Rose:

“I'm done.”

I shove the plate away. He shoves it back.

“I said you’re finishing.”

“I just have half a chicken breast and two pieces of broccoli left.”

His face is dark. “I said you’re finishing.”

I glare at him and move it slightly closer. I'm just about to stubbornly stab a piece of broccoli in my mouth when someone bangs on the door. I jump and scramble back. Sven looks at me annoyed and amused. He casually walks to the door. He swings it open. Standing there is his boss in a three-piece suit looking furious. It’s emanating off him. I cower and hide behind a pillow. Neither of them are even looking at me or care about me, but I'm terrified that will change. The Boss looks so mad, so dark and so evil. I'm terrified. He scares me in a way I wish Sven did.

“Boss?” Even Sven sounds surprised he’s there.

“We need to talk. Now.”

Then, much to my relief, the boss stalks off. Sven turns and points at me, looking much like the Mafia underboss he is. I know enough about the Mafia to understand that’s his position.

“Finish.”

Then he slams the door. I hear the lock click. Once the door is shut I scramble out of the bed. I'm alone. I'm finally alone. The first thing I do is run for the window. In the back of my mind I know it’s locked, but being in a life or death situation does weird things to you. I frantically try and pull the window open. Of course, it’s locked. I mean he wouldn’t leave it open. I look around the room for anything sharp. I see a small lamp. I grab it and try and slam it into the glass. The glass is barely affected, but the lamp breaks.

What kind of glass is this?!

Fuck. He’s gonna be so mad. Will he hurt me? Other than kidnapping me, he hasn’t actually hurt me. Does the orgasm count as hurting me? He confuses me. I'm not even as terrified as I should be.

I hate him.

I look around the room for anything. I need to get back to my girls. That’s my life. My home. I can’t be with people who know about my dad. People are like my dad. I see the plate with my half a chicken breast and two pieces of broccoli as I make my way around the room. I gotta get rid of that. Honestly, I feel good. I can’t remember the last time I had a healthy meal. I want to finish it, but it’s the principle of the thing. I have to get rid of it without eating it. He can’t win this one. I won’t let him boss me around. I obviously don’t want to leave it there though. I don’t want to find out what Sven will do when I disobey him. The reality is I don’t know what he’s going to do to me now that I’m in his terrain. That scares me, but I'm trying not to think about it. Trying, being the operative word. My nerves feel like they are on fire.

I glance at the plate again. I pick it up and walk around the room looking for any place I can get rid of this. When I get to the restroom I do a double take when I see the toilet. I can flush it. I quickly shuffle over there, not knowing when Sven will be back, but knowing it will be a while if the Bosses anger is anything to go by.

I dump the contents of my food into the toilet, feeling proud. I won this one! I pull the handle down and move to walk away. I'm two steps from the toilet when I hear a sound I don’t like, and it is not a flushing sound. The water is rising. I run over and try and shut the water off, but I can’t get the knob to move. I frantically try and turn it using my whole body. The water still won’t stop.

“Shit. Fuck. Please stop. This stupid toilet is going to kill me.”

I picture Sven and his bosses dark eyes.

“Please stop,” I cry. “No. No. No.”

The water spills over. I start crying. I can’t stop it. Somehow, with this one dumb incident, it all hits me. It takes some small instigating event for my emotions to boil over. I sob as the water spills onto the floor. Why didn’t it flush? Why? I slam my hands on the wet tile and then curl into a ball and rock back and forth as the water spills over the toilet seat and wets the ground beneath me.

As the feelings and terror build inside me, I crawl backward and sob harder. I tuck myself into the nook between the toilet and the wall. I don’t know how long I cry. Long enough for the water to stop flooding and fill the bathroom. I'm so scared. He’s gonna flip when he sees this. What if his boss comes in? That brings up a whole new wave of wailing and crying.

I tuck my head in and cry again. I don’t hear anything and then…

“What the fuck?”

I can’t even look. I stay in my spot by the toilet, tucked up. I start crying harder now that he’s here. I'm gonna be hurt. Or worse. I don’t even know what to do with the total and complete fear inside of me. My butt is wet, my legs are covered in toilet water, but I don’t care. I just want him to disappear and the toilet water to go away.

“What the fuck…” Sven says again.

He sighs and walks off. He comes back a few minutes later. When he leans forward towards me I squeal and cry harder. He growls. I feel his hands slip underneath me. I'm lifted off the ground. I immediately reach to peel his hands away. I try and keep as much space between us as possible. I nearly fall out of his arms. I can feel his muscles straining to hold me because I'm so far from his body and not in a prime holding position.

“You’re wet and gross.”

I whimper. He sets me down. I scream and jump back.

“Shut up Rose. You’re still breathing.”

