His Prisoner

The Button Problem [8]

"Come on then, let's go. I'll get you a hot chocolate on the way back." She grins as we make our way back to the car.

Emily stops at a coffee drive-through and gets me a hot chocolate and herself a coffee. Once we're driving again, Emily turns to me curiously.

"Do you love Jack?" I'm momentarily shocked at her question. No one has ever asked me before. Jack hasn't even asked me that. He tells me all the time that he loves me but I don't think I've ever said it back to him.

"Um honestly, no. I've never really loved him. When I was younger, I admired him. He was always around, he would play with me and watch all the children's shows with me. But as I got older, I realised that he didn't see me as a teenager or someone much younger than him. Once my parents were gone, he had me all to himself to act however he pleased. I don't think my parents knew the feelings he had for me."

"Forgive me but if you don't love him, why don't you leave? Why are you having his child?" I sip on my hot chocolate as I stare at the scenery flying past.

"Jack cared for me when my parents died. I guess I feel like I owe him. Although, even if I wanted to leave, I wouldn't get very far. Jack's very possessive of me and I barely leave the house as it is. I wouldn't be able to leave him. I'm surprised he let me on this trip."

"He's taken advantage of your vulnerable state and got what he wanted. You don't owe him a thing." Emily stares hard at me as we stop at traffic lights. I swallow harshly. I know she's right.

"I wish I could leave. I would leave in a heartbeat. But now I'm having his child. I'll never get away." I smile sadly at the sympathetic expression she gives me.

"If I offered to help you, would you leave him?" My eyes widen in surprise.

"What?"

"I love Chase with all my heart. He's my soul mate and the thought of being with anyone but him kills me. I wouldn't want to be with someone I didn't love. I couldn't imagine not having the chance to find love, to find the answer to my happiness... I want you to have the chance to love like I do."

Her little speech has me tearing up. I glance down at my hot chocolate as tears spill down my cheeks. I've always wanted the love that I saw my parents share, it was true and pure. I envied them. I knew when I grew up that I wanted someone to look at me in the way my father looked at my mother. He gazed at her as if she was the most precious diamond in the whole world. I wanted that. Jack didn't love me like that.

"You would do that for someone you've just met?" I choke looking back up at her as she drives.

"I know the kind of man Jack is. I've met him many times and I know that you deserve to be treated with love and respect. He doesn't love you Mer, he's obsessed with you and he controls you. That isn't love."

The car comes to a stop and I realise we're back at the house. Emily turns the car off and faces me. She grabs my free hand and squeezes softly.

"There is a man out there waiting to love and cherish you. He'll treat you like a queen and you'll experience love like you never have before. Don't waste your life on Jack. You deserve so much better - that baby deserves so much better."

More tears stream down my cheeks and Emily hugs me while I cry. We stay in the car while I calm down and eventually climb out, grabbing all our bags and head into the house. Eliot opens the door to us, Chase is close behind him. Eliot takes my bags from me and as I catch his eye, something inside me sparks. I feel this warmth in my chest and butterflies in my stomach. The air around us seems to sizzle with energy and as our fingers brush, I gasp.

"You girls were gone for ages, did you buy out every shop?" Chase's amused voice breaks me from the trance I'm stuck in with Eliot.

"Haha, hilarious. No actually, we took our time and enjoyed ourselves. Right Mer?" Emily winks and I smile.

"Absolutely."

"Have you been crying?" Eliot asks frowning at me as he studies my face.

"I- uh-"

"She's fine, we had a little button problem." I silently thank Emily for saving my stuttering butt.

We follow the men into the living room as they place our bags down and I collapse onto the sofa.

Chase chuckles.

"Ah, the famous button problem." I raise an eyebrow at him.

"What do you know about the button problem?"

"Let me guess, jeans?" He questions smirking as he sits down beside me, Emily follows his lead and collapses next to him.

"Shut up." I mumble as I cross my arms over my chest grumpily.

He laughs loudly and reaches over to pat my little bump.

"I have three sisters. All had the same problem." He grins widely. Emily nudges him to drop it and I smile gratefully.

Just then, Jack walks in. As he comes into my view, my jaw drops.

His jaw is bruised and he has a black eye forming.

Damn.