Clarissa took a brief shower to wash away the dried blood from her chest, arms and face. Jumping out and getting dressed, all she wanted was to got on with whatever Jim had planned for her. She had been so strong this whole time keeping him at a safe distance. Not far enough it had seems. Not as cleaver as she thought, he had seen through her own little game. But she knew his attempts would be futile and end in failure like all the other times. Everything would go back into balance. The way it should be. He would try to break her and she would do her time and simply walk out in the end.
Dressed in her comfortable clothes, using the towel to dry her hair, Clarissa headed for the library. When she arrived Jim was already sitting at his desk typing on his keyboard. A couch, not belonging in the room, was strategically placed off to the side of the desk.
"Come in and lay down." He commanded without glancing up.
Clarissa dropped the towel at her feet and walked over to the couch. Jim waited until the padded sound of her bare feet ceased. When he looked up Clarissa was laying on the couch staring at the ceiling.
"Did the shower serve it's purpose?" He asked to start up conversation.
"Just another shower in the bathing ritual." She huffed. Though it didn't serve it's purpose in relaxing her today.
"How do you feel right now?" He questioned to get a starting state of mind.
"You seriously can't be trying to psychoanalyze me." Clarissa propped herself up on her elbows giving his a disappointed look. "I would have thought that sort of thing would be considered rubbish by a man with your intelligence."
"Psychology is simply the mind's reaction to a series of cause and effect." Jim clarified. "Stop stalling and answer the question."
Clarissa laid back down and closed her eyes. "I'm sore all over" She shifted in the cushions. Every bone and muscle could be felt under her skin. "and I'm thinking about the best way to take care of some of the more damaging blows I received today."
"And?"
"And irritated." She growled. "Irritated about the questions you seem to have for me. Like looking out into the ocean with no end in sight. The only thing that keeps me sane is knowing there is an end. Even if I can't see it."
"You'll endure." Jim sat back. "You're very good at that. Tell me something. Tell me about you day to day life before the contract."
"You already know everything and I am too tired to say the same words over and over and over again." Clarissa rolled her head with her eyes closed.
"It may be the same words. But more is revealed each time you speak them. Honestly it's all my fault." Jim apologized. "You were speaking but I wasn't listening. But I'm ready now. I'm ready to listen to your words with an open mind." He ignored the sarcastic scoff that escaped Clarissa's lips and continued. "I want you to take a step back, describe your life as only an observer, and tell me what you think."
Clarissa rolled her eyes closing them again. She thought about just trying to get by in her teenage years at school and home. Her adult life of work and home were no different. "It's tedious. I don't see the point in it other than living it til the end. But in the end there is still nothing." She sighed.
"Than why not try to change things around. Make this life worth living?" Jim voice asked in the darkness.
"I think I've changed in the past." Clarissa contemplated past experiences that taught her to adapt to new surrounding. Things that forced her to tuck away the truth that was her. "Enough change to last a few life times. Change only complicates things. When I finally found something that worked I stuck to it."
"Why not strive to find happiness and enjoyment?"
"I've only been happy a handful of times after my parent's death." A flash of riding horseback side by side the ranch cowboys came and went. "Learned not to stay there for too long." The calming touch of Maggie's soft hands could be felt on Clarissa's cheek. "Things that gave me a sense of happiness are things that can be easily taken away." The sound of shrieking horses in the distance hit her ear. Clarissa jolted her body to sit up and look at Jim. "You've provided the perfect example of how frail these things are in life."
"I thought I was taking the proper methods at the time." If she didn't know better she would have thought there was a hint of sympathy in his voice. "Looking back anger got the best of me."
"Anger can be the hardest thing to keep in check." Clarissa brought one of her knees to her chest resting her chin at the tip. "The need to fight is strong. I might have a tenancy to go a little overboard myself after pushing it down time and time again. But the dam has to break if you're going to make it stronger. In all honesty though it feels... good. Acting purely on instinct. Blood like fire as it pumps through your veins. Almost a reminder of being alive."
"You need to stop holding back." Jim stated.
Clarissa flung her back on the couch. "I'm not holding back." She hissed. "I am answering your questions to the best of my abilities and have yet to lie to you intentionally." How dare he accuse her of such things.
"What I meant was you need to stop holding back your emotions. It's doing more damage than good." He tried to explain. "You're not some heartless object. You've already admitted to some kind of pleasure that comes with anger and willingly running away from the things that bring you joy. Why not let it all in?"
