stockholm syndrome

CHAPTER THIRTY*

"If you missed me that much, you would have saved me. While you were off probably screwing another hostage, I was being drugged and fucked by your father! So I don't want to hear your shit about how you missed me." I briefly made eye contact with him, before he suddenly slammed his lips on mine.

Push him away, he hurt you! I place my hands on Scott's chest to push him away—but his presence overwhelms me as he places his hands on my waist, pulling me closer to him as he bites my lower lip.

Don't give in. I gather the courage to push him away and grab one of my brass candle holders off my dresser to protect myself. "Don't try to seduce me. I-I'm not going to fall for you again, not after what you did." He sighs and shoves his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

"Fine, I won't do anything. But I just want you to listen to me. Give me five minutes, please?" The sorrow in his voice almost convinces me to change my mind. But then I remember everything I'd been through since I met him.

"Five minutes. Try anything and I'm calling the cops." He smiles and I direct him to the chair next to my desk for him to sit. Once he's seated, I set the holder back on the dresser and take a seat on my bed.

"I-I don't know where to begin, doll. I didn't even think you'd want to listen—"

"Four Fifty Nine, Four Fifty Eight—"

"Okay!" He begins. "As you heard on the tape, one of my father's workers—Jeremy—offered to pay me to give you to them. I didn't even want to consider it until he threatened your life." I look down to my lap, knowing that if I were to see him cry I'd give in.

"After I agreed to his offer, they kept me there overnight—those hickeys you saw were fake. They held me down and used a rod to make the bruises" I refuse to look at him. For all I know, he's making it up as he goes.

"But the second I left, I was making a plan to get you back safely—" Scott sniffles, and I almost want to hug him. Almost. "After a week, my father sent me a picture of you," He pauses again, a shaky sigh passing his lips.

"You were unconscious...he'd tied you to the bed, a-and you were covered i-in blood and—" He's cut off by his own sobs, and almost immediately I find myself walking over to hug him. I kneel on the floor in front of him, allowing him to rest his chin on my head as I hugged him. So much for resistance.

I never thought I'd see him cry. This grown man who'd kidnapped me just a few months prior had fallen apart in only a few minutes—because he cared for me.

"I'm going to kill him, Mitchell." His words are shaky as he tilts my head up to look him in the eyes. The warm ocean blues that I'd fallen in love with, glossy from tears and bloodshot—presumably from lack of sleep.

His thumb traces over my bottom lip and my heart flutters. "He deserves to suffer for what he's done to you, and so many other innocent people." A single tear strolls down his cheek, but he never looks away.

"Won't his men be angry? A-and he's still your father, sir, I don't—" He silences me with another kiss, more tender and desperate than the last. My hands find their way to grip his shoulders, memories flooding back to when he had me.

My heart flutters again and I briefly consider giving into him and letting him claim me once again. But the thought quickly fades as Scott pulls away, his hand still holding my chin in place as he gazes down at me with that familiar spark in his eyes.

"You own my heart, Mitchell." His words echo in my brain and all I can picture in my mind is the look on his face when he gave me to the business. He slips his hand up to hold the side of my face, wiping away a tear that I didn't notice had fallen.

"I know you'll never forgive me for what I've done. But I can't leave you here—they're looking for you and I can't even imagine what they'd do to you if they caught you." His eyes glimmer with sincerity and fear. I place my hand over his and sigh.

"I know you don't trust me Mitchell, but I need you to believe me when I say you're not safe here anymore." Another tear slips out and he sniffles again. "You don't have to love me again, at least just let me protect you from them." I close my eyes as he rests his forehead against mine.

A heavy silence falls between us, only our breathing and quiet sniffles are heard.

I weigh my options;
He could be lying, and the second you leave with him you're back to being a slave for a hundred men. But if he's telling the truth—those same men could catch you and we'd be right back to five months ago.

Either way, I could potentially end up back in the business. But if I were to go with Scott, and he was telling the truth, I'd at least be protected—right?

I move back and look to the floor, giving a quick glance to Scott before I speak. "Okay, I'll go with you." My heart skips a beat. "Only because you said you'd protect me." Scott sighs in relief before tilting my head up to kiss me again.

I push him away and move to my feet. "This does not mean I'm going to let you bed me in anyway. If you even want me to think about loving you again, you'll have to earn my trust."

His small smile fades but he shakes his head and stands too, wrapping me in a hug. "Thank you, babydoll. I promise I'll never hurt you again." I sigh as I rest my head against his chest, his heartbeat filling my ears.

I can only hope so.