Shaking my head, I walk around the bed. Her eyes scan the room, and with nowhere else to go, she climbs up onto it. If my next move doesn’t work, I’ll have to subdue her with my body.
“If you don’t stop, I’ll visit your friend from the shelter. Sasha...is it?” As soon as the words leave my lips, she freezes in the center of the bed. “Or maybe I’ll visit Donna at the New Haven Senior Care.”
My threat hangs heavy in the air as I watch Dove’s face pale. She might act brave and fearless when it comes to her own safety, but she won’t risk the lives of the people she loves. She doesn’t know I wouldn’t actually hurt them.
Not since I know how important those people are to her. Not knowing how well Donna took care of her and how good of a friend Sasha has been to her.
Fresh tears pool in her eyes, and when she blinks, they slide down her cheeks.
“Don’t… don’t hurt them. Please, I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t hurt them.”
I should feel satisfied with myself as I watch her drop down onto the mattress, her cheeks stained with sadness, but I hate that I had to go there.
“I won’t hurt them unless you make me. Now, I want to show you around the house. This doesn’t have to be a prison, it’s all what you make of it. Will you behave now?”
She nods and hesitantly crawls off the bed, her head lowered in defeat as she comes to stand next to me.
“Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way. I’m Zane. I built this entire place for you. The library, gym, living room. Every inch of this place was built with you in mind.”
That seems to get her attention, and she looks up from the floor and right at me.
“Why would you build this place for me? I don’t even know you.” I ignore her question, knowing that answering one will lead to a million more.
“Come, let me show you around.” I extend my hand, and she looks at it with hesitation before placing her own in mine. Pleasure sparks deep in my gut and radiates south into my cock. Her hand is so tiny, fragile, and warm. Before I let my brain drag me in a different direction, I start the tour.
“This is the master bedroom, which we’ll share together. Through that door,” I point to the far-right door. “That’s the bathroom. There is a huge shower, and a tub for you to soak in since I know you like your baths.”
Her eyes go impossibly wide, and I can only imagine what’s going on in her head right now. Tugging her out of the bedroom, I walk toward the living room. “You already know where the kitchen and dining room are. Here is the living room. I’ve got all your favorite movies and tv shows here.” She doesn’t say a thing just stares open-mouthed at the space.
“Off the living room is a short hallway, which leads to the gym and library.” I point in the direction of the hall.
Turning to me, she looks up at me, her wet lashes fanning against her cheek. “W-why would you do this, and how do you know what I like and don’t like?”
Part of me wants to tell her nothing, to remain silent, but eventually, she’ll know the truth. Eventually, she’ll find out just how important she is to me.
I tug her closer and grip her gently by the hip, loving the way she molds like clay to my will. “Because, Dove, I’ve been watching you. I know everything about you. What you like, what you don’t like. Your favorite foods, movies, what time you wake up in the morning. I even know when you get your period and for how long it lasts.”
Shock, fear, confusion, it all blends into one on her face.
“Y-you watched me?” She’s trembling now, and I know it’s not because she’s cold.
“Yes, for a long time.” I can’t help but smile. Yes, she’s afraid now, but soon she’ll come to realize she has nothing to be afraid of, that everything I did was for her.
“W-Why?”
“I told you. Because I care for you, and I want you to be safe.”
“I… I think I’m going to be sick.” She lifts a hand to her mouth, and I release her, watching as she runs away from me and in the direction of the bathroom. I follow behind her and walk in to see her hunched over the toilet. Gently, I pull her hair back away from her face as she empties her stomach contents into the bowl.
“Shhh, it’s okay.” I soothe, using my other hand to rub up and down her back.
“It’s not okay,” she whispers, “none of this is okay.” Her body goes rigid.
I’m tempted to tighten my hold on her hair a little bit, but I don’t want to hurt her. That’s the last thing I want. There will be time for the things I want later, but right now, Dove needs me. She needs my kindness.
“It might not make sense, or be okay right now, but eventually, you’ll come to terms with it. Change is hard.”
Pulling away, the silky strands of her hair fall through my fingers as she scurries back against the side of the tub. Wiping at her mouth with the back of her sleeve, she peers up at me with confusion.
“I don’t understand. I don’t know why I’m here or why I’m important to you or what any of this is. I just want to go home. Please, let me go home.” Tears well in her eyes again, tugging at my heartstrings, but I banish the thoughts away.
I am her home, forever, and for always.
“This is your home now, and it will be so until I say otherwise. Now, when you’re ready, you can come out and join me for dinner.” I want to take her into my arms, hold her and make her forget about the fear but it’s too soon. Instead, I do the only thing I can. I put some distance between us because like the old saying goes: Distance makes the heart grow fonder.
11
Zane walks out of the bathroom, leaving me alone with my thoughts, All I can do is sag against the vanity.
The things he knows about me are terrifying and completely unnatural. It’s not normal to know how someone takes their coffee when you have not spent any time with that person. Nothing is normal about any of this, how can he not see how crazy this is?
I’m exhausted and afraid of what’s to come. He’s been watching me… and the things that he knows. I bite my lip to stifle a whimper. I have to get it together and try to escape this prison.
Forcing myself to use the breathing techniques Sharon taught me, I back away from the ledge of fear and analyze the information I have. He’s not going to let me go, that much is obvious. It’s clear he has an obsession of some sort with me, but he doesn’t want to hurt me, or at least it seems that way right now.
Hugging my knees to my chest, I do my damnedest to try and come up with a solution, a way out, but there isn’t one. There is nothing, and that leaves me feeling hopeless and ten times more afraid.
“Dove.” He calls my name from a distance, and then I hear him moving around, his feet barely make any noise. A moment later, he appears in the doorway, still shirtless.
“Dinner is ready.”
Shit. How long have I been sitting here?
Pushing myself up from the floor, I come to stand in front of him. A ghost of a smile appears on his lips before he turns around and walks out.
I follow him through the apartment, watching the muscles of his back move with every step he takes. I’m so mesmerized by them that I don’t realize when we’ve made it to the dining room table until he stops abruptly, and I slam right into his back.