"Because sooner or later it will end in hurt." Clarissa forced the words through clenched teeth. "That hurt- that pain I- I can't control it." Her hand moved to her chest and clawed at skin above her heart. "It's not something physical I can over come. But inside me where there is no escape." She could feel skin build under her nails at they tore in. "What if someday the pain is too much to handle and I don't desire to live on with it inside me?"
"We all deal with pain and we all have to learn how to cope with such events." He commented.
"Than why is my coping mechanism so wrong?" Clarissa questioned only out of anger. "Why is it so wrong to not want to feel it? It works for me. Gotten me through life unscathed."
"It doesn't work if you are fighting yourself on a daily basis." Jim's voice was smooth and calm. "We all feel pain Clarissa. You are no different than the rest of us. But you don't have to fear it. Let's move on. Don't want to waste time."
"Are you not getting the desired results?" She chuckled.
Jim ignored her comment. "Give me an example of one of the most difficult physical pain you've had to overcome."
"Why?" Clarissa didn't like where this was going.
"You mentioned a sense of control in the act of physical pain." Jim elaborated for her.
"I don't cut myself if that's what you're getting at." She snapped.
"And I didn't say self harm." His mood had darkened at the insinuation. "I want to hear about a time you almost lost a battle in control of physical pain."
Clarissa took a few seconds to consider her answer. "I'd have to say it was the day you gave me those scars"
Jim quickly averted his gaze. "Ah yes, a technique in which to make you more compliant."
Clarissa sat to to look at him. Blood in the shape of tiny crescent moons had risen from the skin on her chest. "How did that work out for you?" She slightly gloated.
"Not the desired results that I had expected."
"I bet." She scooted towards Jim, hanging her limbs off the arm of the couch. "What was the desired result? Break me, keep me as some kind of obedient pet til you were bored of me?"
"You are wasting my short allotted time frame stalling with your own questions." Jim finally turned to face her. "Now explain the events of that day."
"You were there. You know what you did to me."
"Yes." Jim leaned in keeping his gaze. "Please explain to me your perspective of the event."
"Yes master." She said sarcastically as she laid down on the couch and stared at the ceiling.
Knock knock knock
Clarissa slowly opened the door a crack to investigate, Jim was standing on the hall dressed in another sharp suit with a wide grin on his face.
"Dinner will be served at seven." His sadistic smile sent shivers up her spine.
"Not hungry" She prepared to close the door on his face. But the slam was hindered by his shoe.
"You need to eat." Jim didn't attempt to force the door open any wider.
"I ate yesterday." The only excuse she could come up with the get out of dinner with the devil.
"A roll does not a proper meal make." Jim placed his arm on the frame and leaned in close. "I thought we could continue last night's conversation since it was cut short so abruptly."
"Smashing a bottle over someone's head can do that." Clarissa scoffed as she blew a strand of hair out of her face.
"The choice of wine was a misfortunate blunder. But Sebastian has assured me there will be no mistakes tonight." He removed his foot. "Dinner. Seven sharp. Dressed appropriate for the occasion."
Jim had walked down the hall before she had a chance to refuse. Clarissa slammed the door and walked over to the fireplace.
"No fucking way." She flopped down on the floor in front of the flames. "There is absolutly no way in hell I'm going back down there."
She ignored the growl of her stomach as she stared into the flames as the yellow and orange licked at the logs. Lazily she picked up the poker and jabbed at the wood to keep her busy. Adding a log now and then, all she could do was watch as the wood turned to ash and the flames die down.
At 7:02, like clockwork, the door flew open causing Clarissa to jump to her feet. The poker tightened in her shaking hand.
"The boss would appreciate the presence of your company now." Sebastian ordered as he came into the room.
Clarissa held the poker up in the most threatening pose she could conjure. "Not interested."
"Not a question." Sebastian stomped over to her. Clarissa lifted the weapon over her shoulder and wildly swung at him while stepping back. Sebastian easily caught it and pulled it out of her hold dropping it to the floor. "Best get a move on." He grabbed her by the arm dragging her resistant body to the door. "Mustn't keep him waiting." He pulled her out the door and released her at the top of the stairs. He gestured down the stairs. "Ladies first."
Clarissa glanced at the bottom of the stairs and back at him. "Not gonna happen." She was not going to subjugate herself to any more of his psychotic fantasies of a relationship. Clarissa spun around and bolted for the door. She barely got two steps away before Sebastian had her by the back of her shirt. He pulled her into his chest and faced decent.
