With those words, it's as if every last bit of the fight I had left in me leaks right out. I crumple to the ground and he kneels in front of me, checking my cut while I listlessly stare ahead.
"It's deep," he mutters. "It might need stitches."
I shake my head. "Don't make me go."
"What?" He knits his brows together. His features dance before my eyes as I try to focus and fail miserably. "Dove, I'm worried."
"I don't want to go," I whisper. "They'll take you away from me."
We're both quiet for a moment after that, allowing what I've said to sink in. He doesn't say another word, and allows me to sit on the floor while he gets a first-aid kit. I don't try to run. I think if I did, he wouldn't try to stop me. Not this time.
Nox cleans my cut with antiseptic and covers it up with a bandage. Once he's done, he gently wraps a blindfold on, leads me outside and leaves me waiting, still unchained, in the other room.
I know there's a carpet here because I feel it under my toes. There must be windows too, I feel the air coming in and the light warming my skin. I turn my face toward the sunlight, savoring it.
When Nox pulls the blindfold off my eyes, I don't expect him to have come true on his promise. Knowing him, something nice might have been a new toy to torture me with. But no. He's brought me into a beautiful, hotel-like room with an attached bathroom, with a real tub. And the room is filled with flowers. They're wilted. Nearly gone. I look at him with an unreadable expression on my face.
"What's this?"
"Your reward." He points to my ankle. "No more chain, either."
"Because I hurt myself?"
"Because you showed me and yourself what a good girl you are," he growls. "And I heard you like flowers. So, here's the deal."
"The deal?"
"Of course," Nox smirks. "You didn't think there wouldn't be a deal, right?"
I glare at him and he laughs at me before continuing.
"When the first plant sprouts a new leaf, I'll touch you again. Until then, you water them. You take care of yourself. Pamper yourself. Anything you want that I can bring here, I'll give to you. Food, drinks, treats. Anything, Dove."
"Why are you doing this?" I ask.
"Spoiling you?"
"Torturing me," I hiss.
"Because you fucking love it, and need it. Now listen carefully. I'm going to limit my time with you, because you need to learn how to take care of yourself. You'll have toys. You can play with yourself."
"As if," I scoff.
"But you should know there are cameras in this room," Nox goes on. "And I fully intend on watching the little show you're going to put on for me."
"Dream on."
"We'll see." He smirks. "As long as you know, anything you do in here, I'm sure as fuck going to watch. Every night, put a list of what you want under the door. Don't do anything stupid. And enjoy it."
"Enjoy it?" I glare at him with pure, undiluted hatred. "How can I enjoy myself being a fucking captive?"
"You'd be surprised. Right, little bird, I'll leave you to it." He makes a move to leave but I tug on his sleeve, pulling him back. "What is it?"
"I'm going to go crazy by myself in here," I say. "Can't I see you at least?"
"No," he grunts. "I'll be too tempted, and I can't touch you for a while. Show me the plants every day. There's a phone in here, nothing works on it but the camera feed which transports to me so I can watch it. Show me how they're recovering. Show me yourself. Make me proud, little bird."
"Stay with me," I whisper, my heart pumping into overdrive as I realize how desperate I am. "You fix me."
He takes my shoulders in his hands and looks deep into my eyes. "I can't. This time, Dove, it's on you. I'm doing what I can to help. Now, I have to go. This is already too fucking hard and I hate goodbyes."
"Fine." I push him away, glaring at him. "Leave then. Like everyone else."
"It's not about me leaving," Nox hisses. "It's about you learning that you can survive my absence. Goodbye, Dove."
I run to the door but I'm too late. He's already slammed it shut.
Turning to face the half-dead plants in the room, I notice several cameras dotted throughout the beautiful suite. I flip them all off.
Chapter 26
Dove
I do have to admit, the new room is much nicer than the dump he put me in before. The first chance I get, I take a long, hot bath, filling the tub with stuff he left in the bathroom for me. The bath salts smell like roses, my favorite. I don't even want to know whether that's a coincidence.