"Don't we all pride ourselves on our independence and skills?" muttering to herself, she rubbed her eyes and refocused her attention on the laptop screen.
Having spent most of the past week silently smuggling her things out of Clayton's room, she felt much better knowing she wouldn't be sleeping there again. Just entering the room gave her flashbacks to some very R-rated kisses she'd experienced there. Nothing she needed in her life at the moment.
Victoria sighed as she scrolled through the list of self-help books she'd been perusing online. She had managed to get a grip on her emotions and was finally able to think about her captor without her heart going into overdrive. Emotions were a tricky business, but she'd managed to tame hers; for the time being. The overbearing bear, her oh so generous captor had been gone for business for well over two weeks now. Giving her a much needed respite from him and his confusing presence. Once she had gotten past the first week, she had begun to miss him less and understand that she had been fool enough to develop a strong case of Stockholm syndrome.
Victoria knew where she stood in this scenario, she had been in one 'relationship' prior to Clayton entering her life. And that had been a poor excuse of a relationship, with Harry being much more interested in her than she had ever been in him. He'd been whiny, clingy and only the most boring man on the planet; the only redeeming factor in the relationship from hell being that he hadn't lived close enough to visit her often. She'd dealt with it for eleven months before calling it quits. A better decision she hadn't taken in her entire existence.
Frankly, she was scared witless of relationships and commitment. There hadn't been much love lost between her parents, and she'd barely seen anyone happy once they got together with anyone. Victoria, for one couldn't understand the allure of romance or a significant other. She was entirely numb inside and was not at all capable of understanding what was happening inside her own mind and heart until it was too late. Deep down she knew she probably felt an entirely physical attraction to Clayton, much like what he felt for her.
"Fuck this, I need to get out." Victoria muttered to herself. She needed to get fresh air and clear her head. "I really need to find something better to think about than him."
She dug around the pile of clothes that was her wardrobe and pulled out a warm looking jacket, not that she knew where she was headed, but it would be better to be over-warm than freezing to death. Within a minute she was out the door and down the stairs, she could make it out undetected no problem. The security detail assigned to her was probably gathered in the living room thinking she was settled for the night. Good, gave her some more time to be by herself. There had been way too many people around her recently. Easing the front door open, she slowly stepped out and closed it as silently as possible.
Sticking to the shelter the shadows gave her she breathed a sigh of relief as she made it to the main road. There was no one around, just as she liked it. Victoria hummed a happy beat under her breath as she made her way to the nearest park. It would be a little creepy, and she probably wouldn't have the guts to stay there long, but it would make for a nice walk. The park was however far from empty, about a dozen adults and even more children were having a nice evening stroll. Victoria made her way to the nearest bench and sat; content to watch the people around her as her thoughts roamed.
She really should learn something to keep her mind busy, perhaps something creative. Victoria detested the degree she'd ended up in, she just hadn't been smart enough to make it to anything better. While at her parents' house she hadn't been given many options when it came to her career, and she'd barely met the requirements for journalism and mass communication either. Neither was she a very confident speaker, nor did written journalism interest her. She'd had a piss poor college application. It was a miracle she had even made it into the program.
"I'm going to change my major." Victoria whispered to herself. She couldn't explain it but saying it out loud gave it some credibility. Emboldened by the sense of control she felt, Victoria smiled and spoke louder, "I'm going to change my major."
"To what?" A voice whispered in her ear and her blood froze in her veins.
Eyes wide, heart hammering, she peeked at a stone-faced Clayton. He merely cocked a brow at her frozen form. She'd not been around him for so long, Victoria had forgotten the effect he had on people.
"Clayton..." She choked out.
"As cute as it is seeing you so flustered," Clayton smirked at her, casually slipped an arm about her waist and pulled her flush against himself, "I'd prefer to put your little heart at rest. You're not restricted from going anywhere, you just need to take the guards with you."
"But I don't -"
"Have them with you? Yes I know, " Clayton casually pulled her legs into his lap. His head buried in her hair, "They followed you here. Even if you don't listen to what I tell you to do, they do."
Victoria gulped. That phone call rebellion was going to end up with her death. "Um...I-" her mind scrambled to come up with an excuse.
"We can talk about that later though, I don't know if its medically okay for your pulse to be this high. But you're not breathing either?" Clayton shook her startling her out of her shock. Gulping in a breath, Victoria began to try and squirm out of his hold. It was awkward to touch another human being. On the plus side, Clayton seemed to be in a suspiciously good mood. Nothing seemed to be bothering him, and that bothered her. "You're okay now, right?"
"Um...Yeah?" Victoria whispered, she couldn't get her voice to go any louder.
"Good." His hand wrapped in her hair to pull her head back and his lips descended onto hers before she could even formulate a thought. Clayton leisurely kissed her to within an inch of her life and only barely let her up for some air a few minutes later. "God, I missed this." He groaned as he pulled her in for more kisses, each more searingly hot than the one before.
Victoria finally managed to tear her mouth from his, and pulled herself out of his arms and off the bench. Judging by the thunderous look he sent her way, Clayton wasn't exactly pleased with that.
"I'm cold." She blurted. He stood in front of her, pure unadulterated desire in his eyes.
"I thought I was keeping you warm enough." He smirked at her, "Come on, let's go home before you get sick."
