I made a small step forward, hoping I was allowed,as I took a hard look around. My new cage was much bigger and muchprettier, but it was still a cage nonetheless. I could feel my ragestarting to seep in again as this asshole thought it right to callthis my home. He didn’t know a damn thing about my home.
Surprised that he let me continue my steps, Inonchalantly walked forward until I was a foot away from the chair.Then, before I even had a chance to reconsider my next move, Igripped the arm of the chair in my hand, turned, and hurled it withall my strength right at the owner’s perfectly built body.Thankfully, it wasn’t very heavy.
“This isn’t my home, you piece of shit! I don’tbelong here, and I certainly don’t belong to you! Ever!” I screamedas the chair flew through the air.
God, it felt good to release some rage and breaksome shit at the same time, especially if it involved breaking shiton this son of a bitch’s body.
The look on his face was priceless as he took halfof the chair’s impact, bringing his arms up and blocking it whiletaking a step to the side. The chair crashed to the floor besidehis feet in a pile of wood splinters and expensive cushion.
I took off then, running before he even knew I wasgone. I passed what looked like a parlor, eventually running downsome kind of hallway. Hoping that even if I didn’t get away, Icould, at least,find somethingslim and long enough to fit nicely into his jugular. But I didn’tget very far. My cuffs were activated, and I couldn’t resist thestrengthoftheir pull as theyinstantly threw me off balance, causing me to crashtothe ground. Pain radiatedfrommy side as my shoulder and hip took thebrunt of my fall; I tried to roll but failed miserably.
The owner was not far behind. His strides were long,and the power in his footsteps told me I was in for a seriousfight. Fear prickled over my skin as I tried to crawl and wriggleaway from him, but it was pointless. He grabbed my arm in a tightgrip, pulling me roughly to my feet and slamming me into the wall.I pushed and fought against him, but he trapped me with his massivebody and took hold of my wrists, pinning them above my head withone hand.
“Look at me,” he said calmly. I hated looking up athim. It was just a reminder of how fucking small and weak I wascompared to him. “Jaden,” he warned. I finally raised my eyes tohis, but I had to crane my neck to do so and gave him the mostannoyed look I could muster. “Whether you like it or not, youdobelong to me now, and nothing you do is going to changethat. There is no going back, and there is no escaping it. Whateverlife you had before is gone and irrelevant. There is just menow.”
His voice was cold and calm, and it chilled me tothe bone, but then his grip tightened on my wrists and a dull painenveloped them."So if I tell you whereyou'll live, what you'll wear, how you'll behave, or whatever thefuck else I tell you to do, you'll do it without complaint orquestion. Because the only thing you need to worry about for therest of your goddamn life now is pleasing me.”
My wrists were beginning to throb, and I squirmedinvoluntarily to alleviate the pressure on them. I didn’t even careabout what he was saying to me. They were just words, and theymeant nothing to me.
“Now, I can understand your rage, and I’ll forgiveyour little stunt back there, but you pull that shit again, andI’ll have you crawling on your hands and knees for the rest of themonth.”
“Oh, fuck you!” I shouted at him. “Is that it?You’re gonna have me as your perfect little slave for the rest ofmy life? Don’t fucking deny it. I know it’s true,” I jabbed. Hesmiled down at me—that shit-eating grin back in place.
“That and so much more,” he practically beamed, andI felt my stomach shrink in on itself. “Now, if you can behave,I’ll show you to your room. Can you?”
I thought my glare was fierce enough that he couldsee the “fuck off” clearly in my eyes. Did I want to behave? Whatthe fuck was I, a child?
“I won’t ask you again,” he growled, his free handstriking out and clutching my throat. I tried to fight against him,but for everysecondI didn’tanswer, his grip became tighter and tighter. “Jaden,” he warnedagain, more anger in his voice this time.
“Yes,” I finally choked out.
“Yes, what? What are you going to do?”
“Yes, I’ll behave.”
“Good girl,” he said and released my throat. Icoughed fiercely as I sucked in the air I had been denied, stillfighting against the hold he had on my arms. Would this never getold?
Chapter Three
TheRules
Still gripping one of my wrists, the owner releasedmy ankles, pulled me from the wall, and led me up thestaircase. When we reached the top, he tugged medown one of the many hallways and stopped at the third door on theright. Opening the door, he pulled me inside and finally releasedhis grip.
Turning gradually, I looked around at what wasprobably now my bedroom and a sense of warmth slowly enveloped me.The colors of the room reminded me of fall, as the walls were warmreds, soft peaches, and pumpkin oranges. A bed was to my right andit was a beautiful four-poster canopy with a soft satiny dark redcomforter andtons of fluffy, frillypillows. A whitedresser with a large mirror was set against the wall not too farfrom the bed and a white vintage-looking vanity sat in the rightcorner of the room between two windows.
Light cream colored drapes fell to the floor toaccommodate the tall windows that stretched from the floor toceiling, but the best window of all was the bay window with areading nook, decorated with more cushions and pillows that led outfrom the corner of the room. Sitting in another corner of the roomwas the comfiest-looking chaise I had ever seen. Cream colored andplush, it was beckoning me, promising me the best nap of my life,but that would have to wait. Behind me to my left was a ratherlarge white desk. Placed next to it was a small whitebookshelfadjacent to the white wooden framedfireplace. Why was everything white?
I slowly walked around the room, trying tofamiliarize myself with it. Further down, directly opposite thebed, was another door Ihopedledto a private bathroom.
“What do you think?” he askedfrom behindme, general curiosity filling hisvoice.
“It’s beautiful.” I sighed, folding my arms acrossmy chest. It really was, but I still hated the fact I was there. Iturned back around to find him leaning against the wall,hishands in his pockets and the small hint of a smile on hislips.
“I’m glad you like it,” he said. “I had it decoratedespecially for you.”
Did he now …
“How long ago did you plan on purchasing me?” Iasked. It had only been a few hours since the auction. He waited afew moments, calculating his answer, and then finally spoke.
