselle explains.

I co ck my head. “Who is Emily?”

“Hasn’t Master Alkos told you about her?” I shake my head, letting Giselle know that he didn’t. “She was Lord Stefan’s fiance.

Everyone in the house loved her. Lord Stefan was planning the wedding with the help of Master Alekos and Lord Reyes. They would have bonded her if she were still alive. She would have been the Lady 1/2 37 Angel and wele net only to Lord Stefan but to Marter Alekos and Lord Reyes as well ‘

The way Stelan reacted around me suddenly makes sense. If Emily was his fance, then he must have been in love with her. No wonder he is so cold around me. I am a replacement for Emily. Did Alekos love bet, too?

“So, Eindy died?” I ask, wanting to be sure I understood correctly what Giselle said.

She nods. “Lady Fully was raped and killed two weeks before the wedding. Five years later, 1, Lond Stefan is still grieving for her. It does not surprise me, the was line of his Se. Master Alekos and Land Reyes loved Lady Emily as much as Lord Stefan did. I was surprised when Master Alekos told me you are the new Lady of the house. I never thought they would bring a woman here to take Lady Emily’s place.” Giselle rovers her mouth with her palm. “I did not mean to say it like that.”

The truth always hurts.

For a moment, I truly believed Alekos felt something for me, especially after last night. But he only agreed to help me because he wants a replacement for Emily Someone who can gave him children.

It should not hurt, but it does. I thought I learned my lesson when I found out about Alekos and Salma. That day, I promised myself I would never be someone’s second best.

Of course, what happened to Emily is absolutely horrible. I can’t even imagine the pain and grief those who loved her felt after her death. And to be killed in such a tragic way... I wonder how old she was when she died.

“Just show me where Alekos’s office is,” I insist. “Can I have some coffee? Maybe a toast or two?”

“Breakfast was already served,” Giselle replies as we go to the elevator.

“But maybe I can convince Liza to make some more.”

I am not sure who Liza is, but I say, “I don’t want to inconvenience anyone, so if I can use the kitchen, then I can prepare my own food.”

Giselle calls the elevator to us. “If Master Alekos finds out you left the Lair wearing only that,” she says while pointing at my shirt, “and you walked around the house so that anyone could see you, he won’t be happy.

It would be best if I brought you the food.”

I smile. “Thank you.”

The elevator takes us to the ground floor, close to the entrance.

“The office is this way,” Giselle shows me. When we are in front of it, she takes a key from one of her pockets and opens the door. I enter. “I will return with your breakfast,” she lets me know.

The door closes behind her, and I don’t waste my time inspecting Alekos’

office. I go directly to his desk, sit in his chair, and turn on the computer.

Five years ago, Stefan was engaged to be married. If not for Emily being killed, Alekos would have already had children. And I would not be here today.

I don’t remember reading anything about Emily’s death. Alekos must have paid a lot of money to the press, so they wouldn’t publish anything about it. Maybe a search on the dark web will be fruitful.

The computer’s screen turns on.

“F*ck you, Alekos, and your st*pid password!” I swear when I see that the computer requires a password.

I stare at the screen for a few minutes, trying to guess his st*pid password. During high school, he had one on his phone, and he never changed it because he was too lazy to memorize a new one. I type it in as I still remember it, but it is incorrect. What can it be? An important date or word?

I try Emily, but it is also incorrect.

After various failed attempts, I lean back in the chair and wait for Giselle, who is taking her time to return. Bored and with nothing else to do, I start snooping around the office. I open the desk drawers, one by one, curious to see what Alekos is keeping in them. In the bottom one is a black agenda and phone. I take both out.

Thinking that the password might be written in it, I start flipping page after page. Written down is not what I expect. Names of women Alekos had seen in the past—some of them I recognize from the internet—and dates and places when he had seen them fill page after page, together with intimate details about them.

Is he keeping a sex journal?

Did he write my name in here as well?

I go to the last page, but the last entry is of a woman he had started seeing three days ago. The last time they met was yesterday morning for a quick f*ck before work. Reyes joined them as well.

So, he f**ked a woman in the morning, and around noon he was fingering me. I am not sure how to feel. Angry or hurt? I suddenly feel the need to take a shower.

I turn my attention to the phone. It still has a bit of a battery left, and since it does not require a code, I unlock it. The agenda is clean. No emails either. But when I enter the photo album, my jaw drops to the floor. There are thousands of pictures of all the women Alekos, Reyes, and Stefan had been sleeping with. Pictures of them while doing sexual things. Or of the women when naked. And there are videos as well.

