Chapter 9

The beating of her heart is too loud that she could almost hear it. It's in the way he looks at her. It's making her knees tremble. After a long staring contest he walks in her direction not leaving her eyes. She bites her lip to stop it from trembling as well.

"Where have you been?" his voice is as cold as the first snow of winter. She gulps.

'You're such a coward. You need to act as bravely as you can.' She thought to herself. She arches her brow before she speaks.

"What are you doing here?" she asked

"Where have you been Merry? Don't play with me." She notices his jaw moving as he clenches his teeth.

"I fairly believe that is none of your business." The bravery she puts on was working but she could die now of a heart attack if she didn't move away from him. "It's late now Mr. Black, I think it's time for you to go home." She said attempting to move away but he grabs her wrist too tight it is almost hurting her.

"I'm trying so hard to control myself but if you continue being like this, you won't like the things I would do to you." She gulps once again, feeling the tension around her. But she must stand her ground. So she snatches her hand away from him and steps back.

"Look, Mr. Black, I know I already said yes to your proposal but this.." she said while gesturing her hand back and forth "this is too fast. What happened yesterday was inappropriate, I can't let that happen again." she must be crazy telling those words because it looks like she just awakens the lion inside of him.

"I don't wanna talk here, lead the way to your house so we can talk there privately." She was rattled, no she can't let him inside her house which was against her beliefs.

"I can't just let you in Mr. Black. That is not appropriate as well," she said loudly this time. But the man now looks angrier it's as if the veins in his neck will pop any moment.

"For the love of God Merry. I'm losing my self-control here. Just listen to me, lead the way to your house and open that damn door." He's whispering but it felt like he's shouting at her. And she doesn't like it. No one has ever talked to her that way.

"But-"

"That's it." He said cutting off what she has to say. She squeaks when he puts his arms around her knees and he throws her on his shoulder. "I was being nice to you. But all you did is defy me." They're now walking toward her apartment. She's feeling dizzy and she's speechless. When they arrived at her front door, she gasps hard when she felt his palm on her behind. He slaps her there before he let her down. The shock on her face was visible she couldn't stand up straight. "Now, be an obedient person and open this door before I lose my temper and break it down." Her eyes are wide open. She can't just move on from the fact that he slapped her behind. He must've felt that she couldn't move at the moment so he took her bag and rummage through it. When he finally opened the door he took her hand and pulled her inside. When the lights turned on it is like she was snapped back and is now very furious.

'This disrespectful brute.' She thought.

"Are you going to tell me where the hell have you been?" He said with his arms on his waist. She's seeing red. All she could think of is how she felt humiliated by his actions. She wanted to hit him and so she did. The sound of her palm on his cheek was hard and loud.

"You have no right to treat me like that. I'm sorry for hitting you but you disrespected and humiliated me. That is not how you treat a woman." It's upsetting how she apologizes for doing something he deserves. Then he looks at her, his eyes are cold and scary. She looks at his cheek and she saw how red it was. And she unconsciously lifts her hand and touches it.

"Sorry, does it hurt?" she said softly. It was the first she hurt someone and she felt mortified. She couldn't look at him. But then she felt his hand touching hers.

"It's okay." He said but she didn't reply or answer back she was just looking at his cheek "Look at me." he whispers but she can't, she was afraid her tears might fall once she saw his eyes. She's doing her best to fight him. To stand on her ground but why on earth can't she just do that properly?

"I'm sorry." She whispers and her tears fell. She's tired, all she wants is a good rest. He put her hand down and both of his hands are now in her face moving it closer to him. Right then she saw how his eyes changed from being the coldest to the warmest eyes she has ever seen. He uses his thumbs to dry her tears. And it was very gentle.

"It's okay, I think I deserve that. I might have pushed you too far." She looks at him bleary-eyed. Her body is worn out due to lack of sleep and physical fatigue. She's losing her battle. She wanted to fight him. But this time won't do. She must rest first and negotiate later.

"I'm really tired now. Can we just talk about this tomorrow?" she whispers while looking at him. She saw him nod his head so she steps away from him and went to take the front door. She opens it gesturing for the man to take his leave but he just stood there looking at her. His face is unreadable. "I thought we agreed to just talk about it tomorrow?" she asked.

"Yes, but I did not say I will leave. I'll stay here tonight." He said confidently as if she will allow that to happen. She shakes her head.

"No, you can't do that. I am not allowing that to happen. You, being here is more than improper. And now you want to sleep here?" she's just being rational. Yes, they'd known each other for weeks now but she didn't know this man so technically he was a stranger. And she will never let a stranger inside her home nor let him sleep in there. That's not how she was raised.

"As far as I know Ms. Jones, you don't have any choice now, do you? I literally own you, body and soul. That's the proposal you agreed on." He looks like what he said was final and irrevocable.

"No, this is too fast. I just met you and I just agreed with your proposal yesterday. This is not fair." She's now frantic. She wanted her voice to sound tough and strong and yet it still sound soft and weak. How can she stand her ground if she continues being meek and modest? He must saw the exasperation in her eyes when he sighs and looks at her with understanding. He walks closer to her.

"Okay, you win. This must be freaking you out." He said while his eyes are wandering to her face. "But you should understand by now Merry, that you are already mine. And whatever you think, appropriate or not, is not important anymore because this..." He's pointing to her body "is mine." And she felt his finger pointing too close to her chest where her heart beats fast. "And I will definitely own this as well. Ready yourself and be a good girl because either you like it or not, I will own you and you can't stop me." Her heart is beating crazily, and her body is on fire, it's just words but it was already making her feel weak, deliciously weak. She gulps when he felt his hand on her neck massaging it gently. His other arm was around her waist, they were too close now that she can smell his scent and it was alluring and addicting. Aside from his perfume, there is something about his manly scent that makes her lean more and sniff more. "Look at me." He whispers close to her ear she almost trembles. It's ticklish but pleasurable she unconsciously closes her eyes. She's losing her control again, this happens every time he's near her, it's as if he owns her body. He kisses the skin below her ears and she moans breathlessly. He must hear her moans when he stop kissing her there and started tasting her literally. He's now licking her neck, slowly, over and over again. It is intoxicating she doesn't want him to stop. His tongue is leaving her neck wet and the feeling it gives is delicious, mouthwatering, and divine. But then he stops, to her dismay so she just snaps her eyes open and when he looks at her she saw the satisfaction in his eyes. His lips are not smiling but his eyes are, his eyes are smiling with victory. "If I don't stop now, I might do something that you will regret but you will never forget." She doesn't mind what he was saying since she was busy calming herself. "I'll go for now, but I will pick you up tomorrow. We need to talk about this agreement." She nods not wanting to speak. "Good night, Merry". He said before he kisses her forehead. Her heart beats wild again. The rudeness he had shown a while ago was all forgotten with that one gesture.