Chapter 3

Jade resisted the urge to pull herself free. She knew it would be futile, he was simply too strong for her. But his words… He was completely insane. Inhumanly strong and crazy. That combination was not working in her favour. Not at all. Why was he here?

'I don't know what you are talking about. But I belong to no one but myself. Now let – me -go!' Jade then tried to pull her arms from his grip, but he simply held her firmer and cocked his head to the side. His grin was growing, as were her nerves.

'Nice try Jade. Now come one, we don't have all night.' He pulled her form her place and for a moment brought her out of balance, so she needed to move with him in order not to fall or trip over her own feet. It was exactly how he had planned it, she realised. It only lasted a moment before Jade found her balance again and stopped moving, making him stop moving too. He turned around and watched het slowly, taking his time, making her feel even more uncomfortable. His eyes went from her legs up to her torso, until they landed on her face. Like he was deciding what he would do. How easily he could take her against her will. And she was not liking the look he gave her after that, placing one hand on her upper arm the other on a certain spot on her neck, not putting much pressure there, but the gesture was very disturbing.

'I did ask nicely Jade,' She could not get over the fact his voice sounded as deep as it did. Almost as if he growled. She saw he swallowed once before he let his fingers move on her neck, as if he was stroking her there. He found the little hollow place on the front of her neck, slowly letting his finger feel that too, his eyes watching how his fingers traced her skin. She shivered and saw his eyes moved up, watching her face.

'I won't ask again Jade. Come willingly.' His eyes watched her closely. Waiting for any sign of defiance. And she did not disappoint. He saw the fight behind her eyes. She was scared. Terrified. But she would fight. He smiled. She really did not disappoint.

Jade was waiting for him to release her the tiniest bit. And then she would turn and try the balcony, it was her only option. If only he would let her go…

She felt him move his fingers a bit, but she started struggling as she felt him put more pressure behind his grip. He sought for a certain spot and suddenly it dawned on her.

'No!' She managed to say before he finally put pressure behind his fingers, and everything grew dark before her eyes and she grew limp in his strong arms.

Jade registered her head felt heavy, painful even. But she had no idea why or what had happened. She stirred a bit and then opened her eyes, finding herself on top of a large bed. Slowly she remembered what had happened before she passed out. Who it had been that made her pass out…

'Oh, go no…' She sat up and grabbed her neck, still feeling his fingers on her skin. While she could precisely tell where he had placed his fingers, her neck was not hurting. Not like her head was. Not like her heart was. For a moment she took a deep breath, before she acknowledged the pain inside of her. She was scared, helpless and kidnapped by a monster. A devil. That could never end well… She felt like she couldn't breathe properly and sat up even more, taking a large gulp of air. It was then, in her blind panic, she saw she was not alone in the room. Not alone at all. She wanted to scream, to tell the monster to get away from her, but she just couldn't. He came closer, slowly, but her panic clouded her sight and her not being able to breathe right was her main problem right now.

'Easy Jade, easy.' She managed to turn away when he bowed down next to her, but that was all she could do. Her chest hurt, it was like someone had taken the air from her lungs and was not willing to return it to her. The deep sound of his voice was doing nothing for her panic, in fact it made it even harder to breathe in.

'You are having a panic attack, Jade. It will pass. Take smaller breaths.' She registered him sitting down on the bed next to her, but she had no energy to move herself. Instead of taking smaller breaths, she was taking larger gulps of air. The breaths she took where so shallow, it never seemed enough for her. She knew he was probably right, but she just couldn't do it. It was when she started to feel lightheaded in her head, he took her in his arms, and placed her on his lap. In her panic state of mind, Jade felt him touching her, but she had no energy to react. She needed more air, now. He placed a large hand on her stomach and told her to breath in deeper, from her stomach, from where he had placed his hand on her belly. She closed her eyes and tried. But if was hard to focus on anything. The painful feeling in her chest was growing every minute.

'You're doing good Jade, try to breathe slower, deeper. Breathe from your stomach.' He kept telling her to remain calm and that she was doing good. It would pass. It seemed hours before she finally felt a little better and his voice was no longer just scary, but also made her feel a little less panicked. She could not exactly pinpoint out the moment her breaths became better, but after a little while, they did. She felt a little better instantly. Her head was less clouded, but the painful feeling in her heart, that hole, was still there.

