God, this hot and cold shit was getting old.Would I ever learn? He gazed down at me with a fierce intensity Ihad not been prepared to meet. I peered up at him like a deercaught in headlights, unsure of what to do as I was quicklyreminded of our earlier issues back in the house.
“Nothing,” I replied quietly.
“Nothing?” he said, raising his eyebrows.“You see? Even now, you’re terrified of me. I know you are and youshould be. I can see it in your eyes, so why bother to lie? There’sno hiding anything from me, Jaden. When will you learn this?”
I tried to pull away from his grip, pissedoff at his revelation, but thistime, he refused to let me go.
“You just don’t get it, do you?” I suddenlyyelled at him, breaking free of the headlights. “I’m not supposedto be here! Shit like this doesn’t happen to people like me! I’m afighter—always have been, always will be—so you asking me to justgive all that up and surrender my life to you doesn’t quiteregister! I don’t know how to give you what you want because it’snot in my nature and no amount of pain you threaten will changethat!”
Darren cocked his head to the side as hestared down at me with that consuming wild ocean in his eyes. “Thatsounds like a challenge to me, Miss Wilder,” he saiddangerously.
“No! Goddamn it! You’re not listening tom-”
“No, princess,” he cut me off sharply,“you’re not listening to me, and that’s the problem we keep runninginto. I understand your frustration. You had a life you worked hardto achieve, and now, it’s gone. Get over it. The life you will havewith me will be far greater than any life you could ever have givenyourself. You just have to surrender to it.”
“I can’t do that,” I said bitterly, a singletear of frustration slipping free of its confines, as I continuedto push away from him. I wiped it away quickly before it became toonoticeable.
“Yes, you can, Jaden, and you will. I’m notgiving you any other choice.”
I felt my heart slam into my chest as thoughsomeone had just punched it with an iron glove. I felt hopeless andlost, drowning in an ocean I could never learn to swim in. The tidewould always be far too strong for me to escape its pull.
Darren didn’t care about my internalstruggle; he didn’t care that my pride and independence weren’tused to being chained away andthought it should be so easy for me to let go. But it wasn’t. Andit never would be.
“Can’t you see how unfair this is?” I saidsoftly. “How wrong this all is?”
“Jaden,” Darren said as he gently but firmlygripped each of my shoulders. “I’m the kind of man who takes whathe wants, when he wants, andwithout regret, simply because he can. Where you may see somethingas unfair or wrong, all I see are endless possibilities. I don’tbelieve in limits and, therefore,do not subject myself to them. You may hate it now, but I think youwill come to enjoy your role in my life sooner than you think. Onceyou finally stop fighting me and give in, you’ll wonder why youever fought me in the first place.”
“And what about my family? Am I supposed tojust forget about them? Pretend they never existed?”
“As far as I’m concerned, I’m your familynow. It’ll be easier for you to just let them go.”
I slowly shook my head back and forth. “Howcan you be so cruel when you have a family?” I shot back. Hestarted to speak, but I cut him off before he could. “You say youwant me to be happy, yet you force so much unnecessary pain onme.”
“You think me cruel?” he asked softly as hestepped up to me. His eyes bore down, drinking me up and swallowingme back. “You haven’t seen the depravity I could subject you toshould you continue this argument, so stop pushing. The pain youfeel is solely from your own inability to let go of what is nolonger in your control. If you would just surrender yourself to me,I promise you will be free of that pain.”
“You’re practically asking me to walk onwater.”
“I’m not asking, Jaden,” he said, cockinghis head to the side. “This conversation is over and no longer upfor debate. You will do what is expected of you and that will bethe end of it.”
He then took my arm and tugged me back alongthe shore.
It’s not over, I said to myself.Not until you’re six feet under.
Chapter Fifteen
Compromise
I didn’t even realize it when we got back tothe house. I felt numb inside, unable to cope with the depths of myreality. When we reached my room, Darren opened the door andushered me inside then closed it behind him. I stood blankly in theroom, clenching my fists at my side, unsure of what to do withmyself when I felt the sudden slap of Darren’s hand make contactwith my face. It wasn’t as hard as the other had been, but it wasenough to distract me from the internal debate I was having withmyself.
I looked up at him with a confused scowl onmy face. “The fuck was that for?” I asked, rubbing my hand againstthe heat of my cheek.
“Stop cussing,” he ordered, pointing at me.“And I was just bringing you back to reality.” He placed his handsin his pockets, a tiny hint of a smirk in the corner of hislips.
I gave him a hard look. “Because reality is so much better than what’s goingon in my head.”
“Don’t insult me, Jaden,” he warned, takinga step toward me. I instinctively put my left foot back, slowlyturning my body to the side. “You will adjust eventually andrealize the gift I am giving you.”
I actually laughed out loud a little.
“Yes, the gift of imprisonment for the restof my life. How did I become so lucky?” I chuckled, waving my armsaround for emphasis.
Darren then grabbed me and shoved me downonto the bed, his hands holding myupper arms in a vise grip as he stared at me.
“Sarcasm will get you nowhere with
