Page 14 of Because You're Mine
I told you once to let me be
You played the game, so you shall see
Your life and soul are now mine
You and I shall forever bind
Dropping me to the ground in a thud, I winced in pain. My eyes rolled into the back of my head as I shook slightly. I could feel the foam sliding from the corners of my mouth as my jerking stopped. Gasping for air, I shot up, looking around in a daze. Hearing footsteps behind me, I turned to see who it could be. It was then that I realized I was back in the woods with Gertrude’s home nowhere in sight.
“’Brena, ’Brena, ’Brena,” Donovan’s voice cut through the night as he approached me. The sinister look on his face made me backpedal in fear. “You know you’ve fucked up, right?” He grinned as he crouched down in front of me. Gripping my hair, he snarled as he pulled my face to his. “It’s time I show you exactly who you belong to.”
“Fix your fuckin’face before I give you a reason to cry.” Donovan glared at me as he made his way back into my living room. Taking his place beside me on the sofa, he grabbed me by the arm, pulling me into him. Kissing my temple, he pulled back before gawking at me. “What the fuck is wrong with you today? Let me guess?” He chuckled humorlessly as he kicked his feet up on the coffee table. “You want to break up with a nigga.”
Remaining silent, my body stiffened as he draped his arm over my shoulder. I watched him from the corner of my eye as he flipped through the television channels without a care in the world, as if he wasn’t making my life a living hell.
For the past week, we’ve been cooped up in my cabin with no connection to the outside world. When I asked him abouthis job, he told me to mind my business. He made it a point to remind me that he was the boss, and he could come and go as he pleased. I knew the truth, though. He didn’t trust me alone. He knew I’d try another spell to rid myself of him. To his shock, he’d be surprised to know I didn’t know if I had it in me.
“Would you like me to go and make dinner?” I spoke softly as I turned to face him. “I took steaks out earlier.”
He raised his brow at me. “You think you can do that without trying toconjureup a spell to separate us?”
I nodded, having no desire to actually answer his question.
He chuckled again, patting the back of the couch. “Before you try that, just remember what happened the last time…”
Nodding again, I stood from my seat to walk away, only for him to grab my wrist and stop me. He stared at me for a moment before yanking me toward him.
“I love you, ’Brena.” His eyes flickered a bright yellow before dimming. “You know that, right?”
“Yes…” I winced as his nails dug into my wrist. It hurt, but it was nothing compared to the pain he’s inflicted on me over the last few weeks. “I love you, too, Donovan.”
Dropping a kiss on his lips, I recoiled when he pulled his bottom one between his teeth before he swatted my ass, signaling toward the kitchen. I exhaled deeply and tried my hardest to keep my tears at bay. Pulling the spices from the cabinet, I took a chance and peeked back toward the living room where he was seated. Like I knew they would be, his eyes were on me.
As I began to prep the dinner, I couldn’t help but think about how disastrous this week has been. The night I tried to perform the reversal spell was the worst night of my life. I had never seen Donovan so angry before. I really thought he was going to kill me.
“Donovan! Please stop!” I cried and screamed into the night as he dragged me by my hair through the woods. The jagged rocks and tree limbs pierced my skin, likely leaving permanent marks. “You don’t have to do this! You’re hurting me!”
“Hurting you?!” he roared so loudly that it echoed into the night. Bending over, he yanked my head back further so we were eye level. The air stirred around him, and it made me wonder if it was in tune with his anger. “You don’t think you hurt me by the shit you did?” He pushed me backward, causing my head to hit a tree stump. “Were you hurt when you tried to unbind yourself from me?” He kicked me so hard in my side, I heard my rib crack from the blow. “You and I are forever, Sabrena! You. Are. Mine!”
Hitting and kicking me repeatedly, the only thing I could do was lie in the fetal position and take the beating to my slim frame. There was no use in trying to summon a spirit for protection because it was obvious nothing would work on him. As I lay on the ground, I knew this was it for me. I just knew he was going to beat me to death.
“Don’t you see, baby? You’re it for me.” He crouched down over my bloodied and beaten body. I winced in pain as he swept stray hairs from my battered face. “I love you, Sabrena, and this shit with us is for life. When I say death do us part, I mean that in the literal sense.” Still writhing in pain, I did nothing but cry when he scooped me in his arms. “Come on, baby girl. Let me take you home.”
There was once a time when I thought being here in my cabin with him would bring me peace. I wanted this man in my space since the day he’d appeared in the mirror. Being in my home with him now felt like a prison sentence. I felt as if I was in jail and he was the warden. He was taunting me in a sense because I knew he didn’t want to be here. This cabin was my personalhaven with all of my potions, herbs, and relics, and nothing could be done to remove me from my new personal hell.
“Donovan, I was thinking I could go see my mother soon,” I spoke as I peeled and cut the sweet potatoes. “It’s been a while since I’ve called her, and I don’t want her to worry.”
Waiting for him to respond, my heart beat louder than a drum. He’s told me that isolation was key in order for us to have a successful relationship. He told me there were too many people around us that didn’t want to see us together, and we couldn’t let them in to break us apart. I don’t even know the fallout from what had happened at the steakhouse because he had taken my phone and cut off all of my access to the outside world.
He snarled as he stood from the couch. “Your mother? What the fuck do you have to say to her that you haven’t said in three weeks?” My eyes went wide in disbelief at his words. “Don’t look surprised, ’Brena. I went through your phone and saw you haven’t spoken to her since we’ve been together. But tell me…” His eyes were trained on me as he walked my way. “Who the fuck is Ralph, and why has he been calling your phone? Why has he been texting you to see how you’re doing? Are you fucking that nigga?”
“W-What?” I stammered, gripping the knife as I took a few steps back. He’d made his way into the kitchen, and the look in his eyes told me he was getting angry. “I-I’m not cheating on you with anyone. I’m literally with you all the time. You don’t even let me pee without—Ahh!”
Wham! Crash!
With tremendous force, he backhanded me into the spice rack located on the other side of the kitchen. I groaned as I grabbed the back of my head, winching at the pain and its wetness. My vision blurred as I brought my hand to my eyes, seeing the bright red blood clear as day.
“You must think I’m a muthafuckin’ fool.” He chortled as his eyes began to glow. Like always, the shadows were a whirlwind in his orbs. “You think you can just play a nigga like me, and not have consequences? I love you, Sabrena! I gave up everything to be with you!”
