CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 6

Callie was mortified, what on earth just happened? She didn’t know what to do, she was shaking and freaking the hell out. Oh my god… Oh my god… She felt his spunk oozing down her thighs and cringed. Fuck…

Not giving a fuck what anybody had to say about it, she turned on the shower and washed herself. She scrubbed her body over and over again. Her mind racing with the events that had just occurred.

He fucked her… Again… He came inside her!

Callie was so confused. She was kind of afraid also… Something about the way Tristan took what he wanted… Something about the way he just didn’t care what her issue was…

In today’s world things like this weren’t supposed to happen. Women had rights… Tristan didn’t seem to give a fuck about any of that. He just did what he wanted, played by his own rules.

Yeah, she needed to get the hell out of there fast.

Once she was done washing herself she wrapped the towel around her body and dried herself quickly. She had no underwear… Fucking great.

She grabbed his top and threw it on again. Better than nothing. Took her a moment to get her bearings before she dared to walk out of the bathroom and back into the room.

Tristan was laying on the bed all bare chested looking like a god. He was something to look at alright. Callie looked around for her clothes… “Where are my clothes?” She asked when she couldn’t find them.

“Get in.” He ordered her. He had a spark in his eyes. Oh how she hated him.

“Where are my clothes?”

“Not here. Had them taken to get washed…”

“What? Why would you do that?” Oh my god.

“Well because I want to talk to you. I know you are going to be difficult so this is just a precaution…”

“Talk to me? About?” She was so confused. She needed out. That was it, she just needed to leave.

“Well, if you get in the bed I will tell you… So… The sooner you get in the bed the sooner we can talk…” The stupid asshole! She rolled her eyes at the fucker before she reluctantly made her way into the bed. She sat on the edge of the bed wanting to keep as far away from Tristan as possible. The jerk had other ideas and grabbed her around her waist pulling her over to him so she was in his arms, her head on his chest… What on earth!

She was too shocked to react… Callie remained still not really knowing what she should be doing. She honest to god didn’t understand Tristan’s reasoning at all. What the hell was he doing?

“There… Now we can talk…” He said as he stroked her hair. Um…

“I want to go home. I need my clothes…”

“Yeah, I know. I mean, I know you can’t leave unless of course you want to go naked…” Bastard.

“What do you want Tristan?” She asked needing to get to the point. This entire situation was making her feel very awkward and unsure.

“I want you to stay…” What? Like say what now? “I want you to stay Callie…” The seriousness in his voice was a little concerning. Callie dared herself to look up into his eyes hoping to see he was joking. Nothing of the sort, he was serious. He looked very serious indeed.

“Tell me you are fucking with me right now…” His eyes darkened when she said that. Oh my god he wasn’t fucking around…

“Why is it so hard for you to believe I want you? I mean, I think I’ve made it pretty clear.”

“Thing is… I don’t want you… I am not lying or trying to play you. I don’t want anything to happen. I don’t want to be with you. Why is it hard for you to believe me?” She asked right back.

Callie felt him tense when she said that. She moved out of his embrace and sat up.

“You sure about that?” He asked sitting up also. He made his way out of the bed angrily.

“I never ever gave you the impression I wanted more. Why are you getting upset? I…”

“Not upset baby, trust me. Not upset…”

“Okay… Well… I’m sorry that you thought there was more. There isn’t…” He nodded his head as he put his jeans on, he kept them undone but had them on. He was leaving… Thank god. He would give her clothes back and she would be on her way. Done… That was it.

“Don’t be sorry yet…” What the hell did that mean? She didn’t get a chance to ask because the fucker left the room making sure to slam the door behind him. Okay then… That happened… Freak…

Callie waited for her clothes… After twenty minutes she went to open the door hoping to find somebody to grab her something to wear… Maybe Sally would help her out.

The door was locked… Locked from the outside. What the hell? She tried again and it wasn’t budging.

Um… He locked her in? This was screwed up.

