I woke up in a fluffy bed and immediately wanted to go back to sleep. I didn't think about how I got here or what was going on until I heard his voice. Soft and deep, sending tingles down my spine.
"Good morning, beautiful," he said. I looked at the end of the bed where he stood.
This was his bed, in his room, where he slept on his couch so I could have the bed. I also remembered the gun I'd seen him put on the table by the couch while he slept. Meaning I had to be careful not to upset him.
"It's 11 o'clock," he said holding out an outfit for me. I'd requested a new one last night after my shower only to receive a new button up shirt to sleep in.
"You let me sleep till 11?! Ronnie must be-" I almost said Ronnie must be worried, but I immediately closed my mouth. I could put Ronnie in danger if they thought he actually cared about me.
"Ronnie must be what?" Blake asked raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, nothing. It must just be something from my dream. I have no idea what I was going to say." I shrugged and tried to look innocent. I reached up to take the clothes from him, but he pulled them back.
"I'd like my shirt back, Jade." He smirked.
"I'll give it back.. when I have something else on." I said pulling the blanket to my chest. I didn't think I liked where this seemed to be going.
"I'd also like to know what Ronnie might be." He said. He held up a black v neck shirt from the pile. "If you tell me things I'd like to know, you can have clothes. Otherwise, I want my shirt."
"This is hardly the type of thing that you should be doing to someone you just met." I argued.
"Ah, but it is something I'm allowed to do to my soon-to-be bride." He smirked and sat on the small sofa against the wall by the bed. If he's going to use the "you have to listen to me" thing for this, what else is he going to make me do?
"What happened to the time when men were sweet to their wives?" I crossed my arms. He looked thoughtful for a moment before smiling.
"Well," he said putting the clothes on the sofa as he leaned back. "I think those times died when women decided they liked goofing around and being teased. So I'm only doing what is expected of a husband or boyfriend."
"Ha! I expect clothes and for a man to know me before he tries to tease me." As I spoke I stood up from the bed. I noticed his eyes go to my uncovered legs and it sparked an idea in my head.
I unbuttoned the first buttons of the shirt and moved closer to him. He watched curiously, but remained quiet. He moved the clothes as I got closer and I sat beside him on the sofa. He looked at my legs again and this time he noticed something else on the side of my leg.
"You were shot?" He asked still looking at my leg.
"I ran." I shrugged. "They were told to catch me at all costs, but they've been keeping an eye on it."
"Oh... alright." He looked skeptical for a moment.
"It hardly hurts anymore." I lied. It bothered me constantly. He nodded a little and decided to change the subject, noticing this was putting a damper on my mood.
"You know, they've never brought anyone as beautiful as you to be my bride." He said turning to face me. He thought for a moment before chuckling. "I might just keep you, but I know that I shouldn't. You have a family to get back to."
"You could keep me." I whispered. I moved closer to him and put my hand on his. "No one would miss me and your father expects you to take a bride."
"What I do, is none of my father's business." He raised his voice a little and I almost jumped back. He noticed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."
I pushed my fear aside and stood on my knees before moving to put one leg on either side of him so I was on his lap. He looked a bit shocked at first and I put my hand on his neck as I moved my face closer to his to keep his attention on me. I reached toward the table where the clothes were while he was distracted.
"What are you doing," he asked looking at my lips. I reached farther for the clothes and as soon as I had them I jumped up and ran to the bathroom laughing.
"Just what a girlfriend or wife is expected, I'm teasing." I laughed as I closed the door. It wasn't until a moment after that I realized why he was laughing.
"Did you drop something?" He chuckled. My shirt. He spoke in a commanding voice for the next part to make sure I understood, it was an order. "Drop my shirt outside the door, wife."
I took off the button up and dropped it out the door before changing into the fresh underwear, bra, and jeans. I bit my nail for a moment before peeking out the door. He stood on the other side of the room with that same smirk he'd been giving me all morning.
"Can I please have a shirt?" I asked.
"Sure." I was shocked to hear him say. "Come and get it."
"Can't you bring it here?"
"Well," his smirk turned into a broad smile, "I have to get you back for teasing me don't I?"
"No." I said simply.
"Yes, I do." He laughed. "Now come on, let's see you come out here and get this shirt. What happened to that brave girl from the sofa?"
I closed the door before I took a deep, calming breath. What kind of bathroom doesn't have one fucking towel in it? Opening the door I covered my bra with my arms and slowly moved over to him. He was smiling the whole time, but he kept eye contact with me. I stopped in front of him and watched as his eyes traveled down my body before returning to mine. I was thankful that my arms had successfully covered the bruises on my torso.
"I like this look." He smirked. "Minus the whole embarrassed and scared look on your face. What happened to the girl from the sofa?"
"She needed clothes."
"As do you."
"Can I just have the shirt?" I rolled my eyes. He gave me a half smile.
"Alright." He handed me the shirt and I turned and started rushing to the bathroom until I heard him shout. "STOP!"
I froze and squeaked out something that was almost a squeal. I heard him moving closer and looked over my shoulder at him. He looked very angry as he moved toward me. Is he about to hit me? He's certainly about to hit someone and I don't want it to be me.
I rushed into the bathroom before he made it to me and closed and locked the door, leaning against it slightly.
"Jade!" He tried the handle. "Open this door right now, Jade! We are going to talk about this and you're going to tell me what the hell is going on."
I slid to the floor and felt tears in my eyes. Fear of what would happen once he got in took over me and I started sobbing. He must've heard because he stopped trying to get in the room.
"Jade?" His voice was softer. "Are you crying?"
I didn't answer. Just held my breath and tried to be quiet. His quickly changing attitude made me think of a bipolar drunk.
"Jade, I'm not mad at you. I'm mad about the marks on your back." He explained quietly. "Please, open the door. I need to know what happened."
I didn't answer. I closed my eyes and rested my head against the wall beside me. This is a lot to handle when I just woke up.
"Jade, please let me in. Tell me what happened." He spoke so quietly I almost didn't hear him through the door. What if he sees them and has Ronnie kill me because I'm damaged? I can't risk him getting angry.
I opened the door just enough to see him, still sitting on the floor. He smiled a little as he looked down at me.
"Let me see your back." He said opening the door a bit more. I turned around and he kneeled behind me. He lightly ran his fingers along one of the open gashes and I sat up straighter trying to get away from them. "Okay, I won't touch them. What happened? Who did this?"
I turned and looked at him again. He looked genuinely concerned.
"I got out." I explained. "They didn't know that they shouldn't have. Chance told them I escaped."
"What did they do to you?" He asked. I could tell he wasn't expecting an answer. "They knew you were mine. Doesn't that mean they should keep you perfect?"
He glared at the wall, lost in thought, and I took this moment to put on my shirt. I didn't want him to get upset again so I grabbed his hand and stood up, he followed.
"Can we go get breakfast?" I asked trying to change the subject. He smiled.
"Well it's almost lunch actually, but I can have them prepare you some pancakes, how's that?"
"Perfect."