Alveus (ABC's Inc. Romance #1) Read online

  Alveus

  An ABC’s Inc. Romance

  Book 1

  By

  Lara Earlman

  Betrayed and sold to the highest bidder

  What were the odds he’d be someone from her past?

  Copyright

  Copyright © 2016 Lara Earlman All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the author. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Contents

  Translations

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Authors Note

  Human Trafficking

  The Legend of the Church in the Rocks

  Translations

  Latin:

  Alveus - hollow, cavity, empty Proditio - betrayal

  German:

  Bier – beer

  Bitte – please

  Danke – thank you

  Ein bisschen – little bit / little one

  Enkelsohn – grandson

  Frau – Mrs.

  Frollein – young lady

  Guten Tag – good day

  Herr – Mister

  Jungen – child

  Liebling – sweetheart

  Mein liebes – my love

  Nein – no

  Oma – grandmother (affectionate)

  Opa – grandfather (affectionate)

  Schwindelig Hund – dizzy dog

  Sitz – sit!

  Chapter One

  Standing naked under intense scrutiny, she pulled her chin up high refusing to give in to humiliation. It seems pride still remained in her emotional cache; God knows, the rest of what had once been Lexi Alberton began its evacuation a long time ago. She tried not to grimace when a hand slapped her buttocks. The woman had been pacing around her, touching and inspecting Lexi as if she held the place of honor on a used car lot.

  Two men, Lexi’s escorts, stood on either side of her, neither bothering to tame their outward lust; in fact, one of them appeared to be having a difficult time standing still. His eyes darted from Lexi’s nude body, to the woman standing in front of her.

  “Down, boy,” the woman teased, amused at his eagerness to try out the new plaything. “Spread her legs apart,” she commanded.

  Her eager associate complied by pulling Lexi’s arms behind her and using his feet to widen her stance. The boss lady pulled a latex glove over her hand, approached Lexi, and in an inconceivably brazen move, shoved her fingers into her crotch. Lexi felt herself stiffen, unable to control a sharp intake at the intrusion.

  The woman’s smile twisted with greed as she peeled off the glove.

  “Tight,” she announced. “Boys, I think we’ve got us a virgin.” She clapped her hands and rubbed them together. “This one’s gonna set us up on easy street.” Glaring at them she warned, “You keep your hands off,” a small cackle escaped her lips, “and that goes for any other parts of your body, as well! You ruin my little treasure, and I’ll see to it that you never touch another woman – understand?”

  “She’s too old to be a virgin, Cass. What is she, close to thirty? No way,” the voracious one argued. The woman placed her hands on her ample hips; her stance said she meant business, but the glint in her eyes revealed satisfaction at his desire for their new acquisition. Even if she isn’t a virgin, as Cass believed, she’d still pull in a hefty profit. Despite her resolve the girl had an innocent, vulnerable look about her.

  “No, Bert,” she contradicted her cohort, “I was told that she led a sheltered life. She may be in her late twenties, but my informant claims that she’s never gone out with any man, other than her father.” Cass blasted out a nasty laugh. “The pampered little princess was deemed too good for anyone. Well, her hoity-toity upbringing will make it possible for me to sell her to a high class of clientele. I’m talkin’ set for life, boys!”

  Yes, whether it was pride or the upper class breeding her captor so blatantly belittled, Lexi kept her head held high; but she couldn’t restrain the one small tear which escaped down her cheek.

  Left alone in the small room her kidnappers had assigned her, Lexi took a shower in the adjoining bathroom, taking satisfaction in washing off their paw prints before donning her clothes. She determined that the room was part of a hotel suite. It had been stripped down to the necessities; a full-sized bed, a small table and chair, and a bureau. The window looked out into an alley, with a solid brick side of the building next door concealing further evidence of Lexi’s location. The television had been removed from the room, along with the phone, and her purse was missing as well – no cell phone. Who would she call, anyway? Alexiah (Lexi) Alberton was alone in the world. She had no recollection of how she had gotten there – wherever there is. The last thing she remembered was entering her uncle’s office. A hand had grabbed her from behind, and a foul rag placed over her nose and mouth.

  »ɞ»ɞ«ɞ«

  Dane Wellesley threw back another shot, chasing it down with several large gulps of the local bier. Spotting his friend walking through the tavern door, he caught the eye of a barmaid and held up two fingers.

  “I take it your Oma’s health has not improved,” Keith stated, as he made himself comfortable at his inebriated friend’s table.

