Returned (Book 2 of the Stolen Collection)

29

My muscles were sore from how stiff I was. I couldn't make myself relax as Bellamy lay sleeping with his arm around me. He had pulled me closer in his sleep and my body was crushed against his.

It was better than the dark, but I still didn't feel safe. This felt wrong and weird. I wanted Blake to come rushing in and rescue me, but I kept imagining him finding this and deciding to leave me.

"It's pretty hard to sleep when you keep moving like that," Bellamy grumbled into my hair.

"Like what?" I tried to hold still.

"Just relax," he readjusted his body and pulled me against him again. "You sitting there stiff is clearly making you twitch."

"I can't relax,"  I said trying to scoot away. He pulled me closer and put a hand over my mouth.

"Is waking me up every night going to be a regular thing?" He groaned.

"Probably," I spoke into his hand and he moved it.

"I can start serving more of that wine before bed," he threatened.

"You could-" He placed his hand back over my mouth.

"What was it you said?" He leaned over me, his upper body covering me. "You'd behave? You'd do anything? Anything, huh? How about you be a good girl and go to sleep?"

He let me go for a moment and leaned the other way. I wasn't sure why until I saw the light of the tv coming on. He scrolled over until he found an adult swim show and played it on low volume.

"Now," he stretched before resting his arm over my stomach. "Watch tv or go to sleep. Just relax. If you keep waking me up, I'm gonna make sure to tire you out before bed tomorrow night."

It was quiet for a long while and I could tell he wasn't asleep, but I didn't know how to address him after he had gotten mad the last time I said his name in conversation. I needed to pee, but he had to unlock me.

"Uhm," I tried to think of how to ask and suddenly felt embarrassed. I didn't even like asking the teachers when I was in school.

"What?" He whined into the pillow.

"I don't know what to call you," I mumbled, twisting my fingers around each other. I didn't want him to get angry with me for making him get up.

"Depends on what you want," he didn't lift his head from the pillow or open his eyes as he spoke.

"I need to be unlocked," I touched the collar as I said it and waited for him to question why, but he didn't. He sat up and unlocked me with a sleepy look on his face. He motioned for me to go with one hand while he rubbed his face with the other.

"Jade?" He asked before I reached the bathroom door.

"Yes?"

"I like when you use my name," he didn't look at me. Instead, he was looking at the wall in the other direction and then at his hands. "But as soon as you think you can use it against me, I'll put you back in that room with a muzzle and take the bulb from the light."

I didn't respond. I stood staring at him for a moment before rushing into the bathroom. When I came back he wasn't in the room and I wondered if I should look for him or just wait on the bed. The bed idea made me nervous so I slowly went to the door. I peeked out to see the empty hall, but I could hear someone on the stairs.

I tried to be quiet as I walked over to look over the rail. Bellamy was carrying two drinks and a bag of popcorn in his arms, with a bag of candy carried in his teeth. He noticed me and started to laugh and held up the snacks for me to come help. I took the candy and one of the drinks.

"Since you're going to keep waking me up," he laughed as we entered his bedroom. "I realized you missed dinner and thought you might want some snacks."

"Oh," I felt awkward knowing he had done this for me. "Thank you."

He put his things down and waited by the bed with the collar in hand. I reluctantly went to him and lifted my hair so he could lock me in again. He plopped onto his side of the bed with his drink and passed the popcorn to me.

We watched a few episodes before he laid back down and pulled me to him. He ran his fingertips across my skin as he held me and I felt myself relaxing. I still wanted to think about Blake, but I was too exhausted to fight with my conscience anymore as I fell asleep in Bellamy's arms.