Chapter 6 With the Devil

Selene crossed her arms and paced close to the entrance of the grand Blackwood estate, mimicking Damien's words, "You're not going alone." And the senerio that preceded them still echoed in her mind, leaving her with a tingling sensation down her spine. She had anticipated control and resistance, but the sheer possessiveness in his voice made her stomach turn. A sleek black car pulled up to the driveway, and Mrs. Hawthorne came up to her stoically, saying, "Your driver and escort have been arranged," pointing to the tall, dark-suited man getting out. "This is Nathaniel.

He will be accompanying you." Selene's eyes narrowed. "You mean watching me."

Nathaniel remained silent. He just opened the door and waited for her to slide in. She ground her teeth. She could go, but only if Damien allowed it. It was quiet on the way to her former flat. Selene looked out the window, her fists tensed. The ease with which her life had altered was disturbing. This had been her world-her independence, her space-not quite a week ago. She felt like a leash-wearing prisoner now. She hurried out when they got there, hardly waiting for Nathaniel to follow. But she froze as she got to her apartment's door. Already, the lock was broken.

Her stomach fell. Someone has been here. Her breath caught in her throat as she pulled the door open. The flat was too spotless. Too bare. Her books were undamaged, and her artwork were still present. But she knew as soon as she entered her studio. She had lost something. Her mothers crucifix.The one she concealed. The one that held her most private memories and her most individualised creations. The only thing she had from her mom. A shiver went through her body. Someone had arrived in search of something. And they found it.

Selene, scarcely able to control her anger, bounded through the corridors of Blackwood Manor. She discovered Damien sitting behind a huge oak desk in his study, seemingly unconcerned. Behind her, she slammed the door. She insisted, "Where is it?" Damien didn't even glance up. "Be specific." Selene's nails pressed into her palms. "My crucifix. It is missing." Then he looked at her at last. His expression was infuriatingly calm, his grey eyes unreadable. "And what makes you think I had anything to do with that?" She let out a bitter laugh. "Because nothing in my life belongs to me anymore, does it? Not even me!"

"Now you're catching on." Her blood boiled. "You had no right." Damien leaned back in his chair and tapped a finger against the desk. "You don't get to lecture me about rights, Selene. You signed them away." Her heart tightened. She refused to be his possessions any more. She cant bare it. She took a step forward and looked him in the eye. "You can take away my freedom. My choices. But you don't get to take away who I am. Give me back my necklace."

His face flashed with something sinister. Then he stood, slowly, perilously. "You believe that you still possess a sense of self," he whispered, taking a step towards her. "That is very cute." Selene was not going to give up. "Do you like this?" she said in a whisper. "Do you enjoy causing people harm?" He cocked his head, seemingly taking in what she had said. Then he grinned, which shocked her. "Are you interested in learning?" She gasped. He said it in a way that was unquestionably alluring, as though he were challenging her to push him beyond. And Selene realised for the first time- Damien Blackwood was more than just a heartless, icy individual. She wasn't ready for the threat he posed.

Selene's fingers curled into fists. Her entire body shook with frustration, with anger, with the unbearable feeling of being trapped. Damien's smirk only fueled her fury. The way he looked at her, so calm, so in control-so sure that she would always bend to his will. And she snapped. The sharp sound of the slap cracked through the room. Her palm stung, but not as much as the shock that flickered across Damien's face. It was only for a second-so brief it almost didn't exist. Then, slowly, deliberately, he turned his head back to face her. The air between them sizzled. Selene's pulse thundered in her ears. She half-expected him to lash out, to punish her for daring to touch him like that.

However, Damien's expression was unreadable as he merely dragged his tongue along the inside of his cheek. Then he burst out laughing. A dark, low, menacing laugh that made her skin crawl. "You don't really know what you're doing, do you?" His voice was laced with laughter as he whispered. Selene's breath caught, but she didn't back down. With a harsh voice, she retorted, "I know enough. Enough to know I'm not afraid of you." Something feral shone in his eyes. Anger was building inside her like a fierce storm, and she tightened her jaw. She slammed the door behind her as she turned on her heel and ran out of the study. Desperate for breath, she stalked down Blackwood Manor's great halls, her hands shaking.

Without giving it any thought, she took a set of car keys from the table by the entrance and marched outside. The cool evening air felt like a slap, but she welcomed it because she needed freedom and space-things Damien had taken from her the moment she signed that damn contract. Nathaniel wasn't outside, and no guards stopped her; she was finally alone, and she wasn't wasting any time. She climbed into the driver's seat of one of Damien's sleek black cars, turned on the ignition, and pulled out of the driveway, tires screeching against the pavement.

Her heart pounded as she sped down the winding road, the towering trees of Blackwood estate blurring past. She didn't have a destination in mind at first-only away. Away from Damien. Away from his mind games, his control, his suffocating presence. After that, though, she knew exactly where she had to go. Ava's flat was on the other side of the city, snuggled inside a charming brick townhouse with warm yellow lights beaming through the windows. Before bursting inside, Selene hardly waited for Ava to answer the door. Ava stared in astonishment, clothed in baggy sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt, her red locks wild from sleep. "Selene?" she enquired, her confused gaze sweeping over her. "Why are you in this place? What's wrong?"

Selene let out a shaky breath. "I needed to get out of there," she said, running a hand through her hair. "I needed to-" Her voice broke. Ava's expression instantly shifted from confusion to concern. She reached for Selene's hand, squeezing gently. "Hey... what happened?" Selene swallowed, her throat tight. And then, finally-finally-she let it out. "It's worse than I thought, Ava," she whispered. "This marriage... it's not just a contract. Damien-he's suffocating. He controls everything. He treats me like I'm his prisoner, like I'm just... a toy for him to manipulate." Ava frowned, leading her to the couch. "I didnt know this was bad, but... Selene, are you safe?"

Selene paused as she considered Mrs Hawthorne's warning, the odd rules, the fact that someone had already entered her apartment and taken something significant, and Damien-his presence, his power. 'I don't know' Ava's eyes flashed with rage. 'This isn't right, Selene. There has to be a way out' Selene laughed bitterly. 'I signed a contract. There is no way out' Ava shook her head. 'That's bullshit. Contracts don't give people the right to own you' Selene hugged herself, turning

She also doubted that she would live long enough to comprehend it. "I'm scared Ava!"