Chapter 5

RYLEIGH awoke with a tinge of discomfort in her scalp and cheeks. Even her arm, where Lucas dragged her roughly, had marks from his tight grip. Lucas’s slap left a tiny swelled bruise. In front of the mirror, she sighed. Lucas had been hard on her since the beginning of their marriage, but she knew that he still had a loving heart. Lucas was the one who took her into her room after she had passed out. Even though she is naked, the man covers her with the comforter. And she's content with it. Perhaps she needs some time to tame him. She will do anything to please him, even if it means accepting all of his penalties. She came out of the shower and dressed before heading downstairs to prepare their breakfast. 

Even though Lucas despises her, he eats everything she has prepared. And she appreciates it. It may be difficult for her to accept that Lucas knows how to cause hurt to others, but she will do her best to tolerate everything. He may be inflicting pain on her, but she feels he cannot kill her. He will never reach that point. But she was concerned about what he did last night. And perhaps she passed out because she couldn't handle the tension at the time. But why does he need to shackle her hands and blindfold her? 

Could it be Lucas may be a sadist? she concludes as her memory transports her back to the events of that night. 

Ryleigh noticed Lucas enter the dining hall shortly after she finished preparing everything. "Good morning," she greeted, forgetting what he had done the night before.

Lucas stared at her and drew a chair. He had told her the day before that he didn't want to see her while eating. “I need solitude and quiet when I eat. At the very least, you gave me this opportunity.”

Ryleigh then proceeded to the living room to retrieve the vacuum cleaner. It was seven o'clock in the morning on a Sunday. She wonders if Lucas should go outside or stay in his office.

 After cleaning the carpeted floor, she returned to the kitchen to wash the dishes. Lucas’s coldness doesn't bother her. And she never complained since they shared a house. But when it comes to Hannah, Lucas must be aware of her opposition. But what if they meet outdoors and start doing things behind her back? With that notion, she sighed and shook her head.

Lucas approached her while she was wiping the plates and leaned against the middle aisle. She was taken aback at first but soon recovered her composure.

"D-Do you need anything?" she asked, slightly stuttering.

Lucas locked his gaze on her for a few moments. 

Ryleigh noticed how the man's gaze followed her from head to toe. She took a peek at herself. She's dressed simply in a white V-neck shirt and shorts. She noticed his brow creased when his gaze was drawn to her face, particularly the bruise near her lips. She does not need to complain about it. It's the result of her self-centeredness. In the first place, she can't give Lucas’s favor.

"Keith will arrive at nine o'clock. Could you hide that vexing bruise on your face?" he demanded.

Ryleigh nodded. "Do you have anything further to say?" she inquired, placed the plate on the dish rack, and obtained a new one to wipe.

"Hannah was aware I was married, but she was ready to wait for our divorce. If you do not wish to file for us, I will do so—"

"Then I won't sign it," Ryleigh said, staring into his unusual green eyes.

Lucas's lips formed a wicked grin. "Then I shall punish you till you beg me to stop—"

"Oh. Like you did to me in your playroom?" She cocked her brow. "Fine. Just don't bring your wh-re inside my house—" she paused when Lucas crossed their path and grabbed her hair.

"What did you say?" Lucas tightened his teeth.

Ryleigh manages to gaze into his eyes despite the anguish in her scalp. "Hannah is a wh-re."

Lucas slapped her on the cheek as soon as Ryleigh realized what had happened. Her face shifted to the opposite side as tears streamed down her cheeks, and the dish cracked on the floor.

"How could you use that word to accuse her?" he said while pushing her away from him. 

Ryleigh exclaimed when her back collided with the tiled lavatory's edge. "Ugh!"

Lucas harmed her once more. And she knew it wasn't the last time. He'll do it daily, and she'll have to be ready for everything. She wiped her tears away and looked at him.

Lucas laughed. "Now you're glaring?" As he glanced at her, a mischievous grin emerged on his lips. "Once Keith has gone, I will see you in that room," he remarked, and Ryleigh is aware of this. "Hannah will be here on Tuesday, and you have no control over it," he asserted before leaving her.

Ryleigh gathered her courage and picked up the shards of the smashed dish on the floor. Her back throbs in pain from the impact of Lucas’s thrust, but she ignores it. She returned to her room to re-shower and concealed the bruises Lucas had given her.

KEITH arrived before nine o'clock. When the man entered their home, Ryleigh smiled at him. The man greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.

"You look enticing, Rye," Keith remarked as he retreated. "Luke is very fortunate to have you," he added.

Ryleigh only nodded and grinned. Keith then hopes to know what she is thinking.