"Ladies First." Sebastian shoved her.
Head first, Clarissa toppled down the steps landing at the base on her side. Sebastian walked behind her and proceeded to drag her by the ankle down the hall.
"I can walk there myself." She pulled her leg back that was released with no resistance.
Clarissa got to her feet and tried to walk around the large man in the middle of the hall. Sebastian's arm shot up resting on the wall to block her way.
"It's too late for that." His hand slid down the wall landing on the door knob beside him. Slowly the door creaked open as Sebastian stepped to the side. Clarissa peeked down the steps that descended into darkness.
"Should have taken the invitation when you had the chance." He chuckled behind her while forcing her down the flight of stairs. Clarissa took each step carefully unsure of what was waiting at the bottom. "Move it" Sebastian gave her a shove.
Clarissa clung to the wall to catch herself. It would be a shame to fall down two flights of stairs in one day. Once at the bottom she kept her back against the wall as Sebastian pushed pass her. She watched as he disappeared into the darkness. Glancing up at the door she wondered what her chances were if she tried to run for it. The opportunity was lost when the room lit up.
Dropping his hand from the cord Jim stood in the middle of the room under the light.
"You missed dinner." His voice was stern but calm.
"I-" Jim lifted his hand silencing Clarissa.
"You disobeyed." He leisurely closed the space between them. "We both know what has to happen now."
Clarissa turned her head to the side looking up the stair towards her only chance of escape. She told herself to run but her feet stayed anchored to the floor. Jim's hand shot up as he rested his palm against the wall blocking her view.
"Yo will look at me when I am addressing you."He pulled her chin to face him. "Since you have so kindly come into contract with me you have been nothing but rude, disrespectful, and insubordinate." Clarissa shook him off but kept eye contact. "So what are we going to do about this?"
"Let me go." Clarissa mirrored his stern, calm tone.
"You're funny."Jim chuckled as his head dipped down. "I knew you had a sense of humor in there some where." He peered up at her from under the hood of his eyes. "But this is not the time or place for such things."
Clarissa was grabbed by the back of the neck. She was pulled off the wall and into the middle of the room as Jim guided her.
"This is where lessons must be learned." He forced her down to her knees. Clarissa tried to fight back. But hunger had made her weak. Sebastian tossed Jim a pair of handcuffs. Clarissa's wrist were instantly restrained in front of her. "This is where you learn to listen." He pulled down a metal hook on the end of a chain and connected it to the cuffs. Clarissa's body was slowly lifted off the ground. "This is where you learn to be compliant." He body hung in the air. Her toes were millimeters from the floor. Jim traced the outline of her frame with his finger resting at her hip. "This is where you learn to obey." He gave her hip a little tug causing her dangling body to slowly spin. "Sebby leave us. We need a little alone time."
"Sure thing"
Clarissa kept her head low as she heard the steps creak and the door shut behind him. It was just the two of them now. Clarissa was completely helpless as the spinning came to a stop. The shadow of the two of them played on the wall.
"I meant what I said about spending more time together." Jim came into view in front of her. "You're here because I want you here. Now I tired to do this in a way that would be easier for you." He placed both hands on her hips and pulled her in close. "But you didn't want it the easy way." Jim released her hold letting Clarissa swing freely. "You had to oppose even the simplest request when it was in your best interest to submit." He walked out of sight. "Now we have to take a different route. This path will be painful and a bit bloody. But in the end it's a quicker pace than I had planned."
He reappeared in front of her with a riding crop in hand. Clarissa eyed the device and began to squirm once she knew where all this was going.
"DO you like what you see?" Jim held the tips of the crop in both hands rolling it around with his fingers. "Custom made. The perfect length helps creates the maximum amount of infliction." He bent the crop showing off its flexibility. "This little number has been improved." He held the crop up to her eyes so she could take in the detail. "The length has been smoothed down to a sharp edge on both sides. This fine piece of rubber can cut with ease beside the best of blades any master craftsman could conjure." Jim's little boast was cut short with a realization.
