Late Introduction

She flinched at the contact of his cold hand gripping her neck, not tight enough to choked her, just as a warning. Instinctively, Clara wrapped her small hand on his wrist and he abruptly dropped his as if burned. There's hate in his eyes and something else.

"I don't whore myself out and never will be." She said squaring her shoulder and glowering at him. What sin he mentioned she didn't undestand, but a cheap person, she was not.

"We'll see." He said, casually walked off the room without backward glance.

For the next few days, she spent most of her time in the small room. Blanket was her companion to sleep on the floor, tray of foods would be delivered two times a day, and the even smaller room inside is only for the toilet.

Everytime she tried to speak to Noah, which she asked him what his name was, he would only shake his head in denial. She was on the verge to begged her captor. She missed the sunlight, the fresh air on open ground, and she missed dancing.

Finally when Mr. X walked into the room, she asked for a proper bath. Brushing her teeth and splashes of water on her body was all she managed to do on the small toilet room. He had to admit that she looks like hell. The clothes she wore is the same one when he kidnapped her last week, her long burgundy hair tangled and unkempt.

Calculating eyes stared hard, "You could have the luxury of bathing if you answer me truthfully, Clara."

"When have I ever lied to you?" She retorted, her heart skips a beat when he used her name.

He crossed his arms over the muscled chest, "Your bestfriends from your rebel days at school. I want you to say their names out loud."

Clara was silent for a moment, "What do they have to do with all this?"

"Say their names out loud." He emphasized each words.

Never had Clara seen him look so murderous. As if the answer was the breath of life. He wanted to hear that three names he had mention before.

"Thomas. Tiffany. Jordan." Her voice was clear but she lowered her head, briefly closed her eyes when memories flashing through.

When he kept silent, she continued, "I'm not proud of my behavior back then. I admit I've made my parents ashamed and some of my jackass schoolmate suffered, even though they deserved it."

There was something about him that made Clara want to confess her darkest moments in life. Deep down, she was relieved he'd back. At least this way she could face him and didn't had to endure uncertainty alone in this small room.

Speaking of her once besties, four of them were deadly together. They ruled the school because their parents had influence there so teachers often turned one blind eye to their behaviors. Cocky and arrogant kid was their target, to protect the bullying victims were their job. They called them 'Four Saviors'.

But since the her mom fell sick, Clara gradually realized that their behavior was unacceptable. For her part, it was just teenage rebellion because her father denied her pursuing ballet in Paris and forced her to study there.

"You.. Were you one of the victims?" She asked with horror. She studied his face, but nothing came to mind.

He didn't answer and led her towards one of the big room in main quarter, it used to be her parent's bedroom. The color of the wallpaper has changed to grey, the furnitures mostly in black, brown or white. It was a masculine room.

Clara hesitated before he urged her inside at the small of her back. Light electric shock seized her body and their eyes met. This close, she could saw his green pupils dilated. She licked her lips.

With a groan at the back of his throat, he leaned in as if to kiss her. Wide eyes huge in disbelief and surprise, she tried to push him by the shoulder. But his hand was pressing her near until there was no room between them. His warm breath fanned her ear.

"Use the bathroom here. You look like hell." He snickered and left her fuming on the doorstep.

***

The only window in the room wouldn't budge and when she peeked through the luxury grey curtains, there were guards outside. With exasperated sigh Clara went out of the room after the long and satisfying bath. She wore one of his clean shirt, it was too big and the end almost touch her knees, beneath it was only her black panties that she quickly washed and dried with hairdryer.

She was greeted by Noah standing outside the room.

"Your payment must be huge considering you'd help him commit this crime, Noah." Clara taunted him. She'd tried to engange a conversation with him from days ago, maybe she could find a soft spot in him.

"Mr. X deserves my loyalty, Miss." Noah answered, his face full of admiration.

"Yeah I bet your boss is an extremely kind person. How long have you been working for him anyway?"

"I dedicate myself to him, Miss." When she rolled her eyes, he continued, "Truly, he is my savior. Without him…"

"What are you two talking about?"

The object of their conversation appeared with a look ready to kill. Noah excused himself and disappeared from their sight, leaving Clara and Mr. X alone.

Suddenly Clara was blushing from the previous episode. Upon looking at her, his face changed drastically. His casual white shirt drowned her small body yet it tantalized him.

Mr. X had stalked her for a long time, years even. The sleepless nights, non-stop work and self-discipline, it was all worth it to finally having her here. Clara never noticed him in the dark, watching that lithe body dancing on the pole. While other men watched her with lust, his was with distaste.

But having her so close, he couldn't deny her alluring presence.

"You didn't answer me." His voice was deep and husky.

When her face shows confusion, he asked her again.

Clara swatted her hand in the air, "Nothing important. Just curious where you could find an obedient and loyal man like Noah."

"Easy. You had to earn their trust and likewise."

Noah didn't seem to cower in his presence, instead he speaks to him like brothers or close friend do. He even sings his praise over this - a gorgeous one but still a - monster. She must had a terrible sin in his eyes, for him to treat her so.

"What could I do to earn yours then, Mr. X? Please let me go. My dad must be worry sick by now." Clara closed her eyes in anguish.

"Xander. My name is Xander." He said. Xander found her different from other woman, which if anyone else in her positions, they must have scream, kick or scratch his face by now. But not his Clara.

Clara, startled by her kidnapper's late introduction, examined his handsome face and concluded that he was not sick or bumped his head somewhere.

When she just kept silent over his name's revelation, he continued, "Your father's in good care. I stationed someone by his side and told him that you are on a long vacation."

"I couldn't even afford a disneyland ticket let alone a vacation! My dad wouldn't buy into it." Deep down Clara was relieved that he placed someone to take care of her dad so now she could focused on escaping this luxurious prison.

"Believe me, he was glad and said that you really need that vacation. I'm sure he must be playing cards with Lucas by now."

Lucas was one of Xander's trusted employee, everything was prepared on motion as he desired. The Blue Box Club was an easy matter because he had bought it as soon as he knew Clara was working there and he had permitted her unlimited vacation, which the email was typed and sent by him under her email domain.

Clara didn't know that he had vistited her father several times before he kidnapped her, under the ruse as one of her schoolmate she despised and he wanted her forgiveness. Xander made Mr. Davis promised not to tell her daugher, as return Xander accompanied him through his lonely time when Clara wasn't home.

What Xander didn't calculate was the effect of having her within his grasp. With those innocent light hazel eyes, he felt Clara could see through the darkness in his soul. But the show must go on, he couldn't forgive the consequence over what she'd done and his resentment finally won.

Clara Anastasia Davis would pay dearly for her sin.