Taken by Surprise

1

CLEOPATRA

My ears kept ringing with every echo of their discussions that I heard. My uncle, Aldo, stood at a far distance away from the man who had a seemingly dark look.

My breath hitched when my uncle blurted out in a cracked voice, "You can take me niece. It would be just for two years and I promise I will pay back."

My knees buckled. I stumbled forward, pushing the door slightly. The gentle creak of the door drew their attention to the door.

"Who is there?" My uncle rattled, throttling towards the door. I opened the door widely before he could get to the door and put up an innocent, sweet smile.

"Uncle, I'm sorry. I was being careless..."

His glare turned deadly. His lips pursed in annoyance.

"Good thing you are here. Come in," He said and spun around without sparing me a second glance.

Swallowing hard, I strode in with my head lowered and avoiding the eyes of the man in my uncle's study.

"Here she is," My uncle pointed out and reclined low on his chair.

I intertwined my fingers, letting my gaze linger on the floor. I realized there were tiny slobs of ink which I didn't clean off earlier when I was cleaning uncle's study.

"Fine. She is coming with me," That one voice drove chills down my spine. My pulse accelerated.

Coming with him? To where?

I jerked my head up, "What is going on?" I stuttered when two heavily built men flanked my sides each wearing strict frowns.

My gaze drifted from my uncle who pinched his fingers together underneath his chin and watched with hooded eyes to the man whose eyes I have been avoiding.

In his eyes were swirls of violence and evil. I shuddered.

"Uncle, I don't want to go with him," I cried out in defiance, falling down to my knees.

Uncle Aldo let out a deep breath, "This is for the family, Cleopatra. You have to go," He scuttled around with his back against me.

The man added nothing to our conversation. He rose to full length. He was at least 5" 3 tall, muscular and well built. He casted one long last glance my way as he left the office.

"Uncle please, Tell me what is going on? Who is the..."

I couldn't finish my sentence when he cut in with a raise of his hands.

"Take her away."

The men grabbed my arms and began to cart me away like I was some kind of commodity. My gut twisted in betrayal and hurt. I was shattered. Just like that, I have been sold out by the only family I have ever had since my parents death ten years old.

Tears clouded my vision. I was losing strength. From my peripheral vision, I could see my aunt and little nephew. Their eyes were wet with tears. Aunt tried to reach out to me but the soldiers yanked me out of the building - out of the place I called home.

***

I was totally drained and unable to move a muscle. I laid on the bed taking deep mental counts before I set myself up from the bed. A small creak of the door made me hypersensitive and I had to open my eyes quickly to catch the moving frame of a tall and huge body.

"You are awake?" He asked, not sparing me a glance as he rummaged through the closet.

"Wh... Who...are you?" My fingers sank deep into the duvet, my chest racing wildly.

He chuckled. I noticed he stopped moving and stood at ease. His hands slided down to his sides.

I found myself swallowing hard as I watched his every action.

"Your new owner."

Those three words pierced through me. It made me feel less of myself. I was now a commodity, to be owned, sold and bought.

The acrid taste of metal in my tongue brought me back to my senses.

He chuckled and swerved around, wearing a lopsided smile and having a red dress hanging from his arm.