27. Ana
27
Ana
I couldn’t sleep. What Jake had done—what I had done—haunted every corner of my mind. The images wouldn’t stop. I could see Charlie’s face, the betrayal that would carve through him when he found out. He can’t find out.
I kept going back and forth, the weight of each possibility crushing me a little more every time. My chest ached, my head spun, and no matter which way I turned, the pain only deepened.
What am I going to do now?
Jake wouldn’t let me go without a fight; that much was clear. I’d never seen him like this—so menacing, so cunning. The Jake I once knew, the one who could fake charm and wield influence like a weapon, was gone. Something had snapped in him and there was no coming back.
I lay next to him in the dark room that we once shared as a happy couple. I could only taste the bitterness of what our current reality was. Think. There has to be a way out of this.
And then, it hit me—a spark of an idea so risky that I almost dismissed it completely.
What if I turn the tables on him?
Charlie had awakened something in me, something I’d always known I had but had let slide for too long. With Jake, I was only submissive in the bedroom. During his presidency, I was the one who made things work behind the scenes. I kept us on track, handled the fallout from his missteps, and ensured the image he projected to the world stayed intact.
He thrived on being in control, but the truth was, that control only extended as far as I allowed it. Everywhere else, I had the reins, guiding us through every storm, every crisis, every carefully orchestrated appearance.
That’s why he needed to have power in the bedroom. Because everywhere else, it was mine. He craved that dominance, that feeling of control I didn’t give him in the rest of our lives. So, I let him have it there. I gave it to him, convincing myself it was a small sacrifice to keep the balance.
But now, I could see how much it had fed him. It had become the foundation of his arrogance, his need to dominate, and his ability to manipulate. And now, stripped of his title, his influence, and the adoration he once commanded, he clung to that control with a new, dangerous intensity.
This wasn’t the Jake I knew before. This was someone else—unhinged, menacing, desperate. His newfound madness made him reckless, but it also made him vulnerable.
So what if I twisted it?
Jake had always been sure of himself, convinced of his power over me. But this need to prove he was still in control was something I could exploit.
If I challenged him in ways he wouldn’t expect, I could unravel him. I could use his desperation against him. Make him question the very power he thought he still held.
This time, I wouldn’t give him what he wanted. This time, I’d take the control I’d once given away—and use it to make him fall apart.
I sat up slowly, watching Jake’s chest rise and fall as he slept. My hands trembled, though I clenched them tightly to still the shaking. This had to work. I had to find a way to regain control.
You’ve done this before. You’ve taken control with Charlie. You can do it again.
I took a deep breath and crawled onto him, straddling him. The mattress shifted under my weight, and Jake stirred slightly, his brow furrowing as his eyes fluttered open.
His lips curled into a slow, lazy smirk as he took in the sight of me. “What’s this?” he murmured.
I leaned forward, resting my hands on his chest to keep him pinned down. “This is me taking the lead,” I said, my voice steady despite the flutter of nerves in my chest. “Things are going to be different now, Jake. If we’re going to make this work, you’re going to give me what I want.”
His smirk faltered, replaced by a flicker of confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“I’ve always let you have control,” I continued. “I gave you that because it’s what you needed. But now it’s my turn. You’re going to let me take control.”
For a moment, he didn’t move, his expression a mix of surprise and disbelief. I could see the wheels turning in his head, his usual arrogance faltering as he processed my words.
“And what makes you think I’ll do that?” he asked with skepticism.
I leaned closer, letting my lips hover just above his. “Because you don’t have a choice.”
Jake’s smirk returned, but it was weaker now, less certain. “You’re serious.”
“Dead serious,” I said, my voice unwavering.
I pressed my weight into him, holding him in place. “Stay,” I commanded softly, and to my surprise, he obeyed.
For a moment, I thought I had him. His breathing quickened and his pupils dilated as he stared up at me. I felt his cock hardening beneath me and I slightly swayed my hips, urging him on.
“See?” I murmured, letting my lips graze his jaw. “It’s not so bad, is it? Letting someone else take control.”
He swallowed hard, his body relaxing beneath me. I could feel the tension melting away, the cracks in his arrogance widening.
I’ve got him. A flicker of triumph sparked in my chest.
But then his hands shot up, gripping my hips tightly as he flipped us over in one sharp motion.
I gasped as my back hit the mattress, Jake looming over me now, his smirk back in full force. “You really thought that would work?” he asked, his tone full of mockery.
