Chapter 04

Aria's perspective

I squinted my eyes at the bright light. I was lying on a bed, and I felt tired and weak.

My head was killing me, my throat was sore. I rubbed my hand on my forehead giving it a little massage.

I looked at my surroundings. I was in a room, that was beautifully decorated, large, and well-furnished, the bed was soft and luxurious it was nothing like my bed in Queens.

I swallowed fearfully, wondering where I was, I lifted myself from the bed and placed my feet on the ground.

My apartment wasn’t as big as this, I wasn’t in my apartment at Queens.

Where am I?

How did I get here?

I stood up from the bed, my legs hurt as I ambled to the window and opened it.

A gasp escaped my mouth at the sight of tall trees. I couldn’t see anything else, as if it was in the middle of nowhere.

“You are awake...” The calm voice spoke behind me. I jolted from my thoughts and snapped my head towards him.

He was the man from last night. I point my index finger at him. “You?”

“You brought me here.”

“How are you feeling?” He reached out to touch me, I took a step back when he was close.

He let out a sigh and shoved his hands into his pocket.

I blinked my eyes at him, trying to remember how I ended up with him.

He was the man from the park, I remembered how he chased me and took me to his car.

“What did you do to me?” I asked in a mild voice.

He said nothing but continued to walk towards me, I moved back with each step he took.

“Who are you?” He heard me but chose to ignore my questions.

“What did you do to me!” I shouted.

I passed out after I was injected.

He brought me here.

Why?

“I see, you are fine.” He muttered instead and glanced at the window I was staring at earlier. He stopped walking when my back hit the wall, towering over me, I could smell the freshness from his breath, and how masculine he looked aftershave.

He smells like mint.

He lowered his head staring intently at me, I swallowed hard.

His face was inches away from mine, his lips spread out a cocky smile revealing a perfect set of white teeth. My stomach clenched tightly, and I sunk my teeth into my bottom lip, I couldn’t deny that I felt an attraction towards him.

He looks too perfect for me.

“How long have I been here?” I averted my gaze from his face.

“A day. You’ve been asleep all through. Though the pac—doctor said you’re fine we have no idea why you slept so long.” He replied and lifted a finger to my chin, making me look at him.

“You have no idea? You injected me!” I snapped.

“I’m sorry, it was the only way I could bring you here.” He let go of his finger on my chin.

I huffed and pushed him away from me, keeping some distance between us. He took two steps to the window and placed his elbow on it.

I gaze at his side view.

“Were you thinking of jumping through the window?” He rubbed his jaw with a finger and spared me a glance.

“I would do anything to get away from you,” I mumbled.

He smirked and before I could make my next move, he was right in front of me.

“You might end up getting hurt if you decide to go through the window. It’s the fourth floor, and there’s no fire escape. Use the door instead.” He placed a hand on the wall above my head. “I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“I want to go home.” My voice sounded weak, I didn’t plan for it to sound that way. “Take me home.”

“Why should I?” His eyes dilated playfully.

“You should get used to being here.”

“No!” I retorted sharply.

Who knows what he could do to me? He injected me earlier, he could easily get rid of me.

“Why did you kidnap me? What do you want? Money? I don’t have any money! And there’s no one that you can call and ask for ransom! I have no one and...” My voice was quavering and I did not want to break down. His cold eyes softened at me, and his brows were folded in a small frown.

“Just let me go home. You’ve got the wrong person.” I pleaded and beat back the tears.

He said nothing but closed the distance between us, and my head was on his shoulder. He didn't touch me or make any attempt to.

“I got the right person. My wol—I could feel it and I know it.” His voice suddenly sounded husky.

“...and you have someone, you've me.” I felt his breathing against the exposed skin on my neck, my heart pounded faster, and I could hear them sounding in my ears.

I didn't know if it was because I was scared of him or something else.

“You don’t know what you are doing to me.” He moved back a bit and met my stares, his finger went to my lower lip, and he caressed them slowly. A sound emanated from his chest.   smirked and withdrew from me.

“I don’t want to force things between us.” He smirked and withdrew from me.

“Us?” I frowned.

I was stupid for letting his hands touch me.

I should not stand this close to someone who plans to kill me. This was all his trap to lure me in.

“I’m not going to let you go.“ He countered and tucked his hands back in his pocket.

“Why?” I found myself asking.

He smirked.

“You belong to me.” The crazy grin plastered on his face irked me.

How could he say something like that so nonchalantly?

“What?”

“I belong to you?”

“You heard me.”

I scoffed and pushed my hair backward with both hands aggressively.

It was pissing me off with bored stances.

“I don’t fucking belong to anybody! Not to you or anyone. I belong to myself! And you are not gonna keep me locked in here!” I raised my voice at him. He glowered, his eyes darkened.

“I mean...” He cleared his throat.

“You are staying here, and you won’t be able to escape me. I’m not going to hurt you if that’s what you think.”

I chuckled bitterly.

“You want me to believe that?”

His frown deepened, he wanted to say something but he stopped himself.

“All I want is to walk out through the door and won’t ever look back!” I yelled.

“Do hate me that much?”

“You brought me here without my permission, you forced me, threatened me, and kidnapped me!”

He chuckled. “I have to seduce you too.”

My jaw dropped.

I can’t believe this man.

“You won’t have accepted to come with me, this was the only way to bring you here. If I had told you, you probably thought I was insane or something. I brought you here so I could explain everything.” He muttered.

I rolled my eyes, that was all a lie, he had nothing to say to me but an ulterior motive to have me killed.

I stared at the window, I might jumped through the window and escaped from there. Once I escape, I will make sure I report him to the cops.

I won’t spend another night here.

“Explain what? You know what, I have had enough of all of these. I’m going to leave this place! I will find my way out no matter what!” I glared and turned my back against him with my hands folded.

“The only way you can leave here is if you fall in love with me...” He shrugs and was leaning against the wall opposite me.

I spun around immediately, with my jaw lowered.

“Give it a year or less and I will make you fall in love with me.” He stated arrogantly.

I snarled, holding his gaze, and muttered. “I will never fall in love with a man like you!” I stabbed my finger on his chest.

“Never!” I screamed in his face.

“I will make you regret that.”