A Change of Plans & Heart

6

I woke up to the sound of rustling sheets, to see him lying next to me, in a dead sleep. Shirtless, of course, and gorgeous as ever.

I had heard of Stockholm Syndrome before, but I always thought it was the most farfetched thing I'd ever heard. Falling in love with a kidnapper? That did not happen. But if it were to be true, it'd be because of this man. To be so cruel and hurtful, but still so protective and oddly sweet at the same time. Regardless, he was still a criminal. A murderer, at that. I'd witnessed it.

It was taking every ounce of my self control not to reach over and touch him. His perfectly sculpted body captivated me. And the number one carved on his chest...

I unwrapped my hand, and to my surprise, there was no pain. It had scabbed over. It matched his exactly though. I gently placed my mark over his, and sent shivers up my own spine. He didn't stir.

I didn't know what I was thinking. All I knew was that I was stuck here, and it was permanent. It could go horribly wrong, or I could accept it for what it was and make the best of it. Maybe that other girl was right. I was given two brand new cars, an immaculate house, and potentially a lifelong caregiver. When life gives you lemons...

I slowly laid my head on his chest. He began to move and it made all the hairs on my body stand upright. He wrapped his arm around me and kissed me on the forehead before falling back to sleep. I wanted to cry, but I didn't need to.

The next morning I awoke still in that position and I couldn't believe what I was doing. I was cuddling with my rapist. He pushed my hair back out of my face.

"Good morning, angel," he said. Those eyes burned right through me.

"I'm sorry for laying on you," I replied, not wanting to move.

"I'm all yours to do with as you please. Like I said, you don't realize the power you have. You're the only one I bow down to, my queen," he said.

My stomach flipped.

"How do you feel?" He asked.

"Not nearly as bad as yesterday. But I'm hungry," I replied.

"OK, what would you like?" He asked.

"Plain cheerios with no milk. And I have a question, " I said, filling up with nervousness.

"No, you don't ask me questions about the other night. Understood? But yes, you can have cheerios."

I scrunched up my forehead. I threw the blanket off of me and sat up. No pain. Except for my arm, which had been bandaged at the inner elbow.

"What's this?" I asked.

"A bandage. You were given pain medicine late last night, " he said, beginning to slide on his jeans.

"I don't like getting pain medication without being asked," I crossed my arms.

He approached me and bent down until our noses were almost touching.

"I don't like naughty girls who run off and wreck my cars either. But here I am fetching cheerios for one. So let's be open to new ideas," he said, before taking off out the door.

I held back the biggest smirk I had ever felt coming. But then I felt something else.

He left with no shirt. Those other girls were out there, staring him down. Taking in what was mine.

Mine. When did I actually decide to claim him? I didn't remember making that decision. But the jealousy was welling up inside me.

I swung my legs over the edge of the bed. Still no pain. Whatever this was, it was working. I looked through my closet and decided on a short, red leather skirt and a tight long sleeved black top. Black boots for today, I decided. They had gotten me everything. Everything down to goddamn black and red lingerie.