Chapter 23
S omething shifted in Sire. One minute, he looked at me with care and concern, then the next, all I saw was disdain. It was as if we hadn’t spent the last few weeks getting to know each other on a deeper level. I left him in the bathroom to do what he said, even if it went against everything we’d built.
I took my time searching through my outfits because a part of me believed this was some kind of joke. I only wanted to do something nice for him. Nothing about tonight was out of the ordinary since he’d loosened his iron fist. Why give me so much freedom and make me feel so safe just to snatch it away? Was this part of some sick game Sire was playing? Because I wanted no parts of it.
Once I was dressed in one of the microkini sets, I went back into the closet for a hoodie and some leggings. There was no way I was leaving out of here dressed half-naked. It felt wrong. I only wanted to share the sacred parts of me with him. The realization made me sick to my stomach because I wasn’t so sure he felt the same anymore. Sliding my feet into my Crocs, I marched out of the room to find him waiting in the living room.
Sire was dressed casually in all black, looking as deadly as the murky aura surrounding him. I hadn’t seen and felt its cold grip in so long that I forgot it existed. Or what it felt like. I wanted nothing to do with this version of him.
“Did I do something wrong, JaSire?” I was so confused and knew I would only get answers from the source.
He straightened his shoulders and pinned me in place with a glare. I forgot how ugly it made him. “Yes, you forgot your place.”
My heart stuttered in my chest before plummeting to the soles of my feet. “Wh-wha-what do y-y-you mean?" I stuttered in confusion.
He sighed, becoming more irritated by the second. "Things have gone a little too far. Have you forgotten I’m your captor? That you are here to pay off a priceless debt? Because it seems you have, and I need to set the record straight." He took one large step, closing the distance between us. I shivered from the way he looked at me like I was nothing. "Anything between us is purely transactional, and now that you're so comfortable in your skin, it's time I get a return on my investment."
My head jerked back. His words were so sharp they felt like a slap to the face. "Purely transactional? Return on your investment? Are you trying to tell me that you don't care about me? That the time we've spent together meant nothing to you?"
"Yes." He said it so quickly it hurt my already shattered feelings. "Now, this conversation is over. Let's go. You have a job to do."
The ride to Pleasures was tense and silent except for in my mind. It wouldn't stop chattering, trying to make sense of what was happening. Now, I felt like a fool for not escaping each time I had the opportunity to. Going to Pleasures was the last thing I wanted to do, but if it was required by Sire, I had no choice.
I tried to talk to him multiple times, but he kept shutting me down. He clearly meant it when he said there wasn't anything else to say. It was damn near impossible to hide my tears, and I was sure he'd heard me sniffling and just didn't care.
I followed behind him through the back entrance, where I had to remove my leggings and hoodie. Lexus was there, ready to put me to work. I gained a lot of dirty stares from the other girls, but it didn't faze me. Nothing could at this point.
I was told to walk the floor and offer dances. Compared to the first time I'd come here, my energy must've been different because men were waving me down left and right. Each new pair of hands that groped my body felt like a crime. I constantly fought the urge to throw up, even more so when I felt the weight of Sire's eyes tracking my every movement from the shadows. I didn't need to see him to know he was there. My body was attuned to him, even if I didn't want it to be.
At some point, Lexus came to get me because I had a request for a private dance. My heart was beating so fast I was certain I'd pass out. On my way to the VIP section, I searched for Sire, but that flare of heat had disappeared. He was really leaving me to do this. I felt even more hurt than before, and I didn't think it could get any worse.
I was wrong. The moment I walked into that room, and the door was shut behind me, I knew worse was waiting for me on that couch. An older-looking, light-skinned man in a three-piece suit sat with his legs crossed, waiting for me. I guess he was attractive if you were into uncles and daddies.
"Get over here." His command made the hair on my arms stand up.
The moment I was close, he snatched me closer by my hand and planted me on his lap. I tried to fight against him, but it was useless. He knew exactly what he wanted and wasted no time going for it.
Bile rose from the pit of my stomach, and this time, I allowed it to explode out of me, barely missing him. He pushed me to the floor forcefully in disgust. Tears fell into the puddle on the floor as my body reacted violently to the events of the night. If I had a dime for every time things took a terrible turn in my life after it appeared to get better, I'd be a much richer woman. But no, this was me... worthless and as alone as ever before.
He rushed toward me quickly. “I paid for you and I’m going to have you.” An unknown force rose in me, and I really fought back as he reached for me. We were tussling like two wild animals when it sounded like a bomb exploded. In an instant he was lifted off me and Sire stood in front of me. I couldn’t see his face, but his shoulders were tight, and the way the man pleaded told me death must’ve painted his features.