Bound

Without Shame | Eva

I squirmed under the many gazes thrown my way from other servants. They all, along with Yvette and Lovett, looked upon me with conflicted emotions. Well, Yvette and Lovett just wanted two holes in my corpse, but the other servants held raised brows and squinted gazes. And yet everytime I went to return the looks, their eyes hit the floor.

My knuckles hovered over the wooden door, feet grounded in the same place for at least 5 minutes.

Should I knock? What if I bother him?

He said I was a guest so does that mean I can bother him?... Being a guest is confusing.

Eyes shut, I pressed my fingertips to my temples.

You can do this...

My eyes opened and my hand touched the door knob, shooting a chill of pain through my fingers. I prepared to twist it, but before I could, the door sprung open from the inside.

I blinked a few times, frozen by the fear that he had just sat at his desk for five minutes staring at the door, listening to my frantic thoughts. I scrambled, tugging my shirt sleeve up and onto my shoulder as he emerged.

Hale stood barely dress in a pair of plaid pajama bottoms, his body a almost perfect pale color. His eyes were back to hazel, but he wasn't back to the same Hale. Hale before would've smirked down and laughed after some smart ass remark knowing I paced outside his door. Guard up, face neutral, I prepared for that smart remark, a comment on my hesitant behavior, a "oh cat's got your tongue?" type thing, or anything to get on my nerves.

I crossed my arms over my chest and waited.

"Do you need something?" He asked.

I could barely catch my jaw before it dropped open.

"Uuuum...I..."

My agenda, my name, and reason for living left all corners of my brain.

He rose a brow to me and smiled.

Hotter and hotter, my cheeks began to burn.

"I-... Wanted to talk to you."

"About?" He leaned against the door frame still smiling.

He didn't smirk evily like he used to. He held a ever so light, gentle smile that couldn't have possibly held so much sincerity.

"About... Me."

"Conceited choice of topic don't you think?"

I rolled my eyes.

"What am I supposed to do here?" I asked.

He shrugged.

"What do you want to do here?"

I opened my mouth, but again, I drew a blank. My eyes drifted to the floor.

"Eva?" His smile fell, his brows furrowed, and his jaw stiffed with concerned.

I shook my head trying to come up with a response before the concerned in his features started to look believable.

"I'm still human. I can't do whatever I want."

He nodded.

"To an extent, you are correct. But that still doesn't answer my question."

"True..." I bit hard on my tongue. "I want to... Go shopping. Clothes shopping so I can wear something besides-." I tugged at the sides of my white shirt. "All this bridal looking shit."

His smile returned.

The thought of shopping made me want to rip the hairs out of my head... but his small smile, it gave me enough warmth in my chest and cheeks to even endure house browsing with a lord's wife... And that fact made me want to tear my hair out even more.

"I finished what I was working on, so would you like me to accompany you?"

I looked him up and down, from his disheveled dark hair to the defined muscle in his chest and stomach to the pajama pants he kept loosely tied just enough to keep them low on his v-line.

I looked back up into his eyes.

"Not dressed like that."

He chuckled lightly revealing the devilish smirk I grew used to.

"Then you dress me."

He walked past me and up the hall.

I blinked a few times, shaking my head.

"What-?"

"You heard me."

"Hale, I am... I'm not-..."

"You're the one who has a problem with what I'm wearing."

I whipped around to look at him just as he appeared in front of me. My body jolted back. My foot went behind me to steady myself, but his hand caught me long before my foot could meet the ground.

"So do something about it, Eva," he said his eyes thinner with a michevioues glint to them. "Or I will wear this without shame."