Dark Wish (A Dark Romance)

by Clarissa Wild

  When he’s gone, only Eli, me, and Soren are left, but he’s not let out a peep since he swallowed down the egg.

  Eli now focuses his attention on him.

  “Soren. Would you do us a favor and eat …” Eli pauses. “Somewhere else?”

  I don’t know what he meant to say when he said nothing instead, but it’s caught my curiosity.

  Soren stops chewing his food and looks over at Eli with hatred. Then he loudly scoots his chair back, gets up, and steals a few more buns off the table before stomping off.

  “Thanks,” Eli adds, but Soren doesn’t reply. He merely grunts like a bear.

  I don’t think I’ve ever heard him speak. Can he? Or does he just refuse?

  I shift in my chair as I glare at all the food left behind … and how little my stomach can suddenly handle now that we’re by ourselves. Eli won’t stop staring at me.

  “Why did you ask them to leave?” I ask.

  He picks up his fork and knife and elegantly cuts off a piece of bacon. The way he shoves it into his mouth captures my attention as though he’s chewing off a piece of the pig’s soul, and it makes me swallow.

  “Because I prefer to be alone with you,” he replies.

  My whole body tingles.

  “I thought these breakfast moments were meant as a way to introduce me to them,” I reply, the chair suddenly feeling very uncomfortable even though I’m as far away from him as possible.

  He takes another bite of his bacon and looks up at me. “It’s merely tradition. Nothing else.”

  “Tradition. So you do this sort of thing more often?” I ask. “To other people?”

  His eyes narrow, and he places his fork down on his plate. I guess I’ve hit a chord. “Bold of you to ask so many questions when you know what’s at stake.”

  Rubbing my lips together as my stomach does a backflip, I think about all the possible outcomes if I try to nudge him a little farther to expose the truth. “I’m merely trying to understand.”

  “I’ve told you everything you need to know for now,” he replies.

  “You want me to give in, yet at the same time, you won’t give me anything in return and no leeway.”

  He plants his hands on the table, spreading his fingers as he gets up from his chair. The menacing look on his face makes me wonder what he’s going to do … and maybe regret that I ever spoke up.

  He suddenly marches over to me and puts his hands down on the table right in front of me until we’ve locked eyes. “Do not mistake these moments of calm for kindness. When I choose to let you eat with us, I can take that privilege away again with the snap of my finger,” he says.

  I just stare back at him without saying a word.

  “I can put you back in your room and let you eat by yourself for all eternity. Is that what you want?”

  I shake my head, willing the tears to stay away. “Please, don’t. I can’t take being alone for so long.”

  He reaches for my face, and the moment his skin touches mine, electricity shoots through my veins as he tips up my chin. “I wish you would just accept what I gave you without so much of a fuss,” he muses, giving me a smile. “But I guess that goes with the territory of finding a girl like you.”

  “Why?” I mutter.

  “Because you weren’t brought to me. You weren’t given. You came willingly,” he says, leaning in so close I can feel his breath on my skin. “And that is priceless.”

  I suck in a breath as he lingers close to my lips, the mere thought of him kissing me making my whole body shiver. I don’t know what I’m feeling, whether it’s excitement or fear or all of it at once.

  “You don’t even know how special you are …” he whispers. “And just how hard it is for me not to give in.”

  The top of his lip touches mine, and I want nothing more than for him to kiss me. Not because I crave it, but because it will make him crave me. Because it will give me leverage when I have none. At least, that’s what I tell myself as his lips hover dangerously close to mine.

  “Then why don’t you?” I whisper back, opening my mouth, ready to let him take me.

  Suddenly, his eyes burst open, and he leans away, staring at me as though I’m the devil himself.

  His eyes narrow as he shakes his head. “You try to seduce me …”

  “I’m not trying to do anything,” I retort, folding my arms.

  A smirk forms on his lips. “Don’t lie, angel, or I might have to punish you.”

  My eyes widen, and my cheeks become as red as the strawberries on my plate. I don’t know what he has in store for me, but it can’t be good, so then why is my pussy thumping all of a sudden?

  His hand slides off the table, and he stands again, towering over me as I sit here in this chair like a submissive.

  “You will be permitted to roam this House. The locked rooms are prohibited,” he says, straightening his back as though he’s forcing himself to forget he was just about to kiss me. “And don’t go near the corridor behind the stairs.”

  He marches off, and I quickly get to my feet and turn to ask, “Why? What’s in there?”

  He pauses and glances at me over his shoulder with a smolder burning in his eyes. “Hell.”

  Chapter 20

  Eli

  I lock myself in my room and take a few deep breaths. I even slap myself in the face, but nothing works. Nothing I do can chase away the thoughts of owning her. Claiming her. Using her for my every dirty desire.

  And I admit, I have had many of those thoughts swirling through my head.

  From the moment she came here, she’s been in my every waking thought. My desire to take her has only grown since. Nothing I do—not the punishments I dish out nor the conversations we have—can douse the flames burning inside.

  And I knew this going in, but I never imagined it would hit me this hard or that I’d find it impossible to stay away.

