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Never this.
"Yes, sir," I said, and lowered my eyes before he could demand I do so.
On such tiny instances can a life completely change.
He maintained eye contact when I brought my gaze back up to meet his. It was a technique used in interrogations and effective AF. It's hard to be stared at directly for any period of time.
"If you choose to stay here, you will submit entirely to me. I will be your dominant and master, as I am already your owner."
He waited to see if I would object. Internally I wanted to roll my eyes, but for the first time a shiver passed through me. As if by paying Samuels whatever fool amount of money the foolish Samuels had asked for, somehow something in my own reality had changed.
In a way, I had submitted to Jesse. That had been a form of self defense. People automatically deferred to Jesse. He had both the charisma and the danger.
This was different.
"If you choose to stay here, you will be healed of your addiction to the opiate." He waited to see if I had anything to say to that before he went on. "You've probably already noticed a change?"
"I woke without a craving," I said. "I'm still not feeling it." On the back of the chair, one of his hands twitched. I said, without undue haste, "Sir."
His smile was closed mouthed but utterly smug. No. Not smug. Certain.
He knew it was appalling for me to call him sir. It is for most people who don't feel that they are in a subservient position or who don't wish to be. I knew who I was and what I was capable of. Take the armed guards out of the equation and I stood a chance against this man despite his height and reach and the extra weight he had on me. Even leaving the guards in place but taking out the weapons I'd still stand a chance.
Calling him sir was designed to put me in my place. I called relatively few men sir. My Taekwon-Do instructor. The police commissioner, who I'd had the need to address exactly once.
But he could help me.
Abruptly the Q&A ended.
"You'll adhere to my rules. You'll be in bed every night by nine unless I am entertaining. If I am entertaining, you will be dressed appropriately and groomed as befits the hostess and consort of a billionaire."
Consort? Would I wear a tiara?
How would any bruises play out in such a situation? Or was the sadism all a big lie? A little window dressing?
"You will be awake at five and out of bed by five-thirty."
Nine o'clock bedtime was barbaric. Getting up at five-thirty wasn't bad.
He went on to describe a day that didn't sound so bad. Plenty of hydration, plenty of protein shakes, lean meats, fruits and vegetables. On different days we would run together, hike in the desert, which I took to mean we were so remote that seeing the world around me still wouldn't help me locate myself. Back to the house for weights, yoga, and massage.
So far I was liking this.
Until he got to the part that I didn't.
Rules that were obeyed gained points. Rules that were disobeyed gained demerits.
Demerits built in severity of punishment until he was ready to deal with it.
"If on a given day you meet all of your goals, you'll find yourself rewarded," he said. "You might get dessert."
What am I, five? But just the expression on my face was enough to make his hand twitch again as if he was barely restraining himself from slapping me.
"Rewards can take different forms. Later bedtimes. Longer reading sessions. Contact with the outside world. Part of the day to do with as you wish."
Yep, five. He was a sadistic Mary Poppins.
"And demerits will be treated individually as I see fit. On a day when you talk back, look for ways to alter your consciousness, try to leave, refuse a direct command – those sort of infractions will be dealt with when I'm ready."
