Punishment

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CHAPTER 26

~Arianna’s POV~

The car tore through the darkened streets, its engine growling like a restless predator. Damon’s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles pale under the dim glow of the dashboard.

I crossed my arms, my frustration boiling over. “You can’t just drag me around like I’m some kind of possession, Damon. I’m a person, not—”

“You’re mine, Arianna,” he interrupted firmly. “And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

I scoffed, turning my head to glare at him. “Safe? You left me on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. What part of that screams 'safe’ to you?”

His jaw clenched, his gaze fixed ahead. “You needed a reminder that actions have consequences. Wandering off wasn’t an option.”

“You’re unbelievable,” I muttered, slumping back into the seat. My hands itched to grab the door handle, to throw myself out of the car if only to prove a point. But with the speed he was driving, that wasn’t an option unless I had a death wish.

The tension in the car was suffocating and the air filled with words better left unsaid.

After what felt like an eternity, Damon pulled off the main road onto a secluded gravel path. The car bumped and swayed as we drove deeper into what looked like a dense forest. My stomach twisted with unease.

“Where are we going?” I demanded, my voice sharper than I intended.

“You’ll see.”

“That’s not an answer, Damon.”

He didn’t respond, his focus unwavering as the car finally came to a stop in front of a large, ominous-looking structure. It was a sprawling mansion, its dark windows gleaming like the eyes of a predator.

I swallowed hard, my pulse quickening. “What is this place?”

Damon stepped out of the car without answering, circling around to my side. He opened the door, his hand extended. “Come on.”

I stared at him, unmoving. “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what this is.”

His expression darkened, and for a moment, I thought he might lose his temper. Instead, he leaned down, his face inches from mine. “You can walk in, or I can carry you again. Your choice.”

My blood boiled, but I wasn’t about to let him manhandle me again. I pushed his hand away and stepped out, my heels crunching against the gravel.

As he led me toward the mansion, a chill ran down my spine. The closer we got, the more I realized how isolated this place was. There was no sign of life, no sound other than the distant rustle of leaves.

Damon pushed the heavy wooden doors open, revealing a grand foyer bathed in dim light. The air smelled faintly of cedar and something metallic, something I couldn’t quite place.

“What is this?” I asked again, my voice quieter now, my earlier bravado faltering.

He turned to face me, his expression unreadable. “This is where you’ll stay until you understand how dangerous it is out there. Until you learn to stop fighting me at every turn.”

My heart sank as his words registered. “You’re keeping me here?”

“For your own good,” he said simply, stepping closer.

“Damon, this is insane.” I backed away, my hands clenched at my sides. “You can’t just lock me up like a prisoner.”

“I’m not locking you up,” he said, though the sharpness in his tone suggested otherwise. “You’ll have everything you need here. But you won’t leave until I say so.”

Anger flared inside me. “You have no right to do this! I’m not yours to control!”

He closed the distance between us, his towering presence swallowing me whole. “You are mine, Arianna, whether you like it or not. And until you realize that, you’ll stay right here.”

The weight of his words hung heavy in the air, and I fought the urge to lash out, to scream, to hit him. But something in his eyes stopped me. There was a storm raging beneath the surface, something raw and dangerous.

“Why are you doing this?” I whispered, my voice trembling.

His gaze softened, just barely, and for a fleeting moment, I thought I saw a flicker of vulnerability. But it vanished as quickly as it came.

“Because I can’t lose you.” His voice was so quiet I almost didn’t hear it.

Before I could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed through the hall. Damon straightened, his expression hardening as a man stepped into view.

The man was tall and broad-shouldered, his face shadowed under the dim light. He carried himself with authority, his piercing gaze shifting between Damon and me.

“Everything’s ready,” the man said, his voice gruff.

Damon nodded. “Good. Make sure the perimeter is secure.”

The man disappeared as quickly as he’d appeared, leaving me alone with Damon once more.

“What are you planning?” I demanded, my voice shaking with a mix of anger and fear.

He didn’t answer. Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, ornate key.

“This is for your room,” he said, handing it to me. “You’ll stay there tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll talk.”

“And what if I refuse?”

He smirked and his eyes glinted with something dark. “You won’t.”

I snatched the key from his hand, my heart pounding. With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing in the middle of the vast, empty hall.

As his footsteps faded, I looked down at the key in my hand, its intricate design catching the faint light.

A chill ran down my spine as I realized two things.

First, I was trapped.

Second, Damon Dark was far more dangerous than I’d ever imagined.

I rushed to the window without thinking, perhaps my hopeful wish had me thinking he'd turn back and come pick me up but I was only delusional. 

Just when he got halfway to his car, he halted, took out his phone from his pocket and placed it against his ear.

"Find him by all means. No one enters my estate and goes freely." 

I withdrew from the window when I felt his eyes shift in my direction. Perhaps he had not intended on me eavesdropping but for some reason, I could hear him irrespective of the distance.