BLYSS (Blyss Trilogy #1) (30 page)

Nick pulls out a chair for me at a head table, and I sit down.
 
As soon as Nick scoots me in toward the table, my eyes scan the room, and my sights lock on Travis. He’s openly flirting with a group of women, and I feel like puking all over again. His hateful words play like a broken record inside my head.

“Hey, love,” Nick whispers, pulling me out of my thoughts. He gently guides my chin to meet his gaze. “You sure you’re all right? You seem a million miles away right now.” I feel my hands begin to shake, so I twist my fingers in my lap. I lift the corners of my mouth to force a small smile.
 

Nick’s controlling behavior and unrealistic fantasies scare the shit out of me. Every signal I get from him points toward an obsessive neurosis. He’s fabricated his own false relationship with me. When I heard him ranting behind that closed door, and the way he was unleashing his fury on Travis, it only confirmed he’s a man who’s obsessed.

I take a deep breath and exhale slowly. “I guess my breakfast is still disagreeing with my stomach. You don’t think the cooks slipped up and cross-contaminated my food, do you?”
 

Nick’s brow furrows, and he looks a tad irritated at the thought. “They better not have. I will have a chat with the chef after lunch. I made specific arrangements to have your needs accommodated for. All of the people in the kitchen know to follow those orders specifically.”

A few waiters appear out of thin air holding trays of food and drinks. I smile politely when a waiter places a steaming hot plate of rice, chicken, and vegetables in front of me. I’m not feeling particularly hungry. Tension and anxiety has settled in my stomach, leaving a huge rock at the base of my gut. When he leaves, Nick places his hand over mine on my lap. He unclenches my fist and threads his fingers through mine. “You seem upset about something else. This is more than your stomach disagreeing with you.”
 

He looks at me expectantly as I reach for my glass of water and take a drink, purposely delaying my answer. Allowing the cool liquid to pool at the back of my sore throat, I swallow slowly, and then I try skirting along the truth. “I just wish I could have been at home with my family and friends today. I really miss my father.” Verbalizing the very thoughts I’ve been trying to suppress all morning only serves to taunt my brittle nerves. Suddenly, I’m exhausted and weary. With the emotional roller-coaster ride I’ve been on over the past week, then Travis leading me on with words only to turn around in the same day, totally dissing me; it’s the perfect recipe for a mental breakdown.
 
I sigh in defeat and try to compose myself as my eyes want to fill with tears. I blink them a few times, suppressing the urge to fall apart.

“You are home, love. I am your family now,” he tenderly strokes my cheek and looks upon me with adoration, “and I will be the only friend you will ever need.” He leans in to give me a loving kiss on the lips and lingers there, breathing me in. In a soft, warm voice, he tells me, “I’ve decided today that Travis will no longer be the one to train you.” My eyes bulge at the thought of losing my security blanket, even though I really mean nothing to him. “Is that a problem for you, love?” Nick’s tone takes a left turn onto Jealous Street.

“No,” I shake my head, replaying Travis’ cold, hard words in my head, which brings anger to the surface, “I’ll be glad not to ever see him again.” I turn my head and darkly narrow my eyes at Travis across the room, and I see a new bimbo hanging all over him. A slow burn settles into the pit of my stomach as I wonder how many romps in the hay he’s had with that one. He’s such a player and an evil manipulator. “If I never see him again, it will be a day too soon,” I say with disdain lacing my voice.

Apparently, Nick is pleased with my reaction, and he wraps me in a warm embrace. His hand rests at the back of my neck as he whispers into my ear, “It pleases me to no end to hear that. I knew we were meant to be, love.” He kisses the side of my neck, and I clench my hands, willing myself not to pull away and wipe off his kisses.
 

“Try to eat something.” He nods toward my lunch. I reluctantly pick up my fork and begin to shuffle the food around on my plate. Thank God, Nick gets distracted with people constantly coming over to chat with him, and it keeps me from having to make small talk. Now if only I had a dog begging under the table, I’d secretly feed him so I wouldn’t have to eat.

I keep my head down for the most part and smile on cue when Nick introduces me to strangers I care nothing about. I take a few bites of food, willing this day to be over.