"Oh dear" He gave Clarissa a once over. "It looks as though someone did not dress for this special occasion. Hold this for me." Clarissa's lips were forced apart when the crop was pushed between her teeth. "Don't you dare let that touch the ground." He spun her around so that he was placed behind her. "This material will only get in the way." Clarissa closed her eyes as the sound of her shirt being ripped off filled the room. "Not to worry, there are more outfits to to replace these rags." Opening her eyes, she found herself facing Jim again. "Although" She could feel his agonizingly soft touch as he traced the under wire of her bra. "it would be a shame to see this little number go to waste." Jim reached behind her and unhooked her bra like a pro.
Clarissa writhed in discomfort from the lack of support. The edge of the crop sliced into the the corner of her lips as her mouth unintentionally puckered. Jim snatched the crop out of her clenched jaw. Clarissa stretched her mouth causing the cuts to tear as she relaxed her jaw. He slid her bra up and over her head. She followed the lingerie as Jim reached to drape it over her restrained hands.
"I need to thank you." He whispered in her ear as their bodies pressed together. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd find someone like you. Such a strong, beautiful, willful woman to fall into my lap." Both hands glided down her arms with the leather tip of the crop following behind resting on her nipple. "Bless you, Clarissa Ripley. You and I, we are destined to be together." He leaned back to looking into her fierce green eyes. "You're only lacking a bit of a polish." He traced a faint line under her breast and down her side as Jim strolled behind her.
Out of view, the only thing Clarissa could rely on was the tingling sensation as the leather tip ran up her spine. The cold hard unyielding metal dug into her wrist as she squeezed her hands into fist. The slight sting on the corner of her lips as she licked the cuts. She closed her eyes knowing exactly what was to come.
"After today you will listen to every word that come from me." A searing pain ran up her body with a sharp snap. A small whimper fell from her lips.
"You will comply." The command was met another strike. Clarissa choked down a scream. Only panic ran through her mind being unable to pull out and hide from this place.
"You will obey." Her skin slashed open as Jim landed another swing. Clarissa gripped the cuffs pulling her body up a couple inches, trying to escape, only to drop down to dangle.
"You will be by my side" A low grunt came from Clarissa as he used the full length advantage to cut her. "now and forever."
Unrecognizable sounds were echoed off the walls as his words reiterated in her head. The truth in his words caused Clarissa to open her eyes wide. This man honestly believed in the words that spewed out of his mouth. There was only one goal, one outcome that would be achieved. He had no plans of setting her free. The only options were submit or die.
"Do you now understand?" Clarissa was to stunned to answer. "Do we have an understanding?" He asked again.
Her silence only furthered his frustration. Clarissa let out a horrific scream at the burning sting that enveloped her back. A flurry of snaps covered her back with no pause. She could only thrash around in torment as the excruciating torture of each swing overlapped with no end in sight. When it finally did cease both bodies were heaving in exhaustion.
Jim dragged his feet as he came around to face her. His body was hunched over completely drained of any authority he was trying to accomplish.
"You are astonishing." He wiped away the sweat and blood from his face. "Absolutely astonishing." His hands shot up, holding her head between them, forcing her to look at him. A tint of her blood was smeared from his brow to chin as it mixed with his sweat. "We are meant to be. We are destined to be. You will understand this."
Clarissa understood, she understood the most dangerous thing she would have to overcome was this monster's unwavering determination.
His faced blurred when Jim pressed their foreheads together. "I love you Clarissa Ripley."
Her entire body stiffened. 'What? WHAT? He can't be fucking serious.' Before she could process his words she was met with the cold hard ground. She laid there motionless on her side unable, not wanting to move from the spot. Not sure when he had freed her, Jim was at the far side of the wall on his phone.
"Sebby back to work." His voice was smooth as if nothing had happened.
She heard the door open and heavy footsteps coming down to join them in hell.
"Ah Sebby, how nice of you to finally join us." Jim turned from the wall. "What took you? Stop for a snack?"
"No sir." Sebastian quickly responded. Clarissa focused on the conversation to keep conscious.
"Must be getting slow in your old age." Jim quipped. All three knew Sebastian was only a few years older than Jim. "This may not be the military scene you're grown accustom to but I expect you to be in top physical condition."
"Yes boss. I'll get right on it. What did you need from me?"
"Oh yes I need you to take care of my girl." Jim nodded to Clarissa still on the floor.
"You mean take care of her?" Sebastian made a gesture with his finger sliding across his throat.
"No dummy. Why would I mean-" Jim let out a long sigh and talked a little slower. "I want you to take her up to her room and make sure she doesn't die of blood loss."