Callie was trying not to freak out… Maybe the door automatically locked or something… She was going to keep calm…

One hour went by and nothing, no sign of Tristan and no sign of her clothes… Two hours… Three… Four… By this time she was starving and panicked. Four hours before he returned… Four hours…

The son of a bitch returned with a tray of food. He walked in like nothing was amiss and locked the door behind him.

“What the fuck?” She walked right up to him and shoved him hard using both of her hands.

“You must be hungry. Go ahead and eat.” He pointed at the food he had placed on the table.

“What?”

“Dinner. You haven’t eaten since work… I’d assume since lunch time.”

“Why am I locked in here?” She was about to become hysterical.

“Because I locked you in.” Was what he replied. He sat down where the food was and indicated for Callie to sit down also. He waited for her to do just that before he spoke again. Once she was seated she glared at him.

“Tristan… Why did you lock me in?”

“To keep you in here…” Oh my god. He was giving off this scary vibe.

“Stop… What the fuck is wrong with you? I… I’ve been in here for over five hours… You took my bag, my clothes, my phone!”

“Yeah, I did…”

“This isn’t fucking funny.” She snapped not sure what the deal was. She wasn’t sure if she should be freaking out if he was still playing some kind of sick joke. A prank… She just didn’t know. She was still hoping it was a joke, sick or not… Anything was better than this being real.

“Yeah, I know it’s not fucking funny.” And his face turned deadly serious again. Just like that… His entire demeanour just changed. He looked menacing now. “I tried to warn you. I did. I gave you that… I tried to do it right… Thing is I can’t get you out of my head. Now had you played nice and let me see where this was going I would not have to resort to this. You don’t want to do things the easy way so… So this is the outcome.”

“What?” Her voice barely a whisper.

“You will remain right here… In this room. Nowhere but these four walls…”  

“Stop… You’re lying…”

“Okay… If you say so…”

“Tristan stop. This is kidnapping.”

“I don’t really give a fuck what it is. You will not be going anywhere. Not until I am done with you.”

“Done with me? What the fuck are you saying?” Yeah it was time to panic.

“Eat your food. It’s getting cold.” He was really doing this… No… This had to be a joke.

“Where is Sally?”

“Sally? You think she’ll go against me to help you?” He smiled knowing that Sally would never choose Callie over him.

“Please… You’re scaring me…” She was smart enough to know to be afraid.

“Eat your food…” The way he said that… Her body was yelling at her to just do as she was told. Callie began to eat quietly as Tristan sat there and watched her. Nothing but the two of them… He was just looking at her every move. This was so creepy.

He waited for her to be finished before he held her hand and led her into the bathroom with him where he began to strip. Callie opened her eyes wide and turned to look away. He moved over to her and made it out like he was coming to kiss her before he locked the door.

She frowned and looked away as he took his clothes off completely before he had himself a shower. Callie turned away so she was facing the door. She stood there rigidly not understanding any of this.

Nothing was making sense.

This was kidnapping. Nothing more to it. He had kidnapped her and was holding her against her will… This was a crime…

Did Sally know? Did they all know? Oh my god…

Callie decided to just play nice. If that’s what it was going to take to get him to let her go she would just give in to him. Do what he wanted… Tristan Fortes was holding her captive… Literally holding her captive…

She tensed when the water stopped running. Callie refused to face him, she was glad the minute he opened the door and indicated for her to leave the bathroom before him.

The first thing she noticed was that the tray of food was no longer there. “I want to go home.” She finally said. She turned around to face Tristan who was dressed only in his track pants. He raised an eyebrow at her now. “Tristan… I… I will give you a go, just let me go home… I will make it work. However you want. Just… You have to let me go home.”

He laughed. He laughed at her plea to go home.

“Babe, you think I was born yesterday? Didn’t get where I did in life believing shit like this. Get in the bed.”

“I… I give you my word…” She grabbed his arm to stop him from getting into the bed.

Tristan reacted instantly. He grabbed her face squeezing painfully hard and spoke through clenched teeth. His mouth almost on hers now. “You want to make this work then make it work here… That’s the only option you have…” He snapped before he kissed her mouth hard. Like so hard… He let her go abruptly and shoved her towards the bed roughly. “Now get the fuck in the bed babe.”

