The man looked stunned.
He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.
He shut his mouth.
He made a move to stand up, but the redhead quickly grabbed his hands, holding onto them tightly.
Armin reached out his hand and gently placed it on the man’s face.
His fingers stroked his face up to his ears.
The man leaned into his touch.
He raised his hands to Armin’s face and gently wiped his teary eyes.
Armin smiled at him.
Armin noticed the woman was still holding onto the man’s right hand.
The man pulled Armin closer with his left hand, but someone yanked Armin back, away from him.
Armin looked back and saw Alicia gritting her teeth in fury.
She held Armin’s hand and pushed him behind her in a protective manner.
“What do you want this time?” she asked the man.
Her face unmistakably held malice.
The man smiled.
“Nice to meet you too, Ms.
Sinclair.”
They seemed to know each other, and an unresolved malice lingered between them.
“That’s my boy.” he said, pointing at Armin standing behind her.
“No, he’s not,” her voice sounded harsh.
“You will keep your hands and your eyes off him.” she warned, grabbed Armin’s hand and walked away.
She stopped mid-way, turned to face the man, and added, “I’m warning you, he’s off-limits.”
They didn’t bother about the dessert anymore.
Alicia pulled bills out of her wallet and dropped them on their table without counting them.
She was fuming so badly that her ears had turned red.
They stood outside the restaurant, Alicia holding tightly onto Armin’s hand while waiting for the chauffeur to come pick her up.
She refused to sit and wait inside the restaurant for him.
Armin noticed she was tensed.
He had never seen her like this in the few days that he had known her.
Something about this man threatened her.
She wanted to be gone from his presence.
The chauffeur drove the car up and stopped it in front of them.
The waiter opened the door for them.
She stepped into the car, and Armin circled around to the other door.
He opened it and made a move to enter when a hand stopped him.
He turned, and it was the stranger again.
The man shut the door close and pulled Armin away with him.
He hurriedly walked Armin to where his car was, opened the door, and pushed Armin inside.
He walked briskly to the other side, opened the door, and got in.
The second he closed the door, he pulled Armin closer to him, grabbed him by his neck, and crashed his lips on him, kissing him deeply until Armin was breathless.
He pulled back as they both gasp for air.
He looked the boy in the eyes, brushed his thumb over his rose cheek and kissed him again—slowly this time, as if he were savoring the taste of his lips and saving it in his memory.
Armin moaned into his mouth, curling his fingers into the sleeve of the man’s coat.
He pulled back and Armin whines.
“How have you been, my naughty Minmin?”
“I’m not naughty,” Armin breathes
“Was that what I asked you?”
“What happened that day?
Why did you leave me?” Armin’s eyes were beginning to glisten with tears.
“I didn’t leave you, my sweet boy,” He wiped the tears that were falling from his eyes.
“I had to take care of things.”
“What things?”
“It’s best if you don’t know,” he pulled him close again and kissed his tears away.
“Look at me, Minmin.” He raised Armin’s chin up.
“Wait for me.
I will come for you.”
“But how?” Armin asked.
“She owns me. This story is hosted at g.com.
Her dad bought me from Madam Margaret.”
“Armin,” he called strictly, yet in a gentle voice.
“Will you wait for me?” His eyes searched Armin’s.
The boy was scared, and his eyes did nothing to conceal it.
“I don’t know your name.”
“It’s Valerius.” His eyes were still locked in, searching.
“You promise you will come for me?”
A knock on the car window grabbed their attention; it was Alicia.
She had seen what was happening outside the car.
The man had walked away with Armin.
She had opened her side door and thrown herself outside.
She had been knocking on the car and calling out to Armin, but no one was answering.
The car had tinted glass, so she couldn’t see what was happening inside.
“I will wait, but you better come back for me.” Armin replied, ignoring the frantic knocking of his mistress.
“I promise.”
“And don’t take too long.” His eyes looked up at him pleading.
He kissed Armin’s forehead affectionately and pulled him into his arms.
The girl was still knocking frantically outside.
Armin looked at his face and saw a smirk on his lips.
“Go on now, my boy,” he released him.
Armin whimpered, refusing to leave.
He held onto the man.
“Daddy…” he choked out.
“Baby, listen to Daddy.
Go now.” He opened the car door.
Armin reluctantly stepped outside.