Clarissa was lifted off the ground and into Sebastian's arms. The contact was unwanted by both parties. She tried to struggle as he hastened his steps with no concern for the discomfort it caused. Every step vibrated throughout her body.
Once in her room Clarissa pushed at his chest to release her.
"Oh no you don't." He squeezed her tight. ""You ain't getting blood all over the place." He headed into the bathroom placing her in the gigantic claw foot tub.
"You'll live." He didn't even give her a second glance leaving her there to take care of herself.
Clarissa looked down at her feet watching as the blood started to pool at the drain. She tried to lift her body. The searing pain was so unbearable she dropped back down into the porcelain. All she could think about was the need to get clean. Forcing her leg up, she used her big toe to turn the knob. Luke warm water turned scolding hot as it poured out the faucet hitting her foot. Using her heel to to plug the drain water slowly started to fill the tub. Clarissa laid there perfectly still as the steaming liquid traveled up her legs and hips. She only flinch when it reached her back sliding around the fresh gashes. Once the water hit her chin she lifted her foot again to tun the water off. This took a bit longer as she struggled to catch the knob with her big toe. When it was finally shut off the water had risen to her lips. Clarissa searched around the room and landed on the water in front of her. There were tiny streams of red running from the length of the tub beginning at her sides. She could only watch as it dissolved leaving behind murky water mixed with blood and dirt. Carefully her body glided down as it disappeared. Opening her eyes under water she stared up at the disfigured ceiling.
'Let it go.' She thought as a tiny air bobble slipped from her lips. 'Stay right here and be free.' Clarissa closed her eyes and listened to her body beg the need for more. "It will be all right if I only stay here." The ticking in her chest became more of a pound as her lungs desperately held in the last bit of breath. 'Stop fighting to hold on.'
The calm liquid at the top of the bath water was suddenly disturbed. Clarissa's head and chest sprang up as her lungs sucked in a mixture of air and water. She gasped at the pain on her back from the jerking movements as she reached for the edge of the bath tub and expelled the liquid from her lungs. Opening her eyes she found herself still in the empty bathroom at her luxurious prison. In a rage Clarissa slammed her fists against the water splashing it over the edge. She ignored the pain as she kicked and slashed around in the confined area. What water didn't meet the floor was quickly being sucked down the drain leaving Clarissa cold and wet.
'Weak' Was all she could think as she brought her knees to her chest. 'So pathetically weak.'
She forced herself out out as she crawled off the edge hitting the floor on her back. Rolling to her hands and knees, she found a towel and wrapped her naked form in the comfortable soft material. Not sure how much time had passed she staggered to her feet and made her way to the bed room. Hunched over she looked around the room taking her options into consideration. She tried opening a window. But it was too difficult to lift with the state of her back. No option of jumping to her death. Walking around the bed she pulled the sheet with her as she made her way to the book shelves. Taking a seat on the ladder, Clarissa used her teeth to rip the sheet right down the middle. She tied the ends together and used it to make a noose on each end. Once her equipment was prepped she dropped the blood stain towel and started climbing the ladder. At the top she looped the sheet around the ladder and slid the noose tight around her neck.
"Don't wanna let me go than I'll have to escape." She hissed at the devil she knew was there.
Collecting what was left of her strength, Clarissa leapted off the ladder and into the air. The only running through her was hope for a instant death. The world was filled with a white light as a blinding sensation filled her back. When she opened her eyes she found herself on the floor as the ladder came crashing down landing right beside her.
"FUCK" The scream echoed throughout the house. 'This can't be happening.' Clarissa curled into a ball and sniveled in defeat. 'no way out. There was no way out of hell that was created just for her.'
'I Love You' His last words to her emanated in the darkness.
What a dangerous world those words entailed. People go to war with these words. They go to desperate lengths in the name of love. He didn't love her. He couldn't possibly love her. No one loved her. But if he believed this than Clarissa in more of a dire situation than once presumed. Love, the only weapon to pull out when wanting to keep someone. He would never let her go and she could never give him what he wanted. She would die in this house. That was certain. No more hope. If she couldn't take her own life it would be a waiting game until Jim saw fit to take it for her. No more reason to fight.
Clarissa coughed in her hand and stared at the crimson red in her palm. She gripped her hand closed into a fist letting the blood seep out between her fingers. The vibrant color served as a reminder that she was still there, still alive.