Once everyone has eaten and the plates have been cleared, Nick grabs my hand and squeezes it. He’s wearing a shit-eating grin on his face, and I’m curious as to what he’s up to. The lights begin to dim, and instantly I scan the room, wondering what’s going on.

The legs of Nick’s chair makes a scraping noise when he scoots back and he stands up, pulling me along with him. “Come, I’ve got a surprise for you.”

“Is it alcohol?” I would seriously love some right now. I am twenty-one, after all, and I could sure go for a case of Jose Cuervo right about now.

Nick tweaks my nose and grins. “You’re funny, you know that? But it wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you. Come on.” He’s like a kid in a candy store as he pulls me along to the center of the room. The lights have fully dimmed now, and everyone turns quiet. I fidget uncomfortably, hating to be the center of attention.

Three waiters wheel in a birthday cake the size of Mt. Rushmore. I’m awe-struck. Nick squeezes my hand; he’s excited. The cake is a pure masterpiece; it looks like a castle straight out of a fairytale, and it’s beyond exquisite. Tiny replicas of people and horses adorn the inside and outside of the fortress, with foliage spread out everywhere.

“Happy Birthday, Princess,” Nick says proudly. He pulls me into the side of his muscular body, guides my lips to his, and kisses me long and hard. Thank God he doesn’t force his tongue on me in public, or I would’ve bitten it. Releasing me, he whispers, “Go on and have a look.”
 

I automatically approach the monstrosity of a cake with curiosity. I love anything artistic, and this takes the cake—pun intended. It looks as if the Cake Boss himself along with his crew made it just for me, painstakingly working their asses off to get it just right. The miniature castle has multiple colorful, tapering spires protruding from the top. I see 360 degrees of beautiful, arched, stained-glass windows adorning the cake as I walk around it full circle. It has to be at least four feet wide and three feet high, and I’m sure it cost thousands.
 

When I get around to the front of it, there’s a red carpet running down the middle of the drawbridge. I tilt my head sideways to see it reads,
PRINCESS.

The irony of the cake is not lost on me. It is a mockery of my life, ridiculing me, teasing me with a fairytale, illusions of a happily ever after. I left one castle—correction, I was
taken
from one castle—only to be held captive in another, only this one brings with it the stark reality I no longer have my freedom. I’m going to be Nick’s sex slave in this castle, helplessly locked away in one of those turret towers and living within its fortified structure. I’ll be forced to live a life of drugs and debauchery. Suddenly, I feel my stomach twisting in knots.

I feel an arm slip around my waist, and I instantly know it’s Nick; his expensive cologne gives him away every time. His lips whisper over my ear, as he murmurs, “My sweet princess, my sleeping beauty, I’ve come to claim my kiss.” I feel my fury brewing like I’m a locomotive building steam and power, getting ready to blow its stack. I hear him add, “Then we will live happily ever after,” and that’s when the train’s whistle blows.

How dare Nick mock me! Uncontrolled anger bubbles up from my very depths as my boiling point is reached, and I bubble over. Before I know what’s happening, my body has taken over, venting all of its frustrations on the little kingdom below. As if I am King Kong, I find myself grabbing the draped cart holding the replica of my imprisoned life. I heave the cart up and over on its side, and I watch in wonder as the walls come tumbling down. Little people go running for their lives in a massive disaster of epic proportions. The icing creates a mudslide, mixing together and producing a rainbow of bright, vivid colors as it spreads out across the floor. My brain misfires a few synapses as I slip into a realm of my own. Tilting my head to the side, I stand there marveling and appreciating my new work of art, and I actually feel quite proud of myself. The tiled floor being my canvas, I study the different colors, dimensions, and textures on display, admiring my handiwork in wonder. The fallen castle has evolved from a renaissance art into a modern piece, and I name this new masterpiece of mine,
Freedom
.

Suddenly, I find myself airborne. It was opening night, and I didn’t even get a chance to introduce my new masterpiece.
Bummer
. It takes a second for me to realize I’ve been thrown over Travis’ shoulder and am now hanging upside down. With my rage still in full force, Travis’ back becomes my punching bag. I hate him so much. “Put me down, you sorry asshole! Don’t you dare touch me!”

