Chapter 16: Chapter 16

I don't know if it was the alcohol that still hasn't left my system, the bad night, the worry about what will happen from now on or the complete shame I'm feeling, but I'm about to pass out.

Dinner was torture, and so was the drive from Kelly's parents' house to the hotel. I'm dizzy and have to hold on to the elevator wall to keep from falling. Thomas has kept a giant distance from me since the… incident in the bedroom earlier and has barely glanced in my direction. I think the first time he takes his face off the phone and looks in my direction.

- What it was? he asks with a crease between his brows. —

You are pale.

“It's nothing,” I say quietly, not wanting to give in. He looks me up and down as if trying to decide if he believes me and takes a step towards me.

— Cecilia? he asks and catches me just in time before I crash to the ground. “Fucking hell, stubborn ass girl. Why didn't you say you were feeling sick? ’ he asks and picks me up.

As if I weigh nothing, he slides his arms under my knees, and I wrap my arms around his neck.

“Like you care,” I mumble. The elevator doors open and he comes out carrying me in his arms. He opens the bedroom door and leads me straight to the bed.

Thomas places me on top of the mattress and I immediately hug my own body as if that will stop me from feeling so bad. He stands on the side of the bed, watching me carefully.

“You can go,” I say quietly. "I promise I won't run away." I can't even stand up, much less jump out the window.

He doesn't say anything. He just keeps looking at me for a while before he walks away. Some of my views, and I close my eyes because my head starts to hurt again. I hear Thomas talking to someone on the phone and then the sound of the shower running. A few minutes later, the mattress sinks down beside me. I roll over and widen my eyes when I see him get under the covers. The chest is bare and I can't look away from the firm muscles.

“What… what are you doing?” — stutter.

— Getting ready for bed, Cecilia. What do you think? he says dryly.

- But here? I ask confused.

“I need to make sure you don't die overnight. You're no good to me dead, girl,” he says rudely.

I sigh heavily and sink my head back into the pillow. A few moments later, I feel his hand on my arm and I look up at him.

“Drink this,” he says, and hands me a glass of water and some pills. Confused, I comply. He keeps looking at me for a few moments and then asks, "Do you need help changing your clothes?"

I shake my head, but he ignores me and gets out of bed. He opens the suitcase that I brought with me and that some hotel employee must have left here before we got to the room. He goes through my clothes and comes back with the same sleepwear I was wearing the other night.

Without saying anything, he extends his hand to me and I take it. I stand and lean on his arm. Thomas unzips my dress in the back and slides it over my head.

"Thomas, what…"

“I'm just going to get you dressed,” he cuts me off. I don't say anything else as he helps me into my clothes and then I go back to bed. I cover myself with the sheet up to my neck as if I could protect myself from something.

He turns off the lights and lays next to me. Thomas doesn't say anything else for several minutes and I think he's asleep, until I feel his hand on my waist. I let out a startled gasp and my heart races as Thomas pulls my back against his chest. His mouth comes to my ear from behind.

“You're right, I don't care,” he speaks into my ear, his low voice making me shiver. — But it's your father I'm angry with, Cecilia, not you. I don't need to make your life hell, you just have to collaborate with me. And I have no interest in seeing you sick.

“Okay…” I whisper, not knowing what else to say. I don't understand this change in his behavior. In the dark room, I can't see anything, I can only hear your breathing.

“I'll take care of you now,” he says into my ear. “Those security guards are clearly incompetent, so I'll keep an eye on you. Lucky for you, I'm a man of my word and I promised to let you finish college, but from now on you live with me. Understood?

I nod and I'm not sure he can see. Thomas doesn't say anything else, but I feel his hand creep up the inside of my shirt and I shiver.

—Thomas…

“And about what happened earlier,” he says as his hand cups my breast. "Was this the first time you came?"

I open and close my mouth, surprised by the question. I feel my face heat up and am grateful that it's dark and he can't see.

— I asked you a question, Cecilia — he insists, rudely.

“It was,” I admit, and the hand on my breast grows heavier. I feel the middle of my legs start to get wet again when he teases my nipple. - What are you doing? I ask quietly.

He takes his hand off my chest and squeezes my hip. He pulls me back and I gasp when I feel something hard behind my ass. My eyes widen when I realize what it is.

“You're a strange girl,” he speaks into my ear. I bite my lip and let out a soft moan as he rubs against me. “I thought all virgins were idiots, but you stand up to me.

“I hate you,” I whisper, feeling my voice crack. “You're ruining my life. I hate you.

“Your body doesn't hate me,” he says. “If I put my hand on that little pussy of yours now, she'll be ready for me. If I want to fuck you now, you won't say no.

He places his hand on my neck and pulls my head back.

“But like I said, you're lucky I'm a man of my word. I won't fuck you even when you beg me.

“I… I'll never do that,” I say, and I have to concentrate really hard not to groan again when he squeezes my ass with his other hand.

“You will,” Thomas says with a smug laugh. “Before those six months are up, you're going to beg me to fuck you real good.

He releases me suddenly and backs away on the mattress. My heart is racing and I can barely keep my thoughts in order.

“Wake me up if it gets worse overnight,” he orders. - And go to sleep.

I blink several times, staring into the dark. This man is very confusing and if there's one thing I know for sure is that he's going to drive me crazy, in a really bad way.