Callie felt her tears roll down her face. Time to cede for real…

She made her way in the bed not really knowing what else to do. All she knew was this was one messed up situation to be in. Tristan was not playing… He was no longer trying to be all charming and trying to win her over.

Callie would wait, nothing more to do really. She would wait. Stephanie would call the police when she didn’t show up to work… That was all she could do now… Wait…

Next morning and Callie awoke to find herself in Tristan’s arms. She tensed immediately and moved away from him. Tristan was wide awake. He was looking at her darkly.

“Come here.” His voice low. He was literally speaking to her like she was put on this earth to obey him. Wanting nothing more than to tell him to fuck off… Play the good girl Callie…

Hating herself so much, she made her way over to him. Tristan didn’t give her any time to think about what was happening, he had her straddling him and his cock was deep inside her. She cried out at the intrusion. He was huge… Her body felt like it was being stretched to its limits.

He cursed to himself as he lifted her backside up only to slam her back down. Ouch… Callie felt her tears roll down her face. She felt totally violated right now. What the fuck was going on?

Tristan had this darkness in his eyes now. He looked almost soulless. He continued to set the pace by lifting her up and pressing her down. She saw the veins in his neck tense as he filled her up.

Callie was doing her best not to sob, she was in pain, a lot of pain. She did cry out when he pinched her nipples hard. He then slapped both her breasts really hard through the top she wore.

“Move up and down…” He ordered her. She was doing her best to see this through… Trying really hard to make this end already. Tristan was nowhere near done… The bastard began to stroke her privates as he fucked her.

She tensed unable to relax. He was relentless. He began to roll her clit with his fingers while his cock was embedded deep inside her. Oh my god.

Her body began to move on its own accord now. Up and down, back and forth, up and down, back and forth… He added a little more pressure on her clit… Oh my god…

This feeling… This feeling that was lurking on the surface…

She needed more suddenly, Callie bit her lip looking into his dark lust filled eyes now. “Fuck me…” He cursed to himself now. “Fuck me you’re hot…”

Callie didn’t know what was happening. Her body went into some kind of spasm… She felt like she left her body. The pleasure that hit her was so hard… Callie cried out as the pleasure coursed through her veins.

Before she could get her head around what had happened, Tristan flipped her beneath him and fucked her with so much force. He lifted both her hands atop her head as he slammed inside her repeatedly.

She was in pain… It was a strange kind of pain…

He was like a man gone mad now. “Put your legs around me.” He snapped at her.

Callie was too afraid not to do as he wanted, she wrapped her legs around his waist hoping she was doing it right.

A few more thrusts before he pulled out of her abruptly and squirted his cum onto her stomach.

Tristan lifted his head as he found his release. “Fuck!” He cursed aloud.

If that wasn’t the most intense thing to ever happen to Callie…

She waited for Tristan to finish wiping his spunk off her before she hurried to the bathroom to wash up. She found an unopened toothbrush and didn’t care who it belonged to. She took her time freshening up before she returned to the room.

Tristan walked into the bathroom and took a leak not giving a fuck that the door was open. Callie was quick to leave the bathroom. She was too embarrassed to face him. It was humiliating how her body reacted to his touch.

She never in a million years expected to find pleasure the way she did, sure as hell did not expect to find it with him…

He walked out of the room and looked her up and down. Callie frowned. “Can I go now?” She wanted to make it out like this was just a ploy for him to fuck her. Okay they fucked… Twice…

“Can you?” Was how he replied to that. He didn’t even stop to explain shit to her, he left the room again. Callie ran to the door only to find it locked again. What the actual fuck?

She began to bang on the door really loudly calling out for somebody to help her. She yelled and carried on for as long as she could before she tired herself out.

What the fuck was happening?

The bastard returned an hour later with some coffee and breakfast for her. Callie was actually dumbstruck. He was really doing this.

“Thought you might want something to eat.”

“This is kidnapping Tristan. Do you understand that? You have kidnapped me. I am here against my will. You will go to prison for this…”

“Will I?”

