Chapter 6

As the moments ticked by, I tried to think of something, anything to get me out of this situation. And then I had the idea. It was risky, and it would be discovered fast. I had to do it at just the right time too or everything would be ruined and I'd be caught.

"You've gone quiet, what's the matter, do you not want to talk to me?" demanded Jasper on the other end of the phone.

"It's not that," I answered, eyes flitting around the room. Had he just called by chance or had there been a deeper meaning? "I'm just sleepy from all of that food. Thank you," and I hated myself for my next words, "My Lord."

"Such a good girl," he praised on the other end. "Almost too good, precious. Should I be worried that you're planning to have another man visit you?" He hummed on the other end of the line. "That is not something I had considered. Your delivery driver, are they male or female?"

Shit. "Male," I whispered, clenching my phone, fingers tightening around the case. Sergio would be here soon and this whole fragile deck of cards I'd built with this monster would come crashing down.

"I do not like that. From now on when you order food you will only accept it from females." His voice trailed off and he giggled on the other end. A sound that sent shivers down my spine as my hair raised on end. "Not that I have to worry about that for much longer. I'm looking forward to being able to wake you every morning, my dear sweet baby. I'll have your meals prepared. Whatever you'd like will be yours as long as you stay my good little girl."

Their conversation was interrupted by the firm pounding on the door. "Excuse me, the delivery driver is here." And now it was time for the dangerous part. I muted him and flung open the door.

Sergio stood on my doorstep, eyes dark, scanning my place, lips thinning as he noted the tears in my eyes. "Let's go, Pet," he demanded with a hand held out to me.

"Sergio, I need you to pretend to be a cupcake salesman." My phone blinked as my call with Jasper hung up before it rang again. He was not going to just let me put him on hold. "Sorry, we must have got cut off. My order is here."

Sergio's lips curled, studying the phone but nodding, he gestured for my phone. I hesitated, Jasper breathing in my ear. His rage practically heard with each huff. Sergio plucked it out of my grasp, holding it to his own head. "I'm not sure who you are or what your game is. But you're going to stay the hell away from my employee." He turned the phone off and handed it back. "I'm not going to play some ruse, Pet. Let's get going, you can explain in detail on the way there."

He'd hung up on him. He hadn't even tried to work with me. My heart thudded, thinking about the rich man's reaction. What kind of punishment would he use on me for this entire event? I longed to call Jasper back and clear up the misunderstanding when the phone vibrated in my hand and the now familiar number flashed.

"He doesn't give up, does he?" Sergio questioned, grabbing my hand, tugging me along after him and to the stairs. "No matter, neither do I. You're going to have to sit behind me on the bike. I was in a hurry so I didn't bring the car."

My phone buzzed again, an angry loud buzz interrupting us. "Sorry," I whispered, pulling it out, intent on answering it. But Sergio didn't give me a chance. He grabbed the device and with one hand he squeezed it in his fist until the plastic parts popped and the screen cracked. Pulling his arm back, he let the small device fly and I watched it bounce off the pavement almost out of visual range.

"Don't worry, Pet, I'll buy you a new one. I'm not sure who that guy was, but he was getting under my skin." I waited by the back part of his bike for him to get on when he laughed at me. "No, you're riding in front of me so I can keep an eye on you. " Sergio patted the front part of the seat. "Don't worry, I'm just doing this to keep you safe. I've got a bad feeling about what's going on, let me take care of you."

My heart still beat like a jackhammer and I nodded. The faster I got away from my apartment the better. Even if I lost everything inside, I could start over. What I couldn't do was come back to life if Jasper decided to punish me. Sergio's arms folded around me and he lifted me up onto the bike himself. "What are you doing?" I demanded clutching onto the leather seat. I had never expected him to just manhandle me like that.

"Helping," he replied, mounting the bike and pulling me snug until my back pressed against him. "Stay there, we'll be safe soon, Pet." Jamming his foot down and twisting his wrist, his bike roared to life and the vibrations of it hummed through my body.

I was basically on Sergio's lap. The outline of his body pressed against mine and I bit my lip as I tried to ignore the fact that his jeans weren't thick enough to hide how he thought about all of this. No, it had to be just because I was so close to him. Anyone would be aroused by that.

Swerving around the traffic, Sergio wrapped an arm around my stomach, continuing to press me against him. "Stay still, Pet," he scolded into my ear and the deep whisper made me shiver. "I'm trying to make sure nothing happens to you, just hang on."

My mouth went dry as I clenched my eyes shut to drown out everything. All I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and sob. What was I going to do? How was I going to survive when my foundation was just destroyed by some random rich man? I didn't even know him!

"You're shaking," his hold intensified and his lips brushed my ear as he spoke. "Pet, it's okay. I'm here. You don't need anyone else but me. I promise I'll protect you."

His deep voice relaxed me and despite the fact we were racing through the streets, my eyes grew impossibly heavy. Huh, maybe that food had been drugged after all. "Sergio?" I whispered but my words were ripped from me, stolen by the wind. Leaning my head back I rested against his chest. Weird, the vibrations from the bike must have made it hard to feel his heartbeat. Shame, I wanted it to thump beside me as I drifted to sleep.

The bike shuddered to a stop and Sergio pushed me forward as he got off the bike. Turning he kicked the stand in place then grabbed me with arms behind my legs and my shoulders in a bridal style hold. "No going to sleep, Pet. You have to tell me what exactly is going on."

I nodded, yawning at him. "Sergio," I slurred his name, eyelids heavy. I closed them for just a moment and when I opened them again we were inside what I assumed to be his place. Everything was too dark to see with just shadows everywhere. I tensed in his grip as sobs shook my frame. "I'm so scared," I whimpered.

Sergio set me down on leather softness as he took a seat beside me. He tugged me into his arms and held on his lap as he stroked a hand through my hair. "My poor precious Pet. You need to tell me everything, starting from the beginning. Hold nothing back. Whatever is going on, we'll find a solution together."

I hiccupped at him before cuddling against his warmth. I was taking advantage, I knew that. But right now I just needed to be held, I didn't even want to think about Jasper or the close call I had.

"Pet," Sergio's voice hardened, his grip tightening. "I told you, no sleeping yet. Tell me what happened, now."

I nodded, trying to stop the shivers. I started off in the beginning when I got the letter. Sergio didn't interrupt for the most part. He would only nod, or ask me a few questions like was I sure I had locked the doors? When I finished he brushed the hair from my eyes, smiling at me with that same warmth from before.

"Sonja, you were right to contact me. I'll look into this Jasper Bright for you and figure out what is going on. In the meantime you're staying here and you'll be perfectly safe with me. Now since you did what I asked and told me everything, you can be rewarded with actual sleep."

He got to his feet with me still held tight and I enjoyed the swaying as he walked me to wherever he was taking me. I didn't care anymore by that point. He opened a door and even through my sleepiness my brow furrowed.

Weird. I'd have to ask him later why the keyed lock faced the hallway instead of facing in.