“Jake—” I started, but he cut me off, grabbing my wrists and pinning them above my head.
“You think you can just flip the script?” he continued, his grip on me tightening. “That’s not how this works, Ana. That’s never how this worked.”
Panic bubbled in my chest as I struggled against him, but he held me firm, his weight pressing me into the mattress.
“You almost had me,” he admitted, his voice quieter now, more menacing. “For a second there, I thought you had changed. That maybe you figured out how to take control.”
His lips curled into a cruel smile. “But you haven’t. You’re still the same, Ana. Still mine. And now, I’m going to remind you exactly where you belong.”
He reached for something in the drawer of the bedside table. I knew exactly what it was. This was something he loved doing—tying me up, having me completely at his mercy.
Jake’s smirk widened as he tied silk fabric tightly around my wrists, the knot digging into my skin as he secured me to the headboard.
“Perfect,” he murmured, sitting back to admire his work. “Now you can’t try that again, can you?”
“Jake, stop,” I said, my voice trembling as I tugged futilely at the restraints. “This isn’t right. You need my consent, and I haven’t given it to you yet,” I said, trying to reason with him, trying to fuel guilt into his mind, to explain exactly what he was doing.
His laugh was sharp and cold. “This isn’t right?” he echoed, leaning over me again. “You think you get to decide what’s right here? You lost that privilege the moment you started playing games with me. I didn’t give my consent to that either.”
“I’m not playing games,” I whispered, tears stinging my eyes.
“Oh, but you are,” he said, trailing his hand down my body, hovering over me as his other hand forced my legs apart. “You think you can tease me? Act like you’re in control? You don’t know who you’re dealing with, Ana. I’m a changed man.”
I turned my head away, bile rising in my throat as his hand slid lower, his fingers grazing the edge of my underwear. My body tensed, every instinct screaming at me to fight, but I forced myself to stay still, knowing it would only make him angrier if I struggled.
“See? There it is,” he said smugly, his fingers slipping beneath the fabric and down to my pussy that betrayed me, wet and ready. “You’re so predictable, Ana.”
“Jake, please,” I said, my voice cracking.
“Please?” he mocked, his smirk deepening. “Oh, I always loved how you begged.”
I clenched my jaw, my breath hitching as his fingers circled my clit, knowing exactly how to work me.
“I felt it last night,” he continued, his tone cruel and taunting. “The way your body responded. Coming all over my cock. You can’t fake that, Ana. No matter what you say, I know the truth. You wanted it. You missed me.”
Tears spilled down my cheeks as I stared at the ceiling, refusing to meet his gaze. My body betrayed me again, the unwanted sensations building in my core despite the revulsion and hatred twisting in my chest.
“Look at you,” Jake said, his voice dripping with mockery. “Trying so hard to act like you’re above this. But your body doesn’t lie, does it?”
I bit down on my lip, trying to suppress the sounds threatening to escape, but he didn’t stop. His fingers moved with cruel precision, exploiting every weakness, every reaction.
“You think you’re so strong,” he murmured, his breath against my ear. “But here you are, completely at my mercy. And you love it. Don’t you?”
“No,” I whispered, my voice shaking.
“Liar,” he hissed, pressing harder, faster, until my body arched involuntarily against him. “Say it, Ana. Say you love it. Say you love me.”
I clenched my fists, the silk digging into my skin as my body reached the edge, unwilling and unstoppable. My breaths came in shallow gasps as the pressure built, and I hated myself for not being able to stop it, for letting him take this from me.
When it finally broke, a reluctant, choking cry escaped my lips, and Jake laughed triumphantly.
“There it is,” he said, his tone smug and satisfied. “I told you. You can’t fight it. You’ll always be mine.”
I turned my face away, tears streaming down my cheeks as he leaned back, his hand leaving me like I was a possession he’d just proven he owned.
“See? You’re so much better when you stop pretending. When you remember your place.”
I didn’t respond, my body trembling with the aftershocks of the betrayal it had just endured.
And then he was on top of me again, his boxers lowered and revealing his hard cock before he began teasing my entrance.
“This is how it’s going to work from now on, Ana. The more you resist, the harder I’ll make this for you,” he said into my ear before thrusting into me hard and unrelentingly.
