Now
As expected, Michael let me sleep with him all night, even wrapping his arm around me as I lay on my side, facing away from him. My jaw clenched at his gentle touch, knowing the depths of his manipulation. After learning what he had done to Charlotte, my mind was resolute. It was only a matter of time before he did it again.
I barely slept that night, my mind racing, wondering when my opportunity would come. Elliott was silent in my ear, and I worried that my earpiece had stopped working. But Michael hadn’t left me alone all morning, leaving me no chance to test my theory. He showered with me and fucked me hard against the glass door, and I couldn’t stop thinking about Elliott and what he might be hearing, if he was even still there. Michael hovered around while I cooked breakfast, watching my every move as he worked on his laptop. I tried to keep myself busy as I roamed the house. He had bought the house as-is, so we were set with everything from dishes to books on the shelves. I settled on reading a thriller I found and laid on the oversized armchair nestled in the corner of the living room. But I couldn’t focus; the more time I spent around him, the angrier I got. I was reeling since he told me about Charlotte. Poor fucking Charlotte .
“Tomorrow, we’ll go to the county clerk to get our marriage license. I need to wait for some documents to come through. We’ll be able to get married right after that.” Michael jolted me out of my simmering rage, and it felt like my heart stopped beating. Fuck. I have to do this tonight. I need to fucking kill him tonight.
I glanced at him and found him staring, as though he were gauging my loyalty by how I reacted. I forced a smile and nodded. “Perfect. What would you like me to wear, Daddy?”
A subtle twitch flickered in his eye. “Well, sweet Jackie, white won’t do. Perhaps something black would be more fitting,” he said, his smile taking on a sinister edge, one that I was very familiar with.
“I’ll wear whatever you’d like,” I responded, and I almost couldn’t hide the contempt in my voice.
He continued to stare, testing me. “Yes, I know. Go clean up and we can go shopping and find something.”
Clean up? I just fucking showered. “Put some makeup on. Do your hair. Get fucking dolled up, Jackie. I don’t want to be seen with a fucking troll,” he snapped as he answered my inner thoughts.
Anger and a touch of embarrassment heated my cheeks. I despised how much it bothered me, but the prospect of a moment of solitude was something I clung to.
“Okay, Daddy.” I got up and set the book on the armchair, turning to head down to our room.
“Are you going to be good, or do I need to keep an eye on you?” he asked as my foot touched the first step of the stairs.
I paused to look back at him. “I’ll be a good girl, Daddy.”
He seemed pleased with my answer because he turned back to his laptop and continued to work. I quickly descended the stairs and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me.
“Elliott?” I whispered as my heart raced; if he wasn’t there, I was fucking screwed.
Just as I started to panic, Elliott’s voice filled my ear. “Jacqueline, I’m here.”
As I exhaled, tears I hadn’t realized I’d been holding back streamed down my face, washed away by a flood of relief.
“We have to do this tonight. Did you hear him? He wants to get married tomorrow,” I breathed, feeling out of breath.
“Yes. But Jacqueline, I think we need to re-think this. He’s far more dangerous than I thought. I’m afraid he’s going to hurt you before you can even see it coming. I think you should get out of there. .” His muffled voice carried a clear undertone of concern, but I immediately shook my head.
“No, Elliott. I’m doing this,” I argued.
“Fuck, Jacqueline. I don’t know what we were thinking. I should have done this myself and kept you safe,” he continued, and I started to grow more nervous.
My chest tightened as I stared at my tear-streaked reflection in the mirror. My hazel eyes were hardened, and there was an unmistakable frown upon my lips. “Please continue to have faith in me, Elliott. I can do this.” My trembling voice belied the urgent determination I felt to proceed with our plan.
He sighed before he spoke. “I know, baby. I know you can. I’m just so terrified of losing you. Hearing what he did to that poor girl…”
I cut him off before he could continue. “You won’t lose me. I’m gonna fucking do this, Elliott.”