Alicia ran to the other side and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly and refusing to let go.
Armin didn’t bother to hold her back; he kept his eyes on the car as it drove away until it was out of sight.
When they got home, Alicia walked into the mansion, dragging Armin with her.
Her father was sitting on the front porch.
A boy slave was sitting at his feet, rubbing them.
Another one was standing behind him, massaging his shoulders while the father’s eyes heavily scanned the newspaper in his hands.
He picked up the glass of dark whiskey on the small table next to him and took a sip.
His eyes caught his daughter marching toward him angrily, dragging Armin along.
“Hey!” her dad greeted.
She ignored his greeting.
“Valerius is back, Dad.”
Her father seemed taken aback.
“What?”
“I saw him today.
He’s threatening to steal my Armin,” her voice quavered in fear.
“Fix him, Dad.” Armin noticed that she was shaking with fear.
The boldness and pride she carried around like a crown was shrinking.
“I will,” there was anger in her dad’s voice.
He snatched his feet away from the slave and slapped his newspaper at the one behind him.
Alicia marched into the mansion, dragging Armin with her—up the stairs, down the halls, and all the way to her room, ignoring all her maids’ greetings.
Her fury was about more than just the tea party.
It had been a long day, and Armin wanted nothing more than to lay down his head and rest.
Alicia rammed the door shut as soon as she got inside her room, walked angrily toward her bed and flung herself onto it, her usual grace entirely gone.
“You let him kiss you?” Her eyes held undeniable malice.
“What’s it to you?
You want to be kissed too?” He was testing the last of her patience.
“You are mine.
My slave.” In a second, she was out of bed and right in his face.
I own you!”
Armin moved back and rolled his eyes at her nonchalantly.
“I know.
You don’t have to scream that loud.
I’m right in front of you, and my ears are hurting already.”
Alicia looked him in the face.
“What is giving you this arrogant confidence?” She yanked his hair backward.
“The fact that I treat you well?
Better than any mistress would ever treat a slave?
Or has Valerius given you his empty promises like he always do?” She was yelling.
“Let go!” Armin yanked her hand off.
The force flung her to the ground.
She lay on her pink rug, looking at him bewildered.
The audacity!
But Armin was looking at her bewildered too.
Why was she so angry at him?
What had Valerius ever done to her in the past that could make the sweet angel in her become a deranged Lucifer, just from crossing paths with him again?
Armin wasn’t the rough type, and he certainly didn’t like a man who manhandled women.
He had pushed her roughly to the ground out of reflex.
She had been pulling his hair so hard that his strands were threatening to leave him bald.
He walked over to her and crouched beside her.
“Are you okay?” He offered his hands, trying to help her up.
“Are you hurt?”
“Get off me!” she shrieked.
“Guards!”
The door flung open and two heavy-looking men walked in.
Armin panicked.
“No, Licia, don’t!”
“Take him.”
“No!” He grabbed her hand.
“Why are you doing this?”
The guards grabbed him and pulled him away from her.
“You want to know why I’m on the ground?” She slowly lifted herself up.
“I’m sorry.
I was wrong, but I swear it was a reflex, you were hurting me.” he rushed out.
He was scared; the bruises from Mistress Delilah were still fresh and hurting.
“Please, let’s talk, Licia.
No violence, please,” he begged, the fear and desperation in his voice clear as day.
But she ignored him and walked to her bed again.
This time, she sat on it gracefully and crossed her legs.
“You prefer his kisses to mine?”
“He kissed me,” Armin defended.
“Did you resist?”
“He grabbed me.
He was stronger.” His arrogance was long gone; he was trying to save himself now.
“Well then, go with them.
They will train you to be strong,” she finalized and waved at him mockingly.
“No, Alicia, I beg of you.
Please, I’m still hurting!” He cried out, but she kept waving with a mocking grin on her lips.
Armin closed his eyes as they dragged him out.
He could feel the tears of betrayal streaming down his face.
He refused to open his eyes even as a door opened and he was flung inside.
He stumbled and hit the ground with a thud, groaning painfully.
Alicia’s sweet smile at him all through the day flashed through his mind, quickly replaced by her final, mocking smile.
His mind went back to the kisses that had gotten him into this mess.
He folded himself like an embryo on the ground and sobbed.
When the door opened again, he stared up and mumbled in fear, “Valerius, oh Valerius!”