“Oh, fuck, Ana,” he growled, lifting my shirt to reveal my breasts, then gripped them tight. “I bet he doesn’t fuck you like this, does he? I bet he lets you pretend you’re the little dominatrix he wants. But that’s not you, baby. Not at all,” he went on breathlessly. “You’re such a good little slut, taking it hard for papa.”
He reached down, thumbing my clit as tears spilled down the sides of my cheeks. He was going to make me come again, whether I wanted it or not.
“Come on, Ana. Let me feel your pussy squeeze my cock. Let me see that pretty face come for me, just like you always do.”
The pressure built in my core once again, and I squeezed my eyes shut tight, turning my face to not give him the satisfaction.
“Look at me, Ana!” he yelled, twisting the fear in my chest, but I refused. “Look at me, or I’m fucking killing Charlie myself,” he snapped.
I turned my head sharply, forcing myself to meet his gaze. Jake was now someone desperate—desperate to reclaim what little control he could, no matter the cost.
“Now come like a good fucking girl, Ana,” he demanded, furiously rubbing my clit as he pounded into me hard.
I let go, my release crashing over me, tainted by a flood of guilt and seething hatred. His smirk widened as he laughed triumphantly, reveling in my humiliation.
He pulled out abruptly, roughly flipping me onto my stomach, my restraints twisting and tightening further. Gripping my hips, he forced himself back into me, wild and relentless. I clenched my teeth, silently begging for him to come quickly, for the torture to be over.
Then, with a loud, guttural grunt, he pulled out, his cum spilling across my back. The sensation turned my stomach, a wave of nausea rolling through me, but I stayed perfectly still, swallowing the sobs threatening to escape.
I lay there, my eyes squeezed shut, every muscle in my body tense. My wrists throbbed from the strain, my skin stung where the restraints had bitten into me, but none of it compared to the fire raging inside—an all-consuming hatred that burned brighter with every passing second.
You think you’ve won, Jak e. But this isn’t over. I’ll make sure you pay for every second of this. Every single one.
* * *
I sat in the bath, hugging my body tightly, my arms wrapped around my knees pulled to my chest. My mind raced, circling the same questions with no answers. How am I going to get out of this? I needed to know how Jake had found out about Charlie, about Sarah—about everything. Revenge simmered in my body, but it was eclipsed by a heavier ache: my longing for Charlie.
He hadn’t tried to contact me during the night, and though it was a relief since Jake checked my phone every time it buzzed, I now found myself wishing he would. Anything to break the suffocating silence. Anything to make me feel less hopeless.
The bathroom door swung open, making me flinch. Jake stood there, holding my phone, his expression urgent.
“Sloane is calling you,” he said, his tone clipped. “Pick it up.”
Why does he care? But I didn’t question him; I quickly stood, drying my hands on a towel hanging nearby. Before I could reach for the phone, Jake answered it himself and put it on speaker.
“Hi, baby,” I said, forcing warmth into my voice despite the cold dread gripping me. I had to be strong for her.
On the other end, I heard crying. My heart plummeted. I glanced at Jake, and for the first time, worry mirrored on both our faces.
“? Qué tienes, estás bien ?” I asked, stepping out of the tub and wrapping the towel around me.
“Callan…Callan and I got into a fight, Mom,” Sloane sobbed, her voice trembling. “He’s been drinking again. He was hiding it from me.”
The pain in her voice was gut-wrenching. I looked back at Jake, only to find a cruel smirk creeping across his face. ?Hijo de puta!
“ Ay, mi amor, pobrecita ,” I said gently, taking the phone from Jake’s hand. “Are you okay?”
“No,” she cried. “I need you, Mom. I can’t stay here right now. He’s just…he’s not himself right now. It’s like he doesn’t even care.”
I glanced at Jake nervously, unsure of what to say. Do I tell her I’m here with him? Do I lie?
“I understand, baby,” I said softly. “I know it’s really hard right now. But…” I trailed off, searching for words.
Jake’s voice broke through, uncharacteristically soft and warm. “Hey, honey.”
There was a pause. “Dad?” she asked, disbelief clear in her tone.
“Yeah, it’s me,” he said, his voice oozing pride. “Your mom and I are at the lake house. We’re…we’re trying to reconcile.” He looked at me, smirking like a predator who’d cornered his prey.
I hate you.
“Really? Mom?” Sloane asked, clearly confused.
