Chapter 9: Chapter 9

Breathe, Marcy. Breathe.

I try to remind myself as I race through the crowded street, barefooted.

"Marcy!" I can hear Maya call behind me but it just sounds like a faded echo.

"Marcy, wait up!"

Wait up?

Wait up?!

How can she tell me to wait up? Ty is somewhere in a hospital probably unconscious and sterilized, the damn traffic won't move and she wants me to wait up?

Oh, Tyler. Please be okay.

Please, please please.

Be okay.

I run past an open road with drivers honking and calling me a maniac.

Maybe I am.

But what does it matter?

If I lose Ty.....

I cant lose Ty.

Oh, God. Please I can't lose him.

The wind billowing past my ears block out everything and I can hear the blood pounding in my ears.

The sole of my feet is sore, my ankles hurt and my sides ache but I turn at the end of the last block and head for the hospital building.

My head hurts as I enter the building in a hurry. Everyone turns to me, giving me a weird look but my focus is where the emergency room is.

"Tyler?!" I scream and run deeper inside.

"Excuse, me. Ma'am? You cant--" the woman at the waiting desk says to me as she comes out to stop me.

"I need to see my brother." I say in a hurry, trying to side-step her.

"Okay. Okay. Just calm dow--" she is saying, approaching me slowly.

"No! I'm not going to calm down, enough with that! Where is he? My brother, Tyler Jensen. Where?"

"Listen, Miss--" she starts again and I just glare at her. She is wasting time and Ty could be somewhere in there, suffering.

I push past her and run.

"Wait, Miss!"

"Marcy!" I can hear Maya's voice behind.

I run past different rooms, peeking into each and it's hard to see with the tears blurring my vision.

"Tyler!" I yell, still running when I spot his golden-brown hair through a door that a nurse left open while leaving the room.

"Oh my God, Tyler!" I yell and dash for him but the doctors and nurse in the room grab hold of me.

"Somebody, get her out of here!"

I don't know who is talking, I can't even hear any talking now because, upclose, I can see him clearly and I can't breathe well anymore.

Half of his hair is matted with blood, and there is literally blood everywhere. Trickling down his hand, on his face, the sheets used are also bloodstained, the cotton and bandages and gloves are all stained with blood.

I struggle to reach him, touch him, shake him to open his eyes. But the hands that are holding me seem to be stronger and more.

I can see them talking to me, dragging me out, taking me farther away from him.

"No!" I'm screaming but they drag me out and shut the door.

"Tylēr!!!" I scream but the hands holding me still have me captured and I can hear a loud whistling noise.

Nothing makes sense.

Nothing is right.

Where is my Tyler?

"Hey, let her go!" I hear Maya yell and suddenly I crumble to the floor crying.

"Marcy, please get up." Maya says next to me. I can hear her but suddenly I can't speak, can't respond, can't breathe.

"Marcy?" Maya says and I look up at her, struggling to breathe and say something but my breathing comes out laboured.

"Oh my God, she is hyperventilating! Someone help!" I watch Maya scream and I clutch her for support when a nurse rushes to me with an open paperbag.

"Here, breathe into this." She persuades and Maya holds it against my mouth.

I struggle with it, trying to get my breathing normal.

"Slowly, Marcy. Slowly." Maya urges and I close my eyes and try again, focusing.

My breathing slowly returns to normal and my vision is no longer blurry.

When Maya pulls the paperbag away, I can imagine my expression mirrored on her face.

It's pure fear.

"My Tyler,...my Tyler has to be okay. Right Maya?" I ask and I search her eyes for a flicker of hope.

Something.

Anything.

"Right, Maya?" I ask again, feeling the tears welling up with my quivering voice.

"Of course." She says and pulls me into a tight hug that I apparently need.

"Of course, Marcy."

I don't know how long we sit, waiting with Stephen when a doctor walks towards us.

The minute I set my gaze on him, I get up with a little hope...not just because I was familiar with this doctor.

But because at this point, I can't lose anymore hope.

"Doctor Wilson." I say, searching his face for any giveaway but he maintains a blank expression.

"Marcella. Let's talk in my office." He says and puts his hand on my back as we head for his office.

"As you know, the accident is more than severe. The hit was directly on Tyler's side of the car, sending the car to summersault over 12 times."

