Page 60 of Love Bleeds Red
The grape in my mouth turns sour. What does he know? It must be everything, or at least enough.
“There are rules here, naturally. But they’re civilized rules. Reasonable ones. Nothing like what you’re accustomed to.” He sounds like he’s discussing the weather with a friend. It’s unnerving. “Ms. Harrington has mentioned a few already, I believe? No arguing, no questions without permission, no foul language.”
I nod, unsure of what to say.
“Good. To those I would add, punctuality, as she mentioned, is essential. You will speak when spoken to. You will maintain your appearance to my standards at all times.” He pauses to sip his tea while my vision tinges red. “And most importantly, you will be grateful for the opportunities I provide you.”
Opportunities?This man is absolutely batshit crazy.
“In return,” he continues, “you’ll find life here quite pleasant. Regular meals, comfortable lodging, books to read, even television in the evenings if you’ve been particularly well-behaved. Quite a step up from your previous accommodations.”
The casual way he references what I’ve endured has me clenching my jaw. I can’t let my temper out though. I have to be careful. This man may seem civilized, but I know a monster when I see one.
“Do you have any questions?” he asks, then holds up a hand before I can respond. “Actually, let me rephrase that. Do you have anyappropriatequestions about your daily routine here?”
I swallow down the lump in my throat. If there’s any time to ask, now is it. “What is it that you want from me, Sir?”
His smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “Patience, my dear. All will become clear in time. For now, simply focus on settling in and learning our ways.” He dabs his mouth with his napkin. “Ms. Harrington will show you to the library after breakfast. You may select three books to take back to your cottage. Consider it your first reward for good behavior.”
I open my mouth to ask another question. Where are we? But he cuts me off.
“And Bailey?” His tone lowers. It’s a voice I can picture speaking in front of a crowd, or holding boardroom meetings. “I do hope you understand that the freedoms I’m offering you are contingent on your cooperation. I would hate for you to lose them due to poor judgment.”
A threat wrapped in niceties. I still hear it for what it is though.Do as I say, or you won’t like the consequences.
“Yes, Sir.”
“Wonderful.” His smile returns, friendly and full of teeth. “I believe you and I are going to get along perfectly well.”
Ms. Harrington appears in the doorway. “Sir? Shall I escort Miss Bailey to the library now?”
“Yes, thank you, Greta. And do show her the gardens afterward. Fresh air is so important for one’s well-being.” He turns back to me. “Enjoy your morning, my dear. We’ll speak again soon.”
As Ms. Harrington leads me from the room, I catch one last glimpse of him calmly returning to his lavish breakfast, as if our conversation was nothing more than pleasant small talk.
My situation may be different from where I was before, but I know better. King threw me into boiling water—brutal, immediate, impossible to ignore the skin peeling, soul-cracking death. This man? He’s placed me in a pot of cool, comfortable water, and turned the heat on low, letting me simmer so gradually that I won’t know I’m cooked until it’s too late.
A pretty cage with plenty of room is still a cage.
As I step into the library, I force myself to remember that.
BAILEY - JULY 14TH
Okay, so… let me take a deep breath. I need to write this down while it’s still fresh, even though my hands are literally shaking just thinking about it. Last night changed everything.
I’m not a virgin anymore.
God, it sounds so clinical and weird when I write it like that. What happened between Leon and me wasn’t clinical in the least. It was so much better and more meaningful than anything I could have imagined. Nothing like Chloe told me it would be… which I guess I should have realized since she lost hers to Max, who’s absolutely NOTHING like Leon.
Ever since our firefly date (and the most incredible orgasm of my life), there’s been this palpable tension between us. It’s been so hard to hide how I feel from everyone else in the house, but we both agreed that we wanted to wait to tell Jasper andDamon. To just enjoy each other without them butting into our lives for as long as we can.
And maybe it makes me messed up, but I still love the sneaking around. Knowing someone could find us making out by the pool or pressed up against the hallway wall. Leon even snuck into my bedroom the other night after Jas and Damon fell asleep.
All of this tension has been driving me insane. Not that we haven’t enjoyed each other, but I wanted him. All of him. I was done waiting.
Last night, the universe finally threw me a bone. But I didn’t realize it would turn out that way at first.
Mom and Dad went into the city for their anniversary. He surprised her with tickets to see a play and reservations at a fancy restaurant. It was so sweet to see her excitement, especially since work’s been kicking her ass all summer.
