Now I was here—about to become a slave.
Crewe walked into the bedroom, his brown eyes nearly black in anger. He called up to me twice, but I still didn’t obey. I wasn’t scared of his wrath, just in shock over what was about to happen.
“You’ll have to drag me out…” I tightened my arms around my waist and waited for his attack. “But I’ll fight you the whole way, kicking and screaming. And when Bones has me, I’ll do the same to him.”
Crewe slowly approached me, still looking down at me with a slight sneer. “New plan.”
I stared at him, my breathing all over the place. “What?”
“I sent Bones away because I’ve come up with a better idea, a better punishment.”
What punishment could possibly be worse than being that madman’s prisoner?
“You’re mine—forever.” He stared at me like he hated me, like I’d done something terrible to him within the past hour. “You’re my prisoner, my slave. You’ll do as I ask without me having to ask more than once. I’ll wear you on my arm everywhere I go, so everyone will know what I’ve done to Joseph Ingram.”
My arms dug into my waist as I gripped myself tightly. It seemed like I was missing a piece of the puzzle because this wasn’t adding up. I voluntarily slept with Crewe, obviously with an ulterior motive, but that was something I couldn’t have done with Bones no matter how hard I tried. Bile wouldn’t stop rising up my throat. From what I could see, being forced to do whatever he wanted was far better than going home with that asshole who gave me a black eye.
“You’ll never go home. You’ll never escape. This is your life until you die or I kill you myself.” His hand moved to my neck, squeezing me tightly. “Do you understand me?” When I didn’t answer fast enough, he gripped my chin and forced me to look at him. “Do you?”
All I could feel was relief. I never thought being Crewe’s prisoner would be a blessing, but in comparison to my previous fate, it was welcomed. Crewe was complicated and sinister, but he wasn’t evil like that other man. It actually seemed like I had a second chance at life, something to live for. “Yes.”
He released my chin.
“But I’ll never stop trying to escape. I’ll never obey your commands. I’ll never act like a dog. The only thing I accept is being your prisoner, but that doesn’t mean I’m a willing prisoner.”
That must have been enough because Crewe walked out.
When the door was shut, I cried again. But this time, they were tears of relief. I was so grateful that my heart was about to explode. It was the first surge of joy I’d had since I arrived here, and even though it was pathetic to be grateful for something so miserable, it didn’t change anything.
The tears fell.
I slept well for the first time in three days.
Nightmares didn’t haunt me. Bones didn’t assault me, grabbing my tits while he threw his head back and laughed. He didn’t break my bones or chase me with a baseball bat. All I dreamt of were the seals that swam along the coastline, sleeping on rocks until they accidentally rolled over and plummeted into the water.
The next morning, I woke up feeling refreshed—and grateful.
I walked into the kitchen, my stomach rumbling. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d eaten. I didn’t have much of an appetite for the past three days. My stomach was tied up in tense knots.
When I rounded the corner, I saw Crewe standing there. He was in a black t-shirt with matching running shorts. A line of sweat stained the fabric of his shirt around the neck, suggesting he’d just gone for a run. He sipped his coffee and looked out the window, seeming to be lost in his thoughts.
When I slept with him, I wasn’t to admit I enjoyed it. He was a very attractive man, dark and mysterious. While my mind was repulsed by him, my body didn’t feel the same way. As stupid as it was, I held a soft spot for him. He could have done whatever he wanted to me that one night. I had every intention of killing him, and even though he knew that, he still let me go.
I didn’t think he was as evil as he claimed to be.
No other man would have stopped what they were doing. The head of his cock was already inside me. My hands were pinned to my back, and he had a tight grip on my neck. There was nothing I could have done to get out of that hold.
But he let me go.
Crewe was still my enemy, so I couldn’t go soft on him. If I ever had the opportunity to escape, I would take it. If it ever came down to him or me, I knew I would pick myself in a heartbeat.
But I was still a woman.
My plan was to soften him up, to make him want me enough that he wouldn’t hand me over to Bones. If I made myself valuable to him, he would want to keep me. I wasn’t entirely sure if my plan had worked or not. After we slept together, he didn’t seem to have any affection toward me. In fact, it seemed like he hated me even more. His decision to change the punishment may have been coincidental, having something to do with Bones or the circumstance. I would never know because he would never tell me.
He must have seen me in the reflection of the glass because he spoke. “Sleep well?”
“Like a rock.”
He sipped his coffee and continued to stare out the window. He didn’t say anything else, still quiet in his repose.
Finley emerged from the kitchen, wearing a white chef jacket that went over his collared shirt and slacks. “I was just about to make breakfast for Mr. Donoghue. Would you like anything, Lady London?”
My stomach growled in response. Thankfully, I was the only one who heard it. “Please. I’ll eat anything.”
Crewe sipped his coffee again. “I’m glad you’ve finally changed your attitude. Most people would take advantage of having a personal chef.”
Finley ignored his master’s comments. “You’ll need to be more specific, Lady London. Because I can make anything.” He gave me an affectionate smile, warm in contradiction to Crewe’s coldness. He had wrinkles around his eyes, but they somehow made him comforting. He was the only person who was remotely nice to me here.
I should take advantage of that more often. “I’ll have whatever Mr. Donoghue is having.”
Crewe turned around and finally looked at me, the front of his shirt coated in sweat. “Call me Crewe—that’s it.” He stared me down, daring me to defy him in front of his butler. “Nothing else.”
All I did was nod.
“Mr. Donohue likes egg whites with a side of grilled greens,” Finley explained. “Would you like that as well?”
I couldn’t stop myself from cringing. “Yuck, absolutely not. Who the hell eats that for breakfast?”
“A man who looks like this.” He moved his hand across his rock-hard abs, making a point.
I rolled my eyes. “Arrogance isn’t sexy.”
“I’m confident,” he corrected.
“Confidence is quiet,” I argued. “And you aren’t quiet.”
Instead of being angry, the corner of his lip rose in a smile. “You’re cute when you’re a smartass.”