Chapter 6
Avidya
The next couple of days passed by with little talk between Jonas and myself. He tried, but I silently seethed. At him, at life – everything. I was in prison, even though someone, no idea who had sent clothes to the apartment I was being kept in. Along with a few books and movies to keep me entertained. At least I wouldn’t be bored to death.
I hadn’t tried to really read any of the books; my mind refused to let me drop all thoughts of the unknown. The man I was gifted to hadn’t been back and Jonas had hardly said anything about the man that held my life in his hands.
I explored the entire area, finding every nook and cranny. I found every little hiding place that I could squeeze into if need be. What else had I to do? There was no way I would just sit with the man that expected me to be the perfect little girl I was no longer. There was no way I could be after Shemoli took me, after killing my best friend.
Not wanting to stay in the room any longer on the fourth day, I finally decided to go sit outside on the patio that was attached to the bedroom. It was a nice warm day with a slight breeze. I left my hair down, as I had no reason to do anything with it. Mother always insisted that it had to be styled every day, and pulled off of my face in some sort of fashion. I hated it. I hated having to spend so much time on my appearance for no reason. I wasn’t allowed to wear makeup, yet I was expected to be presentable at all times, day or night.
So far, nothing like that was expected of me here. The clothes that were sent to me were named brand, but something I would maybe pick out on my own if I was given the chance to do so. Not having to worry about what I wore or being ‘put together’ was nice, refreshing even. Something I could certainly get used to, if I hadn’t already.
Without question, I knew I’d miss the clothing most if or when I ever got to return back to the home I grew up. There was nothing left there, though, so I wasn't entirely looking forward to that endeavor. Heck, I wasn’t looking forward to anything that would be happening in my near future.
Outside, I leaned against the metal railing that went up just above my waist. Looking out over the land, there was a few houses and busy roads, but beyond that were fields and land for miles. I had to gather we were on the edge of downtown, a part of the town I never ventured to explore.
Growing up in a middle-class community, seeing just miles of land was not something I got to see other than the few times my parents and I traveled across the country for church reasons. Where we lived was a better than the trailer park communities with perfect green lawns. Safe, I guess, compared to what I had witnessed the last few days.
I knew for a fact that dad didn’t make that much money and mom wasn’t allowed to work. I wouldn’t be allowed to work, either. I never questioned how we had a pretty decent house. Name brand things here and there, but still more than what income father always claimed to make.
As I bided my time for who knows what, I complimented what I should do now. I knew I needed to escape, sure it would be the only way to not be held as a prisoner. The timing would have to be perfect for me to attempt it.
“Planning on jumping?” Zachariah asked, his voice quiet, but yet there was something else there that I couldn’t name.
Shrieking, I turned around, hand over my racing heart, coming face to face with the man I had been given to. The man that held my life in his hands.
“Does everyone sneak up on unexpectant girls?” I breathed out, refusing to meet his eyes. I glared at his firm chest where his arms were crossed.
“Well . . . are you?” he asked after a moment, tilting his head to the side slightly and ignoring my question.
“Am I what?” I asked once my heart was back to its normal rhythm. Somewhat. For some reason, just his presence made my body feel different, or at least what I was used to. I was jittery. Not afraid, per se, but it felt that way.
“Jumping?” he repeated, sounding almost irritated.
“No,” I squinted. I hadn’t thought of that since I wasn’t up for dying. Not yet, at least. I thought about explaining why I was out here but did it really matter?
“Good,” he said, sounding relieved. “How about we head inside. I brought food.”
“I’m not hungry,” I spoke, trying to hide the bitterness I felt.
“Suit yourself,” he said, yet he didn’t leave. It felt like he didn’t want to leave me alone now that he may have planted the idea of an out for me. I heard him move to take a seat in one of the tan patio chairs, but I tried to ignore him. I always hated thick silences, and I wasn’t known to keep my mouth shut when times called for it.
Flinging my body around to face the man, forgetting that he was sitting, my train of thought was lost. I couldn’t deny that he looked . . . smoking hot. Sun-kissed skin, dark brown eyes, and a hard look to his eyes. It all drew me in, and God, did I wish he didn’t.
His dark colored button up shirt with the top three buttons left undone was paired with a pair of dark washed jeans that fit him perfectly. He sat there, arms resting on the arms of the chair as if he was completely at home in this space.
How the heck was he so dang comfortable about this? There was no possible way unless kidnapping young girls was an everyday thing to him.
He smirked, making my stomach fill with butterflies as he caught me ogling him. How did he have so much control over me? It couldn’t be possible; we were strangers to one another, for crying out loud!
Shaking my lust filled thoughts away, knowing there was no place for them, I tore my eyes away, preferring to glare at the floor. I wished it would open up and burn me whole.
I had thought I was prepared for his return, whenever that would be. Now as we were in the same room, one on one, I was at a loss on how to react. I had all these things I wanted to yell at him, but now those words were lost among so much else.
“What do you want with me?” I asked after a few minutes, my voice coming out smaller than I had planned.
“Depends,” he drawled out slowly. “What can you do?”
What was that supposed to mean?
“That didn’t answer my question,” I stated, trying to control my anger that was slowly boiling within.
Man, I was an emotional wreck. Guess that would happen when someone was in the same shoes as I am right now.
“No, it didn’t,” he said, a smile in his voice.
“Fine!” I huffed, slapping my hands against my thighs. “I’m here, against my will, and I have no idea why! And no one will answer a single question!” I was tempted to throw a few cuss words in there too for good measure but was able to hold them back. A lady should never cuss, no matter the reasons or circumstances behind doing so.