  The problem is that I can’t. I need to be the one to make her admit the truth behind her lies. But it’ll cost me my sanity in doing so because for her to come clean, I must become a sinner. And who will be the one to punish me for all the sins I’ve collected since I brought her here?

  Will she be the one?

  I go to my knees in front of the cross on my fireplace and strike one on my chest, saying a prayer. There is no right or wrong answer to this. There is only the path which I must take, and I must finish what I started.

  Sighing, I get up and go to my desk, opening my laptop. I bring up the camera app and check out each of them until I find her floating gracefully across the halls in her beautiful gown. One I bought for her, specific to her size and measurements. I knew exactly what to get, and I must say that she looks stunning in each one. I can’t get enough of staring at her beauty, wishing it was mine and mine alone to enjoy.

  She’s exploring each crevice of every room in this House, as though there are secret passages to uncover. I smirk to myself as I look at her thin frame and pretty posture, taking wicked pleasure in the fact that I’m watching her. My cock already strains in my pants at the thought of all the filthy ways I can break her after she’s broken my rules.

  Maybe not now, but eventually … she will. And when she does, I’ll be right there to catch her during the fall.

  Amelia

  I look behind the curtains and even shove aside some of the furniture, but nowhere do I find another one of those vents like the one in my room. This begs the question … do they only appear in the bedrooms?

  I wish I could find out, but I reckon the doors are locked tight to keep the captives from escaping. And besides, I’m not nearly done exploring this House and its huge corridors. There is so much to see. Each room has its own designated purpose; there’s a room for inviting guests, whoever those may be, with lounge seats and tea sets, the kitchen in the back with staff slaving away each day on the most delicious of meals, the scents of which delight me when they enter my nostrils. In the back is a relaxation room with what looks like games on top of a shelf. Then ne
xt to that is a room with windows leading to an underground pool, and I can’t help but feel in awe at how much this place reminds me of a hotel.

  All the luxuries but none of the freedom to use them.

  There’s even a huge library with giant bookcases on two different levels. I want to steal one of these and bring them with me to my room. Maybe he’d allow me to read them all.

  What am I even thinking? Why should I care what he allows?

  I sigh to myself. Even when I’m on my own, I think about the repercussions of my actions. About the consequences he’d force onto me.

  But if I don’t, something bad could happen to me, and I’m not sure I’m willing to risk that.

  I look around the room and search for the camera until I’ve found it. Someone’s watching me, I’m sure. Whether it’s him or a guard, someone is making sure I stay within these walls and don’t touch anything I’m not supposed to.

  I wonder where the footage is. If I could ever see it.

  If he’s watching me right this very second.

  And at that moment, I decide to stick up my finger and flip the camera the bird.

  Suits him right.

  Even if I can’t do what I want, even if I can’t escape … this tiny rebellion will be my way of standing up for myself. I know it doesn’t do anything, but at least I’ve made my point.

  I don’t like him. In fact, I despise him. Every handsome inch of his body exudes power and control, traits I do not possess … and I envy that. I wish I could be half as arrogant as he is and get away with it. That I could do whatever I wanted without there being anyone to tell me no.

  Maybe I would’ve told Chris exactly what I thought of him when he betrayed me.

  Maybe he would’ve begged me to forgive him.

  Not that I care. He doesn’t care about me either. If he had, he would’ve come looking for me.

  Has he even noticed I’m gone?

  My teeth grind against each other, and I force myself to forget him as I turn around and make a swift exit from the library.

  Even if I’m being watched, I can’t give up on trying to find a way out, no matter what it costs me. If I’m going to be punished anyway for something I can’t even remember, then at least I can try to wriggle my way out of it all.

  Besides, I’m not done exploring yet. This place is like a giant castle with plenty of nooks and crannies. I walk along the staircase and stop and stare at the corridor behind it. The one Eli told me not to enter. What could be hiding there? Something forbidden? Or an escape?

  My heart palpitates as I take a step toward it, unable to curtail my curiosity. But I hesitate and stop right before I step over the edge into the corridor.

  If I do this, he’ll punish me.

  Or worse.

  He might take my one happiness—going outside my room—away.

  He’s done it before. He could do it again.

  I don’t want to risk it.

  So I step away again and sigh.

  Maybe I’ll have the courage to disobey him someday, but not now when I’ve only just grasped a tiny bit of freedom.

  I turn and walk up the stairs, determined not to let anything get in my way again. If I can’t explore down there, at least I can try to find an exit up here. Maybe one of the doors is still unlocked. If one of them has a balcony, maybe I could slip down the railings and use some of the greens growing up against them to flee.

  My escape plans are always so elaborate, and my fantasy is running away with me. Because I know none of that could ever happen.

  He’d catch me before I’d even try.

  But how could I just … give up? Impossible.

  So I rummage every door I can find, hoping at least one of them remains open.

  I even try the ones right next to my bedroom. Those where the other girls are housed.

  I frantically rummage at the door handle, but none of them opens.

  “Hello?” someone calls out.

  It’s not the same voice as before.

  I plant my ear against the door and call out. “Hey. Are you there?”

  More rummaging is audible, then someone slams against the door. “Who are you?”