Victoria meekly protested when he slipped an arm around her and pulled her to his side. Reaching his car, Clayton merely placed a chaste kiss on her forehead as he held the door open for her. She had remained silent on the ride back, even though Clayton had been surprisingly talkative nonetheless he kept a firm grip on her hand as he drove them home.
Once they pulled into the driveway, anxiety and nervousness made its way into her stomach. She didn't know how to deal with this new likable Clayton. Heck, she'd barely known how to deal with the cranky bear he was before.
Clayton held her hand as they walked into the house. Why did he always have to be touching some part of her? Victoria walked into the kitchen and he silently followed her, she desperately needed some water, she was freaking out and didn't have the faintest idea on how to handle it. Walking up the stairs, she was worried about the room situation. He had blatantly told her to stay put. But she'd moved back anyway. Why had it seemed like such a good idea at the time? She pulled a face as she slowly trudged up the steps with Clayton right behind her.
With every passing second, she was panicking more and more. Soon she wouldn't be able to stall anymore, she'd either have to go share a room with a man she half-detested or she could man up and tell him to fuck off. Something that wasn't likely to happen in this lifetime. Once they reached the landing, Victoria took her chance and embraced the element of surprise.
"Okay good night!" She all but squealed and bolted for the door of her bedroom.
Clayton merely reached out and grabbed her from her jacket. "You can tell me good night once you're in my arms in the bed." He calmly walked her to the master bedroom at the end of the hall, "I know you've been moving your things back. But you stay with me regardless."
"But I-"
"Not up for debate." He opened the door and pushed her inside. Following behind her he simply closed the door behind him.
"Listen here yo-" Victoria huffed, she was slowly becoming more and more sure he wouldn't harm her in any way. Something that gave her false hope she desperately clung to.
"Do you have something in this room to sleep in?" He calmly ignored her.
"I am not a p-"
"Yes or no?" He cast her a sharp look that had her going silent.
"No." She mumbled. All her confidence fled.
"Great."
"My clothes are in the other room." Victoria muttered.
"Too far." Clayton shrugged and handed her a T-Shirt and boxers. Both would be too large for her. "You will wear this."
"But I have - "
"What you have is my clothes to wear."
"Um...My clothes are-"
"Put this on."
Gritting her teeth, Victoria made her way to the attached bathroom and shut the door behind her. She was too scared of him to slam it.
**************
Clayton smiled to himself as he watched her stomp her way to the bathroom. He knew it wouldn't be easy to gain her favour, and admittedly his method wasn't the best way to about it. But it was all he knew to do.
Swiftly changing into a pair of boxers, much more clothing than he was used to sleeping in. But he knew Victoria wouldn't be comfortable so he'd decided to forego sleeping in the nude. Clayton jumped onto to the bed as he awaited his first glimpse of his girl wearing his clothes.
Picturing Victoria in his clothes had him hard and aching for her, and he hadn't even seen her yet. He was an unreasonable asshole, and he knew it. But she was his, so there was still some hope for him. Victoria was the kind of girl he could picture himself doing entirely out of character things for. Envision himself changing for her.
The door opened slowly and Victoria stepped out slowly. The shirt entirely swallowed her up, with the boxers having been hidden underneath. Clayton actually felt his heart stop. All coherent thought fled his mind as he simply stared at her hungrily. Victoria looked everywhere but him and the bed.
Clayton could easily see himself sliding the loose-fitting clothing off her body as she writhed underneath him. He would slowly and carefully bare her sweet, sexy body to his gaze as his hands slid over her soft, smooth skin.
Victoria's uncomfortable body language stemmed his rampant desire and he broke through the spell she had put him under. "Come. Sleep." Clayton finally sighed. His thoughts would have to wait till she was ready.
"Um...It's okay. You sleep on the bed. I'll sleep..." Victoria glanced around and looked visibly disturbed there wasn't a sofa or anything else in the room she could have possibly slept on.
"You will sleep on the bed." Clayton sighed as he walked over to her.
He didn't even give her time to even form a protest as he easily picked her up and tossed her onto the bed. Within seconds he was right next to her and she had been placed in his arms. Clayton pulled her atop him, and sighed in pure male satisfaction as he settled her onto his chest. The female in his arms was his and his alone. There was no doubt that she was the only one for him. Victoria was still and he could feel the tension in her body, Clayton looked down at her chewing her lip and worrying her brow as she thought things through. Although it pained him so much to place even an inch of distance between them, he eased her down to his side and tilted her face up to meet his.
"I'm not going to hurt you." He looked into her eyes. Clayton knew she was aware of it, but he wanted to reassure her. "You will not be forced."
The sparkle returning to her eyes was reward enough for his poor beleaguered heart as he stared down at her. Making her happy was now his one sole purpose.
"Thank you." She mumbled, a tentative smile on her face.
Clayton lowered his lips to hers and kissed her long and hard. Her subtle and unsure attempts to respond to him sent fire coursing through his blood. Even the slightest move she made set him aflame with desire. Lord knows where he found the restraint to pull back from her warm, inviting lips. Clayton kissed her forehead as he settled her against him. It wasn't long before he felt her breaths evening out and eventually she was asleep. He couldn't believe she felt safe enough with him to fall asleep in his embrace. His heart was soaring and he couldn't imagine life getting any better than this.
"You'll always be my everything." Clayton whispered to her sleeping form. He loosened his hold on her as he brushed her hair away from her face and settled in to sleep himself.