'Good girl. Easy now.' He still kept his hand on her stomach, and her engulfed within his arms on his lap. The clearer her mind became, the more she felt his presence behind her. He was not only too close for her taste, but he was also enormous, muscular and so very warm. She hated to admit it, but his warm body helped her calm down, even while he was the one that had caused all this in the first place. When she breathed in properly, she sat up and moved away from his lap. Well, she tried, the hand on her stomach moved to her arm, as his other hand did to her other arm. Once again, she was trapped.

'Easy Jade, we wouldn't want you to lose that oxygen again, would we?' She tried to pull herself free, but he was not letting go.

'Let me go,' she managed to say, her voice revealing how tired she felt. She heard him clear his throat before he pulled her back on his lap, bringing his lips right next to her ear. She felt his strong legs beneath her and that did nothing for her nerves, or her fear.

'I will release you in a moment. If you can behave, that is. No running, no escaping. The door is locked anyway, as are the windows. Trust me.' Jade felt the hole in her heart grow even deeper at his words. His warm breath on her ear was freaking her out even more. He had been really thinking this through… That did not make her feel better at all. She did not trust him. Not at all. But she remained calm, silent. She forced herself not to move, not until he would let her go. She heard him swallow, before he released her arms. She moved instantly, rolling of his lap and the bed, standing as far away from the bed as she could. She forced herself to keep her breathing steady, because she was sure he would get to her again if she failed.

He seemed just as scary as before, just as enormous and large. He stood from the bed and sat down in one of the chairs near the window. Not too far away from her, but allowing her, her space. For now. Her eyes never left his form, afraid he would jump at her. She did register the room had a large bed, with blue bedding. And he was sitting in on of the two chairs in the room. There was an empty desk and a cabinet. Nothing more. The room and its furniture were nice enough, but Jade had no time to be bothered by that. She was kidnapped. She was in his home, his territory. And she was still in danger.

She pushed herself flat against the wall, bothered with his silver eyes, watching her, not missing anything.

'You will not be harmed Jade. I give you my word. You are safe in this house.' Jade watched him speak but felt not better at all. She moved back to the bed, slowly, afraid she would drop to her knees if she would not sit down instantly. He watched her move, not moving himself as to not scare her anymore.

'How's your head?' The normality of the question almost astonished her. She swallowed, not sure if she wanted to speak with him at all.

'Jade.' She wondered how he could do that, be so dominant and sound so in charge with speaking just one word. She knew he was warning her.

'Better.' He still did not move.

'I don't want to be here.' Her voice sounded small, but she knew he had heard her. He seemed frozen.

'I know.' She was surprised he answered her at all.

'Where am I?' He cocked his head to the side, almost as if he was thinking about what to tell her. To determine how ready she was to hear his story. She pulled her legs up on the bed, so she could rest her head on her knees.

'You are in our home.'

He saw the change in her after speaking those words. Her body tensed all over and he decided to not tell her anymore. She was not ready. And he was not blaming her for that. It broke his heart to see her so fragile, broken and scared. But she was his. He would help her rebuild. She would even be stronger in the end, and safer too.

'I have a life. A job. I can't be here.' He decided to remain silent for a while. He felt her fear and growing anger. She needed to let it out. He wondered if she dared to do it with him in the same room.

'You have to let me go.' His eyes looked straight into hers, but his body was not moving.

'Stop looking at me like that.' He bit his cheek to keep himself from grinning at her words. She turned herself on the bed, breaking eye contact for a moment, before he watched him again. He did grin then.

'For someone who keeps complaining about my staring eyes, you often are doing the exact same thing, Jade.' And he loved it. In the dim lighted room, he could see better than her, and her little blush did not go unnoticed by him. It warmed his cold heart just a little.

'What do you want from me.' Her words sounded more like a plea now, smaller too.

'This room is yours for tonight. Escaping will be futile. Your body needs all the rest it can get. We will talk more tomorrow.' He stood from his chair and saw her panic once more.

'You are locking me in this room? Leaving me here?' He watched her eyes grow bigger. He felt the tension in the room change, her level of fear increased to a new hight. He walked towards the bed, stopping a meter away from her.

'Do you want me to stay in here, with you Jade?' He watched the conflict play behind her eyes. She did not want to be alone, but she also did not want him to keep her company because she feared him. He wondered what she would choose. His company or solitude. He did not have to wait long.

'Please don't lock me in here.' Her voice had grown even smaller. He leaned down on the bed, his muscular arms suddenly right in front of her. Jade moved back a little.

'We will talk more in the morning Jade. Nothing will happen to you in here.' Her raw panic was not something he enjoyed, but he knew she needed time. Time to think and time to adjust. He was just debating on if she would rest being alone in the room. But then again, would she rest when he was in the same room…

He saw her eyes tear up and then made the decision for her.

