Page 42 of Survival

That was bullshit, but to be honest, if hewerea little nicer to me, I wouldhave just killed him quickly, rather than drag it out painfully,but he was an assholeso …

He gave me a small short chuckle and lookedmy way.

“It doesn’t matter how I treat you, Jaden.Even if I were the perfect gentleman, which I can be, you wouldstill try to run from me. So I might as well do what I want.”

Again with my grip on my knife.

“Now, finish your dinner before I take yourknife away,” he said, nodding at my now white knuckles beforereturning to his plate.

I was so pissed; I ran out of cuss words toscream in my head. I wasn’t hungry anymore, but I had only finishedhalf of my dinner. I tried to take a few more bites and sip on somewater.

As I sat there, I started to look at all thechairs around us and randomly thought about the family he wasplanning on building with me. Would they all be sitting here,happily eating dinner while I remained a prisoner? Would they knowof all the atrocities their mother had been subjected to beforethey were born? Would I still be a prisoner by then? I had afeeling Darren would never allow me to leave him even after I hadgiven him everything he wanted. Assuming I did give him everythinghe wanted. I wouldn’t be here long enough for that to happen.

“What’s going on in that pretty little headof yours now?” Darren suddenly asked me.

“Nothing,” was on the tip of my tongue. Butthere was no use in lying to him, especially when he wantedhonesty.

“I was just thinking about the family youmentioned yesterday and wondered how they would feel knowing howthey were brought into this world ... by force,” I said turning tohim for the last part.

I studied his reaction, but he had one hellof a poker face as he considered my words.

“By the time that happens,” he began, “itwill be of no concern to you.”

What the fuck was that supposed to mean?

“Why would it be of no concern of mine?” Icontinued the conversation after swallowing. “The children youexpect me to have will want to know how their mommy and daddymet.”

“And I will tell them the truth,” he saidtaking a bite from his dinner.

I was completely unprepared for thatresponse; that he would actually tell his children that he hadkidnapped their mother, had intended tosell her to anunsuspecting buyer, purchased her himself, raped, beat, and trainedher to his liking and then forced her to marry him and give birthto them. Yeah, that sounded like a real happily fucking everafter.

“What? You can’t subject a child to thatkind of knowledge. They won’t be able to handle it.”

“I can and I will, Jaden,” he said veryseriously, glaring at me with his piercing eyes. “Who do you thinkwill be taking over the family business when I retire? They willneed to know these things so they can understand and respectit.”

My eyes widened in disbelief. He wanted sonsso they could be monsters just like him. I couldn't believe what Iwas hearing. The fact he was even considering his line of worksomething worth being called the “family business” made me sick tomy stomach. I was quickly losing my appetite.

“And what if we have daughters?” I asked,perplexed.

“I don’t expect to have any, but if we do,they are not to be concerned with it. They don’t belong in thatline of work. If we do have a daughter, I plan to marry her off assoon as possible.”

My face revolted in disgust. What the hellwas this, the 1800s?

“That's it? Just marry her off as if she’sincapable of deciding her own life? What if she wants to go tocollege or travel the world?”

“She’ll do what her father tells her andthat will be the end of it. Just like you will.”

“And what if all we ever havearedaughters, huh?”

“Then I will keep breeding you until yougive me what I want.” He stared at me very seriously.

And that was what broke the final straw ofthis conversation. I shot up from my chair and leaned over towardhim, slamming my hands on the table.

“I am not some fuckingsteedyou can just breed at your goddamndisposal!” I shouted at him.

Dangerously calm as ever, Darren slowly rosefrom his seat, a vicious glare in his eye as he rose to his fullheight and towered over me.

“Sit. Down. Now,” he ordered, his voicesmooth and deadly, and it made me want to tremble. I glared backhard, wanting to retaliate and thinking of all the ways I could,but I didn’t want to end up back in my cage again. With the lookDarren was currently giving me, it was definitely on the table if Ididn’t shut up.