Survival

in troubleoften. But, for the most part, I suggest you just keep your mouthshut if you want to remain respectful.”
Ha! Feisty attitude? Did he not know me at all?
“As far as your attire, you can wear anything I haveprovided for you in the closet and dressers, but know that mytastes are very particular when it comes to what I like to see on awoman.”
That didn’t sound good. He probably had a bunch ofslutty dresses and miniskirts waiting for me in those drawers.Fucking pervert.
“You should also know I’m a firm believer inpunctuality. God help you if youare ever late for anything. If I give you a specific time to besomewhere, you'd better not be a second late, or you will learnvery quickly how important punctuality is to me.”
Well, now I wasdefinitely fucked…
“And for the last rule. Don’t ever lie to me.I will know if you are, and it is not something you want me tocatch you doing. I expect nothing but complete honesty. You canalso expect the same from me as well. I will never lie to youeither. You will come to find I am always a man of my word,Jaden.”
Oh, I would be honest with him, all right. Brutallyfucking honest, but only for a short period of time. I had a damngood poker face, and it would serve me well against this dictatorfrom Hell.
“Should you ever break any of these rules, you willbe punished immediately and severely. Remember, your new goal in life is to please me. So long as youkeep me happy, Jaden, I will keep you happy, and you will neverwant for anything.”
“Except my freedom,” I dejected, furrowing my browsat him.
He sighed heavily. “I know it’s a lot,” he said,cupping my face in his hand. “And it may take some getting used to,but eventually, all of this will become second nature, and you willsoon find yourself enjoying your time here with me.”
Was this guy on drugs??? He really thought I waseventually going to enjoy myself? What kind of shit was this guyon? There was no fucking way any of this was happening. If hewanted a challenge, he was certainly going to get it, but he wouldfail at this one miserably. He just didn’t know it yet.
“But you already know I'm going to fight you on allof this,” I said turning my head and smirking. “You honestly cannotexpect that after all of the fighting I've already done, I'm goingto just roll over and play dead.”
“As a matter of fact … I’m counting on it,” he saiddarkly, smirking down at me. “And I am going to seriously enjoybreaking you.”
“Isn’t that what you said last time?” I asked,challenging him with a smirk on my lips.
“Last time you weren’t mine. Things have obviouslychanged … including my methods of persuasion,” he said with a darkpromise in his eyes. I remained unfazed.
“Well … good luck,” I said straight to his face. Alow chuckle vibrated from his throat.
“I don't think I'm the one who will need it. Youwill be trained to my liking whether you want to or not.”His gaze bared down on me, threatening me with his blazing oceanblue eyes. “Now,” he continued. “Do you understand the rules?”
“Yes.” A dark look came over hisface. “Sir,” I corrected.
“See? You’re learning already. Now, come on,” hesaid enthusiastically, tugging me along. “Let me show you yourcloset.”
He opened the door, and I thought we had actuallystepped into another bedroom. It was a huge walk-in closet with along marble island in the center of the room, two cream leatherottomans on either side of the room, and another leather couch tomatch by the window. Hanging from the racks were probably a hundreddresses, all in different lengths, colors, and patterns. Most of them were different shadesof pink, and my nose instantly crinkled in disgust.
I let my hand feel the fabrics as I walked along,noticing how soft and delicate they all were. But why the fuck wasthere so much pink? I couldn't hide my irritation as I continued myobservation. Turning around, I found him leaning against thedoorframe; he took up most of thespace with his size as he kept his arms crossed over hischest.
“Something wrong?” he asked almost amused.
Yeah, you’re not bleeding out all over the floorwhen I mentally stabbed you in the throat three seconds ago.
I thought about the words I was about to use, but hewas the one who insisted on complete honesty.
“Yeah, just who the fuck were you shopping for?Barbie?”
He threw his head back and let out a genuine laugh,the soft deep roll of his laughter vibrating through my skin. “Nota fan of pink?” he asked with a bright white smile.
“Not really,” I replied, eyeing the clothing. “I’mnot a very colorful person to begin with. I’m more of a jeans, concert t-shirt, and Converse kind ofgirl.”
“Not anymore,” he replied seriously. “You will notfind any of those things here while you’re in my possession.”
My skin nearly crawled off my bones as he spoke thatlast part. The thought of actually being considered a possession orinsinuating that I belonged to someone in any way was seriously enough to make me throw my fistthrough the wall. I was a fucking person, for God’s sake; not agoddamn object to be owned.
After a few seconds, I suddenly realized something.“Wait … no jeans?”
“No pants, no shorts, no leggings.” He shook hishead.
“Why?” I asked a little harsher than I had meant to.No pants? The fuck kind of shit was this?
He exhaled an annoyed sigh. “It’s your first dayhere, so I’ll let some of your misbehavior slide but know that you are testing me,” he said as henarrowed his eyes at me.
I felt myself shiver with his silent warning. Ireally hated when he looked at me like that. I raised my hands upin surrender and took a step back. I wasn’t sure if my body wasready for the “hurricane” he declared he had brewing inside.
“I actually enjoy the femininity of a woman, and Ifind that pants contradict that image. Plus, they’re too much of ahassle when taking them off. I prefer you to be easily accessible.”He winked.
I rolled