'Try to get some sleep Jade, I will wake you early. There's a bathroom through that door.' He pointed towards one of the two doors while walking towards the other. He turned to watch her sit on the bed. She was so small, so fragile and innocent. If only she knew what he had done for her, how much they could help each other. How proud he was of all the things she had already accomplished… It was a pity all of that would have to wait. She needed time. It was only normal.

'If you need me, just call for me. I will hear you.' He unlocked and opened the door, watching her one last time.

'Sleep Jade, you need it.'

Jade watched him walk out of the door and heard him lock it. She did not know if she felt relieved, he had left her, or scared now she was all alone in this strange room. She slowly stood from the bed and walked over towards the window. She needed to know where she was and hoped the view would help her. She hated that it was so dark. She could only see a large garden, stables and a pool. Maybe in daylight she would see more… She hoped she would. Who was this man and why had he taken her? What were his motives. He seemed a lot clearer than some lunatic. But his actions told otherwise. He was crazy. He seemed to think he had the right to take her from her life, to keep her. That she was his…

She slowly walked back to the bed and let herself sink down on it, crying softly. Her head hurt, as did her chest. She knew she was in great danger and her life could end any moment. How all of her worries seemed so unimportant now. She rolled herself to a little ball and cried herself in and out of sleep, never knowing her soft crying was heard by the monster on the other side of the door.

Riddick wondered if this was worth it, hearing her fall apart even more. It was his mate that was hurting, and he felt her pain quite clearly. He had given her the guest room, next to his so he would hear her call if she needed him. Not that he expected her to call for him. She was too stubborn, like he was. He walked inside of his room, keeping the door open, listening to her soft crying until she fell asleep and the crying ceased.

He kept his clothes on, lying down on his bed and wondering when she would accept him fully as her mate, and if he would feel her joy as clear as her pain.

A soft sound woke Jade from her light sleep and she instantly sat up straight, afraid in the still dimmed room. Her eyes found him pretty soon, as his silver eyes found hers. He saw her tired eyes, puffy from crying.

'Why are you here?' Her voice was broken. It hurt him to admit it.

'It's morning Jade.' He watched her get up from her side of the bed while he stood next to the other.

'I've come to get you for breakfast. Come.' He watched her move slowly, like a wounded animal. For a moment he wanted to take her in his arms again, to make sure he was not hurt, but he knew her body had not rested at all. Not nearly enough after all she had been through. He walked towards the door of the room and waited for her there. She hesitated a moment. He forced himself to remain calm. Fist she didn't want to be locked in the room and now she was afraid to leave it.

'Jade?' He watched her move and stepped outside of the room, giving her space between him and herself. She moved cautiously and slow, but she was moving. He walked down the hall, towards the stairs. He kept glancing behind him to make sure she was following. To his amazement, she did. He led her down the stairs and into the kitchen, towards a table with breakfast already set out. Toast, pancakes, fruits, bread and fresh juice. He walked around the table, seeing her eyes lit up a bit, before they watched him again. She was not trusting him or the food. He pulled out a chair, but instantly knew she would not sit down with him that close. She pulled out a chair herself and sat down, watching him do the same on the other side of the table. He poured her some juice and placed he glass next to her empty plate.

'You will need to eat something.' He sensed her distrust and started filling his own plate, hoping she would follow his example. Until he took a sip from the juice, she touched nothing, but after that she dared to take a small sip. Her eyes seemed so tired and red, that he handed her two aspirins, placing them next to her plate. He saw her eyes grow wide.

'Aspirin, nothing more. Your head must be hurting. But eat something first.' She was not touching anything more than the juice, but her eyes watched him eat. He took a bite from his toast and the pancakes, hoping she would figure out it was not poisoned or whatever she was fearing.

'Your body needs the nutrition, if you want to feel any better. Eat, sleep some more. Then I will answer your questions.' Her eyes met his again. He saw uncertainty in them, along with doubt and fear. But mostly they seemed tired, completely worn out. He was relieved when she touched a little of the fruit and ate a bit. It was not much, but it was something. He sat there, watching her eat like a little bird, not touching the aspirin, for almost half an hour, before he guided her back to the room, telling her to get some more sleep. She followed him, keeping her safe distance still, but she was walking on her own.

When she was inside the room once more, he stood in the doorway.

'Everything in here is for you to use, take what you need, shower, sleep.' She sat down on the bed, but this time he was not giving her space to ask more questions. He did leave the aspirin on her nightstand, but then he left her, this time not locking the door.