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I wasn’t hungry, nor could I face him. Not when I was too worked up.

Resuming my staring out to sea, I stayed on the balcony long after the sun had set. My stomach eventually growled at my missed dinner, but whenever I reminded myself of Jacob destroying my future with a single sentence, nausea replaced my hunger.

When a familiar scent engulfed me, my body tensed. I refused to glance Jacob’s way as he sidled up to me, resting his arms on the balcony in the same way I was leaning on it.

“You missed dinner, angel,” he said after several long minutes had passed.

“I wasn’t hungry.”

“Hmm.”

He fell silent, and despite my anger bubbling away under the surface of my skin, I couldn’t help but hate the awkwardness hanging in the air between us. In the time we’d spent together, I’d grown to enjoy Jacob’s company, and not just when he was bringing me pleasure.

But the stubborn part of me refused to back down. An education may not have been important to Jacob, but it was important to me, and I was determined to fight my corner.

Jacob twisted to face me, and although I refused to meet his gaze, I could feel his eyes burning into me. “Are you ready to talk about earlier?”

“Which part?” I replied, trying to keep the emotion out of my voice. “The part where you told me I wasn’t allowed to go to college, or that part where you accused me of acting like a child?”

A dark chuckle floated from his lips. “I’m not sure I like this attitude, angel.”

I spun, meeting his gaze as quiet anger turned into heated rage. “Well, I’m not sure I like being told what to do with my life, Jacob.”

His lips curled into a devious grin, and before I could brace myself, he closed the gap between us, gripping my hips and walking me backward until my back crashed against the wall. He lowered his mouth, his hot breath fanning over the shell of my ear as he spoke. “Keep it up, angel, and I’ll have no choice but to spank that attitude out of you.”

My breath hitched, my eyes widening in outrage. “What?” I asked, barely able to force the word out thanks to the invisible hand gripping my throat at his threat.

Like he had done so many times before, he ran a finger down my cheek in a light caress, and despite his words ringing in my ears, it didn’t stop the butterflies from fluttering to life in my stomach. I gritted my teeth, hating the feelings he elicited from me with a single touch.

Jacob’s smirk deepened, and he moved his finger under my chin, pressing gently to close my mouth. “I’ll assume you’re not ready to talk about your behavior just yet, angel. Hopefully you’ll feel better in the morning.”

He stepped back, and I sucked in a deep breath now that I wasn’t trapped under his spell. A reply lingered on my tongue, but under his blistering stare, it died a painful death, and I was helpless but to watch his retreating figure as he strolled back into the bedroom and straight out the door.

Chapter 11

Jacob didn’t sleep in our bedroom, and several times during the night, I reached out, searching for his warm embrace, only to find the space next to me was empty and cold. I didn’t know if I was glad he’d stayed away or not, conflict raging in my head.

His threat of spanking me played on my mind until I succumbed to sleep, and when I woke up the next morning, it was the first thing I thought of. I tried convincing myself that he hadn’t meant it, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t ignore the malice lacing his tone as he delivered his words.

There were no new clothes waiting for me to change into after my shower, but thankfully, Jacob hadn’t taken the clothes I’d been wearing the day before to be cleaned. I put them back on, grimacing at having to wear the same underwear for two days running, before heading down to breakfast.

I wasn’t particularly looking forward to seeing Jacob, but my stomach had been growling from the minute my eyes opened, and having skipped dinner last night, I was famished. Tentatively pushing the door open to the dining room, I held my breath in preparation for seeing Jacob, releasing it at discovering he wasn’t sitting at the table.

Despite thinking that I didn’t want to see him, disappointment swept through me as I took my seat. A few minutes ticked by before Wallace came in through the kitchen door, carrying a bowl. I gave him a small smile, which he didn’t reciprocate, before placing breakfast in front of me.

My heart sank as I stared at the bowl of grits. Why did he have to keep bringing me grits? It was as if it was some kind of punishment for not eating his dinner the night before.

Urgh, I sounded ungrateful, but I was starving. I didn’t know if it was better to force them down to ease the hunger pains, but risk throwing them up, or skip another meal and hope lunch was better.

Catching Wallace as he headed back toward the kitchen, I sprang to my feet, calling his name. He paused, his features set in their usual stoic expression as his dull eyes met mine.

“Is Jacob here?” Wallace shook his head. “Has he gone to the mainland?”

He bobbed his head, and before I could ask him when Jacob would be home, he gave me his back and disappeared into the kitchen. The anger that had begun to recede overnight rose to the surface, and as my gaze drifted to the grits sitting on the table, my lips pursed.

Jacob had gone to the mainland again, yet he took great pleasure in telling me I wasn’t allowed off this damn island. He could have taken me with him at the very least; even if he had work to do and was in meetings all day, I would have sat quietly, enjoying looking at something other than the walls of the house and the endless ocean.

Hot tears burned my eyes, and I ripped them away from the beige, stodgy grits and stormed out of the dining room.