The Predator and His Prey

Chapter Nine

After they were finished eating and all the dishes packed away in the dishwasher, Dominik stood back looking her over. Jade didn't exactly like the way he had observed her in total silence, his face hard and revealing nothing. She could tell by the way he watched her that he was plotting something in his mind, making note of everything to do with her for future use. She just had no idea what the use would be.

He hadn't been exactly polite either when he had grabbed her arm suddenly, pulling them both out of the kitchen going around the corner to where stood another small washroom and the washing machine and dryer were. He had told her that she was responsible for her laundry, he would tend to his own, she supposed it was because the massive man didn't trust her yet to not ruin his clothing. She would have too if she wasn't starting to believe he really would make things worse for her.

He insisted she put away everything that he had bought her in the room otherwise known as her prison, despite her argument that she didn't want to make the room feel like a home. It had taken one glare from him and him throwing everything away she previously owned for him to get his point across. She made quick work of putting the clothes away; the many short dresses and jeans and tops away, not to mention the undergarments, all lacy and super feminine.

She was upset he threw her things away, not because they were such great items compared to what he filled her closet and dresser with. Even after her old things had been washed they were still grimy and dirty. But then again some of the things she possessed were so old and thread bare it was a miracle they still were even able to cover her body up. She was used to it, the grimy clothes even before she ever lived on the streets. It was just part of the life she grew up in. She didn't think a man like Dominik ever knew what it was like to live without the best. He didn't seem the type.

But no matter how horrible they were, they were hers, things she owned, had bought or found, things she did on her own without anyone doing it for her. It didn't seem like such big deal to people who had nice things, could replace things easily, or that had accomplished a lot in their life. But for her, anytime she could do something on her own it was an accomplishment. But right now, she was a prisoner.

She had learned even as a child that sometimes it wasn't about location, but mindset. She was a prisoner, she had no way to escape, no way to get free, only two choices were left to her. But her mindset? She could keep fighting him and be bound and tied the whole time, beaten maybe and scars added to the collection he had already seen on her back. She could let the will to survive die inside her or she could survive.

Surviving didn't always mean just food and shelter, she had learned that the hard way. It was also not letting someone else destroy what she held dear to her, her own mind and choices. He was taking so many choices from her but she still had more. To survive or give up.

She chose to survive, to not be a prisoner even if she was bound. She wasn't going to lose her will to live, her fire to continue, her hope that with each day she could accomplish something on her own. So again, she had agreed to be a good girl. Except this time, she meant it, this time she wasn't going to take the risk of trying to escape. He was already keeping true to his word.

In the days being with him, locked away as a prisoner, she had eaten more then she had in any span of four days in her entire life. Even when she did have a place to call home. So far, she had a closet full of quality clothes that would not only keep her covered but warm, make her look as if she belonged and wasn't an outcast of society. He had plans for her he had said, plans that for whatever reason included keeping her healthy, alive, and well dressed.

She didn't see him for the rest of the day, he kept himself locked up in his room across from hers. It was the first time since he had brought her to the loft that he hadn't kept her locked up in the bedroom and she took advantage of it. She tried a few times to figure out how to make the elevator work, not that she was trying to leave again. But it was annoying the way it worked like magic for him but wouldn't even move for her. There had to be something she was missing. After staring at it for ten minutes she gave up.