Olivia’s P. O. V.
After meeting Alex, I walk to my room. I can’t believe Alex is the son of a monster. He risked his own life to save my daughter. I’m glad he is there for Stella. She deserves a man like Alex, not like my ex-husband or Jackson.
As I enter my room, I find Jackson sitting on the sofa, puffing on his cigarette. I know he must be planning to torture me.
“Lock the door.” He commands, and I instantly comply because I can’t bear to take his punishment.
As I turn after locking the door, his words send shivers down my spine. “You’ll be punished now.”
I swallow hard, trying to stay calm as my hands tremble. “What did I do wrong?”
“Your daughter has brought trouble into my son’s life,” he sneers. “He wouldn’t be suffering if it weren’t for her.”
“It’s not anybody’s fault. You can’t punish me like this,” I complain, although I know he won’t listen to me.
He smirks. “Oh? Would you prefer I punish her instead? I have no qualms about that.”
His words send a jolt through me, and my eyes widen in horror. I quickly shake my head and step forward, desperation etched on my face. “No, please. Don’t hurt her. I’ll… I’ll take whatever punishment you give me. Just don’t bring her into this.”
He leans back, his gaze raking over me, savouring my submission. “Good,” he says, his tone cold and satisfied. “Then you’ll do as I say, without question.”
I close my eyes, fighting back tears as I nod. I brace myself, knowing that whatever he demands, I have no choice but to endure it-for Stella’s sake.
Then he orders me to strip and bend over his lap. As I do, he locks my legs between his legs to keep me still.
I yelp, trying to get up as I feel an extreme burning sensation on my ass. He burns it with his cigarette. It hurts like hell.
“That’s how my son is suffering because of your daughter, you bitch.” He yanks my hair, hurting me more, and tears constantly trickle down my cheeks.
He does again, burning me with his cigarette, making me scream in agony. “Please… stop. It hurts so much.” I sob.
He continues to torture me, ignoring my cries. My skin is on fire. I want this pain to end. I want to kill him or myself. It’s getting impossible for me to bear his torture any longer. He is becoming more cruel with each passing day. He doesn’t leave a single chance to inflict pain upon me. It’s getting unbearable.
But for Stella, I’m going through this every day, hoping deep inside that a day will come when I’ll get free from the clutches of this beast.
***
Alex’s P. O. V.
I lie in my bed, holding Stella close to me with my good arm, her face pressed against my bare chest. Her warm breath caressing my skin sends a shiver down my spine.
Right now, as she is safely nestled against my chest, I couldn’t be more thankful to God. Today, I almost lost her, and it made me realise that I don’t want a life where she isn’t with me. And I’ll do everything in my power to keep her safe and happy.
I intertwine my fingers with hers and bring her hand close to my lips. I press a gentle kiss against her knuckles, savouring the feel of her warmth. But then I notice her wrist-it’s bare.
A sudden realization hits me.
Her watch. Where is it?
“Stella, where the hell is your watch?” I almost shout, and she flinches, lifting her head to meet my gaze. Her eyes widen.
She answers, “I took it off while showering this morning and forgot to wear it.”
How could she forget to wear it?
I take a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. “Stella, I told you, it’s waterproof. I need you to keep it on-always. If you’d had it on, I would have known sooner that you were in trouble. I could have gotten to you faster.”
Her eyes fill with regret. “I’m sorry, Alex. I didn’t think…”
I lift my hand and brush a strand of hair from her face. “Please, Stella. Don’t take it off again. I can’t risk losing you. Not even for a second.” I literally beg.
She nods before leaning in and pressing an apologetic kiss to my lips. “I promise I won’t take it off again.” Her whispered words soothe my worry.
But I’m not done with her yet.
I slip my hand into her hair, and gripping it tightly, I pull her closer before deepening our kiss with an intensity which shows her how afraid I am to lose her. She responds with equal flavour, roaming her hand all over my chest, burning my body with desire.
As our kiss breaks, I trail my fingers down her back, letting my hand rest on her waist before moving lower and cupping her hips. My eyes glint with mischief as I hold her gaze. “Don’t you think you deserve a little punishment for removing your watch?”
Her cheeks flush a beautiful shade of red.
“Answer me.” I squeeze her hips, eliciting a soft moan from her.
She bites her lower lip, her eyes shimmering with excitement. “Yes… but you’ll have to wait until your arm gets healed to give me that punishment. Deal?”
“Deal.” With a smirk, I give her a gentle smack on her hips with my good hand, earning a soft gasp from her.
Then I pull her close and press my lips to hers again. Damn, I never get enough of this! Her lips are addictive. In fact, she is my addiction.
She melts into my embrace, her fingers tracing patterns on my chest.
When our kiss finally breaks, she nestles back against me, her head resting on my shoulder. But as we settle into the quiet, the pain in my arm intensifies. I bite back a wince, trying not to show her.
Yet even through the pain, there’s a strange comfort. This ache, this reminder of the fire and the lengths I went to keep her safe, is nothing compared to the agony I’d feel if anything ever happened to her. The physical hurt is manageable, and almost welcome if it means she’s here, safe in my arms. It’s seriously nothing compared to the terror I felt earlier. I almost lost her today.
Stella shifts slightly, her fingers entwined with mine as she lets out a contented sigh. I close my eyes, thankful for every heartbeat we share and vowing once again to protect her at any cost.