I felt sick to mystomach as I tried to come to terms with hiswords.
Nothing will ever change that …
Bullshit. I wouldchange that. One way or another, with one of us dead, it wouldchange.
I cried out as hecame close to finishing and sped up his pace, thrusting harder anddeeper. Finally, he came; he collapsed on top of me but still heldup most of his weight while keeping himself buried insideme.
“You know what, Jaden?” Darren finally said, rising up on hiselbows. “I have half a mind to go find that piece of shit you oncecalled a boyfriend, bring him back here, and make you watch me killhim. Would you like that? Because I know Iwould.”
My heart sank intomy stomach, shriveling into tiny knots at the thought of what hejust said. With Kayla gone, he had effectively discovered my trueKryptonite. I couldn’t let him hurt Jason. I would kill himfirst.
It seemed stupidfor him to go after my family—too much of a risk—but after a while,the heat would die down and they could become easy targets. Jasonwas strong, though, andjust as tough as I was, maybe even tougher. That was why he was soperfect for me. We had always complemented each other so well,having many of the same interests, and always taking any challengehead-on when it came our way. We were an unstoppable force togetherand everyone knew it. He would want me to survive this so that whenI eventually escaped, he would help me take my vengeance. I had togive in now. If he killed Jason, I would have nothing left to livefor and I would probably just off myself at that point, and thenthere would be no one to stop this sadisticmotherfucker.
“Please,” I whispered, trying to ignore the pulsing achebetween my legs. “Please, don’t. You’re right. I shouldn’t havebeen thinking about him. It’s just …”
“It’s just what?” he snarled.
“It’s just hard for me to let go. You have to understand, it’sonly been a couple of days. I… I just need some time toadjust.”
He considered mywords for a bit and sat back on my hips, studying me. I hoped hewas capable of being reasonable. He had to have known how hard thiswas for me.
“Maybe you’re right. Maybe I have been a little hard on you.This is only your third night here … but it’s how my father was.Tough love was always his thing and old habits are hard tobreak.”
“Yes, old habits are hard to break,” I emphasized. “I just need a little moretime.”
He stared at meharshly for several seconds. My core was throbbing in pain and itwas difficult for me to hold back my cries as he studied me, but Isomehow managed to keep it in. I was going to be sore as fucktomorrow.
“Fine,” he finally said. “I will give you one week to get yourshit together. You can consider it a practice run. But once thatweek is over, and you still haven’t figured out your place, we’regonna do it my way.”
I honestly didn’tlike the sound of that but hadn’t we been doing it his way sincethe start? It was obviously so effective.
“Thank you,” I breathed.
At least that saved mefrom some harsher punishments and would give me time to figure himout. He thought I just needed some time to come to terms with mynew role in life, and fine, he could think that, but I hadsuccessfully gotten him to lighten up on me for a while. I wasbecoming quite the negotiator.
“You should know … this is very unlike me. I don’t compromise… ever, but I’m willing to make an exception if it saves me alittle aggravation in the long run. I hope your way is effectivebecause if it isn’t, you’re seriously going to regretit.”
“I appreciate the opportunity,” I replied. “And it willbe.”
He stared down atme for a little while, his expression suddenly becoming hard as hishand slowly made its way up to caress my jaw. His eyes bore into melike a drill, piercing into my greatest fears as he gently easedhis mouth to my ear.
“I’m only going to say this once more,” he drawled smoothlybut deadly into my ear. “If I ever catch youeven thinking aboutanother man … I’ll kill ’em. Do you understandme?”
I could feel myheart bleeding out into my chest as his words punctured deep holesthat could never be repaired. If I wanted Jason to live, I’d haveto give him up. I knew Darren was all about keeping his word, and Ididn’t need to put the love of my life at any further risk than heprobably already was. It broke my heart into pieces, but I had tolet him go.
“Yes, Darren,” I whispered back. “Iunderstand.”
“Good,” he said and gotoffme. He headed into my bathroom,apparently to wash up, and then wenttothe door.
“Wait,” I said, turning my head to him. “You’re just gonnaleave me like this?”
He let out a lowdark chuckle. “Good night, Jaden.” And closed thedoor.
Motherfucker.
Chapter Sixteen
Whiplash
I woke up the nextmorning to find myself curled up on the bed with my hands tuckedinto my chest. Darren must have released mesometime in the middleof the night while I had been sleeping. I looked up at the clock tofind it was eight in the morning. I still had plenty of time to getready.
Raising up, mymuscles protested my movement as my body was stiff and sore fromlast night’s altercation. But the pain I was feeling didn’t compareto anything when I tried to stand. A sharp ache that rattled myinsides near my cervix came full throttle and I gasped in pain andlaid back down. Holy fuck, I wasn’t sure if I could stand to walk.And then I remembered I didn’t have much of achoice.
I decided torevert to my days as a baby and crawled my sore ass to thebathroom. I tried to pee, but the pain was too sharp for it to becomfortable. I decided the warm water of the shower might make iteasier.
As
