Cuffed to the feeling

4. Roses have Thorns

Hi all, I know this is so late, but I was so busy with school and exams, but that's all over now, so I can focus again :)

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We drifted off into the night, I sat next to Adam in the SUV, it had built in lights in the back so I could see his perfectly sculpted face as clear as day in the dark surroundings, he had on a muscle fitted shirt, a deep emerald colour which clung to his bicep, tucked into his black as night trousers, held on tight with a thick, leather belt. He had on shined black leather shoes which he tapped on the floor as he turned his head to me. "I like the hat" he said as he looked at me at his side, sitting down he still towered over me, my legs being much longer than my body I appear shorter sitting down, so he seemed even taller than reality let's him seem,  a blush settled so quickly on my cheek and left me stuttering in my reply, "thanks, that colour looks really good on you". He smiled in response and looked back forward as we drove down the motorway leading into London, the ZeoTide is a ridiculously expensive restaurant with an exclusive club above only for those invited, I always wondered what was up there.

"You seem to enjoy your job Kyle" he looked over at me with a powerful glare, I nodded, "I do, I enjoy interacting with customers" I smile at him, and a rosy flush breaks out to my cheeks uncontrollably, he smirks at me and puts his hand on my thigh, I gasp suddenly as he did, like an electric pulse of euphoria surged through me. "Is something wrong?" He asked looking down toward me. "Everything's fine, I promise" I smile once again like a hopeless romantic desperate for love. He then subtly moved his hand up my leg agonisingly slow, "how about now" he smirked devilishly, quilted in a deep blush I looked up into his commanding eyes, enticing me toward him, as he drew me in he let's go of my leg and looks forward again, he knew how to tease and he did it so well.

Looking up into his eyes I saw a barrier, a wall almost, blocking anyone on the outside from looking to far in and finding something out he doesn't want them to know. Secluding me onto the outside of his inner world, a gate I couldn't pass through. Thoughts trailed and left me thinking what would have caused him to put up this barrier between him and the world. What a mystery. After about another 20 minutes of driving, moments of silence and small talk, we arrived at the ZeoTide, it was so beautiful even from the outside, with an illuminated gold sign above the door, like a 1950s American diner, with class. "I have a table booked under Harrollen." Adam controlled the room as he entered, glaring at the receptionist in the eyes. I could feel all the power from anyone else in the room being sucked from the people waiting in there for a table. She nodded and took us to through the gold tinted space of the ZeoTide, with its golden neon tube signs contrasting the high class crimson carpet, it was beautiful.

We sat at a table large enough for four, but I wasn't expecting a small regular table considering when I met Adam for the first time he had a whole booth to himself. "Now about those texts you sent me the other night when I asked you here Kyle." Adams eyes pinned me to my chair as I took off my jacket, "playing 'hard to get' were we?" He growled in a toying way. "Yeah, my roommate suggested it" I speak to him with a tremor in my voice. I felt as if I was being pinned against the wall, and that didn't seem too bad. "You're lucky I didn't ask you in person" he smirks devilishly, leaving me fearful and curious and excited all at once. We order our drinks, a fine bottle of red wine in another french name I don't understand. The waitress cheerfully retrieves our order and prepares for us to order our food "we'll have the sharing starter plater. I'll take a rib eye steak, rare" Adams tone commanded the room with a hint of grace and true gentlemanly intention, "I'll have the stir fry duck, please" I smile at the waitress and she gleams back a smile to me, resulting in Adam developing a growing jealous face.

"What is it?" I look to him dubiously. " I don't like other people looking at you like that" he says without a thought passing first, "woah, Adam it's only our first date.. and I'm not attracted to women". He grits his teeth, I could almost feel the air being sucked from my lungs, "neither is she" he growls, less playfully this time. I gulp breathlessly as the waitress brings out our starter, I go to thank her but Adam fires a quick look at me, almost covering my lips, "thank you, now if you'd please respect me and my date here. That would be most appreciated" Adam calmly spoke, though I could see the sparks flying from his tongue, the waitress nodded and walked away. "I'm possessive" Adam admits to me quickly, before I could even process what I said I blurted our "no shit" with an underlying chuckle, Adam shot me a glare of fire, yet humour with a small smile. "I'm sorry" I smiled, unable to hold back my laugh. "You will be" he smirks back, I gasp breathlessly.

"So how did you end up working at the Kabutz?" Adam interrogated me as we proceeded from our starter of different cheeses and small vegetables platters, to our main courses, "well, they said they needed a young bubbly waiter or waitress to lighten the mood and help attract customers with a positive attitude, and apparently I was the best" I smile as I bite into the tender duck breast of my meal. I tried to ask Adam about his work but he seemed very restrictive about what he would tell me. He seemed uncomfortable almost when I brought it up, so I thought I'd leave it and let him determine the flow of conversation, Adam seemed very determined to stay in control. From that moment he dominated the conversation, directing me in the path he wanted to go down and I didn't fight it. "So how comes you're not in university?" Adam asked me, after telling me about his precious oxford memories, "it just wasn't for me, I was never really that academic" which wasn't a lie, but I also couldn't afford to go to university, and I didn't want student loans to crush my life and my bank account. It was after that question we both took the last bites of our meals, and we both, nearly simultaneously, rejected the desert menu. Upon receiving the bill, me and Adam both reached for our wallets "put it away Kyle" he commanded, but I ignored it and pulled out my card, "I said. Put it back" his dominant voice sent surges of submission down my spine, I felt obligated to take my card back but I fought it, "I want to split the bill, or at least let me tip?" I asked, rather nicely too. Adam took my card from the table and payed for the meal with his own, "I told you to put it back" he said commandingly as he stood up as the waitress proceeded to use his card.

Once paid for, Adam took me outside and with his arm holding me around my waist, I felt unusually comfortable in his arm, considering this was the second time I'd met him. Once we were through the door and the frosted breeze of night hit us, he slithered his arm to my hair, and with a grip he pulled it back so my face was looking up to his, "why didn't you listen when I told you to put your card back?", he commanded. "I was trying to be polite" I stuttered, equally as fearful as excited, "it's cold and you live very far from here, you should come back to mine." Adam slowly releases his grip from my head, "Beca is expecting me home, I really should go to my apartment, maybe next time?" I smile, Adam half smiled back at me and within an instant his car pulled up, he put me in it and didn't get in. "I'll let you know when" Adam said almost disheartened, but not sad or diminished. He waves off the car to take me home, and he gets in another car.

That man is a mystery...