Fear Me

Chapter Nine

  Sheldon took me upstairs and locked us in the bathroom where she grilled me endlessly. I couldn't tell her the truth but I didn't lie either. I told her that Keiran had just been taunting me as usual. She had a few choices words to say about Keiran but let it go. I was cleaning my face with the warm cloth she'd given me when a hard knock on the door interrupted the silence. Sheldon opened the door to reveal Keiran standing on the other side and immediately moved to shield me from him.

"What do you want?"

"Leave," he said barely acknowledging her. His gaze was focused on me and I stared back.

I wanted to look away but couldn't. I've never seen him look at me this way before. The memory of his cock in my mouth came rushing back. I blushed and finally looked away, breaking the connection.

"I'm taking her home." The relief I felt was short-lived at the look on his face. The cold calculation in his eyes told me that she would quickly become another victim of his wrath if I didn't interfere. I couldn't let her suffer the brunt of his anger. I had years to learn how to survive it.

"Sheldon, it's fine." She looked at me with surprise etched all over face and I wished I could take her help. "Really, it's okay." I had trouble holding her gaze.

"Sheldon, come here!" Keenan's voice boomed from somewhere out in the hallway.

She gave me one last look before leaving the bathroom with a terse 'Fine'. Keiran motioned for me to follow him so I tossed the cloth into the bin and followed him to his bedroom.

"Are you taking me home soon?" He ignored me and picked my phone up from the large black dresser and tossed it to me. I took turns looking from the device to him.

"Your aunt called. Call her back and let her know that everything is fine."

"Oh...right." I dialed her number.

"Put it on speaker," he ordered. I was careful not to show my aggravation and upset him. He could change his mind and my aunt would worry if I didn't call.

Her anxious voice filtered through the phone after the third ring. "Hey, Aunt Carissa."

"Lake, thank God! How is everything?" She attempted to sound normal but I could hear the stress and fatigue, which was weird because she usually has fun on her tours.

"Everything is great here. How are you?"

"Oh you know, I've been signing books all day. Nothing major."

Her answer only increased my worry. Aunt Carissa was usually full of excitement and everything dealing with her books and readers was major. She loved being a writer. "Are you sure? You sound tired."

"Yes, I'm fine. Listen, I have to go but how was school?"

"School is school. I guess I will talk to you later," I stated slowly with a frown and a heavy heart.

"Great. And Lake? I love you, sweetie." The line went dead before I could respond in kind. I felt sick, despite her reassurance, remembering the last time I saw and spoke to my parents. Would Aunt Carissa leave me too?

"I should go home. Can you take me now?"

"We're having a party. You should stick around." He plucked my phone out of my hand and pocketed it. I didn't like the sound of his invitation. It sounded more like the order I knew it to be.

"Thanks, but no thanks," I answered sarcastically. I would really rather go home."

"I wasn't asking. Do I explain this to you again? I don't trust you. I'm keeping an eye on you. Simple as that."

"It isn't really about keeping an eye on me though, is it?" His body stiffened and I could tell I struck a nerve. Rather than scare me away it gave me the motivation I needed to push him. "What's the matter? You can't get it up unless you're angry?" I circled around him the way he did me that day in the cafeteria over a year ago. I taunted and tested how far I could go. "Is that what you hide? Some sick, twisted fantasy? Tell me...is it special for me or is it all women? Mommy didn't love you enough so you –"

The punishing hand around my jaw stopped me and once again my words were lost to me. He bent my body backward over his low dresser and leaned close. The coldness in his eyes could not be mistaken for anything but deep hatred.

"It's only for you, never doubt that. No one else makes me feel this way. No one. It's always been you. It will always be you."