"Erik, could I borrow the car to go downtown tomorrow?" Christine pleaded as Erik continued to work on his music.

"No."

"Can I get David to take me then?"

"No."

"Why not?" Christine didn't understand why Erik was being so difficult today. It was not as if though she was asking for a kidney. She simply wanted to go downtown and get a cup of coffee with Ryan. Of course, she had not told Erik this. Erik had seemed to growth rather possessive of her lately. It was very rarely that she was allowed to leave the house without him.

Erik stood up and walked towards Christine, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Did you think Erik would not find out about that ignorant boy? You shall not see him, ever again. Do I make myself clear, Christine?"

Christine shrugged her shoulders out of his grip. "You can not tell me who I may see, Erik. In fact, I am not going to stay here if this is the way you're going to behave. I am not your little plaything, Erik! I may date whoever I wish."

"No." Erik said sternly.

"No?" Christine questioned.

"No. You belong to Erik. You will stay with Erik, whom you love and care for."

"What are you talking about? I think should go spend the night at Elizabeth. It will give you some time to come to your senses. I'll get David to take me."

"Christine, go to your room. Right now." Erik pointed to the door.

"I am not a child, Erik."

"As long as you continue to behave as one, you shall be treated as such. Now go."

Christine stomped down to her room. Who did he think he was? She didn't have the energy or gull to fight with Erik anymore tonight. She pulled out her night clothes and retreated into her bathroom to get ready for bed.

Erik waited until he heard the shower running before he opened Christine's door. He quickly disconnected her phone and took it with him. He didn't want her calling her friends only for them to get her more riled up. Come to think of it, he wasn't sure her friends were the type of people he wanted his future bride to be around. He sighed. He shut the door and retrieved his keys from his pocket. He locked the door and walked back to his office to call Sarah.

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Christine awoke when she heard someone knocking at her door. Before she could get up, Sarah came in, carrying a breakfast tray. "Good morning, Christine. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you." Christine sat up, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Sarah, why did you bring breakfast up?"

"I heard you and master Erik had a squabble last night."

Christine's voice was barely a whisper as she blushed. "Erik likes to control too much."

"Master is sorry for losing his temper, Christine. You must forgive him."

"I don't have to do anything." How dare she ensuant that Christine had to something to please Erik?

"Please, mistress. He is in a terrible state. He did not sleep at all last night, worried that you would not forgive him."

"I'll go talk to him." Christine took a bite of a pastry.

"Thank you, Christine. You do not know how much your forgiveness means."

"I said I'd talk to him. Not forgive him."

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Christine tapped softly on Erik's door. "Erik, may I please come in?"

Erik lifted his face out of his hand. "Yes."

Christine pushed down the handle and leaned against the door, shutting it after she was in. "Good morning, Erik."

"You are very beautiful this morning, Christine." Erik did not think that beautiful was the word to describe her. She looked amazing, like the goddess she was.

"Thank you. Erik, Sarah says you haven't been to bed yet."

"Don't let the things Sarah says trouble you, my dear."

Christine approached the chairs in front of Erik's desk. "Erik, may I sit?"

"Yes, please." She was actually planning on staying for more than a few minutes. Erik was suddenly hopeful that she might come to forgive him for scaring her last night.

"Erik, I think we have been spending too much time together."

"Christine, I am sorry I lost my temper last night. I will try to do better in the future. I swear."

"Erik, it's not that."

"Then tell me, Christine. Tell Erik what he must do to make you forgive him and stay?"

"Erik, you and Sarah are partially the only people that I ever see. I want you to hear me out and think about it before you say anything. Registration at the college starts next week. I want to take a class. Just one. I promise I'll keep up with my other lessons. I'll even pay for the course myself."

"Have you been talking to Elizabeth?"

"Yesterday."

"I will have Nadir purchase a cell phone."

"Is that a yes?"

"I don't see a problem with this." Erik smiled quickly before returning to his stony, unreadable face. She was willingly going to stay, and that was all that mattered to

Erik. "As long as you understand a few rules."

"Of course."

"Don't roll your eyes, Christine. It's unladylike. I must go to the office on Mondays so David and I will drop you off on the way there. You may have between eight and noon on these days to take as many classes as you want. I will pay for your education, Christine. There is no need for you to worry about money."

"Alright, Erik." Christine nodded. She couldn't believe he was actually going to let her go. "I want you to rest. I refuse to deal with you this afternoon if you are going to be cranky."

Erik stood and walked over to Christine. He kneeled before her and took her hands into his. "If that is what you wish, my love." He kissed her right hand and then her left, replacing both hands in her lap without releasing them. Christine looked down to see a ring now on her left hand. She looked at Erik with questioning eyes.

"I will not force you to do anything that you do not want to, my dear. But you must understand, I love you, and no one will ever take you away from me."

Christine tried to pull her hands out of his. "Erik, I am tired and want to go lay down."

"Of course, my dear. This has been quite a bit much to deal with. I must run downtown. You take the day off, and we will continue with lessons tomorrow." Erik released her.

The moment Christine was out of his office, she ran down to her room. She threw herself on the bed and started to cry. She was not expecting him to say. She was most definitely not expecting him to claim her as his. Finally, she tried to get the ring off. When pulling did not work, she went in the bathroom to try soap and water.

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"Why didn't you tell me you're getting married?" Elizabeth took Christine's left hand.

"I am not."

"That's a pretty expensive ring on your left ring finger for you not getting married."

"It's a long story."

"We got thirty minutes. Let's go get a cup of coffee, and you can explain."

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"Christine, this guy sounds like a creep. What were you thinking? There's no way this can be legal."

"Thanks for not judging."

"Sorry. What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. I've been there for two months now. Sometimes, it's not bad, but there are times that he scares me. It's then I worry he will never let me go."

"My roommate is moving out at the end of this semester. You could move in. It would be like old times before this mess."

"Thanks."

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Christine had a feeling that she would regret her actions, but Elizabeth was right. Erik had no right to control her life. She was nearly twenty years old. She snuck out the kitchen door and to the end of the driveway. She had found that Raphael was returning at around 11 every night. If she was quick, she would be able to slip through the gate before it closed after letting him in.

Somehow, she managed to do it. It was going to be tricky to sneak back in. She would do it though. She walked for a few minutes when she saw Meg's car driving up. She climbed in and prayed that Erik wouldn't find out that she had gone to meet Ryan against his wishes.