Within His Reach

Chapter 3

BRIAR POV

It was no secret to me that my days as Theo's wife would be filled to the brim with extravagant and luxurious riches that I could only dream of. That had been proven to me by the elegant diamond ring that Jona had given to me this morning, on Theo's behalf of course. It was my engagement ring. With only three days left until our wedding I suppose that my future husband had finally decided to give it to me. Of course, the might Don Emberson had never actually proposed to me. I was simply told at the age of fifteen that I was to marry him once I turned eighteen. That was in two days time. Only one day before my wedding.

I knew that, so long as I submitted to him, my future husband would provide me with everything and anything that I would ever want or need. Whether that be clothes, jewelry or make up. Yet I was not the materialistic type so none of what he would gift me could ever bring me joy. He would never give me what I truly wanted. Freedom. And he could never give me back what I had once loved. My family. Both of those things were gone from my hold forever, all because he had taken them away.

Also, these riches would also be accompanied by great times of pain and horror. It was no secret that Theo was cruel and heartless. I had seen with my own very eyes just how immoral and sinful he was and it sickened me.

I had only ever seen Theo Emberson once in my life. The memory was not a good one either.

I remembered that he was a tall, muscular man. He towered over me at at least six feet tall and he wore an expensive, designer suit that was perfectly tailored to his impressive physic. His hair was dark and nicely styled with gel, just enough so it stayed in place without looking at all greasy. He had tan skin, his chin decorated with stubble. And those eyes. So dark that I could've sworn they were just soulless orbs.

His voice was deep and husky, holding a slight accent. His family were originally British and had moved to America, where I lived. I did not know if we were still in the USA.

There was absolutely no denying that Theo was an attractive man. It was simply just a shame that his wicked personality did not match. Perhaps if the circumstances in which we had met had been different, along with his personality, then I would have fallen for him in an instant. However I knew that I could never scrub what he had done from my mind. It would taint my heart forever. 

It had been six whole years since my family and I had been kidnapped by Theo's father, who had been the head of the Emberson family mafia for quite some time. After the massacre that occurred in my family home, all I remember was being knocked out and bought to some sort of dungeon. There were other people down there too. Perhaps fifteen or so, although some did come and go throughout my six years down there. 

We were all prisoners, hostages who were kept against our will within a dark, dirty and cold dungeon for what remained of my childhood and teenage years. There was barely any light in any of the cells and we were caged into the tiny room by thick metal bars. No beds either, just a single cubical that stood at the back of the space only shielded by a stone wall that gave some privacy at least. That was the extent of their generosity towards us. 

We were fed rarely, once a day at most. We would be given just water and bland, basic food such as bread (which was usually stale anyway). Every now and then we were given something fresh though. Like fruit or vegetables. But I had figured that this was only to keep us in a state where we could survive. Due to such malnourishment, I had barely grown at all. I got taller of course but never put on weight like a teenage girl should. I remembered how my bones could be seen from under layers of pale skin. Every feature that I had was far too harsh and prominent and my hair was in such a matted state. In fact, once I was taken out from there, they had to cut about twenty centimeters from it. Yet now it had grown so that it fell to my chest. The years of neglect had done unimaginable damage to my body, but none of it reversible, so I had discovered. Theo had made sure that I was restored back to health by giving me meals and care daily.