Down payment? How is this possible? They’re talking about me as if I’m an object. Something to own.
I hear my father’s chair push back, and I see when he offers Drake his hand. “I do understand. It was a pleasure doing business with you. I’m sure Evelyn will be very happy with you.”
Drake shakes his hand back. “On her eighteenth birthday, she’s mine.” His tone makes me shiver.
“That goes without saying.”
I can’t listen anymore. In a panic, I turn—not caring if I’ve made too much noise—and go running out of my house. Once outside, I see a couple of Drake’s men milling around the car and they see me. At first, they’re not sure what’s happening, but I don’t wait around long enough to find out what they do about it. Instead, I turn to the side of my house and go running for the hills. I don’t care where I go. I just want to be far away from my house … far away from my father … far away from Drake.
All these years, I thought I really knew him. I thought he really cared when all he was interested in was what? Owning me? Possessing me like a doll bought in a toy store? For some reason, this betrayal hurts more than the fact that my own parents want to get rid of me.
Feeling sick and disgusted, I keep on running. Tears are streaming down my face, and I’m finding it hard to breathe, but I keep going.
In the distance, I hear my name being called, but I ignore that too and keep going. Yesterday if he had called me, I would have gone running to him. Now, all I want to do is run away. I want to get as far away from that sick man as possible.
“Evelyn, stop running!” he shouts, but again, I ignore him. I don’t even turn to see where he is. I just keep running as fast as I can.
Once I reach the trees, I run in amongst them, hoping that they’ll camouflage me somehow, but it’s no use. I hear Drake calling my name again, but this time it sounds as though he’s right behind me.
Again, I don’t look. I keep on going for a few more seconds until I feel a hand grip my wrist and spin me around. “Will you stop when I tell you to?”
We’re both breathless as I lean up against the tree for support. “How– How could you? I thought I could trust you.”
He suddenly looks annoyed. “You can trust me.”
“So what was that about with my father? You just put a down payment on me like I’m some … some hooker.”
Drake smacks his hand against the tree by my head, making me jump. “Don’t call yourself that.”
“Well, that’s how you made me feel. Did my ears deceive me? Was what I heard really true? Are you buying me once I turn eighteen?”
Still catching his breath, Drake drops his head down for a moment before looking back up to meet my eyes. “Yes.”
My eyes widen and then the anger sets in. “Well, I refuse to be … to be owned like that.”
Drake smiles, but it’s not a nice smile. It’s one I’ve not seen before on him. One I don’t like. “You don’t have any say in the matter. Once you turn eighteen, you’ll be living with me.”
Not being able to take in what I’m hearing, I try moving out of the way. “You can’t tell me what to do.”
Drake grabs my arm, pulling me back to the tree trunk. “Yes, I can. And I will.”
“Why are you doing this?”
Leaning closer to me, Drake snarls, “Because I want you. Plain and simple. And when Drake Salvatore wants something, he gets it. You’re just going to have to get used it, sweetheart.”
A lone tear drops down my face. I don’t know who this man is all of a sudden. What happened to the Drake who was sweet to me, made me laugh, and bought me a horse for crying out loud?! I thought he genuinely cared, but all he was doing was … grooming me?
Ugh! Suddenly, I feel sick. I feel abused and I feel betrayed. I was starting to love the man who I thought loved me in return. I was starting to open up to him in ways I thought I never would with anyone.
“I thought you were a nice man. I thought you cared about me and that you loved me, but you were just waiting … biding your time.”
“I do love and care for you.”
“Well, you have a funny way of showing it!” I shout.
“Keep your fucking voice down,” he snarls. Immediately, I still. This is definitely a new side to him, and I don’t like it.
“This is an arrangement you’re simply going to have to get used to. Wouldn’t you rather it be me than someone else?”
“Is that how you justify what you just did in there? You treated my life and my future like a transaction … like I’m property.”