Free Locked Together (In Chains) by Michelle Abbott

head on my back.
    “Slave. Get your filthy hands off her.” I feel Kayden stiffen behind me and his arms slip from my waist. I turn my head sharply and see Jack standing there. He’s glaring at Kayden. “She’s not a slave; she’s human, so keep your filthy paws off her.”
    “I am a slave right now,” I tell Jack.
    He looks at me and shakes his head. “You shouldn’t be here, not with these animals,” he says. “And why are you doing that?” Jack points to the handle of the press. “Why isn’t he doing it?”
    “His arms are sore and I offered to do it,” I tell him. “I don’t mind doing it.”
    He raises his eyebrows at Kayden. “Work too hard for the poor diddums, makes his arms sore does it?”
    Kayden scowls at him and clenches his fists. I place my hand on his arm, hoping to calm him down. I don’t want him to get punished for doing something stupid.
    “No,” I tell him. “His arms are sore because he got punished yesterday.”
    “Hmm, well I’m sure it was deserved. Get down from there, let him do it.”
    I shake my head. “No, I’m fine.”
    “I said get down.”
    I step down from the tub; I still have my hand on Kayden’s arm. His body is tense and he’s glaring at the floor. I know he’s trying to control his temper. I reach for his hand and squeeze it, his eyes meet mine. “Come with me,” Jack says to me. “Slave, finish this up on your own.”
    Frowning, I follow Jack to the door. Kayden stares at me. I don’t know what to tell him because I don’t know what’s going on. Jack takes me outside and leads me through the courtyard and through to the reception. Is he taking me to the manager? My palms are sweating.
    The guard behind the desk looks at me strangely as we pass but he doesn’t say anything. Jack opens a door off of the reception and leads me through to a canteen. Two women guards are sitting at a table eating breakfast; they stop talking and stare at me. Jack says good morning to them, they acknowledge him and return to their conversation. Why has he brought me here? I shouldn’t be in here, this looks like a staff canteen. He points to a table near the door and tells me to sit down. I do as he says but I feel awkward, I hope I don’t get in trouble for this. He returns from the counter with croissants and fresh orange juice, along with two cups of coffee. “Do you like cream and sugar in your coffee?” he asks me.
    “Just cream please.”
    He pushes one of the croissants towards me. “Eat. You must be hungry.” I nod and take a sip of the orange juice, it’s good. It doesn’t take me long to polish off the croissant but the highlight for me is the coffee; it’s been so long since I’ve had one. He’s looking at me with a serious expression on his face. “Don’t be so nervous. I’m not trying to come on to you.” I stare at him wide eyed, that thought never crossed my mind. Maybe it should have, maybe I’m naive but I thought I was in trouble. “I’m happily married and I’ve got two daughters about your age, you remind me a lot of my youngest one,” he says, he sips his coffee. “I keep thinking, if it were my daughter who was in a place like this, I’d want someone to watch out for her.”
    I start to relax and smile at him. “Thank you. Do your daughters live with you?” As soon as the question leaves my mouth I regret it. I forgot to ask for permission to speak and I don’t even know if I should be speaking to him but I relax again as he smiles back at me.
    “No, they both have homes of their own. My eldest is married and I have an adorable two year old Grandson. My youngest works for a law firm, she’s doing well for herself.” He finishes his coffee. “Do you smoke?” he asks me.
    “Erm…yes, but I don’t have any.”
    “Let’s go outside, you can have one of mine.”
    My body has kind of got used to not having nicotine and I don’t think about smoking as much as I used to, but occasionally I still crave one, so I don’t