The last one is from yesterday. They took her to a hotel room and had their way with her there. Only Alekos and Reyes f*cked her while Stefan recorded them.

At least they did not take any photos of me. Or film me while Alekos was f**king me.

I throw the agenda and the phone back in the drawer and close it with my foot just as the office door opens, and Giselle enters with a tray in her hands, a cup of coffee, and a sandwich in it.

“I thought you forgot about me,” I joke.

Giselle huffs and puffs. “It took me so long to bring you your breakfast because Liza was not happy about making more food.” She puts the tray on the desk.

I take a sip of the coffee, which is cold, but I don’t really mind. The sandwich has an odd flavor. Maybe the bread is old? I am not a picky eater, so whatever.

Giselle keeps talking. “Liza said that next time, you have to wake up on time along with everyone else and not lay in bed all morning.”

Blood rushes to my ears, and I feel them burning. It always happens when I get embarrassed. “I am sorry. It won’t happen again.”

Giselle studies me for a bit. “I will talk to Liza on your behalf. I know very well how demanding the Lords can be. Usually, they bring in women that can handle them.”

A sharp pain in my chest makes it difficult to breathe. “Do they bring women here often?”

Giselle thinks for a moment. “Telling you can get me in trouble, but you seem different from the other women Master Alekos brings here. Usually once or twice a week. Sometimes they bring four or five at a time and have orgi*s that can last for a few days.”

Dios mio!

What did I get myself into?

“I won’t tell Alekos a word of what we talked about. Is there another computer I can use? This one needs a password,” I ask as I finish the coffee.

“There is one in Lord Stefan’s room, but I don’t know if it has a password. Maybe you should wait for them to return.”

I take a last bite from the sandwich. “I am in a bit of a hurry. Alekos misled me, what he made me think turned out to be a lie. I want to get out of here. But please, don’t let him know. The sooner I leave, the sooner Alekos will return to you.” Giselle seems taken aback. “I have eyes. No need to be so shocked. I can see that you like him.”

“Master Alekos is good to me, but being in love with him is forbidden.

The only relationship allowed between us is that of master and mistress.”

So Giselle is Alekos’ mistress. F*cking bastard! I can’t believe him.

“This conversation never happened.”

Giselle gives me a curt nod. “If you finished eating, let me take you back to the Lair.”

Half of the sandwich is still on the plate, but I lost my appetite. “I am full,” I lie.

Giselle picks up the tray, and we head for the elevator.

“Lunch is at noon. I will bring it to you here,” she tells me when we are on the first floor.

“Thank you,” I say before going to Stefan’s room.

The room is simply decorated: a queen-sized bed, a desk with a laptop, and a few empty shelves. And a lot of empty space. Above the bed, on a string, hang a few photos. Most of them are of Stefan and a young woman.

Emily, I suppose.

Emily had not only been beautiful with long blond hair, blue eyes, and big boobs, but she even had a gorgeous smile. No wonder Stefan is still not over her. Heck, if I were a lesbian, I would have dated Emily. I would have dated her anyway. She looks like one of those bubbly types of people that everyone loves.

There are also photos of Emily with Alekos or Reyes. The last one is of all four of them smiling at the camera. They looked very happy together. No wonder Giselle was upset with me being here. I am nothing like Emily. Not beautiful, nor do I have a cute smile.

Feeling a bit down, I sit at Stefan’s desk and open his laptop. And, of course it has a password. I groan.

“Why do I have such bad karma?”

My fingers drum on the desk. If not for my biggest client, I would not be so desperate to use a computer. I accepted a job from him days ago, and I have to send part of it today. He already paid me part of the money.

An engagement ring is on the desk, next to a framed photo of Stefan and Emily. I pick up the ring and study it—my beloved and a date are engraved on the inside.

What are the odds?

I type my beloved on the laptop.

“Bingo!”

I put the ring back in its place, open the browser, and search for information about Emily. It does not come as a shock when I don’t find anything. Not even on the dark web.

Ultimately, I give up, log into my freelancer account, and dive right into work.

When Giselle brings me lunch, I remove any trace of me using Stefan’s laptop. After I eat, I take a book about airplanes from Alekos’ bookcase and go to Reyes’ room. The book is so boring I fall asleep.