Doctor Wilson says once we're seated in his office and continues,

"Tyler suffered a lot of injuries Marcy. I didn't want you to hear this from anyone else, I want to tell you by myself because I know what you've been through concerning your dad."

I stare at him, awaiting the bad news I can sense coming. He takes a deep breath then says,

"Tyler suffered a series of bone fractures, Marcy, and a serious internal bleeding."

"Oh, my God." I say, my hand over my mouth.

"Its fine. We were able to stop the bleeding although he did lose a lot of blood. And we're working on his fractures now....But Marcy. The bill is one of the reason I wanted to talk to you personally. It's quite...much and I wanted to make sure you could start handling it before time. I just don't want you to face any difficulty when it's time to take him home."

"How much?" Is all I can muster through my silent tears.

Doctor Wilson writes on a paper and slides it to me. I stare at the paper, my mind reeling. Mr. Robinson hasn't given me my first weekly pay yet, and to be able to get Ty's hospital bills, I won't just have to ask for the pay early...But also an increase.

"I'll start right away." I say, getting up.

"And Doctor Wilson, please, take care of Tyler." I say and leave his office.

Maya is standing outside when I come out and she turns to me.

"Well?" She asks.

"They're still treating him but I think he'll be fine. My main concern now is to get Mr. Robinson's house, I need his help with the bill." I say to Maya and I can see the doubt in her eyes.

Hell, I'm more than doubtful...I'm scared. Mr. Robinson wasn't one to 'help' quite easily...but I can't entertain any kind of hesitation now, this is for Ty, and I'd do anything to care for him.

Just like I promised.

"Don't worry. It'll be fine. Thank you for being here Maya." I say and hug her, before I grab a taxi and head straight for Mr. Robinson's house.

I'm surprised to see his Ford parked when I get there, and for some unknown reason, I'm scared again.

Why is he home so early?

When I walk in, I spot him standing at the kitchen. There is a McDonald's pack on the table and Mr. Robinson is chewing on a Big Mac Burger, his gaze planted outside.

"So, Anne. Because of your little fit this morning, you decided to keep me waiting on lunch. And as a result..."

He turns to me and raises the burger.

"Now, I'm having takeout."

"Mr. Robinson, I'm so sorry, I had no idea you would come back for lunch. You've never been home for lunch before and--"

"And so you decided not to do your job."

"Not really. I've been in the hospital since I left your office, in fact, I was hoping to talk to you about it. You see, my brother had a severe accident and he suffered a lot of injuri--"

"Get to the point." He snaps.

"Its about the bill, Mr. Robinson. I was hoping you would help me with it by...um...giving me my weekly pay early and also if possible, just a slight increase."

"Really? That's interesting." He says as he finishes his burger and tosses the empty wrap in the bin.

I stare in confusion as he grabs his jacket and heads for the stairs.

"Is that a yes?"

"No." He says plainly and I dash after him, desperate and determined.

"Mr. Robinson, please."

"No."

"My brother is unconscious in a hospital."

"And so what?" He says, turning to me at the top of the stairs.

"You want me to give you your pay when it's not even due, after you didn't do your job of making lunch. And you still have the audacity to ask for an increase?"

"For my brother's hospital bill. I beg you."

"No." He says and heads straight for his room.

"Please. You don't even have to pay me next week!"

"No!"

"I'll do anything! Please!" I say already in tears and I watch as his hand hovers over his door knob.

"Anything?" He says in that cold, calm voice as he puts his hand back into his pocket and turns to me.

"Anything." I confirm in tears, knowing this is the worst possible thing to agree to with Mr. Robinson...but it's worth it. For Tyler.

He raises up his head and observes me fully. It's only then I realise I'm still wearing his 'slutty assistant' outfit.

"Wonderful. Come in." He says and opens his room door. I stare for a breif while before I drop my gaze and go in. He follows me in and I jerk a little when he shuts the door.

His room is just like the living room, except twice as big.

It's furnished almost identically except for the king-sized bed. The same grey cushions and cream coloured rugs, and a mixture of both colours for the bedding, but the curtains and pillows are coloured bright red. The trim of the blanket and the throw pillows of the cushion are both red.

