Page 60 of He Will Come for Me

I’ll find a way out. He lives near the historic district of Savannah. I know Savannah; I grew up here so I can figure a way off this property. I doubt I’ll make it out with all my suitcases, but I’ll figure that out as I plan. Snatching Phoenix’s jacket off, I open my bedroom door and throw it at his door. It’s closed, but he’ll see it at some point.

I tear the dress off I’m wearing, literally. I will never wear this thing again. Laying down on the bed in my panties and bra, I stare up at the canopy. This is ridiculous. I know this may be some people’s style, but it’s not mine. I feel like I’ve takena trip back to the past. Everything in this house that I’ve seen seems dated.

I sit up at the knocking on my door. It takes me a moment to remember where I am. When the memories from last night assault me, I pull my knees up to my chest and place my forehead on them. If only it had been a dream, but this is more like a nightmare. Another knock at my door reminds me that’s what woke me.

Pulling the blanket up to make sure I’m covered, I take a deep breath to prepare myself for what comes next. “Come in.” A young woman with brown hair steps in, followed by Phoenix. His eyes rake over me and I swear I see a flicker of desire, but he can suck it. Last night was the one and only night he’ll ever have me. I scowl at him and pull the covers tighter against me. I should have put some clothes on.

“Hi.” The girl greets me. “I’m Clara.” I nod at her. The girl Phoenix told me about last night. What is someone who looks so sweet and innocent doing working for a snake like Phoenix?

I don’t greet Clara. I simply stare. She offers me a small smile, like she understands, but I ignore it. “If you need anything, just let me know and I’ll make sure you get it.”

“Can you help me get out of here?” I ask. Her eyes widen slightly and she glances up at Phoenix before looking back at me. I arch an eyebrow at her.

She clears her throat and runs her hand over her ponytail. “No, I can’t.”

“Then, obviously, you can’t make sure I get everything I need.” I know Clara isn’t the one to blame for the predicament I’m in and I shouldn’t be taking it out on her, but she’s an easy target for now. I can feel Phoenix’s glare, but I refuse to acknowledge it or him. He steps forward in an attempt to capture my attention, but I still ignore him.

“That’s not a need. That’s a want. And watch it or you won’t be getting your needs met, either.”

I roll my eyes. “Shocking,” I murmur under my breath, but by Clara’s quick inhale, I’m sure they both heard me.

“Leave,” he barks at Clara, who scurries out. In two large steps, he’s snatching the blanket off me and climbing onto the bed. I scramble back, but he’s quicker as he crowds me. His knee is between my legs, pressing against my pussy, and he wraps his hand around my throat. His icy eyes are full of desire and it makes me sick that this is turning me on.

I force my muscles to remain rigid so I don’t do something stupid like rock against his knee. “I can meet your needs, love.” His lips trail up my jaw. I arch away from him, trying my best to get away from his touch. “Do I need to prove it again? Because last night you were screaming my name while thirty men were wishing they were me.”

I squeeze my eyes shut at the reminder. I asked him to make me feel good, and he did. He made me feel things I’ve never felt in my life. A tear escapes the corner of my eye as I try to push back into the mattress, trying my best to get as far away from him as possible. His tongue slides up my cheek to the corner of my eye, shocking me so much I open them to come face to face with the devil.

The smile that curves his mouth is a warning. “If I lick it, it’s mine.” I swallow and he tightens his hand around my throat more. I can still breathe, but I can’t move. “Your tears belong to me and I promise I’ll be taking a lot of them.”

He pushes off the bed and stalks out of the room. Clara comes rushing in, and I let her sit next to me and hug me.

“I’m sorry, Clara.” She shushes me, making me feel even guiltier. I don’t want to be a bitch, but Phoenix is bringing out the worst in me. It makes me hate him more. I want to cry and scream, but I sure as hell won’t be giving him what he wants. So, I wipe the wetness from my cheek left there by my tears and his tongue and begin building my wall slowly. He’ll regret the day he bought me. I’ll make sure of it.

Chapter 27

Day After Auction

Three Years Earlier

Irefuse to leave my room or eat for the next two days. Clara comes in each day with a tray of food, but leaves with that same tray of food. On the third day, Phoenix comes barging in with a tray of food glaring at me. I ignore his mood and glance around the room from the old love chair I’m sitting in. “Did you buy the house like this?”

“You will eat every bit of food on this tray yourself, or I will feed it to you.”

He ignores my question. So, I ignore him. “Because the decor is extremely dated. I’d rethink hiring a different interior decorator because it’s ghastly.”

His hands ball into fists and his jaw ticks as his glare gets harder. I bat my eyelashes at him. “If you don’t like your room, I will get someone in here to decorate it how you want. Now, eat your fucking food.” He brings the tray over to me and my mouth waters at how good it smells. I’m starving. Everything in me wants to refuse, but by the look on his face, I know he’s serious about feeding me himself. And I need to keep my strength up if I plan on escaping successfully.

So, I eat the grilled chicken, salad, and mashed potatoes. I have to force myself not to moan with every bite because Phoenix is watching me so closely. There’s still a bit of mashed potatoes on my plate when I lean back.

“I can’t eat anymore.” He continues to glare at me, but removes the tray and walks out the door. I groan as I lean back on the couch. I can’t stay cooped up in this room day in and day out. As fun as it is to piss Phoenix off, I need to begin coming up with a plan. Clara has been trying to coax me out of my room for days now. So, here goes nothing.

Stepping into the hallway, I stare at the closed door across the hall. I want to see what’s on the other side of that door. Is his room just as dated as the rest of the house? Or did he change it up? Ignoring it for now, I walk toward the stairs and stop when I reach the door he pointed out to me yesterday that was his office.

It’s slightly ajar, so I take it as an invitation and step up to gaze into the room. I’m not expecting to see Phoenix sitting at his desk. His head pops up and his eyes zone in on me. He leans back in his chair and brings his thumb up to his lip, rubbing it a few times before he smiles.

“Finally decided to venture outside of your room?”

I shrug and lean against the doorjamb.“I had to check the rest of the house to see if it’s decorated just as horribly as my room.” He grips the arm of his chair so hard his knuckles turnwhite. Every time I mention the decor, it pisses him off. “So, did you decorate the home?”

---