'My fate may be sealed.' she opened her fist staring at the fiery liquid that ran through her veins. 'But that doesn't mean I have to go down easy. I have to fight. If for no other reason than to fight back. I will not make this easy for either side.' She turned on her back gazing up at the books lining the wall. 'Survival is a fiction. A fiction I have to rely on if I'm going to continue this little farce.' Clarissa pulled herself to her feet and walked to the bed. 'I will survive' She told herself as she climbed into bed. 'I will survive.' She repeated as she wrapped herself in the blankets and closed her eyes. 'I will survive and I will leave this hell.'
Clarissa opened her eyes and looked up at Jim ending her little grim fairy tale. Jim hadn't blinked as he listened to every intense word. Clarissa cleared her throat pulling him back to the present.
"So that is how I came to the brink of death from your torture room." She stated.
"Interesting" Was all he remarked.
"If you say do." She didn't particularly enjoy the walk through memory lane.
"That was the first time I confessed my love for you." He commented on the obvious.
"Yeah you're a real Casanova." She scoffed. Was that the only thing he took from her story?
"What's interesting is your over reaction to my confession."
Clarissa propped herself on her elbows. "A psychopath had just told me he loved me and we were meant to be together forever. Your the one that belongs on this couch."
"And your answer was to take your own life?" Jim questioned.
"Seemed like the only option."
"Why was that even an option to begin with?" Jim sounded almost offended. "Why run from the love I offer?"
"Your love" She spat. "is a poison in disguise. Even of your so called love is true, what kind of thing am I for a monster such as yourself to have fallen in love with?"
"Is it only my love you feel so strongly against?" Jim waited to analyze her response.
"Honestly" She sat up fully. "All love is one or another form of poison. In the end it only weaken the soul."
"Some would say the trade off is a bond one makes with those loved ones." Jim argued. "The vulnerability you give when connecting with someone keeps them at your side in times of need. They protect you when your own will power isn't enough." He considered his words carefully. "You say you keep only a few people close to keep society unsuspicious. Then their lives were at risk you did what you have to did to keep them safe. Is that not love? Why go to great lengths?"
"If I lost them it would cause a rift in the life I have created in society." She answer coldly.
"Would you feel remorse if they were gone?"
"It would be an inconvenience." Clarissa stated the facts.
"Only an inconvenience?" Jim chuckled. "The trouble you have put yourself into far exceeds that of an inconvenience. What would you say if I put someone new on the list?
"I would say there is no one." She answered plainly.
"What about the adorable young girl we met at the shop on our last outing?" Jim slipped a business card out of his jacket twirling it around his fingers. "Rose was it?"
"She isn't apart of this." Clarissa hissed as her eyes narrowed at the card in his possession. "No ties to my life."
"Ah but she seems so eager to help you." He implied.
"Leave her out of this. She's only an innocent little girl." Clarissa's anger was building beneath the surface.
"Now what do you think would happen if she got a text pleading for help, asking for her to meet you in a particularly bad part of town?" Jim pulled out his phone fiddling with the digits.
"You would find yourself bleeding out with a letter opened in your neck and a smile on my face." She gave him a taste of the smile she mentioned.
"Another drastic response." He mimicked her smile. "Back to the list shall we. Irene Adler, your cousin by adoption. You have defended her honor as well as saved her life a couple of times now."
"I have a respect for the way she lives her life." Clarissa responded.
"You were not disgruntle to hear your relationship had started on the base that she was only using you?"
'How did he- of course he was watching them.' Clarissa blinked away the thought. "No" The answer was short and to the point.
"Because she was only a link to humanity." He elaborated for her.
"Yes"
"You only see each other maybe once a month. Only when convenient for her." Jim rested his elbows on the desk resting his chin on his knuckles. "Doesn't seem much of a benefit. But she's taken a liking to you. Risking her own life to offer a pathetic trade. You in turn offered to take on more punishment for her freedom. My goodness she sounds more like a burden than an asset. Wouldn't you agree?" His logic was flawless and Clarissa could only sit there in silence. "Either you forgot it was all an act or you're an amazing internal actor. Moving along to Miss Margaret Halperin. Worked at the bank for twenty years when you were hired. You came to know her by the delightful name of mama bear. "
"That's what everyone calls her." She corrected Jim.
"Because of her protective and caring nature." Jim continued. "She drifted to you immediately. Must have felt you needed protection."
"I allowed her to get close to me." Clarissa explained. "It's good to have allies in the business world."
