Chapter 23 #2
“Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder,” he grumbles after he lets out his breath.
“That’s what Dr. Hubbert calls it. He said that night I had a breakdown which might’ve been coming on for a while.
It probably didn’t help I was fucking high out of my mind and running on, like, no fucking sleep. ..”
“Oh, you did… drugs?” I’m not sure why this comes as a surprise to me, but looking at his glistening body, I can’t imagine him wanting to harm it.
Rowan snorts. “Life as a model consisted of parties, photoshoots, and more parties. I was always on the go, jetting somewhere . I didn’t have the luxury of being tired.
So I snorted shit that helped me keep going.
The photographers, hair and makeup artists—they could get me stuff that could keep me going, keep me thin, and make me feel so fucking good… ”
He shakes his head before running his fingers through his hair.
“The only drugs I’m on now keep me even keeled,” he grimaces. “Honestly, I can’t believe I put so much shit into my body. I look better now than I did back then.”
I scoff softly, my eyes dropping to the floor when his head whips around in my direction. “You’re, ah, really modest.”
Rowan laughs. “No, I’m not. And I’m okay with that because I don’t need to be. I am perfect.”
I consider everything he’s revealed. Things are starting to make sense now. The products in the bathroom and how they’re organized, the items on display out in the main living area of the suite—I see it all clearly now.
“How is all that stuff in the living organized? Is it by?—”
“That stuff —,” Rowan scowls, “—is The Collection. It's organized by smallest to largest, which makes the most sense. Color coded is the second best way. Shapes are a bit harder when it comes to The Collection, but I make it work.”
“‘The Collection,’” I repeat slowly. “How do you decide what goes in it and what doesn’t?”
To me it’s a hodgepodge of items with no rhyme or reason.
Rowan sighs, the sound strangely full of fondness, as he walks by me and heads for the shower.
“Only the most perfect and exquisite items go in it. Ones that catch my attention and I can’t not think of.”
Heat creeps into my face as he strolls into the bathroom.
Hadn’t he said I was part of his collection now? Does that mean I am one of those things that has caught his attention so completely? The brand on the back of my neck says yes.
I reach up to touch my burning cheeks.
I’ve never been the object of a guy's attention like this before. The fact that his need to possess me led to him branding me? It’s extreme, terrifying even. But still… I can’t help but feel strangely flattered. Inappropriately so. If I could push away the feeling I would but I can’t.
“Eat up, Everly,” Rowan calls just as the bathroom door begins to swing shut. “I’m going to get ready for classes. I’ve got to keep to my schedule.”
By the time Rowan’s done showering, dressing, styling his hair, and applying concealer under his eyes, I’ve devoured the Belgian waffle and fruit he brought up for me and have wandered out to explore the collection I’ve been thrown into.
“Let me change the bandage on your neck,” Rowan says, strolling out of his room to join me. In his hand is a small first-aid kit. He lays it on the coffee table and waits for me to come to him.
As I approach, I ask, “I haven’t heard Braum moving around. Should you wake him up?”
“He’s not here,” he replies with a shrug. “I don’t think he came back last night. Nurses at the pill station this morning said he’d come by for his before dipping out again. Now sit.” He waves his hand toward the couch.
I do as I’m told, then lean my head forward Rowan’s there in a heartbeat, peeling off the old bandage with a swift jerk. I hiss at the sting.
“I’ll have to do this for the next few days until it’s healed.”
“I don’t get it,” I wince when he dabs at the wound. “Why brand me? I’ll carry this around for the rest of my life, you know.”
I dread trying to make an excuse for the mark in future interactions. I’ll be forced to wear my hair down for the rest of my life to avoid the questions.
“It’s so people know who you belong to.”
I scowl at the coffee table as Rowan works. “I don’t belong to you. The minute I can get Vick to come with me, I’ll?—”
“I need you to be a little quicker on the uptake, Everly,” Rowan interrupts as he finishes up. “Stand.”
With a roll of my eyes that goes unseen, I get to my feet and turn to him. He grabs my hand and leads me around the coffee table toward the back corner of the room.
“You are a part of something spectacular,” he explains, his free hand waving at the things we pass.
“Every item here is handpicked for a reason. They’re a balm to the compulsive need to possess a piece of perfection.
They’re balanced in a way that I can appreciate.
That symmetry in my room? The satisfaction I get when everything is perfect? I get it with each item.”
I’m not sure I follow his explanation, but I glance at the wall of items and can acknowledge everything here is beautiful.
Rowan comes to a stop when we get to a dark corner, and for a second I don’t know why.
