Death's Hitman

Chapter Eighteen

Shifting her gaze from his, feeling a little overwhelmed by the intensity of it, Hope looked down at her hands which were twisted in her lap. She was still a little surprised that he had wanted her so much, but she had wanted him too; she certainly hadn't wanted him to stop. But then she remembered the effects of the food and drink here, making you forget your inhibitions. Now though the effects had worn off somewhat and she felt incredibly nervous about what he would say. Reaper seemed to believe she was worse off with Hitman than she would have been in his dungeons but she didn't think that. Whatever he was going to do with her could not be worse than being locked away alone for eternity. Hitman looked across at her and could see her mind was wandering.

"First off I want you looking at me when I speak to you," he said. She raised her eyes quickly to meet his again and he could see the wariness in them. Nodding he carried on. "You're not my prey anymore, I'm not tasked with taking you to anyone; you're just mine. I've never had company before other than my prey so this is new to me too but I know what I expect from you. You'll not interfere with any of my work, however you feel about it. Understood?"

She nodded and he scowled.

"I expect you to use words to answer me,  girl."

"Yes sir," she said, glancing away from him but when he made a small movement she immediately looked back at him.

"If I tell you to do something, you don't argue with me, especially if it's something to keep you safe. You do as I say or there'll be consequences."

"Yes sir."

"Only time I expect you to tell me no is if I want to do something in the bedroom and you don't. I won't fuck you if it isn't what you want and I won't get angry with you if you say no, ok?" He looked especially stern about this and she nodded, causing him to raise an eyebrow.

"Yes sir," she said, quickly.

"I won't ever touch you like that if you don't want me to. Just wanted to make sure you understood that. However if you're being punished I expect you to accept punishment without argument. I'll still give you an ass whipping if I think you deserve it and you'll take it."

"Yes sir."

He looked across at her, his gaze slightly heated.

"Now I know I'm a hard man, Hope. I've had to be to survive in Limbo all these years and to do the work assigned to me. But you understand better than any why I am the way I am and I ain't likely to change any time soon." She glanced away from him, her heart sinking a little at this as guilt coursed through her. "I will protect you though.  Nobody will hurt you and nobody will take you from me."

"Thank you sir," she said, softly, looking back at him. It didn't sound to her very different to how he had been with her when she was his prey, simply a contract. But if this was what she had to live with in order to stay close to him she would do it. Anything was better than a lonely cell or any place where she was kept apart from him. She remembered the years searching for him and not finding him and the one life when she had no waking memory of him which had been the worst she experienced. 

"You got anything you want to say?"

"Just that I am sorry. I am sorry for what I told you at Reaper's house and sorry for all of this. You must hate me for what I have done to you, for what I caused because I loved you. If I had just... just left you alone you'd have lived out your life never knowing me and then you'd have died and moved on instead of being stuck here. And I can't change it, I can't repair what I did. It was selfish of me and I destroyed the only one I love."

He was silent through her apology and when she found the courage to look at him she couldn't read his expression.

"Did you remember me when I came to buy all those apples?" he asked. She took a moment to answer him but then she nodded.