Scarlett was sitting at her desk, filling out her latest mission for the five men whom she was expecting in her office momentarily. She wanted them to rob a train carrying a shipment of weapons and part of their payment for their services was a quick rutting with her before they left and another when they returned with their mission completed successfully.

                A knock on her door had her lifting her pen from the paper and placing the lid on her ink.

                “Come in…” she called out breathily. The door opened and she expected to see the five men, fresh meat for her to enjoy. Instead Bear stepped in. Instead of being disappointed, Scarlett was pleased as she stood and went to him quickly.

                His lips found hers quickly and she wiggled her body against him, feeling him tremble and delighting in the power she held over such a large man.

                “God I want you, Miss Scarlett.” He groaned against her mouth. She reached her hand down and cupped his throbbing arousal through his trousers.

                “I can tell.”

                Bear’s hips began to pump, rubbing himself against her hand as she squeezed. He moaned loudly and then put his lips to her neck.

                “There’s something we need to talk about…” he whispered as his hand dipped down into the waistband of her skirt. His eyes widened when he realized she wore no underclothes. Scarlett was wearing only her corset and skirt since she’d been prepared for her meeting.

                “I have company coming.” She replied to his unspoken question. He grumbled, his hips still moving and his large cock still pumping against her hand. He slid on finger into her wet folds and Scarlett’s breath caught in her chest.

                “You know I don’t like that.” He warned and Scarlett sighed.

                “You know you are the only man I am with for the sheer pleasure of your touch. With everyone else it is just business.”

                Bear growled and freed himself from his trousers and Scarlett wrapped her hand around his smooth shaft. “The boy’s parents should be here any day. I have the men on alert watching for any sign.” He informed her.

                Scarlett nodded and clung to him with her free hand as he teased her with his oh so talented hands. “I can’t wait until they arrive. I’ve been looking forward to killing them for a long long time.”

                “The boy is planning something.” Bear warned, his voice becoming more hoarse and rough. Sarlett could feel her own body tightening and climbing.

                “He’s four, Bear. I don’t think they ‘plan’ things.”

                “You just aren’t seeing the real him, Scarlett, you’re seeing what you want to see. Please be careful around him…. He’s hiding something.

                “You worry too much, my dear.” Scarlett replied with a sigh and then she moved away from him, dropped to her knees and got to work on finishing his pleasure before her next appointment arrived.

                As Bear moaned and buried his hand in her hair Scarlett thought about what he had said. Was that boy dangerous?  Scarlett didn’t think so. As a matter of fact she found the idea almost laughable.

                She thought that she and little Clayton were bonding quite well. They went for daily walks through the large house, ate their meals together and she had even been reading him stories at bedtime each night. Scarlett had never thought she would be a good mother but she was faring well at mothering Clayton.

                Then again Bear’s instincts were oftentimes very reliable. It was part of what made her keep him around. Perhaps she should look into what he was saying….

                Bear’s arousal grew and tightened in her mouth and she knew he was nearing his release. Forcing the thought of Bear’s fears of Clayton from her mind, Scarlett focused all her attention on her man and his pleasure.

***

                Clayton heard the footsteps approaching his room and he quickly hid his pocketknife and the long stick he’d been sharpening with it under the brass bed he’d been sleeping in the last three nights.  

                He grabbed the box of wooden blocks that Scarlett had given him and sat down in the floor, pretending to be working hard to build a crooked tower.

                The bedroom door opened and he could hear Scarlett’s skirts swishing as she entered his room. She smelled good like always. She smelled like cinnamon and apples and it always made Clayton wish he had a pie.

He hated this place.  He was allowed out of his room to relieve himself and eat meals only and then he was always escorted by either Scarlett or that giant monster named Bear. And Clayton had only been outside once. He had grabbed the stick, that he now had sharpened into a nice spear, that day and while Bear had tried to tell him no, Clayton had thrown a temper tantrum authentic enough to impress any four year old, and the stick had quickly been permitted into his room.

                “What are you doing, dear?” Scarlett asked as she perched herself on the edge of his bed. Clayton looked over his shoulder at her and plastered that innocent smile on his face that he’d perfected since coming here.

                He didn’t mind it too bad when Scarlett was around because he knew that as long as he did as she said she wouldn’t let anyone be mean to him. She seemed to think he wanted her to be his mama and while that made him mad because he had the best mama there was, it was also something he figured was a good thing since it had kept him from being beaten too often.

