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He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I can see this is going to be a trial. You’re in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.”
“Pennsylvania!” How had he brought her all the way from Detroit without getting caught? “How long did I sleep?” He definitely drugged her.
“Not long. I told you I lived on a farm. This is my land.”
Great. He probably had a whole cartel out in the barn and women chained up in every stable. “Why did you bring me here?”
“We’ll get to that.”
“How about you tell me now, asshole?”
“My name is Christian. Use it.”
Her legs trembled from strain. She’d been crouching on the bed for too long and hunger pains were cutting through her empty stomach. She was going to lose it in a second if she didn’t get some answers.
“Sit,” he ordered. “You’re trembling.”
“I’m fine.” She wasn’t.
“Your body’s under stress. I give you my word, I won’t come near you.”
Cautiously, she lowered her butt to the farthest corner of the bed. “I’m sitting because I want to, not because you told me to.”
“Very well.” He cleared his throat. “There are some rules I expect you to be mindful of now that you’re here. You will use clean language at all times. You will dress appropriately, like the other females on the farm, and you will not speak to any males outside of my presence. I’ll have a bonnet and apron brought to you as soon as I can. I expect you to behave like a modest God-fearing woman now that you’re here.”
Annnnnd that was the straw that choked the chauvinistic camel. “Are you freaking nuts? I’m not staying here. I’m certainly not going to conform to whatever fantasy compound shit you have in your head. And as far as Christian modesty goes, that went out the window when you choked me out with your dick still buried inside of me.”
“That’s not what happened.”
“My memory says otherwise.”
“You’re not injured. As a matter of fact, you’re healthier than you’ve ever been. Sometimes human memories can be misleading. How do you feel now? Is your throat sore? Do you have any scrapes or cuts? If I wanted to kill you, you’d be dead. But you’re very much alive and well.”
She didn’t know how to respond to that. He was technically right on most counts, but… “I know you did something to me.”
“It’s my God-given duty to protect you. You need to trust me in all things, Delilah.”
Right. “Let’s get something clear. Your god is not mine, and I will never trust you again.”
“You will—”
“The fuck I will. And FYI, I don’t have a modest bone in my body, so as far as modesty goes, mine’s gone. There’s no domesticating me. I’m as feral as they come, so how about you let me walk out of here, and I won’t go for the jugular when I press charges against your psychotic ass. Sound good, fuck face?”
Her body hurled back and she screamed as his hulking frame pinned her down. “I will not be spoken to with such disrespect. This is my home. You belong to me. And you will behave like an obedient female or there will be consequences.”
True fear gripped her as she trembled under his weight. No level of sarcasm could save her now. And without that go-to coping skill, she was just a terrified little girl in the hands of an unpredictable maniac.
“Tell me you understand. Say it. Say, I understand, Christian.”
Her heart thundered in her ears. Frightened beyond measure, she nodded, but her voice had dried up like a mollusk. He waited for her to speak.
“I understand, Christian,” she croaked, and the threat in his eyes vanished, his composure returning as he eased off of her.
Terrified, she curled into a ball and sucked in a jagged breath. She, once again, had no control. Too many painful memories triggered at once. She shoved them back, compartmentalizing each one with a mental slam. She remembered what her therapist had said. Be present. Wall. Door. Dresser. Window. But no sense of safety came.
“I wish no negativity between us, Delilah. We must deal with what’s happened and move forward.”
The bastard was insane. All that mattered now was that she stay alive.
Brushing a wrinkle out of his shirt, he moved toward the door. “This is your home now. You need to accept that. The harder you fight me, the more difficult this transition will be for you.”
A tear rolled from her eyes. This was not actually happening. She didn’t know what he wanted from her, but she was certain there had been some sort of mistake.
“Relinquish your English ways, and I’ll help you as much as possible. Disrespect me, and you will not like the result. You should see me as your partner now. I’m here to help you and protect you.”
No words came. None of this made sense. She simply shivered and held her knees close to her chest, terrified that this room might be the last place she ever visited.
