Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven 

Jamie

My eyes slowly open and close, the blurriness is fading in and out, my head is pounding, and nausea is slowly creeping up on me. I fully open my eyes to a dark, high ceiling. I turn my head to the right, and notice this isn’t my room. I sit up way too quickly, and dizziness zeroes in on me, I can no longer hold in the vomit, I bend over the bed uncontrollably gagging until I release all the bodily fluid I probably have.

My throat burns from all the stomach acid that is forced out after not having anything else to release. When it finally comes to a stop, my head is laying limp, I feel too weak from vomiting to sit myself upright.

After a good couple minutes I muster up enough strength to pull myself up over the bed. All I want to do was lay back but I need to get up. I uproot into a full sitting position, but a little more slowly this time, and take a minute to gather myself.

Where am I? How did I get here? It takes a few minutes for it to finally hit me, all the events that transpired, but was it last night?

How long have I been out? I couldn’t of breathed in chloroform for that lengthy of a time.

I look around me at the very dark, large room, trying to understand why they would have taken me to such a lavish place. I reach over to the nightstand, trying not to step in my vomit, and turn on the lamp giving the room very little light considering how humongous the bedroom is. But it is just enough for it to shine a light onto an open bathroom door right across from me.

I slowly stand up, again carefully so I don’t step in the puke, then I walk towards the bathroom hoping to find some towels, and clean everything up, including myself. I reach the bathroom and automatically switch on the light. I have never seen such a beautiful bathroom in my life, it is like a dream come true. It has black tiled walls with a little white in between every tile. The floor is  a pure silky white marble that made me feel like I should be walking into a ball room rather than the bathroom. The black granite countertop has two sinks, with three drawers on both sides.

It’s so big that it can fit not only a walk in shower, but also a jacuzzi tub. I would die to be able to take a bath in that right now. I can just picture myself laying in the steaming, hot water, with candles all around me, maybe even some music.

While caught up in my daze I guess I don’t hear someone come in. Abruptly, someone’s hand touches my shoulder scaring me half to death! I turn around quickly, and start to back away until I notice it’s none other than Marcellus.

He stood there with his hands in his pockets, an all black collared dress shirt, but with no tie. His black cropped hair, not gelled this time, leaving it to be wild. His sleeves are rolled up revealing, very detailed tattoos, something that probably cost him a fortune.

I can only see little swirls of ink, but I can tell it is a part of a much bigger piece of art going up his arms, I wonder if it connects to his back as well?

Seeing him standing there after it being two or three weeks since our first encounter, it only brought me back to the ridiculously intense longing for him. I want nothing more than to see what lay beneath that shirt, so I could study each and every intricate detail of art on his body. Who could not be attracted to this incredibly captivating man?

“Are you sick?” He questions me, interrupting my staring. It took me a minute for it to hit me, but I’ve just now realized he must have seen my vomit all over the side of his bed, and on the floor. My face turns into a deep shade of crimson, it’s just my luck that the most attractive person I have seen has gotten a good look at my puke the second time I meet him.

“Ummm, well no, I mean… well I feel better now,” I scramble out nervously. “I just felt nauseous, I am looking for a towel to clean it up, I’m so sorry!” I say looking down.

He walks toward me, his dressing shoes click clacking against the marble floor. He took my chin and held it in his hand.

“You have nothing to apologize for. I think it’s me that needs to apologise to you.”

His golden brown gaze froze me in place, I can only wonder what it would be like to kiss his small lips, while feeling the roughness of his stubble on the corners of my mouth.

“I think we need to talk, and I really need to know where my brother is.”

As soon as I mentioned him, flashes of him being beaten to death right in front of me came to surface. I remember the punches, and kicks to the head, ribs, and stomach, and I remember the blood, there was so much blood! There’s no way he could be dead right? He has to be okay.

“I promise we will talk, but not right now. You need to take a shower. I had my maid bring you some fresh clothes, they are laying out on the bed. And don’t worry about the mess, I already have somebody on it. Just take a shower, and try to relax.”

He starts to walk back out but the urgency of the situation would not let me allow him to walk away just yet. He needs to know that my brother could be dead… tears, and the feeling of hotness spread across my face. I instantly drop to my knees in the bathroom.

“Marcellus… wait,” I sob out. There is no hesitation, he immediately stops and turns around to face me.