                But since Bear was oftentimes left alone to keep an eye on Clayton, the beatings had still happened. He had bruises on his arms because Bear liked to grip them too tightly when he was taking him to and from the different rooms in this house. And then Bear had punched his cheek the day before when Clayton had accidently spilled hot coffee on the man’s lap. It had really been an accident…. Honest.

                Clayton’s jaw still hurt real bad but the bruise made him look tough.

                “I’m building with blocks.” Clayton replied to Scarlett’s question. She ruffled his hair and he quickly smoothed it back down. He had never liked having his hair ruffled but he’d let his mama, pa and even Uncle Reb do it since he loved them. He didn’t’ love Scarlett. Not even close.  

                “I see that.” Scarlett replied, and there was an edge in her voice that caused him alarm. Clayton thought he saw something in her eyes as well. There was a doubt or a suspicion that wasn’t usually there when she came to him.  

                “Will you play with me?” he asked and Scarlett smiled then as she dropped to her knees beside him on the floor.

                “Of course I will.”  Clayton was careful to keep their arms from touching as they stacked the blocks. He hated feeling her touch him. Her gentleness confused him. He wanted his mama so badly. He wanted to be hugged and held tight. He might be smart and tough but he needed his mama. “Clayton….” Scarlett asked, saying his name slowly. Clayton looked over at her face to see that she was frowning and picking at bark and woodchips on the floor.

                Clayton cursed under his breath but acted as if he didn’t understand. “What is it, Miss Scarlett?”

                “Where is all of this mess from?” she asked and Clayton shrugged.

                “I don’t know….” The words had no sooner left his mouth then Scarlett’s hand fell across his cheek and sent him sprawling sideways. The sharp, stinging pain caused him to cry out and he tasted something warm and coppery in his mouth. Blood.

                “You dare lie to me?!” She screeched. Clayton couldn’t believe the change that came over her face and into her brown eyes. Gone was the soft, good natured and kind woman that had been spending time with him the last four days.  She looked insane, made with rage and very scary.

                “No, ma’am.” Clayton replied as he laid his hand over his burning cheek and backed away from her, scooting in his backside across the fancy rug.

                “Bear is right! You’re hiding something aren’t you, you little monster?!” Clayton shook his head.

                “You’re scaring me, Miss Scarlett. What did I do wrong?” 

                She got to her feet and stalked toward him. Clayton let out a squeak when she lunged for him and jumped to the side to avoid capture.

                “You can stop playing dumb now, little Clayton.” She sneered. “These last few days I simply thought Bear was foolish but you are hiding something!”

                “No, I’m not, Miss Scarlett. Honest….” Clayton replied and Scarlett sneered.

                “Bear!” she called out. Clayton watched in horror as the door opened and that massive man stepped inside.                 “Hold him while I search this room. There’s something not right.”

                “Gladly.” Bear growled. Clayton saw the man lunge for him and he tried to run around him and out the door but Bear’s big hands closed around his arms and jerked him backward. “Where you goin’ little man?”

                “Ya good fer nothin’ son of a cow! Unhand me right now, or else I’ll gouge yer damned eyeballs clean outta yer head!” Clayton kicked and clawed for all he was worth, while Scarlett stared at him with shock. “Ya nasty yellow bellied coward! I’ll kick ya right where the sun don’t shine ya fat bastard! Put me down!” 

                “I told you he wasn’t all innocence and sunshine, Miss Scarlett.” Bear stated and then he grunted when Clayton’s heel nearly collided with his groin. “He’s the devil in a child’s body.”

                ‘No he’s his mother!” Scarlett hissed as she stepped closer. “All this time you pretended to be a quiet and sweet soul and you reminded me of your father…. Now I hear her voice coming from your mouth and I see her hellish temper!”

                Clayton stilled when he realized that fighting was a waste of time. He watched Scarlett search the room, tossing aside the meager belongings that she had given him over the last few days. His heart nearly blew up when she neared the bed. Scarlett stooped down and reached beneath the bed, clicking her tongue when she pulled out the knife he’d spent hours sharpening into a spear.

                “What were you going to do with this, little Clayton?” she asked quietly as she walked toward him and tapped the stick against her hand.

                “I was thinkin’ I might just stick it up yer ass, Miss Scarlett.” Clayton replied with a shrug. He figured it was too late now to play innocent. He might as well just give ‘em all the hell he could. His mama hadn’t raised him to back down from anything and while he was scared and wondered if they’d kill him, he wasn’t about to let this crazy woman know that.