I swallowed hard. “Yeah,” I murmured. “It’s…it’s complicated, baby. But your dad and I—” I hesitated, looking away. “We have twenty years of history. That’s a lot to just throw away.”
The words felt like poison on my tongue, but I knew it was what Jake wanted me to say.
“What about…what about Charlie?” she asked hesitantly.
Shame and embarrassment burned through me, even though none of this was my fault. “He was too much, baby,” I said quietly, each word stabbing at my heart. “I think we all knew that.”
Sloane sighed, as if disappointed. “Well…I mean—”
“You’re welcome to come stay with us here at the lake house, honey,” Jake interrupted, his tone feigning kindness. “Get away for a bit. We can be like a family again.”
I rolled my eyes, my face hot with anger and humiliation. But the idea of having Sloane here gave me a glimmer of hope. At least I wouldn’t be alone with him anymore. I only hoped he wouldn’t turn on her. But he wouldn’t do that to his own daughter…
“Um…” Sloane hesitated. “I don’t know.”
“I think it would be nice, baby,” I chimed in. “It’s a chance for us to reconnect as a family.”
Jake shot me a cautious look, but my words seemed to seal the deal. Sloane sighed again before finally giving in.
“Okay. Alright, yeah. I’ll take the next flight out,” she said.
Thank God.
“Let me know your flight details, honey,” Jake said smoothly. “If you need me to, I’ll have someone pick you up from the airport and bring you home.”
The word home sliced through me like a dagger, but I bit back my response, forcing myself to stay quiet. Instead, I focused on the only thing that mattered: silently forming a plan to get us out of this.
* * *
The lake house was eerily quiet as I stood by the window that night, watching the driveway for Sloane’s arrival. Jake was in the kitchen, pouring drinks, his earlier threat still echoing in my mind.
“If you even think about telling her, Charlie will be dead in an instant,” he had said, his voice low and venomous. “She doesn’t need to know anything. Do you understand me?”
I nodded stiffly, my stomach churning as his words settled over me like a dark cloud.
Now, as the black SUV pulled up and Sloane stepped out, a flood of relief and fear rushed through me. I had to be careful for her sake.
She spotted me in the window and waved, her face lighting up with a hesitant smile. I forced myself to smile back, though it felt like my face might crack from the effort.
The front door opened and she was in my arms within seconds, hugging me tightly.
“Mom,” she murmured, her voice trembling.
“I’m so glad you’re here, baby,” I said, my arms wrapping around her as if I could shield her from everything going on.
Jake appeared in the doorway, his smile wide and disarmingly warm. “Sloane! Hi honey. You’ve grown so much since I’ve last seen you.”
She pulled back from me, her expression guarded as she looked at him. “Hi, Dad,” she said, her tone polite but distant.
“Come on, let’s get your bags inside,” Jake said excitedly. “We’ll have dinner and catch up.”
The table was set with candles and an assortment of dishes Jake had ordered in, his attempt at playing the doting husband and father. Sloane sat across from me, her eyes darting between me and Jake, as though trying to figure us out.
Jake was all charm, asking Sloane about school, her life—carefully avoiding anything that might spark tension. She answered politely, but her tone was clipped, her smile forced.
I barely spoke, focusing on my plate and nodding along to their conversation, though my mind was elsewhere. Every now and then, Jake’s hand brushed my arm or rested on my shoulder, a silent reminder of his control.
When we finished eating, Jake stood and stretched. “Let me fill your glass of wine, sweetheart,” he said to me, his tone dripping with false affection.
I nodded, forcing a smile. “Thank you.”
As he disappeared into the kitchen, Sloane pulled out her phone, her fingers moving quickly over the screen. She hesitated, then slid it across the table towards me.
I glanced down at the screen, her notes app open with a message written.
I know what’s going on. We’re gonna get you out of this.
My breath caught in my throat and I quickly lifted my eyes to hers. She gave me a subtle nod, her expression calm but her eyes blazing with determination.
I swallowed hard, my fingers trembling as I reached out to slide the phone back to her. Before I could respond, Jake’s footsteps echoed down the hall.
Sloane slipped the phone back into her lap, her face a perfect mask of casual indifference just as Jake walked in with a glass of wine in hand.
“Here you go,” he said, placing the glass in front of me.
“Thank you,” I murmured, quickly taking a sip.
Sloane smiled politely at Jake, but the tension was still there. I could feel her gaze on me, her silent promise hanging in the air.
We’re gonna get you out of this.