But he doesn’t. He dodges every attempt I make to lash out at him, and at the same time, he doesn’t hurt me at all. He has a tight grip on my wrists, and his arm is locked around my waist, lifting me off the ground. He is so much stronger than Royce and is handling me with efficient ease. His strength terrifies me. He makes me feel like I’m completely useless, unable to make even the slightest impact on him.

I can’t get away—but also—he hasn’t inflicted an ounce of pain on me. How is he able to restrain me so effectively without hurting me?

It doesn’t mean he won’t, though.

It doesn’t mean he isn’t exactly like Royce.

He might just want to get me inside and then take me however he wants me—in the privacy of the bedroom.

Royce’s dark eyes flash in my memory and I start screaming and crying. I don’t want that to happen to me.

I’ve never been with a man and I don’t wantthisto be how I lose my virginity. Please, oh please, let this not be happening.

I cry hard, begging and pleading and kicking until the man carries me into the bedroom I escaped from and drops me onto the bed.

He stands next to it, looking down at me as I scamper away from him until my back is pressed against the headboard and I have nowhere else to go. I pull my knees to my chest, trying to make myself as small as possible. Invisible. Inconsequential. His eyes continue to bore into me.

He won’t look away. I can see the darkness in him, but it’s different to Royce.

Who is this man? What does he want from me?

My heart is running full speed and I can’t breathe properly.

My entire body is shaking with fear.

I press my lips together, trying to decide how to handle this. Maybe I can talk my way out. Maybe I can reason with him.

I know I can’t fight him. There is no chance.

But he is a man and men want one thing.

What if I pretend? What if I distract him?

I swallow hard, forcing myself to stop crying and forcing my body to relax. Letting fear control me is not the answer.

I’m stronger than that.

I can do this.

Chapter 5 - Avraam

Carrying her up the stairs, tight against my body as she fought like a wild cat—it sparked desire deep inside me. Desire that I am trying desperately to push aside as I stand next to the bed right now and stare at her.

Those wide, bright eyes. Her lips flushed pink. Bright cheeks and heaving chest as she tries to catch her breath. I watch her breasts as they rise and fall.

She is terrified. Her body is shaking.

It bothers me to see her this way. I didn’t want to scare her like this. I don’t like the idea of her being so distraught.

I watch her for a long time and her breathing begins to change.

It looks as though she is starting to calm down.

Outside in the garden I thought she was going to give herself a heart attack she was so scared. I have never seen someone fight that hard before. She was in blind panic. Lashing out at everything after Royce managed to catch her. She was fighting as though her life depended on it. There was something so intense in her eyes, it was as though she knew something I didn’t know.

I guess fear does different things to different people.

Royce was too hard on her though. I saw him slap her as I was running towards them, and he had his hand locked around her throat. She had a right to be scared with the way he was handling her. I know she was fighting back, but he should have been able to restrain her without hurting her. I will have to speak to him about that. I think that might be the reason she panicked so much.