I don’t know where I am, but I don’t look. I close my eyes and keep crying. What is he going to do to me? When warm water washes over me I squeal and open my eyes.

I'm in a bathtub? The water starts to rise. I look at Sven. He has his eyebrow cocked and is looking at me like, I don’t even know. He’s standing over me, eyebrow cocked, totally calm.

I whimper. I know my eyes are red and swollen. I'm still shaking from crying so hard. The water feels so good against my nasty, clammy skin.

“So I'm assuming it’s the food you tried to flush down the toilet.”

Sven goes to the counter and tosses me something. He throws it at me. I catch it. It’s a wipe.

“For your makeup.”

I must look like pure shit. I nod shakily and wipe the makeup and everything else off my face. I hold the dirty wipe not knowing what to do with it. Sven sighs and extends his hand. I hand it to him. I’m waiting for him to snap at any moment. I know he will.

There’s a soft knock on the door. I scream and scramble to the back of the tub. Rationally I know it’s not his boss. That knock was too soft, but I am not even close to rational. I am paralyzed by fear. Sven looks at me like I'm stupid, then turns back to the doorway.

Two maids walk in. Oh.

Sven gestures to the room. “Clean it up.”

He’s an asshole, but the two maids get to work. One fixes the toilet and the other drags in a tray of cleaning supplies and begins cleaning the floor.

“I'm so sorry.”

I move to get up and help them, but Sven pushes me back down and rolls his eyes. I want to ask if they are prisoners too, but I don’t think they are and that would only make him mad. Fifteen minutes later the toilet is fixed and the bathroom is sparkling. Wow, they are good. The bathroom is quiet again when they leave and close the door behind them. Sven walks to the tub.

“Arms up.”

I scoot back. “Sven…”

I visibly see him fighting for patience, but why? Why even bother.

“I'm being really fucking patient right now Rose.”

With a small nod, I slowly lift my hands. He somehow finds the bottom of my shirt and lifts it over my head.

“Take off your pants.”

I let out a choked sob and slowly take them off. He grabs them from my hand and sticks the wet clothes in the shower. He pulls a chair up to the side of the tub and takes a seat, leaning forward to set his elbows on his knees. I tuck myself into a ball to hide everything I can. The water does feel so good against my skin. I was so dirty. I’d been wearing the same clothes for a couple days, and a hell of a lot had happened in that couple days.

“You are very beautiful without makeup. I like your eyes.”

Stupidly I blush and quickly look away.

“Care to try and humor me with your excuses.”

“I didn’t want the food.”

“Ehhh. Bullshit. Try again.”

“I didn’t!”

“You did. How about I tell you why you did it. You did it for control. You did it because I told you to finish. So like a child, you flushed it down the toilet. Sound about right?”

“Why ask if you know the answer!”

“Ah, nice to have you back.”

“I'm never like this! You make me mean.”

“You weren’t so mean crying on the floor over there.”

I look down sadly. “I'm so scared. What are you going to do to me? Why am I here? What do you want with me?”

“I already told you.”

“What? You want to break me? It’s working.”

“No. That’s what you think I'm doing.”

“Then what are you doing?”

“I told you. I'm remaking you.”

“I…” don't’ know what to say to that. I'm naked in a tub after having an emotional breakdown because I threw chicken in the toilet and it overflowed in a Mafia house. I'm beyond words.

“Just why? Are you gonna hurt me?”

The last part comes out in a whisper.

“What do you think?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm… Wanna know why you’re really here?”

“Yes. Please.”

“Come here.”

“Huh?”

“Come. Here.”

I scoot to the front of the tub. He wraps his hand in my tangled hair and tilts my head before planting his lips on mine. I moan and melt into the water. Why is he so good at this? Why does he make me feel so good? His tongue slips in my mouth. I don’t fight it nearly hard enough.  When he pulls away there is a moment of silence and heavy breathing.

“Because you’re mine. You’re here because you’re mine.” His fingers trail my cheek. “You’re perfect.”

“I hate you.” My voice is choked. What is he doing to me?

He smirks. “Oh, you don’t hate me. Well, you do, but not in the way you’re saying. You hate me because you feel things for me and I keep doing things to let you down…” He stands up. “Get cleaned up. I’ll meet you out in the bedroom. We have things to discuss.”

With that bomb, he walks out and shuts the door. I bury my face in my knees and scream through gritted teeth. When my voice is tired and sore I grab soap off the side of the tub. I soap myself off everywhere, shave and wash my hair the best I can. When I get out of the tub I shudder when I remember the toilet and how severe the emotions I felt there were. Last time I felt that way I was in the back of a police car finding out my father was responsible for more than forty deaths. Then I remember the way Sven picked me up off the floor… Stop it. Stop it right now Rose. I will kill myself if I start to feel things for him, and I'm not even kidding. He can make my body feel good and that’s all. I'm not even joking. He kidnapped me. He’s a murderer too. Something I’ve had to spend my whole life reversing the effects of. A murderer. Like him.