"Stand there, in front of the chair." He says and points before he walks into his walk-in closet.

I should be scared. I know I should be terrified but I block out all emotions and stand where he requested.

He comes back out wearing just shorts and a t-shirt and it's weird seeing him in anything other than his suit.

He walks over to the cushion arm chair in front of me in a subtly manner and sits.

Then he smiles.

"Now, let's begin. I say what I want...And you do it. And if you refuse, then I'll do it. Simple, right?" He asks with that cold voice and I can imagine him smirking. I don't remove my gaze from my feet but I simply nod.

This time, I'll show no emotion.

No restraint.

No argument.

The easier I comply, the less chance he has to take advantage of my weakness.

Then I can just leave.

It's not like I have a choice, it's in the contract I do whatever he wants, by his will, by his command, to the way he desires.....whether work related or not.

"Good. The hairband. Lose it." He says and I practically oblige like a robot as my hand moves up swiftly and my hair pours down my back.

"Now, the blouse. Take it off." He says and I can hear his voice draw closer as I free the blouse from its tucked in position and unbotton it.

When I shrug it off my shoulders, Mr. Robinson is standing at my front.

He leans close and toys with my bra strap, then he moves in closer and whispers.

"Lose the skirt."

I ignore his warm breath on my shoulder as I unzip the skirt and wiggle it off my body.

I'm standing half naked now, biting my lip so I can distract myself from the tears overflowing my eyes.

Mr. Robinson laughs.

"Just look at yourself Anne. You're my puppet now. You wanted a 'different life' and ran away from stripping. Yet you end up being my maid just for the good pay, and here you are asking for more money, ready to do anything. I guess money is your weakness afterall. Here you are doing tricks for treats...isn't that what you had said?"

I bite down harder on my lip, trying to concentrate and avoid his mocking.

Unexpectedly, his hand is on my shoulder and he whips me around until I'm backing him, then he has me against the wall.

"Take off the bra." He says and let's me go. I rest my head on the wall as I reach behind and unclasp it, trying to focus on the cool wall instead of how I'm being used as a slave.

"Good girl." He says and pays my head...like a dog. I want to tell at him to tell me what to do next but I'm scared that if I stop biting my lip, I'll cry.

His hand is on my waist now and he squeezes, making me cry out and losing the battle. My tears pour down uncontrollably.

"Take off your panties." He says and my heart is pounding up a storm, making me hesitate. His hand is on the strap immediately.

"Do you want me to take it off?!" He yells and I shake my head frantically.

"Do You?!"

"No!" I yell in tears as my shaky hands move down and I slip it off, standing stark naked in his front.

His warm breath is back on my ear and he chuckles.

"Just imagine all the things I can do to you now Anne. With you vulnerable, submissive, worthless, and at my every comand." He says then grabs my shoulder and whips me around. I try to keep my gaze down but his hand is on my face and he grips it hard, making me cry out in pain. Then he forces my jaw up to look at him.

His cold eyes express power. Cold, heartless power.

"But I won't touch you, ever. You're still a stripper, insignificant and meaningless and dirty."

And with that he lets me go, and I fall to the floor, trying to cover myself as I cry.

"Put on some clothes and start dinner." He says then writes a cheque and throws it at me before he walks out.

I don't where he went and I don't want to. I sit there in my pitiful, disgraced state and cry myself away.

I don't know how long I'm in that crouched position, but the sun has set now and it's dark outside.

"Anne!" I can hear him calling me but I simply stay, crying.

"Anne!" He yells again and then the door opens. I can see his feet and the way he stops at the door, hesitating. The way he is suddenly silent.

"Anne, I left you here hours ago. You havent put on anything." He says but his voice sounds calm, no longer cold, but I cant read any emotion in them.

Then I watch his feet move and he is in front of me.

"Anne--" he is saying and then I feel his hand on my shoulder.

With all the force and anger I can muster, I push him and get up.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!" I yell at him so loud, he stumbles back in shock.

"You will NEVER touch me, you PERVERT! I may work for you, but the next time you try to manipulate me, I WILL BURN YOU AND THAT DAMN CONTRACT!" I yell then pick up my clothes and run out in tears.......

Leaving behind, a wide-eyed Mr. Robinson.