  “I’m not one of them. My name is Amelia.”

  “Are you going to help me?”

  Panic rushes through my veins as I look around, searching for the cameras or any guards keeping watch, but they’re all downstairs.

  “I can’t,” I reply. “I don’t have a key.”

  “You’re messing with me. Why would you come here if you don’t? How did you even get out?” the woman asks. “Wait. You’re lying. You’re one of them, aren’t you?”

  “No,” I reply. “That’s not—”

  “Stay away!” She pounds on the door, and I jolt back in shock. “You’re trying to trick me!”

  Has her mind been eroded that much just from being locked inside?

  “He told me I’d be seduced by sin. I will not let you do this to me! I don’t need more punishment.”

  “I’m not here to punish—”

  “Leave me alone!” she squeals, and I take a step back, tears welling up in my eyes.

  She’s completely lost inside herself. In her mind, I am part of the problem. I’m here to make her feel like she’s sinned.

  But I’m not. If only she could see. If I could just remove this damn door, she’d know, and I could tell her and show her the truth.

  I have to find a key. Eli, Tobias, and Soren must all have one. But what about … Mary? What if I could steal it from her unnoticed?

  If she comes into my room and brings food, I could sneak close while she’s picking up the laundry. Maybe it could work.

  I grumble to myself and focus on the next door, hoping that the other girl is more open to talking. Of course, this door is locked too, but the keyhole is at least large enough for me to peer through. Maybe by talking, I only scare them more. If I just take a look to see what they’re doing, I could find out a way to help from the outside. It beats doing nothing, right?

  So I lean over and peek through the small opening, hoping to catch a glimpse of a girl as lonely as I am in this ivory tower.

  Except what I see makes my jaw drop and my heart stop.

  Tobias is inside. There’s a girl with long black hair strapped on a pedestal, her legs spread. Her mouth is covered by some kind of strap-on … while he fucks her in the ass.

  No tears stain her cheeks, and no pain mars her face. No, it is pure and utter lust making her eyes roll into the back of her head.

  How could this be happening?

  How could a girl brought to this place be so into all of it? How could she enjoy what Tobias does to her without repercussion and without remorse?

  Suddenly, her copper eyes bore into mine. The same eyes I peered at through that hole in my wall. It’s her. The girl I’ve been talking to.

  I gasp in shock and quickly step back from the peeping hole, completely horrified by the way my own body is turned on at seeing Tobias ravage her.

  But my shock is overshadowed when I step back and bump into someone.

  “Going somewhere?”

  Chapter 21

  Amelia

  Eli’s voice makes me spin on my heels. Too late. He’s grabbed my shoulders and pinned me to the wall.

  “What are you doing here?” he growls.

  “I was just … I was—”

  He leans in. “Sneaking around, trying to catch a glimpse of what it is that we do.”

  I shake my head. “No, I was just trying to understand.”

  A smirk forms on his lips as though he’s enjoying the thought of catching me in the act of sin. “Of course, you were. You weren’t at all … snooping around to try to find a way out.”

  I try to move, but he’s far stronger than I am. I’m no match for his physique, and now he’s got me right where he wants me.

  “Let me go,” I hiss, trying to free myself, but his grip on my arms only grows stronger.

  “You cannot r
un from this, Amelia,” he says, leaning in to look me in the eyes. “And you cannot deny what you saw in there.”

  My lips part, but I don’t know how to respond. What does he want from me?

  “You want to see more? Let me help you,” he says. He pulls me off the wall, fishes a key from his pocket, and shoves it into the lock. After throwing the door open, he grabs my wrists, pins them to my back, and shoves me inside.

  I stare at the scene before me, shame pooling in my stomach. Tobias looks up, but he doesn’t stop fucking her. Anna cannot even focus her eyes on mine because she’s so far gone into the scene.

  Eli pushes me up against him, holding me in place. Then his breath is near my ear. “This is what you wanted, right?”

  I shake my head and look away, but he grabs my cheeks and keeps my head straight in her direction. “Don’t look away. Look at her. Look at that girl so desperate for relief.”

  Anna’s eyes momentarily home in on mine as a moan vibrates through the object stuffed inside her mouth. My face scrunches up as a mixture of guilt, shame, despair, and rage wash over me. But most of all, the worst kind of emotion floods my body as she is claimed right in front of me; heat.

  “Do you see now the unraveling of a human being?” he murmurs into my ear, sliding my hair aside as I suck in a breath. “See what it does to her? And to you?”

  “No,” I whisper, shaking my head as tears well up in my eyes. But I’m only trying to deny the truth that’s right in front of me.

  “You think she wants to escape?” he muses. “You think she’d accept it if you offered her a chance?”

  “Yes,” I whisper. But that too is a lie. Her eyes tell me she’d never.

  “Or are you just scared to admit the truth? To see with your own eyes what lust can do to a human mind? How easily it breaks?” he whispers, his hand snaking around my belly and up to my breast.

  He fondles me in full view of Anna and Tobias, who give no attention to the fact that we’re even here watching them. But worse is the fact that the more Eli touches me, the more I want him to continue, to take me, to make me yield.