But how would I leave, where would I go? My mind worked as I cleaned myself up but I couldn’t see a way out. He never leaves my side when we’re out of this room and I’m not allowed past the door without his permission, which he never gives.
He’d done this shit to me purposely. He’d turned me into a simpering jackass while he kept himself aloof and untouched. Good, I was back to being good and angry.
I preferred the anger, that was a safer emotion than the other and would protect me in the long run. Only a fool would fall in love with her…whatever he was.
Good Alyssa, keep that anger burning. The day you let it go you’re lost. But my anger wasn’t as hot as it once was and I knew I was fighting a losing battle. If I left him I wouldn’t survive. I’d begun to feel like he was a part of me, a part of my life that I would suffer without.
How had I come to this? When did it happen, how? I dried myself off, muttering to myself all the while. I put on one of my new dresses that I was now allowed to wear when he wasn’t here, and went to look out the window. When I heard the door open behind me I thought it was the maid with breakfast and didn’t turn.
It was only when she wasn’t her usual chirpy self that I turned around and real fear gripped me. My skin turned to ice and I was frozen to the spot. The look on the man’s face sent terror racing through me and I backed up to the window, one longing look over my shoulder telling me there was no escape.
When he grinned as if he knew what I was thinking I knew I was going to die today, because if he touched me I would kill him. I couldn’t stand the thought of anyone else’s hands on me. It never once occurred to me that Braxton had done this. Somehow I didn’t equate the man I had come to know, had grown to love, with those sick tales I’d heard what seemed like so long ago now.
Braxton where are you? I screamed the words in my head even as I looked around the room for something to defend myself with. The closer he got the tighter that feeling around my neck became. I was choking on my own fear and my legs began to tremble as he came nearer.
* * *
Master Brax
* * *
Dammit Brax go to work. I’d been puttering around the home office for the better part of an hour not wanting to leave. For some reason now that I’d accepted my feelings for her, I no longer felt right leaving her shut away in my room all day.
I felt shame for the first time at the way I’d treated her, which made no sense. Wouldn’t I spank my wife if she disobeyed? Yes, but you wouldn’t leave her chained to the damn wall now would you? But she’s not chained today she’s just confined to the room. Same thing.
Damn! The thought had me racing back up the stairs to her. Maybe I’ll take her with me, let her sit in the office and read a book or something. I didn’t know what the hell I was supposed to do here. I’ve grown used to this way of things. Having never treated any woman in any other way, I didn’t begin to know what the hell I was supposed to do now.
Well, taking her out of the room was a start. I couldn’t believe how excited I was for the sight of her even though it had only been an hour or two at the most since I’d left. But as I rushed down the hallway to my suite my heart raced and my pulse quickened.
I heard her voice and started to smile thinking she was once again defying me and talking to the servants. But then the tinge of fear resonated and I broke through the door at a run.
“What the fuck, are you doing in here?” I saw my old man on top of her and was across the room in three strides. Wrapping my arm around his neck I dragged him off of her and punched him in the face driving him back. I looked back at her and the condition of her clothes made blood cloud my vision.
I went after him and dragged his ass up from the floor. The pathetic fool looked half drunk this early in the morning.
“I told you not to fucking touch her.” I planted my fist in his mouth as he opened it to feed me his bullshit excuses. His pants were open and his shriveled dick hung out the front. If I didn’t need to see to her I would take the time to wring that shit off and stuff it down his fucking neck.