Within His Reach

Chapter 19

Warning: There is some violence in this chapter that may trigger some readers. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

BRIAR POV

It only took my body a few moments to fall back down it's slope into a cave of fear. My throat felt tight, my hands shook and I could feel a petrified sweat gathering on my skin. Well.... so much for my five minutes of bravery.

Seeing the daunting look on Theo's face was enough to make me ever speak out against him. The look alone made me realize that perhaps, for someone in my position, standing up for yourself is never a wise option. It is simply easier to submit to the higher power. For I never had any chance against Theo and now I had led myself into some sort of wicked trap that there was no way of getting out of.

I began to take slow steps backwards, trying to will myself to leave the room. I'd be safer anywhere but here.... anywhere where Theo wasn't would feel like a sanctuary right about now. But my plan backfired since it seemed to take my dear husband less than thirty seconds to catch on to what I was doing.

"Where are you going Briar?"

A chilling smirk pulled it's way onto his face, the stretch of his mouth wasn't a cheerful one. It was one that said 'I'm warning you' or in Theo terms, 'I'm gunna fucking kill you'. Neither felt particularly inviting.

"Away...."

My voice was no louder than a whisper and shook with pure panic. Though I'm sure that this was exactly what Theo wanted. He lived off of fear. It was like oxygen to him, it didn't take a genius to figure that out- not with the way he became excited when delivering pain or got hard at the sight of my distress. It made me wonder what caused a person's mind to twist itself into such dark and evil ways. Surely no one was born like this- wanting to hurt other people and gaining pleasure from it. I'd always presumed that something was wrong somewhere. But I suppose that was really just so I could hope there might be a way of saving Theo. Maybe, if something was wrong with him, then he was curable. I could make him better, so that he'd never even think about hurting anyone again. But somehow that now seemed naïve and stupid.

"Hmm.... is that so?"

I nodded.

"Where are you going away to Briar?"

My lip wobbled and tears formed in my eyes. Don't let him see you cry Briar. I had to be strong. I had to convince myself that I'd be okay and there was no need to cry over this.

When he saw that I wasn't going to answer him, he spoke up instead. Part of me was grateful that he wasn't forcing me to talk. The tears would just spill over if he did.

"Sit down."

He gestured towards a chair in the corner of the room as he loosened his tie and ruffled his hair in frustration.

But I didn't sit down. Instead I ran. I leapt towards the door, desperate to make my escape. I knew that I had nowhere to go, even if I got away from Theo I would never be able to leave the building. His security was incredible.... good for intruders but a nightmare for me. His home was a fortress that was literally impossible to get out of unless Theo wanted you to.

However, just before my hand could reach the door knob, a body slammed into mine. Theo wrapped his arms around me so tightly that I swear for a moment he was going to suffocate me to death.

"Oh no you don't"

I cried out, violently trying to shake out of Theo's hold but he only held me tighter until I let out a defeated whine and gave in, stilling in submission. Once I'd stopped fighting, he spun me around so that I was facing him. Though his grip hardly loosened.