When the towel is wrapped around me I look around for my clothes. Where the hell are they?

“SVEN!”

I hear him laugh from the other room. He took them. Of course he did. They were filthy but he could have replaced them. Of fucking course, he didn’t. Why would he? Oh, two can place this game. I'm not a shy person. I'm nice and stuff, but shy. Complacent. Nope. Not me.

I dry off every inch of me, fluff my hair, hang the towel on the rack and walk out butt ass naked. I swing the door open.

“Where are my clothes?”

For the first time since I met him, I get a genuine reaction out of him. His eyes bug out before they turn dark and hooded. Whatever he thought I’d do, this clearly wasn’t it. I love that. I love that I surprised him, and did something he didn’t expect. Sven immediately stands and walks over to me. He trails his hands down my sides. I shudder but try and stay strong. No reaction Rose. No reaction.

I'm not totally in control though. I can’t control the wetness pooling between my thighs with him looking at me like that. When his hands reach my hips, they delicately stop there. Taunting me.

“Didn’t expect that.”

“I know. Where're my clothes?”

“I like you like this.”

“My clothes Sven.”

“You can earn them.”

I step back. “No deal.”

He steps forward. “Oh, I love to negotiate. Too bad for you I'm not one for compromise.”

“Sven!”

“Come for me, and I’ll give you clothes. Clean ones too. I'm being generous.”

He traces a finger down my cheek. My whole body comes alive with his dirty words. I can’t do this. I don’t know what game I was trying to play, but I'm way out of my league.

Run.

I immediately try and run off to lock myself in the bathroom, but Sven catches my wrist, laughing. 

“Oh little Rose,” he chuckles, “You always know how to turn my day around.”

“What was wrong with your day?” I ask breathlessly.

“None of your concern.”

“Does it have to do with why your boss looked so mad?”

“None of your concern. I’ll repeat myself.”

So yes.

“Sven I…”

“Let me make you feel good Piccola Rosa.”

Something’s wrong with me that he makes me feel this alive. After feeling dead for so many years. The universe is cruel.

“Sven I can’t!” I beg.

In one swift motion, he pulls me forward and plunges a finger inside of me. I grab his shoulders and cry out.

“Sven… “

“Can’t what?” he growls as he pulls his finger out and then pushes it back in.

“Sven you’re… I… JESUS…” I scream when his finger arches inside of me.

He pulls out and picks me off the ground effortlessly and throws me on the bed.

“You will come for me.”

He slaps my thigh. I close my eyes and wait for his finger to plunge inside me. I wait to fight it. I stiffen every muscle in my body, but no. Sven is too smart. Too skilled for this. He softly traces his finger down the length of my body. I shiver.

“Sven…”

I keep my eyes closed. I hear shuffling but I don’t look. I can’t. If I see his dark eyes I’ll lose it.

All of the sudden something ice cold touches my skin. I nearly leap out of the bed.

“Holy Sh… crap.”

Sven laughs. I look at him. “What the hell are you doing?”

My voice is totally shrill. What is he doing? What the fuck am I doing? What is he doing to me? This isn’t who I am.

“Shut up.”

He has an ice cube between his teeth and he runs it down the length of my body. I shake with need. What is he doing? The second the ice cube touches my sex I freeze. Everything in me tightens.

“What…”

“Shh…” The ice cube is sticking out of his mouth, the stubble on his jaw has grown out the slightest bit and his hair is only minorly disheveled. Why does this devil look so like an angel? Why did my dad speak like one?

Something is wrong with me. So, so wrong.

He runs the ice cube over my clit. I tighten. I need more. His hot tongue wipes over the spot and I just about lose it. Almost. My lower belly tightens. All thoughts of fighting are gone.

“I'm almost there… please, Sven…”

Sven crawls over my body, moving the ice to his cheek.

“You’re fucking gorgeous. Just. like. This.”

He kisses me gently before plunging two fingers inside me. Just like before, I shatter. I'm alive. I'm flying. Feeling. Until I crash back to reality. I'm shaking so hard.

“Shh, it’s fine. Aftershocks.”

I realize I'm the only one naked. The only one getting off. I sit up and frown.

“You look way too unhappy for a girl who just had an orgasm of that magnitude.”

“Shut up. Where're my clothes?” I snap.

He chuckles and throws me a black sundress, which I throw on.

“You got me clothes?”

“I didn’t expect you to walk around naked.”

I sigh and walk to the wall, leaning my head against it.

“Thanks for being well prepared for my kidnapping Sven.”