Annelly

When he pulls me to my feet and shoves me back against the wall, the fear doesn’t come this time. Instead, my mind spins with all the lies I’ve told myself. Three years of hard work—all wasted in a hopeless attempt to be someone I’ll never be.

It was all for nothing.

Everything I thought I wanted, the dreams I was so close to achieving, none of it matters now that I realize I’m no different from the girl I was when I escaped my small town and the people smothering me. I came to this city with one sole purpose: to reinvent myself. To find out who I was outside the parameters of Ruby Creek and the people who never believed I’d amount to much outside of them.

But they were right.

The truth settles over me like a lead weight, crushing what little remains of my resolve. Not even my desire to honor my dad’s wishes is enough to keep me going. Oh God, Dad. My eyes close as his face flashes in my mind. I promised him I’d do this, that I’d pursue our dream as a tribute to his memory. If he were here right now, he’d be so disappointed in me.

“Now that I’ve made myself clear,” his voice slices through my thoughts, cold and commanding. “It’s time you let go of this notion you aren’t ready for this.” He lifts a hand, trailing a finger down my cheek. I flinch at his touch, my skin crawling beneath it. “I see you, little dove,” he murmurs with false tenderness. “Not only are you ready, but this… this is exactly what you need. What exists between us is fate. I knew it the moment I saw you on that stage. And you agreeing to be mine only sealed it. What I need is for you to trust in that. In me. Let me show you how good we can be.”

When he leans in, I squeeze my eyes shut—a futile attempt to create a barrier between us. Trapped between his body and the wall, there’s no escape. My only option now is surrender, a bitter pill to swallow as his cold, rough lips crash down on mine.

His touch is repulsive, and my stomach twists as bile rises in my throat. Unable to hide my disgust, I pull away, a move I instantly regret when his hand clamps painfully around the back of my neck.

“You better fucking kiss me,” he growls, the icy threat in his eyes making it clear my only choice is to comply.

So I do.

Only this time, when our lips meet, I close my eyes and tap into my years of training, summoning the girl I’ve come to know over the past four months. The starring role, which at one time felt like my greatest achievement. My surefire way onto a Broadway stage. The girl who led me to this man in the first place and who may just be my only hope of getting out of this in one piece. Letting her take the lead, I lock myself away in the darkest corner of my mind, welcoming the transformation until I’m no longer me.

Yet, holding on to her proves impossible when his hands begin to roam, rough and possessive, groping me without hesitation. His touch, as demanding as it is demeaning, and the hard press of his arousal against me, sends me into full-blown panic. Images of what he might do—what this is building toward—flash through my mind, each one more horrifying than the last. The threat I’m facing hangs so heavy in the air that a strangled wail rips free from me.

Instead of responding with the anger I expect, Victor pulls back, his lips curling into something that looks like amusement. Then he draws me closer, wrapping me in an embrace that only tightens the grip of my terror.

“That’s it, my little dove. Let it out.” He croons against my ear as he cradles the back of my head, his other hand tracing slow, deliberate circles on my back. The tenderness in his touch feels like a cruel joke. It’s so at odds with everything that’s happened tonight that it confuses me and further frays what little remains of my composure. The way he can go from one extreme to the next is terrifying and speaks to how volatile and dangerous he truly is.

 A loud knock suddenly reverberates through the room, startling me. “You’re okay,” he whispers, his lips brushing against my temple. “I promise I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

The kiss he plants on the crown of my head feels like a branding iron, but to my relief, he steps away to answer the door. For the first time since he dragged me in here, I have the space to think. To breathe. To find a way out of this nightmare.

“What is it?” His voice shifts, cold and commanding, as he addresses whoever interrupted us. Though I can’t make out their words, I recognize the voice as Felix, a member of his ever-present security team.

With him distracted, I look around. His office, perched on the second floor of his nightclub, feels suffocating. The pulsing music coming from below vibrates through the floor, a haunting backdrop to my rising panic. A dim lamp on the corner of his mahogany desk casts long shadows across the space, and the only light beyond that comes from the glow of the building across the street, visible through the windows.

There’s no fire escape. No hidden exits. Just the door Victor is blocking.

My stomach sinks, but I force myself to think. If escape isn’t possible, I need to defend myself. My eyes dart around the room, searching desperately for something–anything—I can use.

“Looking for something, dove?”

My eyes snap to his, catching the smirk spreading across his face. It’s a cruel, calculated expression, a stark contrast to the cold fury simmering in his eyes.

“N-No,” I stammer, the shake in my voice betraying my attempt to deny what’s so painfully obvious.

His smirk deepens as though he can smell the fear rolling off me. “Felix is taking you home. I’m staying behind to finish out the night.”

Before I can process his words, he steps closer, reclaiming his position and boxing me in against the wall. The oppressive weight of his body steals the breath from my lungs. Without warning, his lips crash down onto mine, an aggressive, suffocating claim that makes my stomach churn. His hand tangles roughly in my hair, yanking painfully as he takes what he wants without hesitation or care.

Every cell in my body screams at me to push him away. My instincts demand that I fight back, to claw and kick until he’s forced to release me. But fear wraps itself around me like a choking vine as my mind spirals with uncertainty. What would he do if I resisted? How much worse could this get?

