XI. I Don't Belong to You

Antoinette looked at Erik while he brought back Zuri's body. "You didn't!"

"No. But I came close to it." Erik growled.

"Erik. You can't hurt her because she wants to learn more about you!"

After he had come back he argued, "What do you know! Nothing. I don't want to live my life with a wench getting in my business."

"Christine didn't love you! Zuri wants to know you and you treat her like this. You are punishing her the way you should have punished Christine."

"Antoinette!"

"Admit it Erik! You can't punish Christine so you punish the next person."

"Who gives a damn! You even said she had no talent! What makes the situation

different?"

"Because Zuri sought you out. Not the other way around."

"Then she is a stalker!"

"Damn you Erik! What is your problem? For the first time in your life there is a woman who loves you and wants to give you love but you are too stubborn to see it! Rot in hell for all I care! Just don't drag Zuri down with you." Antoinette said then turned around and left.

xxxx

Erik thought back to the last time he had talked to Antoinette. He couldn't stand what she had said. The thing that hurt him was that she might be right about him. Where was he now in life? He hadn't married or gave a woman the proper love she deserved. But what was it that irritated him so much about her. He looked at her and couldn't stand her.

He suddenly walked towards his bedroom and watched her from the archway. He looked at her and smiled at her. Sighing he walked to her and reached to stroke her hair softly. "Please don't touch me. I do not want to soil you."

"You are being silly."

"Go to hell."

He began to become more angry. Sighing, he said, "I need to explain to you about some things."

"What game are you playing? You don't need to explain anything. I know exactly why you are here."

"And why am I here?"

"To have me in your bed. Why else?"

"Why are women so determined to be right?"

She reached up, determined to slap him, but instead her hand was caught in his own. "I am not determined to be right. I am determined to have you treat me better. I am not your whore and I refuse to be."

Why was she trying to make him mad! "You are so infuriating."

She turned away from him then sighed, "I can say the same about you Erik."

He pressed his hands against her shoulders then pushed her on her back. After

pressing her hands to the mattress and letting her struggle for a few minutes, he decided that he would let her temper tantrum go on until she exhausted herself enough to listen to him. "Let me go!"

"No."

"Erik stop this!"

"Not until you are silent."

She saw no choice but to calm down and listen to him. She still was not going to allow him to hurt her. "I don't belong to you!"

"Until I can trust that you will stop acting like a little child."

"Erik you have no idea what being a child means."

"My childhood was wasted!"

"I am not at fault for that. I wish if anything you wouldn't have had such a horrible childhood but you can't treat me like this!" She beat her hands against his chest futilely. "You wouldn't treat Christine like this!"

He pulled her head back by grabbing a fistful of hair. "No. I would probably treat her worse. Now let me explain."

"There is nothing to explain!"

Before Erik knew what he was doing he pushed her on her back once more and pressed a black-clothed thigh between her thighs. She groaned softly in his ear. Pale hands grasped his shirt. "This is wrong." She said suddenly.

"Why?"

"You hate me. I can never fill Christine's shoes."

He pushed her skirts up to her waist then pressed a hand against her pale thigh. Her breath hitched in her throat. She then felt his other hand come around her neck and his fingers stroke the nape of her neck. "Please stop."

Erik narrowed his eyes at her. "What is the matter with you?"

"I do not want to be second to anyone. I want a person to love me because that person does."

He groaned softly into her ear. "This is my way to apologize to you."

Sitting up she told him, "Obviously by fucking me."

"By God you are such an immature child."

"I will not be second to anyone Erik. I am worth more than what you think I am." She stood from the bed and ran into the inner chamber.

"Where are you going?"

"I am going to think for awhile. Come and get me when you feel like you can really treat me right."

Author's Note: Hope you enjoy this chapter! Thanks for the reviews ahead of time.