Rihanna

Chapter Four

Alex’s Pov

I could hear the muffled murmur of voices as I approached Rihanna's room. The door was slightly ajar, and I hesitated for a moment before pushing it open. I wasn't expecting to walk into anything pleasant, but what I found still managed to infuriate me.

Rihanna stood by the bed, arms folded, glaring down at Emma, who knelt by the laundry basket. A tight knot of anger began to twist my chest as I watched Rihanna swipe Emma's hands off the pile of clothes.

"Get it together," Rihanna said nastily. "You're here to serve, aren't you? Then do it properly.”

My fists clenched. I should have known Rihanna wasn't going to make this easy for me. She wasn't one who took well to losing control, and that's exactly what I'd done when I took Emma in. I'd removed her from the bottom of the pecking order, and now Rihanna was seething.

Emma did not say one word, only her body eloquence spoke aloud. She was humiliated, her shoulders slumped as if trying to make herself as small as possible.

I watched, my anger bubbling over, as Rihanna ordered her to wash her period panties. The act of it-demeaning Emma like that-made my blood boil. I wasn't sure whether I was angrier at Rihanna for being cruel or myself for not stepping in sooner.

I had no idea exactly what I was expecting from this arrangement, but it certainly wasn't this. Maybe I thought Emma would find some semblance of dignity, a place in the world I'd dropped her into. It seemed, however, as if Rihanna was hell-bent on divesting her of whatever scraps of dignity she might have had left.

I went in the room, and with one final thought, slammed the door behind me. They froze. I could tell the sudden tension in Emma's posture as she looked up to me, unsure what was going to happen next, while Rihanna turned instantly, a scowl crossing her face at the mood she now saw that I was in.

What's this?" I asked, my voice low, laced with fury. "What the hell is going on here?"

Rihanna looked at me, her usual defiance clouding her features. "I'm just teaching her some manners," she said with a flippant wave of her hand. "She's new here, she doesn't understand the rules.

I moved closer to Emma, my eyes scanning her face. She looked broken, defeated, and I hated that sight more than anything. I hated that I hadn't done more to protect her from this.

I turned back to Rihanna, who was running on thin patience. "You've gone too far, Rihanna," I growled. "Why should you do this to someone, why are you using her this way, huh?”

Rihanna's lips arced into a bitter smile. "And what exactly are you going to do about it, Alex? She's just another one of your toys, isn't she?" Her voice was oozing with disdain. "What makes her so special?"

I stepped toward her, my voice cold and firm. "She's mine now. She doesn't belong to you, Rihanna. You've had your time.”

Anger, incredulity flashed in her eyes. "You really think you can just take her away from me like that?" she hissed. "You think she's going to take my place? You think I'll just let you walk in here and control everything?"

I didn't back off-one glance at her eyes, I was firm. "You've had your time. Now she is with me. I will not let you humiliate her any longer.”

Rihanna's face turned red with anger. "Who’s she, why sounding like she’s special? You can't just take her from me, Alex. You think I'll just stand by and watch? I've been with you far longer than she has. You owe me—"

My words caught in my throat as I stepped closer, my eyes never leaving hers. "You've done enough, Rihanna. Don't make me remind you where your place is."

The tension in the air was thick, and it could suffocate me. Emma was still here, silently watching the showdown between Rihanna and me. I could feel her eyes on me, yet I didn't care because this wasn't about her now; it was about one thing I should make crystal clear, and that is: Rihanna had nothing to say to anybody anymore.

I could see the storm brewing in Rihanna's eyes, but she knew better than to push me further. She turned her gaze to Emma instead. "Fine," she spat, "take her. But don't think this is over, Alex. You've made your choice. I'll make mine."

Without saying another word, I turned to Emma, my voice soft but firm. "Come on," I said, holding out my hand. "We're leaving.”

She hesitated for a moment, then slowly got to her feet. Her eyes met mine, with fear and uncertainty in them. I didn't know if she was scared of me or the situation she was in, but I didn't care. I couldn't let her be treated like this anymore.

As we left the room, her gaze burned into my back. I knew she was furious, but I didn't care. I wasn't going to let her be in control anymore. I was taking Emma with me, and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.

The tension that had existed between Rihanna and me was not at an end; it was only just beginning.