  “Nor has her stubbornness,” Dane replied, finishing off his ale. A pretty little frollein gave him a seductive wink as she placed the beverages on the table. Just to be sure he understood the invitation, she gave him a close-up view of her cleavage as she reached across the table to retrieve the empty glasses. He smiled, allowing his eyes to trail over the rest of her assets. She would certainly take an edge off the stress, he reflected as he watched her curvy backside sway deliciously on her way back to the bar. But, for how long? Oma’s sweet disapproving face would be added to the already building anxiety. How can one elderly woman have such power over him?

  Dane’s German grandmother had raised him, and there was no one on earth as dear to him as his Oma. He would do anything for her – and therein lay the core of his distress. He had moved his business to Frankfurt, Germany in order to facilitate frequent visits to his grandmother’s home in Oberstein. Bedridden with a debilitating illness, she had but one request of her only grandchild before she left this life behind her. The one thing he couldn’t give to her.

  Dane’s British grandfather had fallen in love with the beautiful frollein at his first glimpse. She came from an affluent family so he set out to win her father’s approval. With the help of close friends, Henry Brighton made his name known in the business world and
in the process won the hand of Marta Gottlieb. Their only child, a daughter named Cara, married her college sweetheart and produced a son. With no desire to be a mother, she dumped him on her parent’s doorstep and plunged into the high society social life. When Dane’s father gambled away their money, Henry Brighton stepped in to bail them out, making a place for his son-in-law at Brighton Industries.

  It was soon apparent that John Wellesley was incapable of making an honest living. Tired of his father-in-law’s controlling, he left his wife and son and disappeared into the proverbial night. His body was later found; a victim of the illegal life he had chosen. Dane’s mother Cara left no regrets behind her as she flitted from one marriage to another, each husband a step higher on the social ladder.

  Dane rarely missed his parents. He had a happy childhood and loved taking part in the family dealings. After his grandfather’s demise, Dane proved that he’d inherited his Opa’s business savvy by expanding Brighton Industries into a worldwide name.

  “She wants you to move into the estate, doesn’t she,” Keith proposed. “I told you that there would be no problem with you working out of Oberstein. If it’s your privacy you’re worried about…” he followed Dane’s gaze, still planted on the curvy server. “There are plenty of nice hotels here.”

  “That’s not it,” Dane said.

  “Well, you’re the one who asked me here to commiserate, so give me some help.”

  Dane gave a sigh and finished off another bier. He waited until the next round was delivered before he dropped the bomb.

  “She wants to see me married before she dies.”

  “WHAT?!”

  “Shhhh,” Dane quieted him. “I don’t want a line of eligible women to form at our table, do I?”

  Dane’s finances were not the only assets women were attracted to. He’d never had a problem acquiring female company. Business necessitated his attendance at a variety of social functions and he was known to escort a different woman to each event. The paparazzi made a game out of attempting to get a picture of him with the same woman twice. So far they’d failed.

  His friend was laughing. Keith had known him since college and now worked with him as the head of Brighton Industries’ legal division.

  “Oh, heartless one,” he taunted, “you are about to break the heart of the only woman you have ever cared about.”

  “You have plenty of female friends; can’t you get one to do me a favor?” Dane asked, “How about a sister or a cousin, or something?”

  “Like I’d trust my sister with you?” Keith shook his head. “Besides, she’d have to be special in order to put one over on your Oma. That old woman’s eyes burn laser daggers into my soul. Give me some time; I’ll have to think about this one. Are you sure you don’t have feelings for any of the girls you’ve dated?”

  Dane glared at him. “I don’t date.”

  “Right, don’t let any woman get closer than skin deep. You’ve got problems, man.”

  “Look, are you here to help me or psychoanalyze me?”

  Keith put his hands out to stop his anger. “Easy, Dane; I’m your friend as well as your lawyer. I said I’d think of something. Does she at least believe you’re dating someone, or are you going to spring a wife on her out of the blue?”

  “I told her that there was a woman I cared about, but she was shy about making a commitment. Of course now she wants to meet her, probably to convince her of my good intentions.” Dane gave a bitter laugh at the thought. “Just make sure you write up an ironclad contract for her to sign. I don’t care what kind of price you have to pay, but it’s a onetime agreement. If we marry, it ends with Oma. No ties of any kind. Make that clear!”

  “And her wifely duties?”

  “She should make herself available, sure; the marriage contract will be legal.”

  »ɞ»ɞ«ɞ«

  The rattle of a key in the door woke Lexi from a drug-induced sleep. Of course… they’d drugged her meals. Bert came in carrying a plate of food and Cass followed with a clothes bag. Lexi took notice of her surroundings and realized that she’d been moved to a different room.