Ryleigh motioned for him to take a seat while she waited for Lucas. What took him so long? 

"How are things doing with Luke?" Keith inquired as he sat on the couch.

Ryleigh then sat in the other direction of him. She cracked a smile. "Everything is okay. So, how about you? When do you intend to settle down?"

Keith smiled. "I'm hoping a girl will lure me into a marriage as you did. Just kidding,” he said. "Besides, I'm not sure how to love. Unlike Lucas, who is head over heels in love with Hannah— Oh. Sorry.” When Keith realized what had happened, he apologized.

"It's okay," Ryleigh said with a smile. “But saying you don't know how to love is impossible." She moved her head.

"Believe me. I don't," Keith said, laughing.

"Do you adore your mother?"

"I don't have a mother. I never met her."

Ryleigh’s lips formed the letter O. "I apologize for that. Do you adore your father?" Keith, on the other hand, shook his head. "And what about your sister? Brother? What about your relatives?"

Keith, on the other hand, shook his head. "The only families I know are Lucas and his mother. And, of course…" he said with a smile, "… you, as Luke’s wife."

“How about Hannah, perhaps?”

Keith shrugged his shoulders and smiled meaningfully.

Ryleigh was going to say something else when she noticed Lucas approaching them. 

Keith approached him and stood up. The two exchange a bro embrace. Lucas then moved closer to her and sat beside her.

Ryleigh smiled at him, but Lucas only looked at her before turning his focus to Keith.

"Dude, you look a lot better now. Marriage seemed to fit you, and the gorgeous lady beside you treated you well. So, always be pleasant," Keith remarked, winking at Lucas.

"Can we just get into why you're here?" 

Keith laughed and shook his head as Lucas appeared irritated.

Lucas rose and looked her in the eyes. "Make some snacks for us. I'll show him something," he murmured.

Ryleigh then nodded and smiled, even though she didn't get one back from him.

Lucas and Keith exited the living room and went upstairs.

Ryleigh pondered what Lucas might have wanted to show Keith but shook her head and walked to the kitchen to prepare their snack.

WHEN Lucas and Keith enter their home's second level, Keith begins to speak. "I hope you're taking good care of Rye, dude," he remarked. They entered the left half of the floor and halted at the black door.

"I want to convert the lock to a technical one utilizing my fingerprint and a set of codes," he remarked, dismissing Keith’s suggestion.

"Are you being bossy with her? I hope you didn't bring her—F-ck! This is your playroom—the room of your strange collections," Keith cringed.

"I brought her here already."

"Why? You could have just gotten on the bed with her and made love to her—"

"I don't care for her." As they entered, he flung open the door wide.

Keith’s gaze wanders to every nook and cranny of the place. "You should not have begun it."

"She irritated me. And that is the only one—"

"No, dude. Suppose you want her to give you the life you've always desired. It's ideal if you treat her gently, and you'll be surprised one day to find out that she's already given you everything you wanted. Not in a way that will endanger her. If your in-laws find out, especially your mother, they may throw you in jail—"

"She has already agreed to surrender to me."

Keith’s eyes expanded as he gaped in awe. "W-What?"

"She's not stupid to be unaware of this spot. And I will never change my mind about hurting her feelings. Don't be concerned. She is unable to discuss this with her parents or with her father—"

"I noticed a small bruise on her cheek and arm. I worked for the FBI for a year and was trained to be open-eyed; was it a bruise from you?"

Lucas sighed and nodded. "I'm not sure, man. But every time I requested her to release me and refused, my body took action before I realized it."

"I'm working with the law, and if you get to the point where you almost kill her—"

"I'm not a murderer."

Keith laughed. "I'll be the one dragging you into jail, dude."

Lucas shook his head, and they both walked out of the room.

"Man, learn to control yourself. You have to manage yourself as a dominant," he said as they slid down. "Well, since she agreed with you, I won't stop you from doing it. I'll only ask you one question."

Lucas looked at him and came to a halt.

"Are you certain about it?"

"This is the only way—"

"There are numerous options." Keith shook his head and sighed. “Anyway, I'll be on a mission for months and won't be able to visit you." He touched Lucas on the shoulder. "Think about what you're about to do a million times before doing it. Ryleigh is a stunning young lady. Let me court her if you can't love her—" Keith was punched directly in the stomach. He snarled, "What the f-ck, dude? I'm only kidding. And I thought you weren't fond of her? But why do I get the impression that you don't want to let her go—" When Lucas slammed a gentle slam on Keith’s back, he didn't complete what he was about to say.

"You're a jerk, Keith."

"Said the one lady-man who becomes a sadist," Keith said and grinned.