Every Step You Take

Chapter 5: Every Step You Take

I didn’t cry.

Not at first.

I stood in the middle of the room, staring at the locked door like if I looked at it long enough, it might just… open.

It didn’t.

Of course it didn’t.

“Think,” I whispered, pressing my fingers to my temples. “Just think.”

There had to be a way out.

There always was.

I moved quickly, checking everything.

The door.

Locked.

The windows.

Sealed.

The balcony—

I rushed toward it, sliding the glass door open and stepping outside.

Cold air hit my face instantly.

For a second, I felt hope.

Until I looked down.

My stomach dropped.

Too high.

Way too high.

Even if I tried, I wouldn’t survive the fall.

“Damn it…” I breathed, gripping the railing tightly.

Lights flickered across the massive grounds below. Guards moved slowly, their presence obvious now that I knew what to look for.

This wasn’t just a house.

It was a fortress.

And I was right in the center of it.

—

Hours passed.

Or maybe it was just minutes.

Time felt strange here.

Heavy.

Slower.

Like the world outside didn’t exist anymore.

I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at my hands.

Still shaking.

Still remembering.

His touch.

His voice.

His words.

You’re mine.

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head.

“I’m not.”

I wouldn’t be.

I couldn’t be.

I stood up suddenly.

Enough.

I wasn’t just going to sit here and wait.

I walked to the door and banged on it.

“Hey!” I shouted. “Open this!”

Silence.

“Do you hear me? Open the door!”

Nothing.

Anger flared.

“Fine!” I snapped. “Then I’ll just break it!”

I grabbed a nearby chair and slammed it against the door.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

The sound echoed loudly.

But the door didn’t even budge.

Not a crack.

Not a dent.

Just pain shooting up my arms from the impact.

“Ugh!” I dropped the chair, breathing hard.

Of course it wouldn’t be that easy.

Nothing with him was.

—

Click.

I froze.

The door.

Slowly opening.

My heart jumped.

He stepped inside like nothing had happened.

Like I hadn’t just tried to break his door down.

“You’re loud,” he said calmly.

I glared at him.

“Let me out.”

“No.”

“I mean it!”

“So do I.”

Frustration bubbled inside me.

“You can’t keep me here!”

“I can.”

“I’m not staying!”

“You are.”

Every answer.

Short.

Certain.

Unbreakable.

“I hate you!” I shouted.

He didn’t react.

Not even a little.

Instead, he walked further into the room, his eyes scanning the broken chair on the floor.

“You’ll hurt yourself,” he said.

“I don’t care!”

“I do.”

That made me pause.

Just for a second.

And he noticed.

Of course he did.

“You don’t get to not care about yourself,” he added quietly.

I clenched my fists.

“Stop acting like you care.”

“I don’t act.”

His gaze shifted back to me.

Sharp.

Focused.

“I decide.”

A chill ran down my spine.

“What does that even mean?”

“It means what I feel is real.”

I swallowed hard.

“And what exactly do you feel?” I challenged.

A dangerous question.

I knew it the moment it left my mouth.

But it was too late.

He stepped closer.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

“Obsession,” he said.

My breath caught.

“Control.”

Another step.

“Possession.”

Now he was right in front of me.

Too close.

Again.

“And you.”

My heart pounded.

“You’re insane,” I whispered.

“You’ve said that.”

“Because it’s true!”

“Maybe.”

His hand lifted again.

This time, I didn’t flinch.

I didn’t move.

I just stood there, frozen as his fingers brushed lightly against my wrist.

The same place he kept grabbing.

Like he remembered.

Like he marked it.

“You’re still shaking,” he murmured.

“I’m scared of you,” I said.

“Good.”

That word again.

Cold.

Unapologetic.

“You should be.”

My chest tightened.

“I don’t want this.”

“You don’t get to choose.”

“I do!”

“You don’t.”

Silence.

Heavy.

Suffocating.

I pulled my hand away this time.

“Then what?” I demanded. “I just stay here forever? Locked up like some… some pet?”

His eyes darkened.

“Not a pet.”

A pause.

“Something more.”

That didn’t make it better.

“If you don’t let me go,” I said, my voice shaking but firm, “I’ll never forgive you.”

He tilted his head slightly.

“I’m not asking for forgiveness.”

“I’ll never love you.”

There it was.

The line.

The truth.

The only thing I had left to fight with.

For a moment…

Something changed in his expression.

Subtle.

Almost invisible.

But it was there.

Then it disappeared.

“I know.”

My heart stuttered.

“You… know?”

“Yes.”

The calmness in his voice made my stomach twist.

“Then why are you doing this?” I whispered.

He looked at me.

Really looked at me.

Like he was trying to memorize every detail.

“Because I don’t need you to love me,” he said softly.

A pause.

“I just need you to stay.”

The words hit harder than anything else.

Because they weren’t angry.

They weren’t loud.

They were quiet.

Certain.

Terrifying.

I took a step back.

Then another.

Until my back hit the wall.

“I’m not staying,” I whispered.

“You are.”

“I’ll run.”

“You won’t get far.”

“I’ll try!”

“You can try.”

That again.

Always that.

Like my effort meant nothing.

Like he had already won.

And maybe…

That’s what scared me the most.

Because deep down…

A small, horrible thought started to grow.

What if he was right?

—

He turned away from me, walking toward the door again.

“Wait,” I said suddenly.

He stopped.

Not turning.

“Why me?” I asked.

The question had been burning inside me since the beginning.

Why me?

Out of everyone—

Why?

A long pause filled the room.

Then—

“You looked back.”

My breath caught.

“What?”

“That night,” he said quietly. “When you felt like someone was watching.”

My chest tightened.

“You didn’t ignore it.”

A pause.

“You noticed me.”

My heart dropped.

“And that was enough?” I whispered.

Slowly—

He turned his head slightly.

Just enough for me to see the faint curve of his lips.

“Yes.”

Silence swallowed the room.

Because that—

That wasn’t normal.

That wasn’t love.

That was something else entirely.

Something darker.

Something dangerous.

Something I didn’t know how to fight.

“You should sleep,” he said finally.

“I won’t.”

“You will.”

“I—”

“Or I’ll stay.”

I froze.

“…What?”

He leaned lightly against the doorframe.

Watching me.

Waiting.

A silent threat.

My breath hitched.

“Fine,” I muttered, turning away quickly.

“Good.”

The door opened.

Then closed.

Click.

Locked.

Again.

I stood there for a long moment.

Then slowly… reluctantly… I walked toward the bed.

Every step felt heavier than the last.

Because now I knew.

This wasn’t random.

This wasn’t chance.

This wasn’t something that would fade.

I didn’t just catch his attention.

I kept it.

And in his world…

That was the worst mistake I could have made.

Because now—

He wasn’t just watching anymore.

He had me.

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