Judas returned but wearing a scowl and not his usual amusement. I held my breath and walked on eggshells around him. Kyle also followed him in as he looked at me and I unconciously pulled at the front of my sweater to not let him have a look at my perked nipples.
The bastrad would’ve brought a bra at least.
The earlier rage was still there but first I needed to convince him to let me out of this apartment. I couldn’t stay here trapped.
To my surprise Kyle went into the kitchen and that’s when I noticed he had a bag with him. And watched as he unloaded the bag on to the counter. Food. My eyes flickered to Judas who was now sitting on the dining table still wearing the. Bloodied pants but his shirt was clean. Hair tousled unlike earlier. I hesitated not knowing whether to stay here or walk back into the room.
Kyle put the food in three plates and I realised I should just stay. Taking and barely making it to the table with sprained foot, I sat on fattest end of the table. “What happened to your foot?”
My whole body stilled and I raised my head to look at him. His eyes were narrowed on my foot, and the darkness I was afraid of was still there. I swallowed with a slight shake of my head. “I tripped.”
Judas leaned back in his chair, the corners of his mouth lifting in that familiar, mocking smile. But it didn’t reach his eyes. They were cold, assessing, like a predator sizing up its prey. His fingers tapped a slow rhythm on the table, a beat that only served to heighten the tension in the room.
“You tripped?” His voice dripped with sarcasm, the kind that made your skin crawl. He tilted his head slightly, as if he were trying to piece together a puzzle that didn’t quite fit. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”
I forced myself to hold his gaze, even though every instinct told me to look away. “Yes.”
A soft chuckle escaped him, though there was no humor in it. “And here I thought you had more spine, little bird. But I suppose that’s what happens when you’re too busy planning your next escape, isn’t it?” His eyes darkened, a storm brewing beneath the surface. “You forget how to walk properly.”
I felt my pulse quicken, but I refused to let him see the effect his words had on me. “I’m not planning anything,” I said though my voice was barely above a whisper.
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, the movement so casual it was almost lazy. But there was nothing lazy about the way he watched me. “Liar.”
I could feel the threat behind it, the unspoken promise that he would find out whatever it was I was hiding.
Kyle returned from the kitchen, setting a plate in front of Judas, then one in front of me. But I couldn’t bring myself to look at the food. My eyes were locked on Judas, waiting for his next move, his next cutting remark.
“Go on, eat,” Judas shrugged those pale blues sharpened, his tone almost conversational. “You’re going to need your strength.”
I hesitated, and he noticed. Of course he did. He noticed everything.
“Or maybe you’ve lost your appetite?” His smile widened, teeth flashing like a wolf’s. “I’d hate for you to waste away before you’ve fulfilled your role here.”
Role of what? His whore? That he could sleep with anytime he wanted? I wanted to grab the fork and stab him with it, but I resort to more safest option.
I picked up my fork, though my hands trembled slightly. I had no choice but to eat, to go along with whatever twisted game he was playing.
He watched me take a bite, and I knew this wasn’t about the food. This was about control. His control over me.
“So,” Judas continued, his voice low, almost soothing. “What exactly were you planning on doing with that foot of yours? Run? Hide? Beg for help from someone who doesn’t give a fuck about you?” He paused, letting the words sink in. And they did very brutally. “Because, let me be clear, ptichka, there’s no escape from this. From me. Every time you think you’ve got a way out, I’ll be there to close the door in your face.”
I swallowed hard, the food tasting like ash in my mouth. I wanted to argue, to fight back, but what could I say? He was right. He always was.
“And let’s not forget,” he added, his voice softening to a near-whisper. “You owe me for that little stunt you pulled with that fucker. So, here’s the deal.” He leaned back again, his gaze never leaving mine. “You behave, you eat, you heal. And maybe, just maybe, I won’t make things worse for you.”
I nodded though I wanted to scream, to throw the plate at his face, but all I could do was nod.
“Good girl,” he murmured in his patronizing tone and then picked up his fork, cutting into his food with a precision that was almost unsettling. “Now, let’s see if you can keep that up, shall we?”
I sat there, the weight of his words pressing down on me, suffocating me. Every fiber of my being screamed to resist, to challenge him, but I knew better. Judas had a way of twisting the truth, of making you question your own sanity until you were left with nothing but his twisted reality. But I couldn’t afford to stay here, trapped under his thumb. I had to get out, even if just for a few hours.
“I need to go back to my dorm,” I said, my voice steadier than I expected. “I have classes to attend. You can’t just keep me locked up here.”
Judas didn’t even look up from his plate, as if my words were nothing more than background noise. “Classes?” He mused, as though the concept was foreign to him. “How quaint. You think I care about your little college life, Seraphina?”
I clenched my fists under the table, nails digging into my palms. “You can’t keep me here forever. People will notice if I don’t show up. My professors, my friends-”
“Friends?” He interrupted with a chuckle, finally lifting his gaze to meet mine. “Do you really think anyone would risk crossing me for the likes of you? You’re more naive than I thought.” He paused, his expression darkening. “But fine. Go. Attend your precious classes. See if I care.”
I blinked, surprised by the sudden concession. It was too easy. Too simple. “I can go?”
Judas leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest as he studied me, that familiar smirk curling his lips. “On one condition.”
Of course. There was always a catch. “What condition?”
“You’ll stay here,” he said, gesturing around the penthouse with a wave of his hand. “This will be your home now. Kyle will fetch your things from the dorm. You don’t need to set foot in that filthy place again.”
I stiffened, the thought of being under his roof, under his constant watch, filling me with dread. “No. I can’t do that. I need my space. My independence.”
His smile faded, replaced by a cold, calculating look. “Independence?” He echoed, his tone mocking. “From me? Is that what you’re after, ptichka? To slip through my fingers, to escape my grasp? Because if that’s what you’re thinking, let me make one thing clear: You have no independence. Not from me. Not ever.”
I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice from shaking. “That’s not what I meant. But I can’t live like this, Judas. Trapped. Controlled. I need-”
“What you need,” he cut me off, his voice dangerously low, “is to remember who’s in charge here. You think you have a choice, but you don’t. You never did. You belong to me, ptichka. Body, mind, and soul. And you’ll live where I tell you to live. Do what I tell you to do.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but the words died in my throat. He was winning, as he always did, and I was powerless to stop him. I glanced at Kyle, who had been silent this entire time, his expression unreadable. There was no help there. No ally.
“You agree to my terms,” Judas continued, leaning forward slightly, “or you stay here. Forever. Locked away from the world. Your choice.”
The air seemed to grow colder, the weight of his ultimatum settling over me like a suffocating blanket. I could feel my heart racing, my pulse pounding in my ears. But I couldn’t stay here, not indefinitely. I needed to get out, to have some semblance of freedom, even if it was just an illusion.
“Fine,” I said, the word barely more than a whisper. “I’ll stay here. But only because I need to attend my classes.”
Judas’s smirk returned, a cruel glint in his eyes. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.” He leaned back in his chair, satisfied. “Kyle will bring your things. You’ll be escorted to and from your classes. No more dorms, no more freedom. But you’ll get to play your little student role during the day. Happy?”
It was a mockery, a twisted version of what I wanted, but I had no choice. “Yes,” I said, forcing the word out, though it tasted bitter on my tongue.
Judas chuckled softly, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. “Good girl.”
I glanced at Kyle again, hoping for some sign of sympathy, but his expression remained impassive, his eyes focused on Judas. He was as much a part of this game as I was, and there was no escape from it.
With a resigned sigh, I picked up my fork, pushing the food around my plate. There was no use in arguing further. I had already lost, and Judas knew it.
******