Monday morning couldn’t have come around any slower. To say I was counting the time until I could go home was an understatement. Sebastian had made me soup, and waited till it cooled for me to eat it, before presenting me with a couple of pain pills. My tongue was still uncomfortable, and I kept hitting the piercing off my teeth. The minute I was home, this fucking thing was coming out. 

Laying out on the couch, Sebastian had left to go check on my brother’s progress with his drugs, and I didn’t have any energy to fight with him about it. Hell, that miserable kid was still mad at me and refused to come see me, or even speak to me. 

The rest of the day went by quickly and I found myself back home, overwhelmed by the silence. If I was smart, I would have just gone to bed and let this day pass. But I was feeling a little annoyed and more so pissed off at my brother.   

For once, I was going to do something for myself. Again, as much as I hated it, my brother had made his choices, and it wasn’t my job to clean up after him.  

Grabbing a quick shower, I stuck my tongue out and looked at the piercing. It was still uncomfortable and looking at it made me rather bitter. I was careful to avoid it as I brushed my teeth.  

The local bar–somehow I had made my way here after getting dressed. I wasn’t really sure if the feeling stirring around in my guts was regret or the alcohol I downed to marinate some of my anger.  

Finishing my second drink, I paid and left the bar.  

The drinks tasted like crap, and the alcohol just burned the piercing in my tongue. The wind blew, and I shivered. I should have picked somewhere warm to live with Roan. clicking my tongue in anger, I shoved the thoughts of that fucking brat away and found another bar to head into. The feeling inside this one was different, way different. If the other one was light, or as light as it could be, this one was darker than the darkest point on earth. 

Although I clearly didn’t belong here, I was welcomed and served a drink. Everyone seemed far too friendly, and I blamed the drinks for the reason I was currently lining up a shot on the pool table, one leg hauled up. 

Hitting the shot, I stepped back and watched. However, I also realized someone was watching me from a distance. Glancing around, Sebastian and I met eyes. What the fuck was he doing here? 

Having him watching me the rest of the game made me twitchy. I didn’t like his eyes all over me. Passing the cue to someone else, I headed to the washroom intending to pee and get the fuck out of here. Away from him. The bathroom was chilly, and it took a minute to get my pee flowing 

In the stall, I heard another person join me in the bathroom. After a few moments, a knock sounded on the stall door. 

“This one’s occupied. Give me a few minutes.” I said, pulling up my pants after wiping my cock with some toilet paper. Turning in the stall, the door came flying open, just missing me. Looking at the person who kicked in the door, it was the man from before, the one who was with my brother. He grabbed me and yanked me out of the stall. Sebastian was leaning against the counter, and he looked amused, to say the least. 

“Go to his home and clean out his bedroom. Perhaps I’ll teach him the meaning of my words,” he said, and I was tipsy and confused. 

“My stuff? Stay the hell out of my house. I only came for a drink. You got your damn weekend.” I huffed. Sebastian grabbed my arm. 

“I told you to go home. This isn’t your home,” Sebastian said, the smile on his face making me mad. “Guess I’ll just have to keep my eye on you.”

“Let go of me!” I yelled and shoved him away. But he didn’t let go of my arm, instead he pulled me right along with him. “You set me up! You never said I couldn’t leave my house. This is imprisonment!”

“Incorrect. If you’re going to accuse me of something, the proper term is forcible confinement.” Sebastian said and rudely started yanking me through the bar. He didn’t stop until I was in the back of an SUV with him right beside me and the other guy at the wheel. 

“Rhory, I will only tell you once tonight to behave. If I have to tell you again, you might become intimate with my dominant hand when I tan your ass with it.” Sebastian said and smirked at me. 

“You set me up. I would never get my freedom. Why didn’t you just force me to stay with you like Roan!” I yelled, and he moved across the seat, and his hand clamped over my mouth. 

“Rhory, I am already annoyed with you. Don’t push it while you’re drunk.” 

“Fuck you! Fuck Roan, fuck all of you! You lying piece of shit!” I yelled the minute he took his hand off my mouth and I thrashed around. 

“Take him home. If I have to put up with him tonight, I’ll kill him.” Sebastian growled and pinned me to the seat with his glare alone. “Make sure to send two doubles to monitor him. If he steps out of that house without my permission, you bring him to me.”

“Do I not get a say in—---”

“Shut your fucking mouth.” Sebastian snapped. 

