Luxuria's Darkness

Chapter 22: Set up.

When her monster woke her up to tell her that he had a surprise for her, she had no idea what to expect. Surely, Jasmine did not expect for him to cook her a steak, or have fresh flowers on the table. She was creeped out by his behavior, he was sweeter than normal. Seeing him in the kitchen, talking about his day, smiling gently at her, she understood why people fell in love with their captors. After making her feel like a doormat, hitting her, leaving scars on her skin, drugging her, those little moments felt like heaven, but it wasn't right.

Though she wanted to feel anything else except pain, she had a lot of marks on her screaming that he was still her worst nightmare. Once again, her mind drifted to her happy place, in the arms of Jin. The only place she felt comfort, happiness and safety. The monster could break her body, alter her mind, but her spirit refused to fall victim to his manipulation. She would give up years of her life to feel safe again.

"Did you hear me?" He looked at her annoyed.

Jasmine shook her head and managed to smile. She didn't want to infuriate him, not when he was as close as normal she had seen him to be. "Sorry darling." She muttered. Jasmine wanted to call him by the nickname she gave him, but calling him monster would not appease her case, darling seemed to be the one he preferred.

"I have to leave for a week in North America, apparently I couldn't handle this thing before. I have a huge business transaction I need to take care of."

She wanted to jump from her chair and do a victory dance, she would be free of him for the next week, she couldn't be happier. "It's okay. I'll be fine."

"I know. You did so good in the past." He smiled at her. "I will move again the mini fridge in your room stocked with food." He muttered sarcastically.

She fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Okay." She replied dryly.

"I'm letting you eat all these goodies now. So don't exaggerate with food while I'm gone. I don't want you to get fat."

"I won't." She was skin and bone, she almost laughed at his remark. She would need to eat her weight for the next couple of weeks, to put back what she lost.

"Will you miss me?" He suddenly asked.

"Of course." She would have rather poked her eyes out than telling him that. She won't miss him, she could hardly wait for him to leave.

He smirked. "I would let this slide this time, I'm in a good mood."

"Thank you." It annoyed the hell out of her to thank him for acting like a normal human being.

He finished cooking, arranged the plates on the table, and sat down opposite of her. "I'm thinking of taking a couple of days off when I return from my trip."

Her eyes widened at his statement. "But, darling..." She said through her gritted teeth. "What would your employees think of this? Won't they need your help?"

"They can deal with whatever for a couple of days. I want to spend time with my girl."

She almost laughed. She studied his face for a few seconds, he was charming, and beautiful, but his heart was not red, it was black, like a night without stars. If he would have tried to act like a human being, treat her nicely from the beginning, she could have fallen for him, that if she wouldn't have met Jin. Her heart will always belong to him, even if she was too broken to be loved.

"That's nice." She whispered. Thinking about Jin and how big she screwed up, was chocking her. He thought she was in tears because of him, he got up and hugged her.

"Those days will pass in a blink of an eye. If you're nice, I will take you out for a walk."

A walk outside, the fresh air brushing her skin, her lungs breathing in. She couldn't allow it, she was afraid someone will see her, someone will see how bad he broke her. Scars and bruises covering most of her skin. On the other part, she could escape him. Where would she go then? He would simply go after her, dragging her back, and she wouldn't put it past him to kidnap her sister too. She couldn't do that. Panic rose in her chest at the thought of Sophia sharing her pain.