"I would say more than just an ally." He scrutinize. "As an objective observer she is old and her usefulness will wither with age quickly."
"You're wrong." She snapped. "Maggie is strong. She's more powerful than you can see. She's a survivor just like me."
"So you do admit some kind of connection to her." Clarissa's mouth shut at his response. "Even when society has no use for her will you stay?"
"Society will always need her." She snapped again.
"No, you will always need her." Jim pointed as his chin rested on his thumbs. "When she inevitably retires she will no longer be a link to your business world. But she will always be your mama bear."
"I-" Clarissa couldn't deny the concern she had for Maggie back in her office. Maggie looked tired and frail in her new position. That would have been the first clue to cut ties and find a new link. But instead of leaving Clarissa stayed and tried to help. She was confident that her mama bear was without flaw and would overcome any obstacle.
"Here's what I think." Jim pulled her attention back to the conversation. "Your Maggie is a surrogate mother figure you so desperately want. The way to melt in her embrace and calm at her touch are all properties of mother and child. All perfectly normal conditions to a loving relationship."
"She loves me?" Clarissa couldn't seem to grasp these terms.
"And you love her." He finished the thought for her. "You love both these people. No matter how hard you try to deny it you are capable of love."
"I-I can't love them." She argued. "It... It's not in my nature to do so. I won't go through anymore pain."
"Your facade is slipping" He couldn't help but gloat as he watched Clarissa make all the little connections to her true self.
'Little white lies never hurt anyone.' Jim pulled out his phone as the ringer played the next verse. 'Little white lines never hurt anyone.'
"One moment." Clarissa only sat there in a morbid state of fear as Jim answered the call. "What is it? Dinner?" Clarissa's stomach growled at the mention of food. "No not now. We are finally getting somewhere. I don't care if it's rock cold. Do whatever you want. Yes that will be fine. Shut- shut up. Do not interrupt again." Jim ended the call and turned his attention back to Clarissa. "Sorry where were we?"
"Who are you to tell me love is?" She snapped at him.
"I- What?" Jim was taken back by her abrupt attitude change. Weren't they just at a brink of an epiphany?
"You don't know shit about what true love feels like. How can you sit here all high and mighty and tell me how things are in my life?" Clarissa jumped off the couch. "Fuck this shit."
"There it is again." Jim tried to take control of the situation before they lost all the progress they had made. "You deflect to anger in a time of emotional distress."
"Fuck You" she headed for the door.
"Don't you dare leave. We're not finished here." He watch her as she stopped at the door.
"What time is it?" She asked with her back to him.
"Huh?" Jim was stumped by the random question.
"What Time Is It?" She repeated.
Jim glanced at his watch. "Quarter til eleven."
"I'm starving, exhausted and need to sleep." Clarissa gripped the frame tight as she dropped her head. "At midnight you will have nine days. Leave me alone until then."
"We're not done yet." Jim jumped from his seat. He clung to his last resort. "If you take one step out of this room I will kill ALL of them. Everyone you've ever had contact with will be hunted down and put to death."
"Fine with me." She took a step. "You do what you have to do."
"YOU DON'T MEAN THAT." He slammed his fist against the desk causing Clarissa to spin around. Jim's head was down staring at the wood. "You don't mean that." His voice was more of a whisper as he raised his head. "You're only scared about the things that are coming to the surface."
"You don't know anything." She hissed at him from the exit. "You're only trying to keep me in a state of sleep deprivation to manipulate me into soaking up all your lies. You want to-"
"I want to show you a better life. The only way to do that is to make you accept the truth." He walked around his desk towards her.
"How can you know the truth when all you do in life is spin a web of lies?" She leaned on the frame and crossed her arms. "This is not some kind of fairy tale. You are not a knight in shining armor. I am not a damsel in distress."
Jim had stopped in the middle of the room. "All fairy tales started with a grain of truth. I am only here to help you." He opened his arms wide.
Clarissa knew he wasn't lying at this moment. They had already agreed upon the terms for the rest of her confinement. Once this night was over she had nine more days of this.
"I'll stay because I have a contract to uphold." She walked around Jim towards the desk. "But I need to know you are a reliable source. I cant take advice from someone I think is incapable of feeling these emotions you say I need to accept." Clarissa sat down behind Jim's desk. "Take a seat Mr. Moriarty"
Jim walked over to the couch and sat on the middle cushion. "Oh how the tables have turned." He joked at the situation.