“Jamie…” The expression on his face is harrowing when he stares back at me. My sobs were loud, and desperate as I try to speak.

“Marcellus, my brother was beaten to the brink of death right in front of me. I don’t know what’s going on, or who you really are… but you have to save him. I am begging you.” I then crash my face in my hands, ashamed of my desperation. I feel so weak and helpless.

He quickly walks over to me, gently grabs me by my arms, pulling me off of my knees. Once my knees stop buckling, he lets go of me, and grips my face in both of his hands.

Our faces were merely inches apart, I can smell his hot breath, even in my sorrow, and desperation. I still want this man, even knowing that he could be the reason for all of this I still wanted to feel his lips on mine.

How can you feel this much of an attraction to someone you hardly know? His intense stare, with those beautiful golden brown irises made me feel like he was staring into the very depths of my soul.

“Your brother is in the hospital, but he is going to be fine. I’ve already had someone check on him.” I let out a deep sigh in relief, but still choking back sobs, I don’t know why I can’t stop crying. I have never been this emotional.

“They beat him in front of you?” he asks suddenly. His eyes seem to turn into deep slits, and his velvet voice is no longer sweet, and calming. He grips me tighter on my face, making me wince. He seems to notice, and drops his hands right away. 

I back away from him again, recollecting everything Ryan has told me… Ryan… oh my god what happened to Ryan?

“What about my friend Ryan? He was with me, please tell me he is okay too?” He raised one eyebrow at me, as if he didn’t understand who it was I was talking about. Then he quickly changes his expression to a knowing one as if it clicks for him. His demeanor suddenly became agitated as if my question has insulted him.

“Ryan Scuderi? Don’t worry he’s fine, my men aren’t allowed to touch him. Just take a shower, we have a lot to discuss.” His coldness, and sudden change in personality frightens me, he hastily walks out of the bathroom not taking another glance back at me.

I stand there in confusion, maybe even a little hurt by his coldness towards me. I don’t even know him, so I don’t know why it would even bother me. Was I really going to let my feelings be hurt by this random guy? I have hardly ever let anyone get to me, I wasn’t going to be forced into a shell now. 

I look down at my clothing, and how horribly dirty it is, and quickly rip the rags off of me. I turn to look at myself in the mirror, checking over my naked body.

There is some light bruising that was in random places throughout my torso but nothing crazy. The worst is the purple finger marks on my arm. I turn away from my reflection and hop into the large walk in shower. I angle the knob toward the red mark indicating that is the hot water, and watch the shower head spring to life. I put my hand in the water waiting for it to get warm, and as soon as it does I submerge my body in the hot water.

Letting it prickle on my back, and tilting my head so that the shower sprinkles on my face. I tilt my head back up to look at the built in shower shelf with a ridiculous amount of shampoo, conditioner, and bodywash. There is even a fresh razor waiting to be connected to it’s handle in a package. Both men’s and women’s products. Of course, he would be prepared to have women over. I can only imagine how many women that man has been with. I end up choosing a coconut smell, which is close to what I have at home, just a different brand.

I lather myself up quickly, washing away every inch of my body, and then shave while rinsing all the suds. I quickly finish and step out of the shower, and pull a towel out from the shelf nearby, and wrap it around me. I want to hurry so I can go visit my brother in the hospital, and hopefully go home.

I open the door to a now lit up room, and if I thought I was basking in luxury before, I now know for sure I am. The bed is a normal California king size, with a black headboard, and a gorgeous silky gray bedspread, and the floors are wooden cherry oak. The color of the walls are a cremely sand color. The walls being light colored didn’t surprise me more than the mountains upon mountains of books he has sitting on bookshelves surrounding the room.

I walk around the room running my hands over all the different titles and authors. Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, H.G Wells, and so much more. Wuthering Heights, a first edition version sat in a case in between the shelves by a set of double doors to what looks like a balcony. It stuck out to me more than any of the other titles because it surprises me more than anything that he would read a book such as that. I try to picture in my head him sitting in a chair with glasses, all relaxed and snuggled up reading a classical romance novel. I instantly giggle at the crazy thought out loud.

“You like to read?” A familiar voice startles me, I turned around immediately to face Marcelus. He idles there, staring at me with a small smirk on his face. Trying to understand why he’s making that face, I give him a questioning look. But then the light bulb clicks on and I realize I am in nothing but a towel. Shit.

