Locksleigh

Chapter Five

For a long moment he stared at me, unblinking.

I felt self conscious in a way I have never felt in my entire life. It was as if I was naked in more ways than one. Like he was seeing more of me than just my bare body. My arms ached to cover myself, if only my body. As if hiding at least half of me would've been better than nothing.

“What do you mean 'were'?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. Was he being for real?

“You r***d a virgin, you jackass!” I hissed with as much venom as I could. As if my words were an icing frosted cupcake with a deadly poison sprinkled over it. I watched him bite into it, tasting the formula on his tongue and then spitting it out. As if he couldn't be bothered to have the decency to die from it.

“You expect me to believe that you are a virgin?”

“Was.” I corrected. “I was a virgin.”

He smirked as if he knew something I didn’t and when he spoke, I wanted nothing more than to bash his face in with a brick and tear his throat out with my teeth. I had a feeling that wouldn’t sit well with his little community of criminals. ‘All the more reason to do it’, my subconscious seemed to say. I reminded it where my hands were in more crude words than was probably necessary.

“You didn’t take my c**k like a virgin.” I felt my cheeks turn a bright shade of tomato. Whether it was from rage or embarrassment, I did not know but I hated the grin it sparked on Ash’s face.

“I hear hell is particularly nice this time of year.” I said coolly, fully aware of the wetness running down my thighs. “Why don’t you take a permanent trip there?”

“And miss out on that sweet little cunt of yours?” He raised an eyebrow and turned to the door. “I don’t think so.”

“Where are you going?” I demanded, observing his home for the first time. It had no kitchen, in fact, it was all an open plan mess of a place with documents and books strewn all over. Even various weapons of sorts were nonchalantly placed on piles of books. I shuddered to think how capable of using all of them Ash must have been. For some reason I imagined him with the evil looking blades instead of a brutish pistol. He was more of a stealthy, sneaky man than a one on one fighter and that made him dangerous. I was going to have to watch out for him most of all. His style reminded me too much of my own and that unsettled me more than I cared to admit.

“I’m going to give you a tour and then-“

“There is no way in hell I’m going out there without any clothes.”

“That’s very funny, little Rabbit.” He turned to me, his hand on the handle of the door. “I don’t remember saying you have a choice in any of this. I’m keeping it a secret that you were the one who cost most of us our passage into the city and keys to a better future but you are going to have to behave and show some f*****g gratitude. I’m treating you like every other stray we picked up while you deserve so much more. Do you have any idea what they’d do to you if they found out what you did?” He didn’t give me enough time to answer. “They’ll roast you like that boar over the fire.” I gulped. “Do you want that?”

I most definitely did not. But was I going to let him bully and push me around? Was I going to let him claim me like a cheap corner w***e and parade me around the entire camp for all to see? I definitely didn’t want that, but did I have any other choice? It was either obey and live or misbehave and be thrown to the wolves.

“Use your big girl words, little Rabbit.” He cooed.

“I have a name.” I said instead of answering him. It was my final attempt at rebellion. “It’s Locksleigh.” My voice was softer than I had intended it to be.

“Well, Locksleigh.” He started, putting a finger on his lips as if considering what to say next, “let me make you a deal.” He reached for the door again. “Be a good girl and follow me or disobey and force me to discipline you until you forget that pretty name of yours.”

***

There was a cool breeze outside his little house and my n*****s instantly responded to its call. I glared at the back of Ash’s head as If I could shoot laser beams at his brain with my eye and willpower alone. It didn’t work, instead when I didn’t follow him, he backed up until he was beside me, took a hold of my arm and pushed me in front of him, silently warning me of what would happen if I didn’t.

The community was much larger than I initially anticipated. Dozens of homes similar to Ash’s were erected by the same wood and seemed to be modelled from the exact same blueprints.

The thatched roof on each of the houses were painted with different colours. I wasn’t sure where they had gotten the paint from if they couldn’t even get into the city, yet all around me there were all different colours. Ash noticed my interest in the abnormal roof tops and said with a sigh I would’ve said was exasperation. “Each colour for each type of job. Green is for the farmers, brown is for the hunters, yellow for the gatherers, red for scouts and blue for warriors.”

“Yours is white.” I said, more in a question than a statement.

“Yes it is.” Ash nodded, still steering me through a growing crowd. I focused all my attention on him instead of my horror.

“Why?” I clarified my question.

“Because, little Rabbit, I am the leader of this here Bandit crew. White is the most striking of all the colours. It means I’m important.” I snorted. “Want to try that again a little louder next time, maybe? I’m sure some hulkish brute of my people will be more than willing to teach that scowling face of yours a lesson you won’t soon forget.” He patted my head when I relaxed my face into a blank expression. “That’s a good girl.”

“I’m not a pet.”

“You should be so lucky.” It took every ounce of strength I possessed not to scowl at him. He was smirking at me. The bastard was enjoying this.

“And what colour is for the women?”

Ash gave me a knowing look. “They don’t get a colour. If they’re not claimed then they sleep outside.”

“What the f**k?”

“Run your mouth like that and you’ll be sleeping outside too.”

“f**k you.”

“Again? Well if you-“

“Ash.” We were interrupted when we reached a building with a grey roof. I raised an eyebrow and Ash shook his head as to tell me to shut up. For once, I listened. There was something in the way his back straightened, and his jaw clenched that told me it was for my own good. My obedience took us both by surprise.

“Garth.” Ash addressed the man who stepped through the door, a naked girl pulled up next to him, a hand on her head. “A bad time?”

“Not at all, boss. I was just teaching this little w***e who she serves. Isn’t that right Talia?” The man crooned into the redhead’s ears, pulling her onto her tiptoes. He couldn’t have been older than forty and was dressed in combat shorts and a wife beater. Most of his body, I noticed, was covered in tattoos. It snaked it’s way up his neck but didn’t quite reach his face.

“Yes, master.” The girl stammered and the man grinned, revealing a row of yellowing upper teeth.

“Well, when you’re done with her, get this one a house. I’d hate for her to die from the cold on the first night here.”

“Die?” I exclaimed and a glare from Ash silenced me. It was odd, what just one look could say. This one said I should keep my mouth shut and I better remember it.

“Yes, little Rabbit.” He nodded. “Most of the newbies die on the first night if they don’t get a house.” He cast a glance towards the man he called Garth. “Don’t go too hard on this one. I’ve already worn her out a little.”

“I cant make any promises.”

I shuddered.