Chapter 2

Pierce

I close the door to the control room behind me, making sure it latches so it's locked. I walk over to the familiar chair, sinking into it and groaning as I run my hands through my hair in frustration. 

Well, that could have gone worse I suppose. 

I knew she would be scared and confused. I didn't expect the look on her face to gut me quite as much as it did but, who am I kidding? I'm a goner for the girl. I stole her away to lock her up in my tower to keep her with me forever. 

Well, it sounds crazy when you say it like that.

I flick on the screens and look through the cameras at her like I have for months. Only now it's my house she's in, instead of her own. 

I watch as she wanders around her room, looking through the closet and bathroom. I hope she likes the way I had it decorated for her. Having an old house like this renovated to be more modern was a pain in the ass, but it was worth it for her. 

I check the cameras at her old place as well, mostly out of habit. I click through the few rooms and see that everything is quiet. Hopefully the resignation letter I sent her boss was believable and there isn't anyone searching for her. I know she doesn't have any close friends or family and even though that makes me sad for her, at this moment I'm grateful for it. 

I switch my view back to her room and watch as she goes into the bathroom again. I look through the camera in there, but can't see her. It's angled away from the toilet, shower and bathtub, only the vanity visible. But I can tell from the sound that she's taking a shower. I use the opportunity to take a quick shower myself, switching into clean clothes. I had been so worried about her I sat in a chair next to her bed most of the night, just watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest to assure myself that she would be alright. 

By the time I get back to the cameras, she's dressed and back in the main room. She's jiggling the handles on the windows and I can't help but chuckle. Those old things haven't opened in years. She goes towards the door and pulls on the handle. When it swings open, she has a surprised look on her face. Apparently she thought I would lock her in there, but I'd never do that. This is her home, she can wander it freely as she wishes, with the exception of the security control room. I switch camera views and follow her as she moves gingerly through the house, clearly trying not to attract my attention. 

Little does she know, she's had it since the moment I first laid eyes on her. 

When she gets to the top of the grand staircase she stops, her eyes wide with wonder as she looks through the space and a flash of pride goes through me. This house was always my favorite of my family's properties. I'm glad she seems to like it too. 

When she pulls out of her stunned stupor she tiptoes down the stairs, her eyes flinging around the room like she's waiting for me to pop out from a hidden passageway or something. When she gets to the bottom she makes her way to the door, pulling on the handle. When it doesn't budge she gets a hard look in her eyes, jostling the handle and pulling again, putting one foot up on the other door to brace herself. I use that as my cue to exit the room, making my way towards her. 

The control room is situated under the grand staircase, but towards the back so I have to round a corner to see her. When my footsteps echo against the floor she spins, flattening herself against the door as she looks at me with wide, fearful eyes. I stop a good distance away from her, my hands in my pockets as I watch her for a moment, relishing being so close to her after all of this time wishing and planning. 

"It won't open, sweetheart." I say gently. She huffs at me, anger etched on every inch of her perfect face. 

"What do you want with me? Why won't you just let me go?" she hurls at me and I find myself grinning. That hint of sass was what attracted me to her in the first place. 

"I just want you, Harlow." I say honestly. She scoffs at me and rolls her eyes, crossing her arms across her chest. 

"There are a million ways you could have gone about it and you choose this?" she snaps at me and I can't stop the grin from spreading across my face. 

"You're right. My methods are kind of fucked up. But my intentions are good." I say. Her shoulders slump and she tips her head back against the door, her eyes glistening with tears again. 

"Are you going to hurt me?" she asks, her voice timid and quiet. 

"Never." I say firmly. The mere thought of hurting her makes my whole body roil with disgust. She looks at me hard, like she's gauging my honesty. 

"Come on. I'll make you lunch. You must be starving." I say, motioning her to follow me. 

"I'm not hungry." she practically snarls at me. I'm not used to hearing such venom in her tone. She's usually so calm and sweet, but I can find myself enjoying this side of her. Her pushing back, challenging me. 

