Adrenaline began to rush through me as Ifrantically looked off into the far distance, taking everything in,looking for anything that might give away my location. But as Ilooked off into the distance, miles away there were buildings, andstructures, and hills. I could see a city, but I knew it wasprobably about twenty miles away. And then I saw a bridge; a bridgeway off in the distance, but one I instantly recognized. TheCoronado Bridge in San Diego, California.
My heartleapedwith joy as my earlier suspicions were correct andthen sank to the bottom of my soul as I realized how far away fromhome I was. I was all the way on the other side of the fuckingcountry.
How the fuck had I gotten this far withoutnoticing? There was no way I had gotten here without being flownthis far, but I don’t recall ever getting on a plane. Had I beendrugged that heavily? They had to have a private jet and landingstrip to be able to get away with it. So many fucking questionsspinning around in my head.
Looking over at the horizon, I couldn’t helpbut appreciate the view of the water. I could seesailboatsand freighters floating along towardthe city, and I suddenly longed to be free like that. I could havestayed up in that tree forever, but I knew that eventually I wouldhave to come down. But things abruptly took a turn for the worst asI heard Darren’sloud,angry voicecall out my name and I hunched in the tree from shock and fear. Ina panic, I frantically started to climb down with the kite asquickly as I possibly could. He’d kill me if he found me uphere.
Just as I leaned forward to climb down thenext branch, I felt my cuffs link together and I completely lost myfooting. I screamed as my stomach dropped to my feet while I beganto fall heavily down through the branches, tearing my dress, andscratching up my arms and legs as the limbs of the tree brokeagainst my body.
Fear consumed me as I thought I would tumbledown to my death, but luckily, I caught a branch with my armshalfway down. It scratched and tore my skin, but I clung to ittightly as I tried to catch my breath and calm my shaking nerves,pain now enveloping my entire body. It didn’t help much when Ilooked down to find Darren standing underneath the tree. I couldn’tsee his face very well, but I knew he was pissed.
“Jaden!” he yelled at me. “What the FUCK areyou doing up there?!”
Yeah, he was furious.
“Let me go so I can climb down!” I shoutedback to him. There was no way I could successfully climb down withmy limbs bound like this.
After a few seconds, I felt the forcebinding my cuffs diminish, and I held on for only a second longerbefore climbing down to meet my death. I had lost the kitesomewhere among the branches, but there was no point in going forit now.
I jumped down from the last branch andstared up at a very sinister looking Darren and took a slight stepback. Faster than I had anticipated, he grabbed my throat andshoved me up against the tree roughly.
“Just what the fuck were you doing up there,huh? And who the fuck told you that you could roam around outhere?” he roared down at me.
“I’m sorry! My kite got stuck in the tree! Ijust climbed up to get it. I didn’t think it was a big deal,” Istruggled to say as my hands grabbed his wrist that held me inplace. My blood was racing, my heart was pounding out of my chest,and I could feel the heat begin to blossom between my legs. Whatthe fuck was wrong with me?
“So you decided to risk your safety over afucking kite?” His voice was all malice and venom as it piercedthrough my ears, further driving my fear.
“It’s just a fucking tree! I used to climbthem all the time,” I shot back.
“Watch it, little girl,” he warned, glaringat me. “Your safety is of more concern to me than your childhoodactivities. Apparently, I need to rearrange your priorities.” Hesqueezed harder, causing tears to form in the corner of myeyes.
“I’m sorry. It was stupid,” I groanedagainst his strength.
“Yes, it was very stupid! Do you have anyidea how dangerous that was? What if you had fallen and brokensomething?”
“Well, I was doing just fine until someonedecided to bind me up,” I retorted.
“And you wouldn’t have fallen had you notbeen up there in the first place!” He was yelling now, and Iflinched back in my skin and looked away from him.
“You're right. I'm sorry. It won't happenagain.”
“You're goddamn right it won’t,” he snarledand flipped me around, shoving my dress up all the way to the backof my neck.
Taking off his belt, he whipped me hardfifteen times over my back and ass until there was nothing butthick red marks leftbehind.As ifI wasn’t sore enough from halfway falling out of a tree. When hewas finished, my face was red as silent tears fell down my face.Darren then dragged me back into the house by my hair. And that waswhen I noticed the gardener standing at the side of the house,concern and anger clear as day across his face. Shit. Major badtiming.
My entire backside ached and burned the restof the day and well into the morning, the need between my legs longforgotten after Darren finished fucking me from behind in his bed.He didn't give a single fuck even when he tucked me against hisside that night. He said if I hadn't been so stupid and careless, Iwouldn't be in so much pain.
Of course, my punishments were always myfault, and I spent most of that night unable to sleep from tearsand pain. But I reminded myself it wasn’t all for naught. I finallyknew where I was and had a better understanding of the property Iwas a prisoner of. Tomorrow, I would start the new phase of my planof escape.
ChapterThirty-Two
Trouble
~*~
When I woke up in the morning, I looked downto find Jaden’s sleeping form and couldn’t help but smile. She hadrolled over in the night, resting her head on my shoulder as sheslept. It honestly amazed me how she could so quickly fill me withmurderous rage and then melt my black heart the next.
I had given her so much in the last month,more than I was ready to, but I had already compared Jaden to thelion in the zoo long before she ever told me about it … becausethat was exactly what I was afraid of. All I wanted was for Jadento know her place—to respect and obey me without question,surrender all of her passion to me, and laughwithme like she was happy. But I couldn’t forceher to be happy. What I could do was everything in my power to makeher happy, yet understand that it would never be enough. I justhoped she didn’t end up like the lion in the zoo.