When his hand violently squeezes my breast, pain tears through me, sharp and humiliating. I gasp, a helpless, involuntary sound that only seems to amuse him further. A low, satisfied chuckle rumbles in his chest, vibrating against me in a stark reminder he takes joy in hurting me.

“You’re so sexy when you give in to me. When you let me take what’s mine.”

With those dark eyes fixed on me, it’s hard to fathom how I missed the evil he hides inside. All this time, he knew what he was doing. The polished charm, the tailored suits, the disarming smile… all of it a curated mask. He wielded his undivided attention like a weapon, overwhelming a girl like me in ways I was too naïve to question.

So many nights, I’d laid awake wondering what it was he saw in me, the girl with little to offer, never having experienced anything worthy of a man like him. A girl with nothing but dreams of a Broadway career and the innocence of a sheltered life. But now I realize it’s what made me the perfect target. My inexperience blinded me to the fact that I was the prey, and he was the bait that lured me straight into this trap. And now that he’s caught me in his cage, he no longer has to hide who he truly is.

“I hate seeing you like this,” he murmurs as he cups my face with unsettling tenderness. His thumb brushes my cheek, wiping away my tears. “Why did you make me do this?” The words twist something deep inside me, leaving me cold and nauseated. His eyes are softer now, his tone laced with genuine sorrow, and he sounds like a lover seeking reassurance.

 “I thought you understood what we have. I thought you cared about me. That you’d do anything to make me happy.” The hurt in his voice catches me by surprise. It’s like he’s pleading with me to fix what’s happened. He genuinely believes what transpired tonight is my fault, and therefore, he wants me to justify what he’s done. I would be appalled if I wasn’t so horrified.

“I’m sorry… I don’t know how things got so out of control.” Truer words have never been spoken, but saying them feels like a betrayal of everything I know to be right. It feels like I’m validating his behavior and taking responsibility for his abuse. It’s self-preservation. Surviving this night is the only thing that matters now. At least, that’s what I tell myself to ease the shame that shrouds me like a dark cloud.

“It’s all right, dove. We’re going to be okay.” He pulls me back against his chest, his arms wrapping around me in a tight embrace. “After closing, I’ll come to you. We’ll make love. I’ll make it good for you our first time. Then, after tonight, this will all be behind us. And you’ll finally be mine.”

The promise of his words sends a violent shudder through me. He’s letting me go, but the promise he’ll return to finish what he’s started sends me into a tailspin. He’s all but confirmed he’s going to rape me, force me to be with him. A scenario so terrifying that I can feel the adrenaline pumping through my blood. Every cell, every fiber of my being, demands I get away—that I find a way to run and hide. To hell with my dreams, with my life in New York, with everything I’ve worked so hard for. Because none of it is worth staying for, not if it means enduring this.

So, with my mind made up, I push through my fears, pouring everything I have into this last performance. Letting the girl shine through, I give her the space to come into me so she can take the lead and guide us out of this mess. Momentarily closing my eyes, I take a steadying breath, and then…

“Okay,” the girl whispers, her voice soft and pliant.

I don’t dare meet his gaze, but I can feel his eyes boring into her, looking for the truth behind her words. She doesn’t falter. Instead, she keeps her head lowered, her body relaxed, projecting the docile obedience he craves. When he kisses the top of my head, I feel the bile rise in my throat, but I still don’t break character.

Satisfied, he leads me toward the door, his hand firm on my lower back. “Be sure to clean yourself up. I want you ready and looking beautiful when I get there.” His grip tightens suddenly, forcing me to look at him. His gaze, cold and commanding, bores into mine as he delivers his final warning. “And dove, no more fighting me. I own you. The sooner you accept that, the easier things will be.”

Still in control, the girl peers back at him, a sad, defeated smile on her face. “I understand,” she responds softly. Playing the part of the scared, submissive girl he wants, my shoulders hunch, and I cast my eyes downward.

“Good.”

When his hand lands on my lower back as he leads me into the hall, it takes everything I have to not shy away from his touch. Once at the exit of the club, he spins me to face him, his hand rising to brush over my cheek, where the sting of his mistreatment still lingers.

“That’s going to bruise.” He murmurs, tilting my chin side to side so he can examine the damage he inflicted. “Ice it when you get home. I’ll be there later to kiss and make it all better.”

Before I can respond, he presses a final kiss to my forehead and ushers me into the waiting car. Leaning in, he fastens my seatbelt, the gesture as jarring as it is calculated.

“Need to keep you safe.” The words, though seemingly kind, are overshadowed by the fire smoldering in his eyes—eyes that challenge me, daring me to defy him.

When he finally shuts the door, leaving me alone in the car with Felix, my panic manifests into waves of near hysteria. I’m moments away from being set free, and it doesn’t escape me that my fate depends on us driving away. So I tap into the girl once more, allowing her to meet his gaze through the window with a look that conveys I’m too scared to go against him. 

There’s not a doubt in my mind Felix will be stationed outside my apartment, watching my every move until Victor arrives. If I’m going to escape, I need to sell this performance completely—to lull them into a false sense of security. I need to play this smart because tonight isn’t just about survival. 

Tonight is about escape. 

My time in New York ends now.

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