Invasion of Privacy: A Deep Web Thriller #1 (Deep Web Thriller Series) (19 page)

“I mean,” the guard explained, sensing her confusion, “it’s raining out there.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “Raining.”

Another English idiom to add to her collection.

“Would you like me to take your coat?”

“No!” She’d answered too quickly. “I mean, thanks. But no, I’m okay. Keeps me warm.” She was rambling now. 

The guard shrugged and pointed at the reception seating area behind her. “You can wait over there if you like.” He picked up a pen and held it over a half-completed crossword puzzle.

“Thanks.”

She chose a chair that faced away from the guard. She didn’t want him to get a glimpse of her bare thighs and put two and two together like the mini cab driver had earlier. It had been her own fault. She’d been careless when she’d sat in the passenger seat, her coat parting a little too much, giving the ancient Indian man an eyeful of her breasts. Throughout the fifteen minute journey he had eyed her legs every chance he got. Sometimes she was such a fool. She should have sat in the rear. But as the car ploughed through the puddles into Watford she found, despite herself, she was becoming aroused. She wasn’t sure if it was the anticipation of the next few hours with Derek, or this new game he had her playing. She realised she was also savouring the effect she was having on the driver. 

When she climbed out of the car she really couldn’t help herself. She turned around to pay the man, leaning down to keep her hair dry inside the vehicle. She fumbled in her pocket for her purse and caused the belt to loosen. The coat spilled open, privately revealing everything to him. His jaw actually dropped open. She laughed and said she was sorry she only had £20, brazenly leaving the coat as it was. He stared unashamedly for a long ten seconds and then shook his head slowly, telling her not to worry about it. She thanked him and told him he was sweet. She rewrapped the coat around her, pocketed the note and trotted towards the entrance of the office building.

Sitting in the reception area, the image of her mother, frowning at her free-spirited daughter, entered her mind. She tried to push it away. She didn’t want to feel guilty anymore. She’d left behind her two younger sisters in that suffocating family home. Ever since Pappa and her older brother, Erik, had drowned in a boating accident on the lake, Mamma had become over-protective almost to the point of turning their home into a prison. Audri and her sisters were dropped off at school and promptly picked up again at last bell. She was never allowed out. Never allowed friends round. At the age of sixteen, Audri rebelled and the terrible rows started. She would stay out partying all night, ignoring the missed calls and untold texts from Mamma. She discovered boys. And then men. One night the shouting and screaming and threatening became too much and Audri slapped her mother around the face as hard as she could. She only wanted to knock sense into her. In a rage, Mamma demanded Audri move out. Spitefully, Audri threatened to take the morning ferry out of the country. Minutes later, she left the house with a hastily packed case, her passport and a handful of money emptied out of her piggy bank. The next day she was true to her word and watched the port slip away into the distance. Mamma stood on the pier, a look of wretched horror on her tear-stained face, as Audri disappeared. 

The lift dinged loudly and the doors slid apart. A man stepped out, looked around, spotted her and called over to her. 

“Miss Sahlberg?” He had a nasally voice, almost like he had a cold.

She stood quickly, checking everything was covered.

“Yes, that’s me.”

“Mr Saxton has asked me to take you up to the meeting room. He’s stuck on a conference call with the States right now.”

Audri followed the man into the lift and stood beside him. He pressed a button and the doors closed, the polished steel finish revealing their reflections. He stood rigidly beside her, offering no small talk, his arms by his sides like a soldier. The only movement came from his hands, which he clasped shut and then opened wide, fingers spread fully before repeating the action again and again. He was of average height, with a long gaunt face, a brown mop of hair in some kind of deliberately styled mess. He wore plain black denims and a white formal shirt, open at the neck. Instead of shoes he wore thick black boots, their top line visible through his jeans just above the ankles. Audri surmised that he didn’t own a formal suit, which was a little strange, given the high-class nature of Derek’s business and the amount of effort, and money, that Derek put into his own designer wardrobe.