Grinding my teeth, I shut my mouth until Sebastian let me out at my house, and the driver got out with me and he took over the driver’s seat. He waited to see the other guy, and I headed inside before he drove away. 

All throughout the night, I tried to sneak away with no luck, the last time I made it to the end of the driveway, and right into the line of sight of Sebastian, who was parked on the road and getting out of his SUV. I had no better ideas than to run, and I would have if the four guys Sebastian had around my house didn’t flank me from all sides. 

Unlucky for us both, I was hungover and feeling spicy. 

“Rhory, I have four hours of sleep, thanks to you and a few others. If you even think about bolting out here, I will break your legs, and I really don’t want to do that right now. You’ve also wasted both chances of being here alone now, so your only option is to come with me. I do hope you will come willingly, but if not, well, I don’t mind forcing you after last night’s games.” Sebastian said and crossed his arms. 

Every part of me wanted to see if he would go through with forcing me, but the head in my eyes and temples was the deciding factor. Even though I was hungover and feeling rather brave, I withdrew and accepted this for the moment. 

Getting into the back of the SUV, Sebastian spoke. “Roan is waiting for us. You’re going to join us for breakfast and then you are going to sleep. Any freedoms I mistakenly gave you before are gone now Rhory. You eat when I tell you, sleep when I tell you, and sit down and shut up when I tell you.”

Swallowing the uncomfortable lump in my throat, I nodded. Slightly more sober, I now acknowledged the weight of my behaviour last night. Even though on the surface it seemed like I didn’t really do anything wrong. Clearly, I had in Sebastian’s eyes.  

“I’ll have my men bring your clothing and accessories, toiletries, and anything else. You cannot leave without my permission, and with someone I trust to monitor you. The relationship between us is going to get far more intimate now by your own hands.” 

He talked about more things, but I had long tuned him out. I didn’t want to hear his voice any longer. He was exhausting. I knew I couldn’t get out of this, and I knew I had to accept whatever was coming. I was helpless, more so powerless. I had to face whatever consequences came along. He had set me up to fail, and I had walked right into it. I don’t know why I thought he would actually let me go home. Going home had conditions, and he didn’t even try to make those clear with me in the slightest. 

Inside the house, I frowned. 

“Head to the living room. Your brother is there.” Sebastian said, and I turned, heading to the living room, but walked right by Roan. I went into the bedroom I used last time, happy to see the same bedding from before still on the bed. Tossing back the blankets, I crawled in the bed after taking off my socks and sweater. I didn’t want to play house with either of them. Not my brother, and not the mafia gangster that he got involved with. Fuck the both of them. 

Everything I owned, right down to my phone I had left at the house, I was only focusing on getting away. I was just hoping that Sebastian would let me have my phone at the very least, or I was actually going to scoop my eyes out with a spoon. 

I could hear Roan and Sebastian talking out in the living room, and neither was trying to be quiet. Taking a deep breath, I pulled the pillow and blanket over my head, silencing the sound of them. 

Warm and comfortable. Finally, I blinked a few times and closed my eyes. 

Startled awake a few minutes later, Sebastian was standing in the doorway. He came closer, pulling the blankets away from me. “Get up. You’re joining us for breakfast. You can sleep off your hangover and behaviour later.”

He didn’t move, and I had no choice but to head out first. Roan was at the table, and he was slowly chewing a piece of toast when I got there. Sebastian pulled out a set beside him and across from Roan. 

“You can forget I ever said anything about wanting to protect Roan. He can look after himself. He made that pretty clear. He’s your problem.” I said, flatly. Hoping that my words were painful for him. 

“Eat.”

“I’m not hungry.” 

“Rhory, I asked you to eat,” Sebastian said, and brought his coffee up to his mouth. “So, eat.”

I looked at Roan, and he looked uncomfortable. Knowing that I was already on thin ice only made it all the sweeter when I stood up out of my seat and pushed the plate into Sebastian’s lap. Maple syrup and pancakes rolling off his legs onto the floor. 

“I wasn’t hungry, but you looked like you might be.” I muttered before grabbing the glass of water and dumping it on him, too. “This was in case you needed a drink.” 

“Go to your room!” Sebastian snarled at me. The sound of the plate hitting the floor and smashing gave me goosebumps. 

“Gladly.” I hissed and stomped to the bedroom. He wanted me to stay here, fine. I would, and I would make us both miserable in the process.