“Annette is not a sub. She is my property.”
Gabe had by this point begun to frantically pace back and forth across the floor of the large suite. “Well, I don’t treat things I own this badly. I don’t scratch up my car just because I can. I never threw a surfboard against a wall just because it was mine. When you truly own something shouldn’t you take better care of it, not worse? She isn’t there yet, but she is going to hate you. And once she does there will be no coming back from it.”
Anton glared. “Are you finished?”
“I don’t know why I even bother.” Gabe started to leave in the same swirl of angry energy he’d erupted into the room in, but Anton’s voice stopped him.
“I shouldn’t have taken her out in public so soon. I let my ego take over. I should have kept her here until she was trained. There were too many moving parts tonight that I couldn’t control, and I lost it with her. Okay?”
“You know you’re not the good guy, right?”
Anton had figured that out hours ago. It was chilling to wake up into your own story as the villain. “I know.”
Gabe gave him a disgusted look and left without another word. Anton turned off the bedside lamp and tried to sleep, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t stop thinking about Annette in that dark cell by herself. What were her real crimes? Being human? Being scared? Of course she didn’t trust him. Of course if she was attracted she might feel jealous. Of course she’d worry he might lose interest and both her and her sister’s life might be at stake. It was unreasonable to expect so much of her so soon. What was he afraid of?
And why was he so hell bent on destroying this before it could really start? He’d never thought of himself as self-destructive.
In the desperate urge not to lose this almost magical scenario he’d stumbled into, he’d forgotten there was a very real human woman at his total mercy. And he wanted a genuine bond with her. He shouldn’t have taken her out in public so soon. What was the rush?
Why was she in the dungeon? For insulting him at a party she wasn’t prepared to deal with, two days after she’d met him? He was the one at fault here. Not her. He just didn’t know how to fix it while still maintaining control.
This may have been uncharted territory but it wasn’t as though he’d never had a long-term sub. He had to let go of the idea that Annette was something completely different. She wasn’t. The only difference was that she couldn’t just leave him. If he couldn’t handle that level of power then he was never the person he thought he was.
Anton was at a crossroad. If he didn’t fix this immediately, he’d become Brian. Brian actually had a history that made his behavior almost understandable. What was Anton’s excuse besides simple corruption of power?
He’d never be able to sleep until he fixed this. Reluctantly, he got up and went down to the dungeon. He couldn’t apologize. It would show weakness, and she’d only manipulate this loophole later. He would have to show her by his actions over time that she could trust him. And hell, he wasn’t sure he could trust himself so why should he expect it of her? He felt beyond shaken by his recent behavior. He’d always thought he was more in control than this.
The cell door creaked as he pushed it open. Immediately, she stirred. Had she somehow actually managed to fall asleep?
“Annette, come to bed.”
Without a word, she gathered her blankets and pillows and clothes and walked out of the cell, avoiding his gaze like a puppy who’d been kicked by its master—as if he needed more reminding of what he was.
In their room, she still didn’t speak.
“Leave the blankets on the floor; they came from another room. The pillows go in here.”
She left the blankets and took her pillows to the bed and silently got in. This was possibly beyond repair.
“Go to sleep. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
Anton turned off the lamp and got in on his side. The bed vibrated every few seconds from her crying. He hesitated, but then moved in closer and gently touched her shoulder. She stopped crying for a moment and tensed.
He didn’t know how to comfort her. He was the monster she needed comfort from.
“Do you regret trading yourself for your sister, now?”
There was a long pause. He thought he might have to repeat the question, but finally she said, “No. Knowing what I know now, I’m just glad it’s not her having to be trapped with you.”
Everything was broken.
51
It took a moment for Annette to remember where she was when she woke. Her first thought had been out of habit. Did I remember to go to the store? Do we have any cereal? Her next thought was wondering why her alarm hadn’t gone off and if Jan’s had. Had she made it to school in time?
A second later, Annette bolted straight up in bed, her eyes flying open, as she remembered the nightmare that was her life now.
A robe had been laid across the bottom of the bed for her. Small kindnesses. These little things he did. This Jekyll and Hyde routine. She’d known him only a few days and already there was a long pro/con list. He had as many crimes as good moments, and she knew she would never trust him.
No matter how beautiful he was. No matter how much she still wanted him to touch her. How could anyone have such a spell on her? She’d always been the type of woman who took forever to fall for a guy. Despite her limited experience, she knew who she was. It took sometimes well into a year before she stopped fully questioning if she even liked the guy let alone if she loved him.
It took nearly forever for her to become truly attached. She’d thought something was wrong with her. Maybe she was shut down. Too cold. Maybe she couldn’t feel the things other people felt when it came to attraction and love. Or maybe it was from losing her parents. Maybe it was too risky to have strong feelings for someone when they would just die and leave you anyway.
But Anton was different. Was it just that he was so unbearably beautiful? Was it the accent? Was it the pleasure? Was she addicted to the fear and adrenaline? Was she a danger junkie? What sick thing had slithered inside her mind and taken hold to make her feel this way?
She thought back to the previous day. In the pool where things had first started to go to hell and the mask had slipped with him. It was a little fucking white lie to protect her sister! It didn’t merit the punishment that followed. Then he’d acted so weird at the ballet. And the party. And the fucking dungeon. Even coming for her later didn’t make up for the fact that he’d intended to make her sleep there.
Annette slipped the bathrobe on and tied it around herself. She went outside and stood on the balcony. This could be the closest she ever got to freedom, but it was fresh air. From the third floor, the view was exquisite. A good portion of the expansive property was clearly visible from her vantage point as well as a lush forest beyond. In the far distance she could see a mountain range.
The sun was almost directly overhead. She’d slept most of the morning away—not surprising given the night before. A sunrise over those mountains would be absolutely breathtaking. She could picture herself standing on the balcony in the morning, watching that sunrise every day—assuming Anton would allow her any of these small normal things.
Why hadn’t she run at the ballet? Two times he’d inexplicably given her the opportunity. She and her sister could have gotten to safety, and then the cops could have swarmed Anton’s house.