The man’s eyes strayed to take in her reflection and she looked down to avoid eye contact, her peripheral vision able to observe him purposely studying her. Almost as if assessing her. She wondered if he suspected she was completely naked under the mac. But that was unlikely. Unless Derek had told him for some reason. No, she was just being silly.

“You’re working late,” she said, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

“Yes, it is late, isn’t it? Just been catching up on some paperwork while it’s quiet. Lucky for you I was still here, or Derek would have left you sitting in reception with that lecherous night security guard.”

“Huh?” 

The doors slid open and he marched out, no elaboration on his unwarranted comment. She stayed put, wondering what the hell he’d meant by it. Was he just warning her about the guard? Which was odd, as the guard had shown no interest in her whatsoever. She had a sixth-sense when it came to men being attracted to her. The taxi driver for one. And Derek. Four months ago she and Derek had finally got it together for the first time, but she’d been aware of Derek’s desire for her right from her very first minute as the family au pair. 

But the guard downstairs? Definitely not. He was more interested in completing his crossword. 

The lift doors began to close and she jumped out. She caught up with Derek’s colleague and stayed one step behind him as they walked down the empty corridor. After four or five closed doors he opened one and stood back to allow her to pass. She looked past him.

It was a nondescript meeting room. Just an oval beech wood table with six chairs circling it, all green coloured leather with matching beech armrests. There was a window at the far end with its blinds drawn. A fake tree sat in one corner. 

The man held out a brown A4-sized padded envelope. Her forename was scrawled in black ink capitals on the front. “Derek asked me to give you this, Audri.”

She recalled that he’d addressed her as Miss Sahlberg earlier. Now she was Audri? She thanked him and entered the room. 

She could feel something lumpy inside the padded envelope. 

“Right, I’m off home now. As you said, it’s late. I’m sure Derek will be down in a few minutes. Is there anything I can get you before I go?”

“No thanks. Please go.”

“Would you like me to take your coat?” He flashed her a sardonic smile.

He knew. And he wanted her to know it.

“Sure, thanks.” Her voice was more cheerful than she felt.

She slowly reached for her belt, not taking her eyes off him. His smile transformed into a leer. 

She carefully pulled at the belt. 

He licked his upper lip. 

“Actually, it’s a bit cold in here. I think I’ll keep it on.”

His shoulders slumped and he turned to leave the room. 

“Goodbye Audri,” he said over his shoulder. “I hope you have a good meeting with Derek.”

He pulled the door shut as he left. 

“Pervert,” she said to the door.

She realised that he hadn’t given her his name. Mr Pervert would do. Wait till Derek gets here. He was in for a massive dressing-down over discussing their relationship with Mr Pervert. 

How dare he. 

She was surprised though. Derek went to great lengths to keep their liaisons secret from Hilary. Why would he risk discussing anything with colleagues from work? She supposed it had to do with his ego. She knew boys loved boasting about their sexual conquests. And it seemed that men did too. 

Idiot.

But he was an idiot who was pretty good in bed. For an older man he kept himself fit. No flabby belly and huge tree trunks for arms and legs. She enjoyed his experienced techniques. He was able to pleasure her in ways she had never dreamed possible. Best of all though, she felt incredibly tiny in his arms, a surprisingly tender embrace for such a muscular man, especially in the minutes after climax, when they lay there panting.

She remembered the envelope in her hands and ripped it open. A sheet of paper fell out along with some folded over black cloth. She opened the cloth. A blindfold.

She smiled. This was new.

Audri read the printed sheet of paper. There was no addressee or signature. 

I hope being secretly naked outdoors has turned you on just as much as the thought of you naked in my office has made me rock hard with anticipation. Follow these instructions to the letter. I promise it will be worth it. Tonight, I’ll take you to a place you’ve never been before. 

Here’s what I want you to do:

1) Take off your coat but leave your shoes on. Leave the coat on the table.

2) Place one of the chairs in the centre of the room, its back to the door.

3) Straddle it, facing the door. You’ll be sitting in the chair backwards. Your legs will be wide apart.

4) Put the blindfold on.

5) Wait for me.

6) Don’t peek!

