UNDER HIS RULES

[11] b

The previous question made Beatrice turn her face away. She dared not look at Sam anymore. She also cursed herself for getting carried away with the treatment of this thug whom she should despise.

"Remember the rule I gave you, Beatrice," Sam said as he tilted Beatrice's chin. This time, he wasn't rough. "Don't turn your face away from me when I'm talking."

"Yes," Beatrice whispered.

"Tell me what you did while I was gone."

Beatrice blinked slowly.

"You left this room, right? What was my instruction before I left?"

Suddenly, fear filled Beatrice.

"What?" Sam asked with a tone that made the fear in Beatrice's mind grow. "Answer!"

"I-I wasn't allowed to leave this room."

"And then? Why did you do it?"

"I-I... I couldn't spend all my time in this room!" Beatrice tried hard to gather her remaining courage. Despite trembling, she managed to create some distance between herself and Sam. "I could die of boredom in here!"

Sam nodded slowly. He also moved away from Beatrice, knowing that she sighed in relief. Sam walked towards the sofa where several bottles of his favorite drinks were already prepared. He poured the liquid into a glass and savored it slowly, wetting his throat.

"Sit here," Sam commanded, patting the side of the sofa next to him.

Beatrice fell silent for a moment. Her mind calculated the various possibilities. If she refused, surely Sam would treat her harshly. If she complied... would Sam behave nicely? But there was no choice for Beatrice, was there? Eventually, she took a step closer and sat in the spot Sam pointed to.

"Drink?"

Beatrice quickly shook her head.

Sam shrugged. "You haven't answered my question yet. What did you do while I was gone?"

"I already answered," Beatrice replied.

The man turned and burst into laughter upon hearing Beatrice's words. "That's not an answer!" Sam's tone of voice began to change. His gaze also stared sharply at Beatrice. "Tell me what you did while you were outside my room."

"Do you really have to know?" Beatrice swallowed her saliva. It seemed like she misspoke.

"Ah... I'll cut to the chase. Do you want to tell the story while I continue the activity that was interrupted yesterday? I'm more than ready to resume that activity."

***[]***

Beatrice had trouble sleeping. She wasn't used to it, ah... it was the first time she slept with someone else. Besides her mother, of course. The three-room rented house made Beatrice and her mother accustomed to sharing a thin mattress with an old bedsheet as a makeshift mattress cover.

But that was a long time ago. Beatrice didn't want to remember her mother's presence because sadness would surely overpower her.

But now?

By her side was Sam, fast asleep with an expression of excessive tiredness. Sometimes Beatrice noticed—she tried to remember; how long had she been observing Sam's face next to her? Around an hour? Two hours? Oh my, God! It had been almost three hours, and Beatrice still couldn't find sleep—there was a crease on Sam's forehead.

Beatrice wondered how many times she wanted to smooth out that crease, but hesitation always approached. She was afraid that the sleeping lion embracing her would wake up. And threaten her. Pounce on her and tear her body apart without mercy.

In the end, all Beatrice could do was stare at the ceiling of Sam's room. The ceiling she had become so familiar with over the past few days. The conversation with Sam a few hours ago was also not easily dismissed from Beatrice's mind.

"I'm going to help Ute in the kitchen," Beatrice said softly. As an explanation for what Sam had asked.

"Helping with cooking?" Sam repeated.

Beatrice nodded slowly. "I'm bored here. There's nothing to do. I should be in college, right? But because I'm in a place that I don't even know exists on this Earth, I don't know what else to do." It was the first time Beatrice spoke at length to Sam. Whether he was listening or not, those were the thoughts inside her heart.

"Do you still want to go to college?"

That question clearly made Beatrice turn her head and furrow her brows.

"Well... maybe if my mind recovers, you'll allow me to go back to college."

Beatrice scoffed.

"Besides cooking, what else have you been doing?"

"Nothing," Beatrice replied curtly. "The kitchen is already busy enough. I help Ute before lunch. Sometimes I chat with Anne."

Beatrice's statement was true. Before Sam questioned the girl sitting beside him, he already received a clear report on what Beatrice had been doing.

"Why didn't you try to escape?" Sam asked, sipping his drink again.

"I forgot their name. They told me that if anyone in this house tries to escape from you, it wouldn't be difficult for you to find that person who ran away."

Sam chuckled.

"In the end, I am indeed your prisoner until Old Man Wayne has the money, right?"

"I don't think he'll be able to ransom you."

"You truly are the most despicable, heartless thug."

Sam laughed, but shortly after, his gaze turned toward Beatrice, trapping her without permission.

"What do you want?" Beatrice asked, her eyes widened in surprise.

"What do you think?"

Beatrice tried hard to create distance between herself and Sam. Though it was difficult, she fought to defend herself. The shadow of where Sam stripped her down returned. Like a damaged cassette tape that she despised and wanted to get rid of immediately.

"Don't come near!" she shouted. Even though her back hit the edge of the sofa, Sam didn't move away from her. "Don't!"

Did Beatrice's words make a difference? Not at all. In one swift motion, Sam lifted her up. Beatrice's screams only served as decorations in the room. Until Beatrice felt her body being dropped onto the bed. At that moment, Beatrice felt an opportunity to break free, but Sam moved faster.

"Let me go!" Beatrice shouted, while striking Sam. She used anything within her reach, her hands, her feet, making use of them as best she could. It didn't matter if Sam would be hurt later. After all, he had done the same to her.

"Be quiet," Sam said.

"Let me go!"

In an instant, right in the middle of the bed, every move Beatrice made was abruptly stopped. Sam half-pinned Beatrice's body down, locking the hands that had been striking his chest and restraining the girl's legs that had hit his thighs several times.

"I said be quiet," Sam said with an intimidating tone. It only made Beatrice more frightened. Her eyes were already teary.

"Let me go," Beatrice whispered softly. "Don't touch me."

Sam loosened his grip on Beatrice's hands slightly. He leaned down, but not to kiss the girl's lips. Instead, he tightly embraced her trembling body, which he then felt stiffen.

"I'm tired, Beatrice. Stay with me tonight."