  “Clean yourself up and put these on,” Cass said. “Make yourself pretty – you’re going to meet your new family today!” Bert put the plate down on the table. “Don’t forget to eat,” Cass continued. “We can’t have those pretty eyes fogged over from drugs now can we?” The woman appeared to be in an exceptionally good mood, Lexi noted. Not that it would bode well for her. Of course she’d thought of bargaining for her freedom, but her attempts had been met with laughter, leaving Lexi wondering what kind of hold her uncle had over the callous abductor. Knowing him, she was probably payment for a debt owed. Left alone again, Lexi picked up the plate of food. The meal looked foreign – brochen and bratwurst? Her ears perked up to listen to the television playing in the next room. They were speaking German! Lexi was sure of it; she spoke several languages fluently – German being one of them.

  The female boss of this little human trafficking operation had gotten the correct information about Lexi. Up until now, she’d lived a privileged life in the affluent Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. Both of her parents had worked hard and put in long hours building their company into a success. Alberton Technologies was sought out by all of the world’s leading industries. Lexi had grown up learning the value of hard work and, being an only child, had been honed to take over the family legacy. In the process she’d joined her parents traveling the world. That is, until about a decade ago. Lexi was seventeen when her mother showed the first signs of dementia. Alicia and Alexander Alberton had been in their forties when they gave birth to their “miracle baby,” putting them in their sixties when Lexi was a teen. Alicia became a recluse when she was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Certain that it would harm the reputation of Alberton Technologies, Lexi’s parents came out with a public confession that Alicia had cancer. As a brilliant scientist, Lexi’s mother would not tolerate the world thinking that she had lost her mind.

  Whether it was her idea or her parents, Lexi cancelled her plans to go away to college and instead stayed home to care for her mother. Alicia and Alex were wonderful parents and Lexi never thought twice about putting her life on hold for them. Her father eventually turned his home office into the headquarters of his business and Lexi worked as his assistant. The family had successfully closed themselves off from the world, with the exception of business obligations. Through caring for her mother, assisting her father, and taking college courses over the internet, Lexi had no time for friends. They all slowly drifted away, except for her closest friend, Fani. Actually her name is Stefani, but with a twin brother named Stefan it became a bit confusing, so her family shortened it. Eventually even Fani’s calls, texts, and emails had disappeared.

  Alex Alberton doted on his wife, and when she passed away he drew inside himself with grief. Shortly after his wife’s passing, Lexi’s father joined his beloved, leaving their daughter alone. The only family left was her father’s younger brother, Richard. At her parents’ private funeral Uncle Richard pulled Lexi into his arms and promised to be there for her. Lexi leaned on him, releasing her pent up grief.

  Uncle Richard had always been a bit of a gadabout, showing up for short visits before leaving again for unknown adventure. Her father, expressing disgust over his brother’s ways, tried his best to get him interested in the business. Lexi suspected her uncle only appeared in his brother’s life when he needed money. Although she was skeptical about her uncle’s belated interest in Alberton Technologies, Lexi was pleased to have him in her life. The company had been bequeathed to her, but she was grateful for his support. That is, until she realized that he knew nothing about running the business.

  He thwarted her at every turn; canceling orders and buying cheaper quality product, cutting out essential jobs to save money, and making business deals with unsavory individuals. She had to put a stop to it, and was relieved when he finally agreed upon a meeting to iron out their diff
erences. The moment she’d stepped into his office, she realized his betrayal. Lexi woke up in an unfamiliar hotel room, drained of emotion.

  Germany, why am I in Deutschland? Lexi pondered her position while the shower washed off the remains of her drugged lethargy. She knew her life was in the hands of human traffickers; even so, she couldn’t bring herself to care. Was she still drugged? She tried to conjure up fear, sorrow, hopelessness, anger, self-pity… anything – but she felt nothing.

  Chapter Two

  “Sign here.”

  Lexi poised the pen over the man’s finger as he pointed out the preferred blank line. She stared at the sham of a contract – did he take her for a fool? Signing an agreement would be meaningless given that he literally owned her, not to mention null and void since it’s against the law to own an individual. She continued to read; perhaps he had her consenting to the ownership. No, it was a standard pre-nuptial contract. So, he intends to force her into marriage. Strange… Well, no reason for her to sign her real name. As far as she knew he had no idea who she really is, or rather who she was. Alveus Proditio, she signed.

  “Alveus? What kind of a name is that?” the man asked. She remained silent. “Doesn’t matter,” he shrugged. “You do understand English, right?”

  Lexi nodded affirmative.

  “Good, I shall explain what you’re going to do for me, or rather for my friend, and then illuminate on what will happen if you fail to obey my instructions – clear?”

  She nodded again.

  “First I want to hear you speak,” he said. “What is your nationality?”

  “I’m an American,” Lexi answered.

  “Ah, perfect,” he smiled, “and a lovely voice for a lovely woman. You should do fine.”