The walls in that apartment were closing in on me.

I felt caged. I felt trapped.

King was obsessed with my past.

If I didn’t know before, after the dinner with my parents, it was painfully obvious how badly he wanted to find out what happened to me. And there was no way in fucking hell I was going to tell him. It would ruin everything between us.

Instead of picking fights with him like I usually would, I just avoided any kind of conversation. We’d never fucked as much as we had during those next few weeks. My pussy was permanently swollen and my ass always bruised, and I didn’t care. I loved it. Every moment I spent with him made me fall for him more, not that I would ever admit it to him – though it was probably pretty obvious.

I was getting claustrophobic, though. Apart from some shopping trips and the dinner with my parents, we hadn’t really gone anywhere. And while I liked it in his apartment, it was always just the two of us, and it was almost too intense to handle.

I told him I had to take a day off that morning.

“A day off?” he asked me with a grin. “To do fucking what, exactly?”

I fidgeted on the spot. What on earth was I supposed to tell him? That it was getting harder and harder not to beg him to keep me with each day that passed? I was pretty close to breaking already.

“I’m going out,” I told him. “Maybe the library, maybe the coffee shop, I don’t know.”

He gave me a contemplative look as he put his tie on.

“You know I’m not keeping you here,” he reminded me, and I nodded.

He wasn’t. But I was so desperate to please him I just didn’t leave, in case he needed me.

“Be back by the evening,” he said. “6 p.m., okay? I want to make us dinner.”

“Okay,” I nodded. He was a good cook. I liked it when he fed me.

He came up to me and left a fleeting kiss on my cheek. I felt myself blushing as he took his stuff and headed out of the door.

And then I was all alone, and the freedom was terrifying.

I couldn’t even leave for hours. I paced the apartment and spent hours choosing an outfit before settling on a simple summer dress and the Converse sneakers I’d brought with me from my old apartment. If King had seen me in those, he’d be fucking pissed. He hated flat shoes. It made me smile.

I left the apartment a few hours later, and wandered around the neighborhood aimlessly. I ended up at the train station, unsure of how and why I got there. King always told me to just get a cab and pay with a card he’d given me, but I didn’t feel like it. I didn’t want everything I did to be influenced by him.

I got on the train and traveled for hours. Aimlessly. Through towns and landscapes that I didn’t know. I changed trains, I changed seats. I stared out of the window not knowing where I was, and it felt good to get lost, if only for a little while.

I ended up in a small town only an hour or so away from the suburbs where my parents lived. On an impulse, I decided to pay them a visit.

The ride was too short, and in a mere forty-five minutes, I ended up on the doorstep of my parents’ home. It was afternoon by then, so I knew they’d be home from their jobs.

I knocked on the door, a knock so soft I almost prayed they wouldn’t hear it, and my visit could go unnoticed.

But no such luck – the door opened a second later, and my mother’s face lit up when she saw me.

“Hey, Mom,” I muttered, and she pulled me into a tight hug.

I usually hated being touched like that, but this time around, it felt good. I let her hold me, lead me into the house, and make a fuss about me coming over. She called Dad downstairs and he seemed just as delighted to see me there. They sat me down in the living room, in the overly stuffed armchair I’d always hated. Mom made some tea and brought cookies to go with it. I crumbled them in my hands, sipped the hot drink, and pretended my head was in the same place as my body.

It didn’t take them long to start asking questions about me, about King, about us.

“He’s a real gentleman,” Mom said, nodding vigorously. “We were so glad to meet him, Sapphire. He seems like a wonderful man.”

“He is,” I agreed softly. “He’s helped me a lot.”

“Of course we can’t help but wonder…” Mom and Dad shared an uncomfortable look, and Dad cleared his throat before going on. “We were wondering what exactly your relationship is, with… Hayden?”

“I…” I looked at the teacup in my hands, my fingers gliding along the porcelain. I knew this cup. I knew every chip and dent and pattern in it. I knew this house. Once upon a time, it used to be a home. “We are together.”

Mom clapped her hands with excitement, saying, “Together? As in, dating?”

“I guess you could say that,” I laughed nervously. What the fuck else was I supposed to tell them?

“Oh, you young people and your no labels,” Dad grinned. “Honestly, Sapphire, I’m so glad you met someone like him. He seems like an amazing person, and a great businessman to boot.”

I gave him a blank look. I didn’t really know much about King’s job apart from the fact that he owned a building in the city. I’d never been to his office, and I’d never asked for details. It seemed like a minor, unimportant detail that had nothing to do with the two of us.

“He’s very successful,” Dad went on. “Owns several buildings in the city. I checked him out, on the internet.”

I almost cringed at his words. My parents were so painfully suburban it hurt, and it was very obvious they hadn’t grown up in the city.

“He’s a good man,” I said. “He’s taking care of me.”

“I’m so glad,” Mom smiled and patted my leg. I winced, and she gave me a worried look. “What is it, honey?”

“Nothing,” I smiled brightly.

“Well, you’ll have to bring him over sometime soon,” Dad said. “We would love to introduce him to everyone.”

“Sure,” I lied. No way in fucking hell was I doing that.

I got up from the armchair, and my napkin fluttered to the floor. I bent down to get it, and when I did, my mom gasped. I got back up and gave her a weird look. She was staring.

“What?” I asked.

She was looking at my legs, “You’re hurt,” she said, the worry obvious in her voice and I winced at her words.

I didn’t even know which part of me she meant. Of course I was hurt.

“What do you mean?” I asked her, and she got up from the sofa, came over to me, and lifted my skirt over my ass.

“Mom!” I cried out, but she ignored me, looking at my exposed butt.

“Your… behind.” She gasped again, a hand flying to her mouth. “I saw when you bent over… Your skin, Sapphire! What on earth happened?”

