Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 56208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
“Harlow,” I whispered. “Please. Please eat. Eat so you can keep dancing.”
She kept staring and slowly, painfully fucking slowly, her pretty mouth opened.
She took the piece of the sandwich off the fork and chewed slowly, her eyes fluttering. A single tear ran down her cheek and I sat and stared and hated myself more than I ever had in my entire life.
Had I been wrong about her? Had I really misjudged her whole fucking personality this badly? Did I really believe she would still submit to me, after everything I’d put her through?
I kept slicing the sandwich. Lifting the fork to her lips. Watching her chew as she stared at me with pure contempt and pain I would never understand, the pain I put behind her beautiful eyes.
Once we were done, I cleaned up and she stayed in the same position, staring out of the window again. The trolley was taken away and I was about to leave, but I risked another look back at her. I couldn’t fucking leave yet. I approached her with slowly, hating the way she tensed when I drew nearer. She was afraid of me.
I sat on the bed again. I took her face in my hands, and she whimpered at the feeling of my fingers on my skin. I didn’t ask her about it because I felt the same fucking electricity I felt every time I was with her, the magnetic attraction that had made me steal her in the first place.
“Harlow,” I said. “I’m going to keep fucking trying. Because you may not know this…”
I slid a finger down her neck and she took a sharp breath.
“This…” I touched the space between her tits, feeling the current running through me from her veins. “This doesn’t happen. Never. Ever. Only with you.”
I knew she felt it too, so I didn’t waste more words. I left her, one last look over my shoulder finding her staring at me with contempt, and a curiosity she unsuccessfully tried to hide.
12 days later
I had been to her room every day to feed her. She ate willingly now, but she wouldn’t touch the food unless I was feeding it to her as if she were too weak to even hold up her own cutlery. But I cherished those moments, and looked forward to seeing her, even if it was in her current broken state.
For a long time, I tried to force myself to feel guilty for what I’d done to her.
But I was a man in a position of power. Rich, influential, handsome. I could’ve had any woman I wanted. I wanted her.
I’d done the unthinkable in taking her, committed a heinous act kidnapping Harlow. But I didn’t regret it, and I doubted I ever would. I only hoped one day she would choose to stay willingly. But if she didn’t, I would force her to stay. I knew that without a shadow of a doubt. If I had to keep her against her will, I would. It made me a bad man. And I didn’t give a shit.
That day though, I had a special surprise in store for Harlow.
I’d seen Amber a couple of times. She was a warm, kind-hearted girl who’d taken a liking to me right away, and I liked her in return. She hadn’t deserved what Ellis had done to her and I promised myself I would keep her safe, just like Harlow. There would be a place for her, and I would ensure she could grow up as normally as possible. Deep down though, I knew I couldn’t let her go back. She’d seen too much.
Now, I’d told Amber Harlow had suffered a bad breakdown which had rendered her speechless and broken. Amber had cried for her friend, showing me the selflessness Carina hadn’t had.
Carina… I needed to get her the fuck out of my head. She’d been dealt with. Not a problem anymore. She didn’t fucking matter.
I’d prepped Amber before we entered Harlow’s room, but she could barely contain her surprise when she saw her friend. Her eyes turned to me when Harlow didn’t respond, staring out the window, her back to us. I saw traces of tears in Amber’s eyes and told her to be brave. I left the door ajar and left them in peace. I told Amber I’d be right outside the door if she needed me.
I was desperate to hear them, but I told myself not to eavesdrop. Still, I could hear Harlow replying in short, concise sentences, and it fucking tore my heart to pieces.
So, she deemed Amber important enough to talk to, but not me. I understood. God fucking knows I did, but it still didn’t help the jealousy tearing me apart from the inside.
I left them talking for an hour before I came to get Amber. The second I walked into the room, Harlow turned towards the window, staring at the beach yet again, like I wasn’t even there.