He ignores my demands as he makes his way out of the room. I twist and struggle against his strong hold, and as soon as we step out of everyone’s view, I feel several sharp, hard blows to my ass. I scream out in startled surprise and squirm, trying to evade his whacks, and break free, but it’s no use. I push through his painful blowing smacks and keep hitting him for all I’m worth. I’ve got tunnel vision, and I’m filled with anger; I want the hell out of here. I didn’t ask for any of this.

Travis said some cruel and vile words about me today, and it cut deep. I’m still going all barbaric on him by the time he reaches the door to my room. The door clicks open, and he strolls through. I’m winded and breathing heavily, having spent all my energy punching Travis.

“Put me down. Now!” Travis totally ignores me. “I said put me down!” I seethe and smack his back again. A light suddenly turns on in the kitchen, then I hear an electric hum and my angry face turns into one of confusion.
What the hell?
Travis moves forward, past the sofa, and to the red-curtained wall. I stiffen and begin to panic.
Oh, shit.

Before I know it, I’m standing upright, only to realize he has me backed against the St. Andrew’s Cross. My heart speeds up with the thought he’s going to punish me. His emerald eyes drill into me with an intense anger I’ve never seen before.
 

We are nose-to-nose as he growls menacingly through clenched teeth like a drill sergeant, “I can’t decide if the line you’re walking on is one of bravery or stupidity! Didn’t you know this was part of a test? This was a preliminary round to put you with other people to see how you would respond socially, and I have to tell you, you fuckin’ failed miserably. When you have the audacity to not only conspire against us, but act like a three-year-old in a temper tantrum…” his head shakes back and forth, “…well that…that just takes the cake, doesn’t it?”

“How dare you!” I spit back. “I did not sign up for this shit!”

 
“This...this is the thanks I get for showing you some kindness today, and every day since the very first day you arrived? I’ve warned you!” he bellows. The muscles in his jaw are working overtime. “Are you trying to get sold?
 
‘Cause it sure as hell seems like it. Do you have a fucking death wish? You couldn’t just play it cool, could you? You just had to go and rile him up, and now you are out of my hands. I can only stick my neck out so far for you, Julianna. Do you hear me?!”

“Gee, I’d hate to put you out, Travis. I’m a big girl; after all, I can wipe my own nose. I’d hate to deplete your box of tissues on my account.” Pure, raw hate drips from my voice, and I watch him stiffen at my declaration. “That’s right, Travis. I heard you. I heard enough to know Jared was telling the truth; you are every bit the manipulator and then some.”

Silence encased the room. Travis rolls his shoulders then begins pacing back and forth. His hands thread through the sides of his hair in frustration. I take a step forward away from the cross, getting ready to let him have an even bigger piece of my mind, but before I can take a second step, he has me shoved back against the cross, breathing roughly into my face. His hands have my arms stretched out against the cross, and as he holds me by my wrists, I feel panic begin to surface.

“What are you doing?” I choke out in worry.

“What I should have done a few days ago.” I feel him work the shackles around my wrists. I’ll be damned if I make it easy on him, so I start to struggle, trying to break free. He’s too strong for me, though, and once he has one wrist secured, he easily uses both of his hands to secure my other one. My chest heaves, clamoring for air.
 

“You’re skating on thin ice right now, more than you will ever know. I’ve gone to bat for you. I’ve done shit to protect you, shit you don’t even know about, and this...this is how you repay me?” Travis bellows. He’s so enraged, his nostrils flair, and I flinch at his words.

He backs away from me, and I watch him as he paces around. He stops at the edge of the sofa and leans over it. The back of the cushions compress from the death grip he has on them as he closes his eyes, breathing heavily.

When he speaks, he sounds deceivingly-calm. Keeping his eyes closed he says, “I can no longer help you, Julianna. With your stunt today, it’s pushed Nick over the edge.”

I pull on my restraints. “No, Travis, there is where you are wrong. I’m not stupid. Nick pushed himself over the edge in a fit of jealousy. I just topped it off.”