Captured by him

Chapter 43

The few hours that had passed had been no less than a train wreck, with Mason in a shit mood, that made two of us. After his unrequited affection towards me early in the evening, he had been in an even worse mood, if that was possible.I had spent the better part of the early evening outside on the balcony, watching the waves roll in.

I could sense Mason pacing around the room behind me, with him occasionally leaving the apartment completely. Normally I couldn't care less about where Mason was or what he was doing but it put me on edge that he would just leave without telling me. It was so different from him telling me every little thing that he would do - that would somehow "affect" me. He didn't tell me to stay where I was, to not leave the apartment, to eat something, to do anything. The way he flipped his mood so quickly was exhausting for me.

"Annalise." Mason's voice echoed through the apartment.

Slowly turning my chin to my shoulder I peered over at him, curious as to why I was being summoned. I blinked at him but made no attempt to move. His eyes were dark, his mouth a mere line on his face. I could start to feel my eyes become glassy and undoubtedly they glistened with the light that shone out of the apartment. He frightened me, and I mean really frightened. Not like how a child is scared of the dark. It is that type of terrifying that makes every muscle in your body contact and you begin to shake a little. When you have scrunched your fists so tight you form little crescents on your palm and it hurts to open your hand. My heart was unbelievably loud and the rate that it was beating seemed to be almost inhuman. I was so fixated on every little thing I could feel going on in my body that I had not noticed Mason had begun his stalk towards where I was sitting.

I just braced myself, because what else could I do? No matter how far a ran or how many times I obeyed his wishes, nothing changed. He would always treat me like shit. I was simply an object for him to play with. I felt expendable and although he could not see that - and I don't think he thought I was expendable, I couldn't help but feel that if he truly loved me like he said he did he would treat me like this.

He snaked his hands around my waist and lifted me up from behind. My body remain impossibly stiff and, I made no attempt to break free from his grasp. He was being gentle. My legs untangled themselves from their previously crossed position from their crossed position, while Mason kept his hands wrapped around me pressing my back to his chest. My toes brushed the wooden boards underneath me as my feet began to take more of my weight.

His head rested on my shoulder, as a small puppy would do when it was tired. His eyes were closed and he began to sway us side to side. We stayed in silence for a while, swaying, and listening to the ocean. The crashing of waves soothed me, Mason did not. My body remained ridged, my muscles refusing to relax.

Although being near him at this moment seemed like one of the worst ideas considering the events that had just recently unfolded, I couldn't bring myself to pull myself away from him. I certainly wasn't drawn to him and wanted more than anything to be free of the grip of this monster, but I couldn't work up the courage to get my legs to start moving. Either that or my brain was finally starting to realize the consequences of disobeying his orders would have on me. I guess it didn't really matter if it was my courage or my brain that wouldn't let me go because my body stayed.

A low hum rumbled against my back and through my shoulder as Mason began talking again.

"I'm sorry for what happened on the beach today," he paused,

I waited for him to continue. For him to say how it was all my fault and I brought it on myself. That if I had just listened to him he could give me the world bla bla bla... but nothing came. He let out the breath that his pause had caused him to hold and the silence returned. There were no buts, no pathetic excuses, no nothing. Just an apology. An apology from the unapologetic man standing behind me.

Looking up at him from over my shoulder, I studied his face. The moon cast a dim light over us enabling me to see that his eyes were closed. His chin angled down ever so slightly, which meant that his stubble caused tiny shadows to dance across his face. Every time he exhaled a small breeze would wash over me.

"I lost control, and I'm sorry."

Neither of us said anything for a while when Mason began to turn me around. I could feel his eyes searching my face, but they turned up empty. I wasn't going to say anything or give him anything, I was still mad at him. Before he could say anything else, my stomach made a rumbling sound causing Mason to smile.

"Are you a bit hungry? When did you last eat" he sought of chuckled

I tried to remember when the last time was. I certainly hadn't had lunch or even breakfast now that I thought about it. So the last time was probably at the wedding and even then I was too overwhelmed to eat much.

I nodded my head timidly, food did sound like a good idea, just maybe not the company that would be joining me. Mason took my hand and lead me inside.

"All of your luggage should be unpacked in the closet, pick something and get ready. I'll be here waiting if you need help with anything."

Carefully putting a black slip dress on over the makeup I had just finished, seemed almost impossible. After placing a pair of gold dangly pair of earrings with pearls that hung on the ends, I reached for a gold necklace that Mason had gifted me a while back.

"Annalise?" Mason called through the door as he knocked. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, just a second."

I fumbled around with the stupid necklace but couldn't manage to clasp one end to the other.

"Mason" I called

"Yes darling, what is it?"

"Can you help me please?"

The door handle wiggled around and Mason appear in the reflection of the mirror. He was dressed head to toe in a perfect-looking three-piece suit. He adjusted his cufflink as I felt his stare eating me up.

"I can't put this on," I said holding up the necklace. "Would you help me, please?"

A smile crept onto his face and in less than a few strides he was behind me. His hands reached mine and took over holding the necklace. Moving my hair to one side, I felt his hand stop moving and the cool metal lay on my skin. I could feel his eyes on me in the reflection so I hesitantly rose my gaze to meet his.

"Perfect." He whispered in my ear. "Shall we go?"

He held out his arm for me. I looped my arm through him and we began to walk towards the door, out to a dinner that I hoped would be better than what the day had turned out to be.

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Sorry for the eternity that it has been. 

I moved to Italy this year by myself so as you can imagine it has been very busy. I'm not promising when I will update but I haven't given up on the book. 

B x