Page 27 of Run

It's amazing how a lot of the situations we put ourselves in during our lifetimes are self-fulfilling prophecies. We worry so much about what can happen, that in essence we materialize it and suddenly our fears transpire. She’s in that position now, where her behavioral response to her new found captivity will produce the final outcome of her residence here.

I can give her the world. More money, power, and love than she would ever receive anywhere else on this godforsaken planet. Or I can make the rest of her existence miserable, laden with torture and despair where she begs unsuccessfully for it to end. The choice is hers, and hers alone.

“Until then, what?” She asks, her warm brown eyes shimmering with unshed tears that threaten to fall with her next quivering word.

“That’s entirely up to you.”

I really don’t want to have to torture her, or heaven forbid, kill her. I want her to enjoy her time with me. We can have so much fun together, we have the same tastes. I can see it in her, behind the good girl is someone who wants the sexual depravities that I can give her. The way she took that caning was exquisite and I can do so much better for her than that.

“Please H, let me go. I haven’t seen your face. I don’t know who you really are. I can’t tell anyone anything.” She whines, pulling on her cuffs, making the chains rattle more as she looks up at her bleeding wrists. “These hurt.”

“If you can be good, you’ll come down. I already told you that.”

“I’ll be good, I promise.”

“Sorry. I don’t believe you.” I sigh, reaching out, caressing her cheek with the back of my knuckles making her flinch and try to back away with nowhere to go. “See?” Backing away from her I pick up the last of the tools that need to be hidden from her sight and turn to Magnolia who sits silently in the corner watching. “Come girl, let’s go make our guest something to eat.”

Lily screeches at me with all the force in her lungs as I trudge up the steps and leave her alone with an empty room filled only with her own voice echoing around her like a ragged blanket.

Chapter Sixteen

Dinner went uneaten, as has breakfast. The plate of pancakes, sausage patties, and scrambled eggs grows cold on the workbench, untouched except for a glob of spit sitting right on top.

“Oh Lily, you’re not doing yourself any favors starving yourself.” I croon to her, petting her hair, twirling a chunk of it around my finger, watching it curl and bounce when I let go of it.

“I can’t really eat all tied up like an animal.” She says, frowning at me, making little lines appear around her mouth.

“That’s why I tried to feed you. But spitting in my face is not the way to treat the man taking care of you.”

“You’re really fucked up aren’t you?”

“More than you can ever know. But I was kind of hoping you would change that.” I confess to her, because it’s true.

Maybe having some, dare I say it, love in my life would help heal the damaged little boy who liked to kill animals that still resides in me, and bring me some peace.

Maybe.

I know I’m fucked up; I’ve never hidden that fact. But I also know that there is something about her that makes me…softer, and I need to explore that. She’s different than all theothers that have graced this cross and this room, and I can feel that if she were to break and fall into place, things could be amazing.

As we stare each other down, her eyes trying to peer behind my mask, she sighs and slumps against the wooden beams in defeat. The growling of her stomach is becoming so loud that even Magnolia whines when it rumbles again.

“Fine. Feed me.” Lily huffs, finally giving in to the hunger tearing through her guts.

“That wasn’t very nice. How do we ask?” I reprimand her. Being mad and hungry is no excuse for bad manners. She’s better than that.

“May I have some food, please.” She asks sarcastically rolling her eyes at me.

“Not perfect, but better. Princesses need to act like it you know. The nicer you are, the nicer I am.”

“Yeah right.”

“Try me and see, baby.” I chuckle grabbing her plate and turning from her.

“Hey, where are you going?” She asks as I cross the room, snapping my fingers and pointing to Lily so Magnolia knows she’s staying to keep watch of her. “You said I could have something to eat.”

“Of course, I’m just getting you something fresh and saliva free.” I answer her, jogging up the steps to get her something more appropriate to eat for her first meal with me.

“Eggs, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes…” I hum as I pull out all the ingredients from the fridge and cabinets.

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