IN HIS KEEPING: TAKEN
: Chapter 6

Sylvie pushed her face into the pillow, hoping it would smother the sound of her sobs. Connor had insisted she attend the barbecue. But she should have told him she was sick. She didn’t belong at his party. She wasn’t one of them. She was the ‘help’ and his friends made sure she didn’t forget that fact. They treated her like a servant. They had her running for drinks, ice, snacks, and bug spray all night long. They were flying to the French Riviera on Tuesday, where they would board a yacht for a six week cruise of the Mediterranean and the Aegean. They’d explore the coasts of France, Italy, and Greece. See Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, the Greek Islands, and Crete. Maybe even go to Turkey. It sounded wonderful. Everyone was going, even the model/actress hoes: Deidre the redheaded douche bag, Caris the crimson-lipped cunt, Bethany the dumb blond, bimbo bitch; and last, but certainly not least, Seanna the skanky slut! His friends tried to convince Connor to go with them, but he kept begging off, telling them he had too much work to do on the book.

‘So take your fucking laptop,’ Drake scolded. ‘All work and no play make Connor a very dull boy. You work too hard. You need a damn vacation!’

Connor had laughed and shook his head no.

‘Fine. Be an asshole. I don’t see what the problem is. You can work onboard and communicate with your secretary by email. Come on Con. We’ll have a blast. Balmy breezes, exotic locales, and four gorgeous babes to keep our pipes clean. We need to get you laid bro.’

That’s when Seanna the skank went to work, using her ‘powers of persuasion.’ The bitch sidled up to Connor and wrapped her legs around his thigh, clinging to him like Velcro. She wriggled and giggled then slowly slid her crotch up and down his leg, humping him like a schnauzer in heat. She begged him to reconsider and come with them on the trip. ‘I’ll make it worth your while,’ she told him provocatively. The skank whispered something in his ear and he laughed like they were sharing some intimate secret. Then Seanna kissed him hard and led him off into the shadows. They were all pairing off. Alex was feeling up Deidre. Sean and Caris were nuzzling. Bethany had latched onto Nathan. Only Drake and Victor didn’t have partners. Victor was glaring at Seanna while Drake was smirking and smiling like some sleazy ringmaster.

It was at that point that Sylvie slipped away and fled to her room. Trying to control her tears. Hoping no one would see. They wouldn’t miss her! No one ever noticed her. Like the wall or the woodwork, she was invisible to everyone…including Connor.

Sylvie wanted to scream and wail, but all she could do was whimper. He was going to go away with that bitch. He was going to fuck her and maybe fall in love with her. That’s what they were probably doing right now. Fucking! That cunt was giving him a sample of what he could expect on the trip. A trip that would take Connor far away from here, and from her. The thought of them together was like a knife piercing her heart. Why was she crying and carrying on like some lovesick schoolgirl? Where were these feelings coming from? Was she jealous? Ninety-eight percent of the time Sylvie thought he was as an overbearing asshole. Yes, he was handsome. Yes, he was smart. But he was way out of her league and Sylvie knew it. Had she deluded herself into thinking there could ever be something more between them? Yes, he leered at her on occasion; but nothing could ever come of it. Sylvie was just an employee. She meant nothing to him! Absolutely nothing!

Sylvie was startled by the sound of her door opening. She quickly sat up, clutching the pillow to her breasts. She could see him silhouetted in the doorway. He stepped into the room without saying a word to her, then quietly closed it behind him. Moonlight streamed through the window as he approached the bed. Sylvie was nearly naked; all she was wearing was panties. She grabbed for the sheet to cover herself, but a strong hand stopped her.

‘No,’ he said.

‘What are you doing here?’ Sylvie sniffled.

‘Don’t you know?’