idea how much longer we’d be flying, and I didn’t want to piss myself in the middle
of our landing. Taking a deep breath, I finally found the courage to speak.
“Darren?” I said, looking at him.
“What,” he said, never taking his eyes from his laptop.
“I need to use the restroom.” Darren clenched his jaw while his eyes narrowed
on the screen. He must not have liked what he read.
“Toward the back, first door on the right.”
Unbuckling my seat belt, I stood on wobbly legs and made my way to the back of
the plane. I found the door, stepping inside the tiny bathroom, and quickly closed
it.
Alone at last.
After relieving myself, I washed my hands in the sink before catching a glimpse
of myself in the mirror. Surprisingly, I looked good. My skin was smooth, a nice
number of freckles spread over my face and arms, my hair glossy, long, and wavy
while it cascaded around my shoulders and down my back. I looked healthy, but I
also looked sad, broken … defeated. I was stuck on a plane bound for the same place
I’d escaped from. I was going back, and I was fucking terrified.
I didn’t know what kind of world I would return to, and I had no clue how much
more strict Darren was going to be with me. Fuck, I’d probably have to have his
permission to breathe. I could feel the tears coming, the anxiety starting to shake
my body with panic. I was so scared of him. And I was so tired of being scared all
the time.
“Jaden, come out of there, now,” came Darren’s muffled voice on the other side
of the door. Shit, I’d been in here too long.
Quickly wiping my cheeks and airing out my eyes, I took a deep breath and
opened the door to find Darren standing in front of me. His arms were crossed over
his wide chest, his white button-down shirt open at the top, and allowing me to see
some of the hard muscle underneath. With the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his
tattoos only made him look more menacing as he glared at me. I felt my face
blanch.
“Sorry. I needed a moment,” I said softly, trying to make my eyes as big as
possible.
“Well, I hope you’re done. We have business to discuss,” he said sharply.
“Okay…” I said cautiously.
Darren then held out his hand for me to take. Biting the inside of my cheek, I
placed my hand in his, the connection alerting my nerves as he clasped his big
fingers around my hand and led me away from the door toward the back of the
plane. He opened a door that led into a small bedroom and ushered me to sit on the
bed. It was soft and plush and big enough to fit his length. Darren moved to a closet
and pulled out a familiar briefcase, and my heart immediately shriveled into a tiny
ball of despair. Darren unlatched the lid, confirming my worst suspicions, and I
couldn’t help but look away, fighting more tears.
“Now that you’ve recovered and we’re returning to the estate, it’s time to get
you back into your old routine,” he said, his back to me as he fiddled with the
contents of the briefcase. “Starting with these …”
He turned to me, and I knew exactly what he was holding in his hands. He
casually walked over to me, standing directly in front of me, but still I looked
onward, taking deep breaths to get through the anxiety. Darren dipped down with a
smile and kissed my temple.
“Give me your wrists, princess,” he commanded softly.
I held them up without protest or hesitation, my eyes still lingering off to the
side. I felt Darren grip my right wrist, and I shuddered inside as I felt the cold metal
latch around my skin. I bit my cheek harder as he placed the second cuff around my
left wrist, and I suddenly felt compelled to claw off my own skin.
Darren stood to his full height, placing his hands in his pockets and smiling
down at me.
“That was easier than expected. No complaints, no protests?”
“No point,” I replied dully.
“Someone’s finally learning,” he said and then pulled me up to his chest. My
eyes still refused to meet his. “Look at me,” he ordered, taking my chin between
his thumb and forefinger and forcing me to look up at him. I tried to blur my eyes
so as not to focus on him, but I was caught off guard when I thought I almost saw
concern wash over his face.
Releasing a breath, Darren’s lips formed into a tight line as he casually wiped
the tears from my cheeks like they were nothing more than dust on a TV screen,
clouding the
