Page 26

Chapter 10

Over the next week, we settled into a routine. Each morning, I woke to find the bed empty, and knowing that Jacob was having his morning swim, I headed to the balcony to watch him. Slowly, my embarrassment over his swimming naked disappeared, and I often found myself thinking of his gorgeous, sun-kissed body throughout the day.

After, he would shower and dress in a different room, almost as if he didn’t want to impose on me. At 8 am on the dot, I would join him for breakfast, where we would eat silently, but with Jacob’s attention fixed on me the entire time, something I had grown to like. Once we were finished, he would leave me to my morning yoga so he could work.

More often than not, Jacob would be too busy to join me for lunch, and I would eat alone, craving his company and his watchful gaze. In the afternoons, I passed the time by taking a walk along the beach to the rocks or reading one of the many books Jacob had acquired over the years, mostly classics or historical fiction.

By the evening, and desperate for company, I would change into whatever outfit Jacob had picked out for me before enjoying dinner together. It became my favorite part of the day, not just because I had Jacob to talk to, but because after, we cuddled on the couch to watch a film together or walk hand-in-hand along the beach, talking mainly about my life.

To my frustration, Jacob hardly spoke about his life, and when I asked questions to gain a little insight into the man who had invaded all my thoughts, he quickly changed the subject. I still knew as much about him as I did the day he brought me to the island, and yet, he seemed to know everything about me.

The day would end when we went to bed long after night had fallen, where Jacob would use his mouth or his fingers to bring me to orgasm before pulling me into his arms and falling asleep. Not once did he push for more or want me to reciprocate, and for that, I was grateful.

I wasn’t sure I was ready to take things further, certainly not when it came to sex, but was I desperate for Jacob to kiss me? Yes, yes I was, and I was sure if I asked him, he would have indulged, but something held me back. It felt a little…juvenile to be asking a twenty-nine-year-old man for a kiss.

The problem with routine, though, was that it gave me time to think. Now that the shock of my parents’ betrayal had settled, my head was clearer, giving me time to dwell on what the future had in store for me.

While I always knew I would be expected to marry and have children, I’d dreamed of attending a college and finishing my education before I was made to walk the path my parents had laid out for me. But now, trapped on the island, my dream had vanished into thin air.

Thoughts of my future turned into thoughts of what was happening back at home in the present. Did my mother and father miss me, and were they regretting their decision? What were my friends doing? Was Jenna worried about why I hadn’t been at school, and had Jenson finally reached out to apologize for leaving me to take the blame for his drug dealing?

Every question left me with a knot of anxiety tied impossibly tight in my stomach until I couldn’t take it any longer, which was why I found myself outside Jacob’s office door after he’d missed lunch, and giving myself a pep talk to go in and ask for what I wanted.

He had said on more than one occasion that he wanted what was best for me and to take care of my needs; all I had to do was ask, so I didn’t understand why I was so nervous about asking. Surely, he didn’t expect me to spend the rest of my life reading books I’d already read and taking afternoon walks around the small island?

That was enough to drive anyone insane.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I knocked on his office door, holding my breath until he called for me to come in. Attempting to still the nerves zapping around my body, I stepped inside.

His customary affectionate smile lifted his lips. “Angel, is everything okay?”

My hands fidgeted in front of me. “Uh, yes. I…I wanted to talk to you about something, but I can come back if you’re busy.”

He pulled his glasses off—I’d come to learn that he only needed them for reading, computer work, and watching TV—placing them on his desk. “I’ve always got time for you, angel. What’s on your mind?”

Forcing my hands to stop moving, I shuffled closer to his desk. He remained sitting, an expectant look on his face, and for some reason, I suddenly felt like I was the naughty schoolgirl about to be told off by her headmaster. “I’ve been thinking about my future these last couple of days, and I was wondering about school.”

“What about it?” Jacob replied, his tone flat as if all the warmth had drained from it.

“Well, I guess…” I struggled to find the words under his withering gaze. “I was only a few weeks away from graduating, and I’d been looking forward to going to college, and-”

“Why?”

My brows lifted at his abruptness. “Why am I looking forward to going to college?”

“Why do you want to go to college?”

I faltered, looking awkwardly around the room at the interrogation. “Because I want an education. If I ever need to get a job-”

“You don’t need an education, angel,” Jacob interrupted, shrugging dismissively. “And you certainly won’t need a job; I’ll take care of you.”

Like a goldfish, my mouth opened and closed several times, and I tried to tamper the anger boiling under my skin at having my dreams dashed in a heartbeat. “But I want an education, Jacob. I enjoyed school. I enjoyed learning.”

He sighed, getting to his feet and coming to stand in front of me, cupping my cheek. “You can still learn, angel. There are plenty of books here, and-”

My temper frayed. He wasn’t listening to me, just like my parents never listened to me. “I don’t want to learn here. I want to go to college.”

He dropped his hand, his jaw clenching, and a flash of rage lit up his eyes. “That won’t be happening, Charlotte. I’ll permit you to learn here; I’ll even allow you to undertake an online course, but you won’t be attending college.”