Page 84 of Resistant

“Okay, Knox. I agree.”

Declan pushes himself across the table, reaching for me, knocking down glasses and food. The guard presses himself over Declan and there’s a scuffle, food flying everywhere.

I clasp my fingers in Declan’s outstretched palm. I watch Decan’s face in horror as our hearts simultaneously break, an audible snap that seems to echo in the room.

I’m unable to look away. His eyes burn into me; he’s overcome with agony. I’m rooted to my chair, helpless in this fight. Knox has always known how to break me, and I was stupid enough to walk in of my own accord.

A spiritual connection that links me to Declan refuses to snap, I grasp onto that thread tightly as my mind breaks and anguish sweeps through me.

Another guard arrives and they handcuff Declan and drag him out of the dining room. His eyes never leave my face and I memorize his features as he’s dragged away.

The room feels empty afterwards, his presence and spirit were the last of my stronghold. And now, it’s done.

“Brynn, I expect you to hold true to your word, and I will keep mine. I’ll give Declan provisions and he can leave in the morning to find your children. I will keep you safe. So long as you obey my rules, you have nothing to worry about.”

He sips his drink, his gaze unwavering from my face as staff come in to clear away the mess. My stomach growls and heaves over and I gag, dry heaving next to my chair. I feel hands close around my biceps and he pulls me close.

“It’s going to be alright Brynn. I will take care of you. You’ll see how good it can be between us.”

He scoops me up and I watch as the ceiling and fixtures move past my vision.

I wake in my room feeling heavy limbed and groggy. There is dried drool stuck to the corners of my mouth and I blink trying to clear the congestion from my eyes. They are swollen, I must have cried through the drug induced haze for a long time after Knox put me to bed.

The afternoon sun streams through the window and I curl up remembering that Declan is supposed to leave today. Surely, he’s left by now.Will ever see him again?I pray he finds my boys and raises them as his own.

I have no delusions that I will ever see them again, or that I will ever leave this house. I’ll be a prisoner, Knox’s personal plaything in his gothic mansion. I hear a buzzing noise and notice a cell phone on the nightstand.

I pick it up and see a notification. My fingers tremble, and I drop the phone on the floor. My legs give way and I’m on my hands and knees vomiting right on the hard wood. It’s my phone, my government issued phone. A phone that I left behind more than two years ago. And I’ve received a notification through the mercantile that Knox would like to schedule an appointment this evening.

“Good afternoon, Brynn.” Mrs. Winkles sweeps into my room, opens the curtains and straightens the bed.

“Oh my goodness, you must not be feeling well. No worries dear, pull on a robe and I’ll take you downstairs. I’ll have someone come clean this up for you. I have brunch waiting downstairs. How do you take your coffee?”

“Coffee?”

“Yes dear, do you take cream and sugar?”

“Cream and sugar? Huh.” I dissolve into silence. Nothing matters anyway. I can’t be bought with coffee.

“Oh my. I’m sorry dear, but you’ll be happy to know we have coffee and all the fixings every morning. I’ve saved them for you as I suspected you would take the opportunity to sleep in. Mr. Swann is up and is waiting for you before he eats.”

She stares at me like I’m a stubborn child, her expression full of disapproval.

“And he doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

I trudge down the stairs after her and am dismayed to see Knox in the dining room, an empty place setting next to him. Heaps of pancakes steam on a platter, and there is more fruit on the table than I have seen in years.

“Good morning, Brynn. I thought it would be fun to start over today. Get to know each other. Coffee?”

I sigh and sit next to him.

“Is Declan gone?”

“Yes. And you will never speak of him again, until he returns with your children. Understood?”

He lifts an eyebrow and I glance at the armed guard across the room. I lower my eyes.

“Yes, Mr. Swann. I understand.”

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