If I hadn’t been convinced before dinner of his innocence, his revelation about his history of food deprivation would have done it. What kind of sadistic motherfucker tortured someone with food? I had my kinks, fuck, we all did, but starving someone for your own shits and giggles was a step too far for me. He would never be hungry again if I had anything to say about it.
I had meant what I’d said. I had been horrified when I saw him eating warm tuna in mac and cheese. That was evil. I’d cook him meals for a prince and make him see what good food could do for you.
Worthy needed someone to show him he was good and perfect just the way he was. Even if he did need his kinks to be happy, he needed to know he could have them without the humiliation and emotional pain he’d been subjected to for so long.
I was the one to show him, and since it wasn’t safe to leave here for a while, I had all the time I needed to make him mine.
* * *
Three daysI let him sleep and rest. Three days I looked after him, feeding him and insisting that he keep taking the pills for the pain. It was oddly nice taking care of another person. He didn’t make a fuss, just ate and slept and used the bathroom when he was awake.
Three days was as long as I could wait to finish our conversation.
His bruises were healing, and his scrapes and cuts had all started to heal nicely. It was time to talk about my proposal and his future here. When he’d woken up this morning, I’d told him to get dressed and come back into the kitchen to eat breakfast. He’d seemed happy to comply. Things were looking good so far. When he shuffled into the kitchen in a pair of jeans and a plain purple tee, he’d never looked better. I loved the way the small bruise on his temple matched the purple of his shirt. I’d given him that mark. I was overwhelmed with the possessive feeling it gave me to see my mark on his skin.
I was cooking bacon in a cast iron skillet and let my hand briefly touch the burning metal to lessen the arousal I’d started to feel at seeing that bruise. A small flinch was all I allowed as my flesh singed on the side of the skillet. I could sabotage our first talk by being too forward, and I wouldn’t make such a silly mistake now. I purposely left my back to him when I spoke.
“Worthy, have a seat at the table, breakfast will be ready in a few minutes.”
From the corner of my eye, I could see him walk gingerly to the table and sit down carefully. He looked much better now, but he still needed careful care. I would see to it that he was good as new. Maybe even better.
I fixed our plates of scrambled eggs with cheese and a side of bacon, pouring us each a glass of water and smaller juice glass of orange juice before placing it all on the table. Marta had taught me how to set a nice table early in my childhood, and I’d never forgotten her stressing the importance of manners and etiquette to put people at ease. I hoped it worked in this instance.
“Go ahead and eat. We can talk while we eat, or after, whichever you prefer.”
Worthy looked at me a few seconds before answering. “Now is fine. I’ve been waiting for this, so I’d rather not wait anymore.”
He sounded resigned, maybe even reluctant. That wouldn’t do at all. I needed him to trust me more than anyone, which was why this conversation was so important. We should start as we meant to go along in the future. The truth at all cost.
“I’m going to be completely honest with you, Worthy, and I expect you to be completely honest with me. That’s the only way we can do this. It’s the only way I live my life. I insist on the truth, no matter what.”
“I appreciate that, but how do I know you’re really being honest with me. I’ve had what seems like a lifetime of lies. My perception seems to be completely corrupted now. I don’t know if I’ll be able to tell truth from lies now.”
Neither of us was eating, so I took a chance and placed my hand gently on top of his lying on the table as I answered him.
“When I took you from the cottage, I had every intention of torturing all of the information your ex wanted out of you and then killing you and disposing of you so no one would ever find your body. How’s that for the truth?”
Worthy stood up and tried to get away, but I wouldn’t let his hand go. I held on. The harder he pulled, I pulled harder, finally yanking him back into the chair. He gritted his teeth and ground out, “Let me go.”
“No, you’re not going anywhere. I’m telling you the truth, and you’re going to listen to it all. Now, stay in that chair and listen like a good boy, do you understand?”
His jaw still stayed as stiff as stone when he nodded quickly, letting his eyes stray to mine for a split second before dropping them to our firmly clasped hands.
“Okay, the rest of the truth is, I liked you from the first time I saw you. I thought you were cute as hell. I wanted you. But then I got the information that you weren’t what I thought you were and I was beyond pissed. I lost control and felt betrayed. I wanted to punish you for deceiving me, and I did. God, help me, I did. Jesus, then I found out I was wrong, and I didn’t know what to do.”
I rubbed my forehead over and over again, then ran my hand through my hair in a very rare show of frustration. This was unusual for me, but I wanted him to know the truth. All of it. I dropped my hand and let out a deep breath before explaining.
“You have to understand that my life is all black and white. People are either good or bad, there’s no in between for me. You were good, then you were bad and then you were back to being good again. I don’t hurt good people, Worthy. I’ve never done it, never in my life have I hurt an innocent person. Well, now I have. It kills me to know that. You’ve got to believe me. It keeps me up at night knowing I’ve hurt you when you’ve been hurt so much already. I’ve decided there’s only one thing I can do. I’ve decided to take care of you. I’m going to keep you here, where you’ll be safe until your ex can be dealt with.”
Worthy looked confused, and he had every right to look that way. Hell, I was confused about the situation, too. But I was set on my course of action. I had a plan and a goal in mind. Worthy was going to be mine.
“So, you consider me good in your mind now.”
I nodded, and he went on, “I’m safe here until Terrence has been dealt with? What does that mean?”
That was a little more complicated, but I promised to tell the truth.
“It means that I’m going to kill him in the near future. He’s going to die mainly for hurting you for so long, but also for lying to me and tricking me into hurting you. He dies painfully for that. Does that answer your question?”