It’s not until he yanks a dark sheet off something and it falls to the ground that I understand what’s going on.
Sitting there is a large, ornate gold birdcage with a rounded top and delicate flourishes around the base.
“The thought of losing one of my cherished pieces literally makes me want to peel my skin off,” Rowan continues as he opens the door to the cage. When he turns, he nudges his head toward the cage. “Get in.”
I blink, trying to process the request. “W-what?”
“What did I say last night about repeating myself?” He scowls. “Let’s go. I can’t be late for classes. As much as I fucking hate them, they’re mandatory if I want to get the hell out of Serenity Falls someday. Tuesdays are my shorter days, so you won’t be in there terribly long, so go on. Get in.”
A sharp scoff slips past my lips. “I’m not getting in there.”
“If I have to wrestle you into this thing,” Rowan starts, growling through clenched teeth, “I’m going to make sure you don’t leave it for a week.”
“The fact you think I’m staying at Serenity Falls for a week is absolutely insane!” I object. “I need to go talk to Maverick. Braum said by agreeing to your little pact, I would be able to move around campus.”
Rowan’s face slowly turns red as he glares at me. “Did he actually mention allowing you to interact with Vick?”
I open my mouth to confirm it, but freeze. “Um… he didn’t say those words but?—”
“That’s because neither of us are stupid enough to allow it,” Rowan interrupts. “Vick is our enemy. Why the fuck do you think we’d entertain the idea of you gallivanting around looking for that asshole?”
Panic begins to well up as I realize I might have bartered away control over my body for more than just protection. I might’ve sold my body just for it to be caged.
“I can’t stay here, Rowan!” I tell him anxiously. “I need to grab Maverick and?—”
“Grab Vick?” he scoffs. “He doesn’t want anything to do with you. The only reason he was chasing after you last night was probably so he could snuff the light out of your eyes so we can’t wave you around under his nose.”
My hands fist at my sides. “You’re wrong.”
I could tell Rowan the truth. That Maverick and I did actually run into one another.
If I do that, though, I’d have to explain why the two of us hadn’t run off.
My failure to convince a fuming, semi-lucid Maverick is a sore spot.
He’d laughed at my dreams of running away together, gave me a pity kiss, then told me, in a roundabout way, to scram.
My heart had rebroken when I realized he really meant it when he told me he wasn’t coming with me.
But I meant what I said to Maverick. I’ll be sticking around, trying to convince him to run away with me, until he finally caves.
“I’m not,” Rowan objects. “Vick’s a lost cause. Get over it and learn to like your new situation.”
“He’s not a lost cause,” I reply slowly but confidently, willing myself to hold Rowan’s deep blue eyes. “I won’t be giving up on Maverick, Rowan. I won’t be staying at Serenity Falls. And most importantly, I won’t be getting in that stupid cage!”
Rowan moves so fast my reflexes don’t kick in before he’s grabbing my hair and fisting it.
I try to pull away, my hands flying out to scratch and claw at him, but Rowan jerks my head forward, knocking me off balance.
He takes me to the floor easily. With a screech, I roll onto my back and manage to kick him in the stomach.
Despite his hard, angry grunt, he doesn’t stop.
I put up a good fight, not relenting even for a second.
Unfortunately, Rowan’s ten times stronger than I am. Turns out, all those clearly defined muscles aren’t just for show. He shoves me into the cage, limb by limb until I’m forced to tuck my knees beneath me or risk injury as he slams the door shut behind him.
“Rowan! Stop this!” I screech, grabbing for the bars. They’re thick and sturdier than I expect as I wrap my fingers around them.
Fast as lightning, Rowan whips out a small padlock and shoves it through the little hole made for it. Efficiently, he locks me in.
“You know, I saw this cage on my way to court for my hearing. It was in the window of this antique place, and I fell in love with it. Not enough to add it to The Collection, thus why it was covered, but I still wanted it. Now I understand its purpose,” he says breathlessly, stepping back to admire the way he’s got me trapped. “Enjoy your day.”
“Please, Rowan…” I try to keep the whine out of my voice.
The cage is large, yes, but for a bird, not a person. I have enough room to sit up and to lean a few degrees in any direction. But there’s no way for me to stretch my legs or even arms.
“Don’t leave me like this,” I beg.
Rowan’s only response is to chuckle before he turns and walks away. He grabs a backpack that’s sitting beside the fireplace and slings it over his shoulder before he opens the door to his suite.
“Rowan!” I cry out.
He pauses to look back at me, a pleased smile clinging to his lips. “Have a nice day, Everly!”
With that, he slams the door shut and disappears.