I didn’t know where the surge of confidence came from; perhaps it was fueled by my sheer determination to finally be free of Michael.
He was quiet before he spoke again. “Okay, baby. I’ll tell Hana. We’ll be waiting.”
* * *
Being in public with Michael felt surreal. He had kept me hidden away throughout our entire “relationship,” and now he was parading me around like a shiny new toy. As we strolled through The Grove, I found myself continually glancing at our reflection in the passing windows. It was as if I were observing someone else’s life. As we eyed clothing in a high-end boutique, women ogled the monster that stood beside me, ignoring their stares. He was undeniably handsome, and it was such a shame that he was such a fucking heartless beast.
I clutched the bag containing the dress I knew I would never wear as we headed back to the house in an Uber. The sun began its descent, and my nerves heightened with each passing mile. It was going to happen soon: either Michael would die, or I would. Perhaps both of us.
I followed Michael into the house, following suit after he placed his jacket on the coat rack. I shrugged off my boots and started for the stairs, planning to hang my dress up to appear as if I were excited about the impending marriage that would never come to fruition. But Michael stopped me, grasping my arm back and drawing me close to him. I gasped, my nerves heightened, as he leaned in, gently cupping my face in his hands. I stared into his dark gray eyes and a small flutter stirred in my belly . Don’t do this. Don’t fucking seduce me when I’m about to kill you.
“You’re going to look so fucking sweet in that little black dress of yours,” he whispered, his gaze intensifying. “I’m going to rip it off of you and claim you as mine the instant we get back here. I’m going to mark your pretty, wrecked little body again.”
I almost wanted to laugh in his face. None of that was going to happen, and he had no idea.
I smiled as I replied, placing my hands to his arms. “I can’t wait, Daddy.”
I felt his cock harden against my jeans and he gently grazed his lips against mine before pulling away, trying to tease me. “I have an idea. Meet me in the hot tub downstairs, naked. I need to acquire a few things in here first.”
Holy shit. This is perfect. This is so fucking perfect.
“Yes, Daddy.” I smiled before excitedly skipping down the stairs, though my excitement was for something else entirely.
“Elliott, it needs to happen now . We’ll be in the hot tub in a few minutes,” I whispered as I began to undress.
“Okay, Hana is here. We’ll be there soon,” he responded quickly in my ear.
My heart thudded fiercely in my chest as I pulled down my underwear with trembling hands. Adrenaline surged through my body as I slid open the glass door leading to the hot tub on the deck, the cold air biting at my bare skin like tiny shards of ice. My loud breathing echoed in my ears as I pulled off the hot tub cover and hurriedly stepped into the warm water, sinking down to sit. With my nerves fried, I jumped when Michael, half-naked in his boxer briefs, slid the glass door open, holding a rope in his hand.
He slowly walked toward me with a smile, eyeing the hot tub. “Sweet Jackie, I’m excited to try this with you. I hope I don’t go too far,” he said, grinning menacingly.
Fuck. Panic surged through me, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst from my chest.
“What do you mean, Daddy?” I asked, slinking further back into the hot tub as he inched closer.
“I’d love to restrict your breathing in another way.” He nodded down at the water and began to uncoil the rope as he looked back up at me.
No. Fuck. . Do it now, Jackie. “R—re—red.”
Michael froze for a moment before he burst into laughter. “Red? Oh, sweet Jackie. You know that doesn’t work with me.”
The light from inside abruptly flicked off, leaving us in the pitch-black, moonless night.
I smiled as I replied, “It does now.”
I saw Michael look up into the darkened house, momentarily distracted, as I stood up from the water. I could faintly make out a figure rushing up behind him, and the sounds of a struggle filled the air. The lights flickered back on, revealing Elliott standing over Michael’s unconscious body, holding a cloth soaked in chloroform . Elliott looked up at me and flashed a triumphant grin; I smiled back with overwhelming relief.
“Let me get him inside. We can use this,” he said, grabbing the rope from the ground, “and then you can begin.”