He doesn’t even bother turning around, he just stands there with his arms crossed over his chest gawking at me with a cocky grin.

“Do you mind? You could’ve knocked you know?” It makes me angry that he didn’t even have the common decency to close his eyes. He acts like it is his right to look at me.

“This is my room, Tesora.” Sweetheart.

“Can you at least turn around so I can get dressed?” I ask in a frustrated tone. He put his hands up as if he is submitting, and turned around. I quickly run over to the bed where a pair of black leggings and a long sleeve plain white shirt was laid out for me, along with black bra and underwear to match.

I drop my towel and hurriedly throw all the clothes on wondering where he has gotten them. Maybe the maid has let me borrow them, it’s kind of crazy that she is my exact size though.

“I guess you can turn around now,” I tell him, still angry at the boldness of his staring. He turns around to face me still but this time with an amused look.

“Do the clothes fit?” he asks curiously.

“Yeah they fit fine. I’m surprised you have a maid that is the exact same size as me.”

“Oh, I don’t, I just have a knack for guessing.” My eyes widen at his response.

“Sit down,” he said in a demanding tone motioning for me to sit on the bed. I really don’t have to sit down if I don’t want to, just the way he demands things really infuriates me. He must be used to getting what he wants because he doesn’t even know how to ask for it.

“I want to go to see my brother, I need to see for myself that he is okay,” I said, still standing. “I also need to see Ryan, I think it’s time for me to go home. I have responsibilities at home, and that doesn’t include the two jobs I have,” I say demanding back at him. Instead of the amused, playful smirk, his face became blank, and emotionless.

“I just received word that your brother has been released, he’s on his way here. There’s no need to be worried about either of your jobs. I’ll be taking care of any expenses you might have, but unfortunately, you aren’t leaving.” I gape at him, what did he mean I wasn’t leaving?

“Excuse me? You can’t force me to stay here, why can’t I go home? My friend just died! I don’t even know if she has any family to do a funeral for her!”

“Well I am so sorry mia cara, my dear, but it seems your brother has given me no choice. See if it were up to my men, your brother would be dead. Unfortunately, I can’t let him off scott free so keeping you here is the next best thing. Or do you not remember the deal you made with the Italian mafia?” He practically spit the words out at me, making me double back. I couldn’t believe what he is saying to me. The kind man I had met that night at the bar who saved me is gone. Everything that Ryan said had been confirmed, my brother joined the mafia.

“So you don’t condone rape but yet here you stand, forcing me against my will to stay somewhere I don’t want to be. You are no different than the man who assaulted me that night, the man you saved me from!” His blank emotionless look turned into pure hatred as he stalked toward me, getting as close to me as he can get, inching his face to mine.

“I may not be a rapist mia cara, but I am much worse than the man I saved you from.” I try to step back from him but he grabs the back of my neck, not letting me look away from him.

“And don’t you forget that,” the coldness to his voice practically burns me. I feel the tears starting to surface as he jerks his hand off of me knocking me back a little. He slowly starts to back away from me, and then briskly turns around starting to leave the room, before he could exit I yell after him.

“Marcellus!”

“What?” He spat back at me turning to face me again.

“I… I have a dog. He’s there alone, can my brother bring him to me?” I sob at him. He’s probably going to think I am pathetic, but his face does soften as he looks back at me. But he does not say a word, he just turns back around and slams the door shut behind him.

I throw myself on the silky comforter crying, and hating myself for crying. Just in the few minutes I let my sobs break out with my face in the pillow, the silk became a wet snotty mess. I lift myself up, wiping my face of all the wetness, and slime.

I am mostly crying because I know even after all this man is doing to me, I still want him, I still want every inch of him. It makes me sick to my core, I am disgusted with myself! How could I want someone that hurts me like this? I hate him! I hate him for making me like this, I hate him for thinking he can control mine, and my brother’s life! I am going to make his life hell, I am going to make him regret the very day he decided to take me home that night. I will fight him, and my sick attraction for as long as he decides to keep me here!

I start crying more but not because I am trapped here, or because of my brother, but it’s because I know I’m lying to myself. I know I have been ensnared, and caught. I know that I am infatuated with a monster.