"Are you sure? I have everything to make your favorite." I say, coaxing her to follow me again. 

"My favorite? How would you know what my favorite is?" she asks. 

"You rarely order food for delivery. Maybe once a week to ten days. Out of the last twelve times you ordered, nine of them were the same thing. It was an easy assumption." I say, a weird pride in my voice. I watch as the color drains from her face. 

"Have you been stalking me?" she questions, but I just shrug. 

"Stalking is kind of an ugly word. I prefer.... Admiring from a distance." I say cheekily. 

"So, yes. You've been stalking me." she says, clearly not amused by me. 

"Yes." I say succinctly. 

I told her I'd be honest with her. 

"What else do you know about me?" she asks, almost like she's scared to know the answer. 

"Everything." I reply easily. Because it's true. 

"Like, what I like to eat?" she asks and I nod. 

"What you like to eat, what you like to wear, the way you like things to look, where you work, your everyday schedule. Well, you're old schedule. I know you don't have many friends, that you'd rather spend a Saturday night binge watching TV and eating salmon teriyaki, sushi and shrimp tempura than going out with friends. I know you've never met your father and that your mother passed away young from an aggressive form of uterine cancer which is why you decided to have a hysterectomy, rather than risk the same thing happening to you." I finish my spiel and watch her reaction. She goes quiet for a long while before she speaks again. 

"How did you get my medical information? That's private." she says quietly and I nearly laugh. Nothing about her has been private from me since I figured out where she lives. But she doesn't need all of that information right now. 

"There are some unfair advantages of being wealthy. Being able to buy information is one of them." I say simply. She looks around the house again, before looking back at me. 

"Where am I?" she asks. 

"Arnoult Mansion." I reply, watching as her brow furrows in adorable concentration as she thinks. 

"Arnoult? Like the ice cream brand?" she asks, making me grin. 

"Yes. But my family started with dairy farming. Through the years we ventured into other businesses before my grandfather took an interest in technology. Computer parts especially. We even did work with NASA. But now we're focused more on clean energy. This house was built in the 1880's by my great great grandfather. He built it for my great great grandmother, Etta. This was her favorite place to come in the spring. She loved the flowers. So he built her this house." I say, walking carefully towards her and grabbing her hand gently. 

"Come on, sweetheart. We can talk more over lunch. You need to eat." I say, but she grabs her hand away from me. 

"I told you, I'm not hungry." she snaps. I sigh in return before turning towards her and shrugging. 

"Alright. But the chef said the tuna would only stay good for so long so I need to make the sushi. Feel free to join me in the kitchen whenever you'd like." I say, going to walk away from her before her sweet voice rings out from behind me. 

"The chef?" she asks. I turn back towards her and nod. 

"The one I had flown in from Japan to teach me how to make your favorite food. I even make my own miso soup. It's pretty good, considering it has tofu in it." I say, scrunching my nose a little at the thought of the bland, spongey substance. I swear I almost see a smile flit across her face. 

"You learned how to make sushi for me?" she asks curiously, cocking her head to the side as she appraises me. 

"Of course." I say simply. "I wanted it to be even better than the restaurants." I admit, feeling my face flame into a blush. I don't say anything else, I just head towards the kitchen hoping that was enough to bribe her into following me. 

I pull out everything I need to make her lunch, starting the soup on the stove just as she wanders into the kitchen. I smile at her and pull a chair out for her at the breakfast bar so she can watch me cook. I hear her stomach start to grumble as the smell of the salmon cooking wafts through the room. I give her the soup to start, and place more food in front of her as it finishes cooking. To my intense delight she eats everything, seeming to enjoy the meal. She watches me closely from across the counter as I make myself a sandwich. 

"You're not going to eat this?" she asks and I shake my head. 

"No. I hate sushi." I admit and this time she really does smile. Even if it's a little one, I'll take it.