                Anger flashed in her brown eyes and suddenly Clayton could see what his mama and pa had been talking about. Scarlett was evil. She hid it behind polish but there wasn’t any hiding what was flashing in her eyes and contorting her face just now.

                “Hold him tight, Bear.” She whispered and Clayton whimpered with pain when one of Bear’s arms wrapped tight around his neck and shoulders, and the other closed around his legs, holding Clayton’s body close to his and preventing him from doing anything more than squirm as Scarlett came toward him with that stick held tight in her white-knuckled hands.

                Clayton’s heart was thundering in his chest, pounding against his tiny ribcage as Scarlett neared him. She placed the sharp end of the stick against his stomach and no matter how much Clayton tried to suck his gut in, she kept the spear tight against it.

                “Was I not good to you?” she hissed, pressing the stick harder against him and causing Clayton to whimper at the pain it inflicted. He saw her smile, the bitch actually smiled, at his pain. “Did I not make sure you had toys?” She poked him again. “Food?” Poke. “Bedtime stories?” Poke. “Motherly love?” This time she poked him so hard that the spear broke his skin and Clayton cried out.

                He breathed deeply through his nose as Scarlett tossed the spear aside. Clayton knew she hadn’t cut him too deep but he could still feel blood dripping down his stomach and soaking into his chambray shirt that Scarlett had given him just yesterday.

                “My mama will kill you, Miss Scarlett.” Clayton stated, his voice was shaky from pain and fear but his eyes were locked with hers. He refused to close them or look away.

                “Not before I kill your mama, boy.” Bear warned, his grip on Clayton’s neck tightening and making it difficult to breath.

                “A dead man can’t kill nobody.” Clayton countered, as he fought for breaths.

                Bear chuckled. “And whos’ going to kill me? You?”

                “No, you big dumb bastard.” Clayton snapped, digging his nails into Bear’s forearm. “My damn pa is going to kill ya with his eyes closed. You ain’t nothin’.”

                Bear growled and threw Clayton down onto the floor. Clayton tried to keep his footing but his feet got all tangled together and he fell. Just as he was trying to scramble to his feet, Bear’s foot connected with his ribs, knocking out his breath and causing a razor sharp pain to fill him.

                Tears filled his eyes as he squeezed them shut against the pain. Every breath he took was like knife stabbing his chest and being strong was no longer an option. He was too full of pain and fear.

                “Do you know what your parents are, Clayton?” Scarlett asked as she squatted down beside him and smoothed his hair from his sweaty brow. Clayton jerked away from her touch and she grabbed his hair roughly and yanked him back, causing him to cry out again. “Your parents are murderers. They hunted my husband and I down, kidnapped us from our home and then your bitch of a mother shot my husband in cold blood. Killed him right there in front of me!  That’s the kind of people your parents are. And just as soon as I see those worthless monsters again I am going to kill them…. And then I am going to lay their dead bodies out for you to see before I let Bear finish you off.”

                Tears were pouring down Claytons’ cheeks now and Scarlett patted his face, causing the bruise from Bear’s beating the day before to throb.

                Scarlett stood then and motioned for Bear. “Take him to the cellar. We’ll see how he likes being cold and damp. He’ll regret trying to pull wool over my eyes and make a fool out of me.”

                Clayton screamed in pain when Bear jerked him from the floor by his hair and tossed him over his shoulder. Clayton would have fought against the big man if it wasn’t for the pain in his chest as he was bounced and jostled. Each movement brought forth excruciating pain and Clayton worried that he was going to vomit.

                He was taken past the kitchens and Bear opened a heavy oak door. Clayton saw the dirt walls and rickety steps as they went down them and then he was tossed very unceremoniously onto the damp, dirty floor.

                “Enjoy your stay you little bastard. I’m sure it won’t be too long.” Bear kicked a puddle of musty water into Clayton’s face and then turned and stomped away back up the stairs.

                Clayton hurt the lock engage on the door at the top of the stairs. He wanted to get up and look around but he couldn’t. He was hurting and terrified.

                He lay there on the cool ground, pulled his legs into his chest and wrapped his arms around them though instead of praying for his mama and pa to get there soon, which is what he’d prayed for so many times over the last four days, he prayed that they’d stay away. He didn’t want to see them die…..