Safe Haven ↠ h.s

Chapter Twenty

"Aubrey, love, look up at me," Martin demands. I slowly lift my head to meet his ugly brown eyes. A small smile sets on his lips, causing the short pricks of his mustache to twitch.

"Much better. How are you?"

"Me?" I snort. "You care about how I'm doing?"

"Aubrey, I am being very kind here. Please return the respect," he says coolly.

"Fine, if you really care, then I'm not okay." I stare out of the window, watching the large city before me continue in its never-ending rush.

"Why?"

"My ankle hurts, for one; I forgot to take my pain medication this morning. Also, I'm sick of all this stress on my shoulders," I admit, mainly speaking to myself rather than to Martin.

"Stress?"

"I don't want to talk about it," I sigh, pulling my hair out of my face.

"I asked you a question. What's stressing you out so much? I don't like my little butterfly being stressed," he coos creepily. The tone of his voice sends shivers down my spine.

"I -"

"Hi there, my name is Joan and I'll be your waitress here at Evasé Café. May I get you started with some drinks?"

"Um, no, you just interrupted our conversation," Martin says with an annoyed tone. I ignore his statement and speak over him.

"Yes, some drinks would be really nice, thank you. I'll take a French Vanilla cappuccino drizzled with chocolate syrup. Martin?" I say sweetly. He quietly growls.

"I'll have a cup of English tea, make it quick," he snaps angrily. The waitress scribbles down our orders and scurries away, leaving us secluded in the corner of the restaurant.

"Now," he continues, his mood changing erratically from the previous bubble of anger. "What's stressing you out?"

"You want the truth?" I say politely.

"Yes, always. You will never lie to me, Aubrey. If I ever catch you lying, I will find a way to punish you, even if you aren't under my roof or my protection," he states in a didactic manner.

I mentally roll my eyes. When has he ever protected me, other than from his rapist friends?

"Your threats," I whisper quietly.

"What's that? You need to speak up, my butterfly."

"Your threats stress me out. And my ankle. But mainly your threats, so don't you complain about me being stressed when you -" I pause to stick my finger out at him. "- are the main cause of it."

"Young lady, do not speak to me that way. You will treat me with respect," he says sternly.

God, I have a second father, now?

"Why should I treat you with respect? Just cause you're a few decades older than me, doesn't mean I should." I hush my voice so only he can hear. "The fact that you raped me daily, sometimes multiple times on a daily basis made me lose all respect for you," I hiss at him. "So don't ask me to show respect."

"Aubrey Leanne Caldwell, you will show me respect at all times. You are a woman which means you are worthless compared to me. Women are meant for cleaning, cooking, and for pleasure. I thought I taught you that, but I guess not. There is no such thing as rape; women are required to give themselves to men rather they want it or not."