Bound By A Ritual {COMPLETED}

Eleven

Ava watched as he moved to the drawer and pulled out a cheque, handing it over to her. "Do you need more, Ava?" he smiled. "I can give you any amount you want, and you know that, right?"

"It's okay, this is enough," she replied, mustering a polite smile. But as she turned around to leave, he took hold of her hand, preventing her from moving any further. She swallowed nervously, closing her eyes. "Ava, do you need me to teach you how to say thank you?" he asked, his tone tinged with anger. Turning to meet his gaze, Ava noticed his raised eyebrow. Thank you. It's not like it's free, is it?

"Thank you, Master," she said, faking a smile to appease him. He let go of her hand and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. She couldn't help but wonder why he seemed frustrated when it should be her feeling that way. "You can go now, Ava. See you tomorrow," he said, reminding her that tomorrow was Sunday. "And then you will do anything I ask you to," he added, leaving her frozen in place, unable to move or think clearly. "You can go now, Ava," he repeated.

"Okay, Master," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. With that, she ran from the mansion to the bank, taking a taxi to the market to buy what they needed to cook for the day. Once she was finished, she headed home.

Seeing the happiness on her mother's and Luke's faces brought Ava joy. It had been a long time since they had enjoyed such a delicious meal. She didn't care what she had to go through as long as they were happy. "I need to get changed, mother. I'll be back in a sec," she informed her.

"Okay, dear. Dinner will be ready soon."

Rushing upstairs, I shut the door but didn't feel startled when I saw Alex sitting and reading my book, the window open, and a gentle breeze flowing in. "You didn't pass through the train station today," he commented.

"That doesn't mean you can just come into my room whenever you want, Alex." I frowned, taking off my shirt. I noticed his widened eyes at the sight of my bra and exposed tummy. "Turn around," I ordered.

"Oh, okay. Sorry," he replied, quickly averting his gaze to face the mirror. I proceeded to take off my trousers and moved to the closet, grabbing my pajamas. After putting them on, I let my hair down and exhaled.

"Are you going to work tomorrow?" Alex asked, his curiosity evident.

"Yes," I confirmed.

"But it's Sunday," he stated, sounding confused.

"Yeah, I have work to do," I explained, turning to face him with a smile. "You see, Alex, tomorrow is going to be a busy day for me. I need to get some sleep right now, so if you don't mind, please leave." He stood up and moved in my direction, frowning.

"I thought yesterday we were getting closer, why are you pushing me away now?" he questioned.

Looking at him, I let out a sigh. "I'm just exhausted, Alex. Please, go home and let me be for..." Before I could finish my sentence, he pulled me into his arms. "What are you doing?" I asked, slightly caught off guard.

"Hugging you," he replied simply.

Breathing in his comforting scent, I closed my eyes. "I know that, but why are you doing that?" I asked, genuinely curious about his motives.

"You look like you need one, and I love you too much to let you be," he whispered, gently caressing my cheek. Pulling away slightly, he continued, "You need rest, though. I will leave, but if anything or anyone is troubling you, please call me." I nodded my head silently, watching as Alex left.

The recurring dream lingered in my mind, and I shook my head to dismiss it. It was just ridiculous, after all.

Damon bent down to inspect his wolves, noticing their paleness. "The food isn't enough," he muttered, observing them as they licked their legs, behaving like typical wild animals. Standing up, I looked up at the sun, reminding myself that I hadn't informed her of the specific time to come. She could arrive at any moment.