The Maddest Obsession

HIM

I took his hand as he walked us to the door and entered the code, making sure to hide my view with his body. He pulled the door inward and held the door for me. I let go of his hand and peeked back and forth along the hallway, I stepped out and the door closed behind us.

"This door automatically locks as soon as it shuts. Only Arnold,I and Caroline have the code, and I'll change it regularly."

"Thanks for that." I gritted.

He motioned for me to walk down the hall toward the stairs. I took a few tentative steps, then hurried past him. He followed me.

I stopped at the top of the stairs and looked out the two-story windows that graced the foyer. Through the paned glass, the grounds shone under a warm sun. Despite the cold air, the grass still retained a faint green from the summer months, and the driveway slithered through the lawn like a long black snake.

"This place is huge." I peered down at the foyer below, the walls lined with priceless art. The chandelier dangled from the third floor turret overhead, the crystals casting prisms high above us.

I tilted my head back, "Did having all this money make you this way?" I brought my gaze back to him. "Is that it?"

"Nothing made me this way. I'd spent countless hours in therapy sessions, and each doctor and psychologist had come to the same conclusion. On the spectrum of personality disorders, I was the most psychopathic person they'd ever counseled. It was hard wired into me. Nature, not nurture, had created my monster. What did you say earlier? 'It is what it is'? This is who I am, who I've always been. It can't be fixed."

I blinked, a little scared. "You're not even gonna hide from me that you're...like this?"

He shrugged. "What's the point? I'm no liar. I would never hide myself from you or what I am."

Christian confused me. Where people would even kill to hide their weaknesses, he told them so easily that he didn't even think that people could take it for granted.

Once we hit the landing, the marble floor felt cool beneath our feet, he led me around the flared staircase toward the back of the house.

"Sitting room, dining room, and an office." He pointed to each doorway we passed.

I followed, only pausing for a moment to peer into the office.

He turned into the last door on the right. "The kitchen. It's always fully stocked, and if there's anything in particular you want, I'll be happy to get it for you."

A woman bustled out of the pantry, her dark hair in a neat bun and her nurse shoes squicking along the tile floor. "Mr. Pierce." She looked up and stopped. "Good morning. Was there a problem with breakfast?"

"It was fine. I wanted you to meet Stella. She's the one you discussed with Arnold."

I stared around at the large kitchen, double ovens and stoves, granite counters, and the built-in fridge and freezer.

"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Caroline." Her voice was welcoming, but her smile faltered somewhat.

"He's keeping me a prisoner here." I said.

She hesitated but didn't say anything.

"Help me, Caroline. Get me out of here."

"She won't help you. I take good care of my employees enough to keep their mouth close."

Of course. She already knew I was here, right? She cooked breakfast for us.

"Fine." I ran my hand through my locks. "Caroline, be a dear and please show me where the knives are."