The air was warm and golden like butterscotch, wrapping around Lynn like a comforting blanket. She was dancing, her green dress flowing around her as she went.
Warm hands landed on her waist, stopping her dancing. "Princess, you are stunning." Reece's deep voice whispered in her ear.
A chill ran up her spine. "Thank you."
Reece spun her around to face him, holding her close. "You've fallen for me, and I've fallen for you." He moved closer, his lips nearly brushing hers. "Become mine, and we'll run away with our own lives, Princess." Her heart stopped as he tilted her face up and kissed her.
Lynn jolted awake, taking in a deep breath as her heart pounded from her dream. Oh no, she did not just have a love dream. She had never had a dream like that about any guys she liked.
She fell back on her pillows, still catching her breath. He managed to take her breath away even in a dream. Oh boy.
* * *
Lynn was tired of work, and it was only her first week. She was bored out of her mind as she went through the same things over and over.
She had her earbuds in listening to music to help keep some of the boredom away. She started dancing a little as she was filing a stack of papers at the back.
That small bit of dancing only brought her into the music fully and she closed her eyes and started dancing with heart. She couldn't really dance but at the moment she didn't care. She sang along with the song she was listening to out loud. She had a private office, no one could see her.
"Ladies all across the world, listen up, we're lookin' for recruits
If you're with me let me see your hands
Stand up and salute
Get your killer heels, sneakers pumps, or lace up your boots
Representin' all the women, salute, salute!"
Lynn dropped the papers as she really got into the song. She kicked off her shoes and danced more as the chorus rang out in her ears. She moved her hips to the beat like she was at her own personal concert.
She slowed as the bridge of the song came on and she sang with heart.
"You think we're just pretty things
You couldn't be more wrong
We're standing strong, we carry on
Knock us down but we keep moving up
We're moving up, yeah
Can't stop a hurricane, ladies it's time to awake! Yeah!"
Lynn spun in her dance and froze abruptly as she saw Mr. Caine standing in the doorway, looking none too happy.
She yanked her earphones out. "Dad." She quickly dropped to the floor and began gathering the fallen papers, her heart tight. The spirit that the song filled her with was drained instantly as she could feel her father's intense gaze on her. "Sorry, I have been working all day-"
"Does it look like I care?" He interrupted sharply, making Lynn jump.
She slowly got to her feet, her eyes focused on the carpet. "I'm sorry-"
"Look at how you were just behaving. Dancing like a drunk teenager and singing that- that song! I except better from you, Adalynn. I didn't raise you in such a way. I have tried to be patient with you but you have only been my biggest disappointment."
Lynn flinched at the words as her throat tightened and her eyes brimmed with tears. "Dad-"
"I don't want to hear it. In fact, I don't want to hear a word from you for the rest of the week. Get home now and stay in your room until you realize how you need to behave to be my daughter."
The words seemed to shatter her heart with shards of ice and she swallowed down a sob. "Yes, father." She whispered. Keeping her head down, she grabbed her shoes and purse and rushed past him.
Her tears didn't start falling until the elevator doors closed and she furiously swiped them away. No one needed to see her like this.
By the time she hit ground level, she had mostly composed herself and she all but ran to her car. Yet the moment she was behind the wheel she was crying again.
Lynn pulled her seatbelt on and drove home, determined to reach her bed and never emerge from her blankets. When she got out of the car she ran inside and all the way up to her room. She fell back against the closed door and a pathetic sob slipped free. She slid to the ground and covered her face.
Why did she have to do that? Why did she have to get up and dance and sing like no one was watching? Because someone was always watching her. Judging her, keeping her in place.
Lynn wished she was strong like the song showed how strong other women were. But here she was stuck.
* * *
Reece was the only one at the mansion for the day, and for the most part he just slept in. He could never get tired of sleep.
But once he was awake and had eaten, he was bored. And for the hundredth time he wished that Lynn was home. At least he could talk to her or play games with her.
Reece was so bored that he found himself walking around the mansion property in circles. Mr. Caine's gardeners certainly knew what they were doing, the grounds looked great. But the scenery quickly got boring as he circled around. He could be doing his job, but he really didn't want to.
On the fifth loop around, Reece noticed a van parked behind tall rose bushes near the front and he was immediately suspicious. That was a sketchy looking van, and from the looks of it, no one was inside.
He was on high alert now as he looked around for anyone that might look out of place. He kept sharp as he continued his patrol around. Maybe there was no reason to be suspicious. People parked on the street all the time.
Reece rounded the corner and stopped short when he saw a man, maybe around his thirties, climbing down from the vines that crept up the side of the mansion. The windows above the man was Lynn's room.
Anger erupted like fire in his veins and it grew hotter when he saw the large camera around the guy's neck. He was definitely out of place.
Reece stepped back behind the building, waiting to ambush whoever this creep was. The man hurried past him, giggling like a child that got away with stealing. Reece grabbed the back of the man's collar and yanked him back hard enough to send the creep to the ground.
The man let out a frightened yelp and held his hands out. "Don't kill me!"
