"Give me my kiss now."

I slide my hand from his shoulder to the back his neck. Pulling him down by his neck, I look into his darkened green eyes shyly before lifting my head so that my lips touch his.

We stay like that for some time. Relishing in the present. Moments like this are so easy, it's the consequences they bring that make things difficult.

He takes control and kisses me gently. He makes me feel like a prized possession of his. A treasure.

A kiss that starts gentle turns passionate and hungry. Teeth, tongues and lips clash, I wonder how I've been able to live without this for all these years. His soft caress on the skin of my waist, from where the top had ridden up, is a complete contrast to his hard kisses.

I pull back when I run out of breath. We gaze into each other's eyes, breathing heavily.

"You're really good at doing what I ask you to, aren't you?"

I blush at his breathless voice and teasing tone.

The moment is perfectly ruined when the door opens the second time and this time, Zach doesn't hold me. I jump off his lap and face the person with a bright red face.

"Oops, sorry," Julia says looking anything but sorry. I look at the floor, feeling bashful all of a sudden.

"It's past six already. Why don't you continue this at your place?" she says cheekily before sending a not-so-subtle wink my way.

I replied her with a powerful glare that she ignores and shouts a 'goodbye' before leaving.

After an hour, we're home. After changing into comfortable clothes, that is a black sweatshirt and a black pair of sweatpants, I wait for Zach in the couch.

Zach returns with two cups in his hand and passes me one. He sits down on the other end of the couch and I find myself getting anxious.

He has changed into a white t-shirt and black sweats himself. I take a sip of my hot chocolate and feel the warmth spread through me, temporarily making me forget the anxiety.

Back when we were together, Zach would make me hot chocolate every time we hung out in his home. However, we used to share then.

"Aw, does my Ella want to drink from the same cup as me?" Zach teases me with a childish voice as if he had read my mind. He smiles knowingly.

My Ella?

"What? N-no!" I look away.

"So," I muster the courage to say the next words, "What do you w-want to know?"

His expression turns deadly serious.

"Everything. I want to know everything."

"Okay," I take a deep breath and nod to myself. I can do this.

"Robert adopted me when I was th-three," I begin. My hands start sweating and I hastily wiped them on my thighs.

"Why didn't I know this before? That you were adopted?"

"H-he didn't want anyone to know." I suck in a breath before continuing.

"Robert and M-Maria's child had died in a car accident. Their daughter was three at the t-time. It had b-been R-Robert's fault, he had been drunk d-driving. Robert and Maria survived, Cara, their child d-didn't."

I sip on the hot chocolate, trying to calm my nerves.

"R-Robert felt guilty after her death. And, he took it out in the wrong way. They adopted me the same year, only to abuse me. They had gone cr-crazy, they started blaming me for their daughter's death."

"So, every time you said you'd fallen from the stairs or something," he doesn't complete the sentence.

I nod my head in confirmation. He fists his hand and his jaws clench.

"At first, it was just v-verbal. They'd yell at me for every little thing. As I got older, it started getting physical."

"Though Maria hated me, she'd at least stop Robert when he got brutal. Things went down after her death, she had leukaemia. R-Robert got crazier, he started blaming me for the death of b-both his wife and daughter."

Zach pulls me by my arm to his lap and I curl into him. However, it doesn't feel as comforting as it usually does.

"I started attracting the wrong type of crowd once I became a cheerleader. F-fake, self-centred friends to be exact. I had no real friends. But then, I f-found you."

I momentarily shut my eyes and focus in my breathing. I press my ear into Zach's chest and listen to his erratic heartbeat that's oddly calming.

"I was so in love with you. I'd do anything to be with you, y'know? It wasn't just your ap-appearance like everyone would say. It was y-you."

I sigh. Zach does too.

"R-Robert was afraid that I'd tell you about his abusive ways. So, h-he blackmailed me to leave you. Else, h-he swore he'd make you and your family's life a living hell'. I had no choice, Zach."

I turn to look into his lethal eyes that were barely green. His pupils had dilated.

"H-he got worse after that. To the point where-... where- he started touching me and... and- h-he" I am unable to complete the sentence. By the way Zach's hand tightens around me, he gets it. I bury my head on his neck, desperately trying to find comfort.

"I left the n-next day. Started living in the streets, hidden. The day you found me, I was running from a g-group of men."

By the time I end talking, I am trembling wildly while Zach holds me. Suddenly, he pushes me away and with a lethal look in his pace, he walks away.

I hear the front door slide after some time. And just like that, he leaves me. And I hate this feeling of uncertainty. I hate how he leaves me at conditions like these.

After a couple of hours, worry seeps through me. Zach doesn't return. I call him numerous times but it goes into voicemail.

Since I have nothing better to do, I roam around his mansion. I am not surprised to find a gym room in the basement, or a hundred luxurious guest rooms.

Not literally but you get it.

I find Zach's study on the second floor. I hesitantly enter and observe the room. The books are neatly stacked in the rack and the table is free of dust.

On top of the table is a familiar brown file. The file reminds me of why I am here. It makes my heart throb as it reminds me of the reality of the situation.

No matter what, Zach 'bought' me. And said degrading things to me.

Just as I walk towards it, I hear the front door sliding in. With a final look at the file, I turn around and walk outside the room.

The sight in front of me makes my heart drop. Zach's white t-shirt has splashes of blood in it and blood is oozing from his fists.

Upon seeing me, his lips turn into a smile, the kind of smile that has me shivering. And not because of the cold. He walks to me.

"There's something I'd like you to see," Zach grins at me, sounding crazy.

I almost flinch at his gruff voice.