“You are here because you were gifted to me,” he said amused, as though I could have forgotten that little detail. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw him shift his head to the other side like he was trying to get a read on me.
I couldn’t stop my eye roll. “I don’t even know you. Not like it matters. I didn’t belong to that man for him to gift me” I muttered the last part. “I don’t belong to anyone.”
I had no plans to be here long enough to know him. The stupid man wouldn’t even tell me anything. I still had no idea what would happen to me. Was I even safe here? I wasn’t so sure.
“Well,” he spoke, pushing himself up and taking the few short steps that separated us. It was then that I noticed just how much taller he was compared to me. Easily half a foot taller. My head came to the underside of his whiskered chin.
When he was within reach of me, he spoke. “My name is Zachariah Melendez, and you are Avidya Ray.”
“You know everything about me, don’t you,” I whispered with my heart skipping. I refused to think of how smoothly my name rolled off his tongue. I wanted to yell at him, but my voice betrayed me with him this close to me. It wouldn’t take much for me to reach out and touch his bare skin.
“I know enough,” he said. “Your name, where you live, your birthday, clothes size. How you did in school, even. Most of that is on Jonas, as he dug up everything I needed and wanted to know.
“But,” he paused, gentling his voice. “I do not know your likes or desires. You are so different from any girl I’ve ever met before. I may not approve of the way you came into my life, but you are here now.”
“You’re not going to let me go, are you?” I said, glancing up at his eyes through my eyelashes for a short moment as my stomach dipped to my feet. He already had me, even if my head didn’t want it. My heart knew I was his.
“I can’t,” he sighed out. “You already bear my mark,” his hand came up to what I thought was just another bruise on the inside on my arm, not far from where my inner elbow was. Now looking closer, I could see the faint red design that had been burned into my skin without my knowledge. It didn’t hurt any more than the rest of me.
“I can never just let a repayment go, no matter what or who it is. Unless it’s dead. I have no plans on killing such a pretty girl like you,” he went on.
“Now, my . . . . lifestyle is not what you are used to by any means. I don’t want you to feel as if you are a prisoner here, but I cannot allow you to leave this apartment, let alone or be out and about on your own.
“I tend to be a bit OCD about things, but I don’t require much. Once I can come up with a plottable reason for your parents to drop the search and media coverage, I’ll have you moved into my home. I’ll request your presence at a number of outings, but I promise you, I won’t touch you in any way that you do not feel comfortable with. I can guarantee there will come in time when your body craves . . . my touch. Except for punishments. Even then, you may crave it.
“I’m a dominant,” he went on, watching my reaction closely as my eyes went wide as his words. I knew of the term, but only that. “It means I like to take control of just about everything. Outside and inside of the bedroom. I like things a certain way. Besides giving out orders, I also respect others as long as they respect me. I do expect you to show me respect, and be mindful that I do not tolerate any rules being broken, nor bent.
“If rules are not followed there will be punishment handed out. I try to be fair with any punishment I must deliver. We will discuss this more at a later date when you are ready to hear it all,” he ended.
“Okay,” I said with a blink, not sure what he meant by any of that. Following rules, that I could do. I had no plans to sticking around long enough to figure out exactly what he meant by his lifestyle. Even though it was slightly intriguing, his life was not mine, nor would it ever be. “My parents?”
“Your father has called in a number of searches, both air and on foot. Of course, there was only one air search conducted. Other than Becca being found, there has been no evidence of you leaving,” he answered without emotion. “I never agreed to a kidnapping, and normally I’d be the one giving tips at this point, just to give the parents a piece of mind.”
He then took a stand next to me, looking out over the land. His hands were braced over the top railing, holding himself there just within reach of me. It wouldn’t have taken much to lean into his arm.
“Becca . . .” I trailed off, not sure what I wanted to know.
“Was not part of any plan that I know of,” he sighed. “She was flirting around with Shemoli and Gemini for weeks, as it came to my attention that they had both been watching you. Gemini was never a man to flirt with, as he always took it farther, no matter what the girl wants or says. I had been keeping an eye on them.
“Normally, he doesn’t go about things the way he did. He never took a girl before to use as his repayment. He’d rape girls, and had a number of times, but never kidnapping. Innocent people are not meant to be dragged into this life. You shouldn’t have been either.”
“So, I was targeted, then?” I said, fighting back tears as things clicked into place. Most likely, Shemoli knew who I was as well as the other man named Gem. My parents weren’t in trouble, were they? Or even Becca?
Did Zachariah know what Shemoli did? That he was the one that kidnapped me and brought me here?
“It looks like it,” he said, running a hand down his stubbled chin. “I had no part in it, but I can’t say I’m disappointed either. You are certainly one of a kind.” At the end, he cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing underneath my eye.
Even though his touch was light as a feather, I couldn’t decide if I liked it or not. He held the power to my life, and I was at his mercy. I refused to have feelings for him, knowing that if I had met him in normal circumstance, I would have willing fallen head over heels for this man.
“Can’t you just let me go? Act like none of this happened?” I asked, hating the fact that I was nearly begging. “I won’t say anything.”
“You know I can’t allow that, Avidya,” he said almost as though he expected me to ask. “You are mine now.”
I was so tempted to scream at him but knew it would do no good. I couldn’t risk angering him, not yet at least. Instead, I pushed his hand from my face, ignoring his calm look as I stalked off away from him. I was determined to not let him rule my life.