"Be glad I didn't the moment I saw you." Reece growled, glaring down at the man with all the hatred he could muster. "What the hell are you doing on this property with a camera?"
"I- I just- I-"
"Spit it out, I don't have patience with perverts."
"I- I'm not a pervert. I'm from the media. I was- was trying to get something exclusive of Adalynn Caine since no one has seen her much lately."
"And you think that makes trespassing and taking pictures through her bedroom window okay?!"
The man flinched. "Just let me go, man, I won't do anything with the pictures."
"Bullshit. Hand over the camera."
"But-"
"Now!"
The man basically threw the camera at Reece. "Take it, just let me leave, man!"
"Name. First and last."
"Jamie Wilson. Please, can I go?"
Reece took a step back. "Run before I change my mind." He watched the man scramble up and run to his van. He was obviously going to report him. He just didn't want to bring cops here.
Satisfied that the filthy man was gone, he looked down at the camera. The picture on there was through Lynn's window and zoomed in on the door. Reece's heart clenched when he saw that Lynn was slumped against the door covering her face.
"What?" He whispered. When did she get home? He pressed the little arrow to go through the past pictures: She was running into the mansion, she was in her car wiping away her tears. She was running from the office building with her head down.
"Shit." He ran inside, on his way throwing the camera onto the couch in the front room. He was going to wipe the memory card so he had it in his pocket.
When he reached her door, he hesitated a bit. Would she want him here?
But Reece found himself knocking. "Lynn? It's Reece."
"Not now, Toad." Lynn's quiet voice came. It was shaky, like she was still crying.
He grabbed the handle. "I'm coming in."
Inside, Lynn moved from the door to the wall to avoid getting hit and kept her eyes on the floor as Reece stepped in.
He closed the door behind him. "Lynn-"
A sob broke from her chest at the way he said her name so gently and she covered her face again, embarrassed.
Reece didn't think. He sat on the floor next to her and pulled her over to him carefully. He wrapped his arms around her as she curled against him, her face against his neck. She seemed so much smaller now that he was actually holding her, and he hoped she didn't notice his increased heart rate. He could be having a heart attack for all he knew, but he didn't care. He was here for her.
Annoyingly enough, Lynn seemed to cry harder. Just the other day she was wondering what it was like to be held and comforted like this. And now Reece was showing her.
Reece wanted to know what caused this. Obviously something happened at work, based on what the camera guy caught. If someone made her feel like this he wanted to beat them up. Very logical thinking, Reece.
Lynn eventually ran out of tears but she stayed where she was, taking in the one moment she would probably have like this. His warm scent was comforting and it calmed her down, it relaxed her tense body. "Thank you, Reece." She whispered, voice small.
"Yeah." He murmured. "Did you want to talk about it, or forget about it?"
Lynn closed her eyes, snuggling closer to Reece without fully realizing it. "I don't know." She whispered.
Reece didn't respond as he continued to hold her. Too deep.
Only moments later, Reece noticed that Lynn's breathing had grown deeper and he glanced down to see that she was asleep. "Oh, Lynn." He easily lifted her up and carried her over to her bed. He pulled the covers back and laid her down. When he pulled back to bring the blankets over her, he felt her hand grab his.
"Stay with me." She whispered. Her eyes were still closed.
"Yeah, of course." He responded quietly. He dropped the blankets over her and got onto the bed next to her.
Lynn's green eyes finally looked up at him as her slender fingers laced through his. "Thanks. I just... don't want to be alone right now."
Reece was sure his heart stopped. "I'm here, Princess."
Her eyes were closed again as she seemed to settle in bed, hand still wrapped in his. "I forgot what holding hands was like." Lynn murmured. "I've forgotten a lot of things. How to not be scared of water, how it is to be hugged or comforted. How to be close to someone. But I guess that's me."
Why was her life like this? The other girls he targeted were all spoiled and surrounded by their friends and family.
"I can help you remember."
Lynn's lips quirked up. "You already did with a few things." She lifted their joined hands, looking at them like she was trying to decipher a prophecy. "Holding hands seems like such a casual thing until you do it. It's almost like you're trying to join the person you trust, to get as close as you can. Whether it's your parent when you were younger, or the person you grew old with. Even though it's just two hands, it feels like protection and joined strength." Lynn blushed, biting her lip as she looked away. "Sorry. I ramble when I'm emotional."
Reece smiled. "Don't apologise. I like it when you ramble."
Lynn set her forehead against Reece's arm with a small laugh. "Shut up, Toad."
"I'm teasing you, Princess."
It went quiet for a moment and Reece dropped his head back against the pillows with a sigh. He didn't like seeing her hurt, but he was glad she was here with him. Which felt selfish.
"You don't have to stay anymore." Lynn said after a while. Her hand was still intertwined with his.
Reece closed his eyes and smiled. "I'll hang here for another while."
-------------
Anyone else want to give Lynn a hug ☹️
Good thing Reece is there to do it. Poor Lynn. But I love this chapter anyway (人*´∀｀)｡*ﾟ+
Hope you enjoyed. Thanks for reading (. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)