Stolen

9

"Well, clearly, I've seen her." He looked down at my uncovered legs and I realized how little the shirt really covered. "A lot of her."

"Sir, I- we-" one of them stuttered, but was immediately silent when the man behind me held his hand up.

"More importantly, I've seen the mark on her face. I've also seen her bruises and scrapes. She's been harmed. You've hurt something that belongs to me." He said putting his arm around me, resting his hand on my hip. I was too afraid to move or question any of this. Of all the rooms, you pick the one with the ONE person you were hidden from in it, really?

"I'd like to know who's responsible for this." He said. His tone had changed tremendously from when he'd spoken to me. I looked up at him and watched his jaw tick for a moment before I looked at the men in front of us. Many of them were visibly shaking. I couldn't help but want to protect them. They had only been doing their job.

I turned to face him with his arm still around me. He glanced down at me for only a second before glaring at them then looking back at me. I grabbed his hands and looked up at his face before I stood on my toes to whisper to him, "I had escaped. They didn't do anything wrong. Please."

He opened his mouth for a moment before looking at me then he glared at the men again. It reminded me of a dog guarding its toy against someone that kept reaching near it. His jaw began to tick again as he thought.

"You should all feel very lucky today. Your new queen has granted you mercy. Make no mistake," he looked down at me as he finished the statement with a serious tone. "She won't be allowed to do it again. You're dismissed." They all rushed out and he turned his attention back to me. I felt embarrassed to be alone with this man, now that I knew who he was. I couldn't force myself to look him in the eye until he lifted my face to see his.

I had expected to see something from the movies, like a sweet face or a smile. Maybe even anger for disrupting his business with those men. Instead, I looked up to see him sticking his tongue out at me and smiling. I let myself laugh before I even thought about it and stuck my tongue out at him. I felt like a child, but making faces at this man felt so much better than thinking about the fact I'd either be his wife or I'd be dead.

I had to decide between either certain death or a life of possible torment and still a chance of death. It wasn't an easy decision to make.

He could be evil or sweet or anything. He could accept me and love me or beat me. He could just tell them to kill me.

If I lived, there'd be a chance I'd get out and go see my brother. I want to go home, but is it worth what I may have to give up if I choose to play along with this game of theirs?

"What's on your mind?" He asked softly. I looked up at him and shrugged a little, trying to smile. He just gave me a look and said, "what's wrong?"

I thought for a moment and decided that after everything was over, he'd either love me or kill me, so why try to avoid the inevitable?

I leaned back a little and crossed my legs at the ankles. I looked up at the ceiling and thought for a moment.

"Oh, you know, thinking about how I'm going to die. Think they'll shoot me? Make it simple? Or will they drag it out? Maybe torture me with strange tools like in the movies?" I smiled, still looking at the ceiling.

"What are you talking about?" He asked sounding alarmed. I looked at him and saw a look of worry spread across his features.

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly in the situation that people typically come out of alive."

"You will. My father is a fool, but I like to think I'm not as cruel as he is. I always release the girls he sends to me."

"He doesn't know that a few months after they escape, I get sent to go kill them. I don't much like it, but I know too much to get out." Ronnie's voice rang through my head and I knew I had to at least try to live or die here in this mansion. I couldn't make him kill me himself. Not after all he'd done for me.

"What if... what if I wanted to stay and be your wife?" I said looking at the carpet. He didn't answer. "I mean, your father wouldn't let you have anyone that he didn't pick out anyway and this would save some other girl from being taken. No one would really miss me."

When he still didn't answer, I looked up at him. He was just staring at me like I was an extremely difficult equation he just couldn't solve.

"Why would something like you want to stay somewhere like this? I don't even want to stay here." He spoke softly and still looked confused.

"Please don't make me leave yet."

I didn't want to stay, but I didn't want them to make Ronnie kill me either.

"No, I'm not keeping you here." He said. I took a deep breath and tried to be brave.

"You have a perfectly willing kidnapping victim. I know I'm not exactly pretty, but at least give me a chance." I said imagining Ronnie here. I knew he'd keep me safe, but for now, I had to keep him safe.

"Now, miss, you're absolutely gorgeous. Meaning there's probably some guy from home looking for you so he can be your knight in shining armor. I can't take you back till Tuesday anyway, so you'll be here for 5 days. Then you're going home." He spoke firmly and looked at me seriously to make sure I was listening.

5 days...
Maybe I can convince them not to send Ronnie in that amount of time...