Audri giggled to herself. This looked like fun. She’d defer moaning about Mr Pervert until after. First things first.

Obediently, she grabbed one of the chairs and positioned it backwards to the door, then took off her coat and threw it on the table. The air-conditioned office was colder than she realised. On the chair, the armrests looped from the seat base to the back. She’d have to manoeuvre her legs in through each loop. Derek hadn’t thought that through! Or maybe he had. She’d almost be trapped in the chair. She nearly fell backwards doing it, but quickly caught her balance. She re-read the instructions. Yes, she’d done it right. She threw the sheet of paper onto the table. It missed, floating under it. She blindfolded herself.

Everything went dark.

Audri waited.

She could hear the hum of the air-conditioning. She felt goose bumps appear on her arms. She wasn’t sure if it was because of the cold or because she was excited. And a little nervous.

What if Mr Pervert came back? He’d be in for a huge shock, that’s for sure. 

Or what if Derek’s conference call went on for ages? She couldn’t hold this position comfortably for very long. The armrest holes were smaller than she realised and were pressing into her thighs. What if the blood flow constricted and she got pins and needles in her legs? That would be no good.

The draught of air reached her skin before the slight sound of the swinging door reached her ears. She smiled and said, “Derek?”

“Sshhh, Audri.” It was his voice. Thank God. She relaxed.

She heard the door click back into place. She could feel him standing in front of her, presumably looking at her naked body. 

“Did I do everything okay, Derek?”

“Sshhh, Audri,” he repeated.

She felt hands on her shoulders. He stood right behind her. His hands were warm and clammy. She leaned back, trying to rest into where she thought his crotch would be. She felt his hardness press onto her back. She smiled and raised her arms to wrap them around his neck. She wanted to pull him down so that she could kiss him deeply, but he caught her wrists half way and firmly pushed her hands down by her sides. She felt both his hands reach down across her shoulders. He cupped both her breasts, fondling first, then gripping hard and squeezing them like he was kneading bread dough. He pinched both nipples roughly. She gasped, flinching with the unexpected pain. One hand strayed further down, toyed briefly with her neatly trimmed pubic hair and then continued to its objective. She’d been turned on continuously since leaving the house naked, and now two of his fingers glided easily into her. She leaned back on him to make the angle better but he withdrew his fingers and stepped away from her.

Silence.

What now?

Maybe she would hear his flies unzipping. Or maybe he would instruct her to masturbate for him again. He liked that a lot. Or maybe he was just watching and waiting for her to do something. 

What should she do?

“Derek?” she whispered.

Nothing. 

“Derek, are you there?”

She waited, but nothing happened. 

She decided enough was enough. This game was becoming too weird for her. Her nipples throbbed from the pinching. He’d never hurt her like that before. For his massive size, Derek was a gentle giant. 

She reached up and removed the blindfold. Her eyes automatically squinted in the bright fluorescent light. The door was closed. She turned her head to look for Derek behind her. Catching a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye, she instinctively recoiled, but it was too late. A dagger was nearing the end of its swipe right at her face. The fist enclosing it didn’t extend and so it was the base of the protruding black metal handle that was going to connect rather than its huge double-edged blade. She quickly turned to one side but it smashed into the side of her head regardless, with the force of a battering ram. 

Audri’s whole body slumped and she felt herself slowly list to one side. Her limbs wouldn’t respond to the instructions from her brain. Her scissored legs, still trapped in the chair, and her body’s imbalance caused the chair to tip over. The floor rushed up towards her. This time her face took the force full on. She heard rather than felt the bones in her nose crack and crush. One arm was trapped under the chair at a strange angle. Feeling returned to her body. And with it, the pain. 

Almighty pain.

Audri cried out and, hearing she was able to make a noise, opened her mouth and took the deepest ever breath to make the loudest ever scream. Swiftly, a hand reached down and shoved a white cloth into it, gagging her. She forced the scream out anyway, but it was muffled and useless. With her working hand, she tried to rip the gag out but the knife flicked at her wrist. Her arm dropped limply to the floor, blood pumping from the clean gash.