I tried to remember.

I’d been spanked a few days earlier. He didn’t want to, even though I’d misbehaved on purpose. So I’d begged and begged and cried and cried until he’d turned my ass black and blue.

“Oh, Mom.” I gave her a big smile and pulled my dress down. “It’s nothing, I promise.”

Dad was staring at me and Mom burst into tears.

“What the hell, Sapphire?” he said, his voice shaky. I tried to ignore the fact my dad had seen my butt. “Did that man hurt you?”

“Of course not,” I said. “He did nothing I didn’t ask for, Dad.” God, I was burning up here.

“What on earth…” Mom cried harder.

“Calm down!” I giggled nervously, realizing I was only making things worse. “Mom, Dad, seriously. I deserved it.”

“What?” Dad glared at me. “Are you kidding me? You let that man hurt you?”

“It’s not like that at all,” I stuttered. I really was getting us both in trouble now. “I… You just wouldn’t understand, I’m sorry.”

“Understand what?” Mom wheezed through the tears. “That the man you’re seeing is beating you?”

“He’s not,” I insisted. “I asked for this! I swear, he never meant to hurt me.”

Dad came up to me and gripped my forearm tightly between his fingers.

“You’ve fallen down a rabbit hole,” he said. “The one your therapist talked about, remember, Sapphire?”

“Don’t talk about that,” I hissed.

“I have to!” Dad insisted. “We were told this would happen again. We knew it would! We’ve been worried sick!”

“I’m fine,” I said, but my voice was shaky, and I felt tears pricking my eyes. “I swear, Dad, I’m totally fine.”

“You’re not,” Mom said. “You’re bruised. I’m going to report him.”

I reached her in two steps, grabbing her hand. She gave me a hurt look.

“Don’t,” I told her pointedly. “Don’t tell anyone. King hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“I thought he was a good man,” Mom whispered, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

“I’m going to call the police,” Dad spoke up. “He’s abusing you.”

“Please don’t,” I begged. “You don’t understand at all, please. Let me explain.”

“There’s nothing to explain,” Dad said darkly, and Mom nodded.

“I agree,” she said. She made me look at her. My bottom lip was quivering. “It’s okay, Sapphire. We always knew you were broken.”

“What?” I choked out, staring at her.

“It’s okay,” she repeated. “We’ll get you the help you need. We’ll get that man away from you.”

“You can’t,” I hissed. “King’s the only one who’s helped me. The only one I feel close to!”

“Close enough to call him by his last name,” Dad scoffed.

“Close enough to let him treat you like a piece of meat!” Mom howled. “That’s it, Sapphire. You’re moving back home, and cutting off all contact with that man.”

“I will do no such thing,” I told her coldly. “No fucking way.”

“It’s not your choice,” Dad argued, “and mind your language!”

“We’ll get you the help you need,” Mom said. “We’ll get you back to your therapist. We’ll make sure you’re okay. You should’ve never stopped going.”

“Don’t,” I whispered. “I’m not doing this. I’m leaving.”

I ripped my arm out of hers and took my purse, nearly stumbling on my way to the door.

“You’re not leaving, Sapphire!” Dad called out after me. “Get back here!”

Mom was on my tail, desperately grabbing at me to stop me from leaving.

“Let me go!” I screamed. “I don’t want to be here.”

“You won’t let me help you!” she sobbed. “I want to help you!”

Too.

Fucking.

Late.

“You’re not really going to choose that man over your family,” Dad got out through gritted teeth. “Are you, Sapphire?”

I hesitated and he laughed.

“Brilliant,” he said. “Some loyalty, Sapphire!”

“I always knew this would happen,” Mom muttered. “Always knew you’d get in trouble! Since you were a kid, Sapphire.”

“Stop,” I begged her. She was hurting me. “Please, don’t talk about it.”

“It’s true,” she hissed, giving me a hurt look. “You were trouble since you were a child.”

I felt tears pricking my eyes. “Mom, please. You’re making me feel terrible.”

“How do you think we felt?” Dad argued. “We lost you for half a year, Sapphire! You’re barely eighteen!”

“I know what I’m doing,” I said. “I promise. This is the best thing I can do for myself right now. And I need to go.”

“If you walk through that door,” my father bellowed. “You are done with this family. You didn’t accept our help, Sapphire! You walk out of here, you are done!”

Mom sobbed harder. I took a good, long look at the two of them.

And I left.

I left my old life behind, finally.

I chose him.

* * *

“Where the fuck have you been?”

He advanced on me the moment I came into the apartment. My hands were shaking and I dropped the key, tried to bend down to pick it up, but King smacked my hand away.

“I’ve been fucking calling you!” he said. “And you’re two hours late, Pet.”

“I’m sorry,” I muttered.

“Not fucking good enough,” he said. “Not good enough!”

“I… I had to get away,” I said.

“From me?” He was really upset.

“No,” I muttered. “Not from you.”

From me.

From myself.

“I don’t believe you.” He rubbed his temples. “I fucking don’t! You want to get away so badly, don’t you?”

I shook my head no and he paced the room. He didn’t say a word.

“Maybe I’ll leave for a while longer,” I said, feeling numb. “Go… somewhere, I don’t know.”

“Please.” He never said that word. When I looked into his eyes, I could see how hurt he was. “Don’t go.”

“I have to,” I said. “I have to, I can’t be here right now.”

I wanted him to stop me.

So.

Fucking.

Badly.

But he didn’t.

I walked out of that door, and as soon as it closed behind me, I collapsed in the hallway, pulling my knees to my chest and holding back the sobs.

And then I picked myself up, and walked out of there.

I knew how to pretend everything was okay by now, and do it well.

After all, I’d had a lot of practice.