She looked into his hard eyes. Something deep down inside her told her not to push him, not to test his patience. She recalled reading about Tristan and AJ and some the crimes that they had been accused of.

They managed to get out of everything. No matter how hard the evidence was stacked up against them, they were cleared… She did not stand a chance…

***

Was this too much? Tristan knew he was overdoing it but didn’t really care. He was going to do what he was going to do. Callie reached a part of him that nobody to date had been able to reach. It was a little confronting. He was never confused, always had a game plan, was always ten steps ahead of the game… Only with Callie everything seemed unsure. He really didn’t get it.

If this was the only way to keep her for now so be it. He had Sally speak to Stephanie and pay her a lot of money to run the shop in Callie’s absence. Paid her way more money than was needed but it worked. Stephanie would do whatever they wanted if the money was going to keep flowing in.

Tristan could see the look of realisation on Callie’s face. She was getting it, she was understanding just how dire her situation was now. Teach her to turn him away. Tristan spend his entire life showing the world that he was a somebody. Showing the world that he mattered, making everybody take notice of him… Of his brother. They did the unimaginable to be where they were today. So nobody ever could look down upon them.

For Callie to walk into his life and make him feel somewhat beneath her? Make him feel that he was nothing but a thug… He had to make this right, show her that he was a somebody. He would do whatever he needed to do to get his point across.

He wanted to own Callie. He wanted to keep her for himself. He did… He wanted to have her now purely to show her that he was the fucking king. She would serve him, she would be how he wanted her to be. She would have no choice, it was either do as she was told or remain in this room. He didn’t care either way. He kind of liked the idea of having her here in his room alone… For however long he wanted to have her.

He watched as she debated with herself how she was going to do this. She was smart enough to sit at the table. She drank a sip of her coffee quietly. He could see her mind racing. She would be trying to think of something to get him to see reason.

“Why are you doing this to me?” She asked finally looking into his eyes. She had this way about her, like she wasn’t afraid to look him in the eyes and confront him. Most women and men were intimidated by him and his brother.

How to answer that?

“I told you, I want to keep you.” He watched as she rubbed her lips together.

“Keep me?” She asked giving him a dark look.

“I am not done with you…”

“Tristan… Please, if this is a joke…”

“Does it look like a joke? I mean, I’m not laughing, can’t see you laughing…”

“I… You need to stop. I… I am freaking out right now. I can’t do this…”

“Thing is right, you don’t have a say… You are here and will remain right here until I decide to let you go.”

“You can’t be serious… You can’t…” She put her cup down and stood up shaking her head. “I… Open the fucking door Tristan…” She walked to the door and tried to open it. Good luck with that. “Open the fucking door!” She yelled as she began to pound on the door hard. Tristan stood up and approached. Callie turned to face him and shook her head. “You open this goddam door right now.”

She walked right up to him and pushed him hard using both of her hands. Tristan didn’t move much, she did it again and was becoming agitated when he didn’t do anything.

“Open the fucking door!”

Tristan smiled before he grabbed both her wrists and pulled her into his body holding her firmly in place. “You will have to earn the right to leave the room.” He spoke in her ear. He wanted to fuck her head up. He wanted her to know how futile it was if she fought and carried on. End game was he was the one in control.

The minute that Tristan let her go, Callie slapped him hard. “You think you can win me over this way?” She asked looking at him like he was filth. “You think I will ever feel more for you?”

Tristan felt himself tense. There it was again, only Callie ever made him feel this way. Feel that he was somewhat inferior. He didn’t understand this impact she had on him. She was supposed to be at his feet begging for him to give her his time. Give her anything at all…

“It doesn’t matter Callie. You will not be going anywhere, no matter how hard you carry on. No matter how much you fight… Understand that you will remain right here in this very room… Only company you will have will be me and if you don’t start to get your act together it will a long and lonely road for you…”

“You are a dirty dog and nothing more. A thug… Once a thug always a thug right? You think your clothes or your house or your women will make you more than a mere thug? Trust me Tristan you might have money but ultimately you will only ever be a thug…”

Hearing her say that got to his core. Something about her words hit him hard. On reaction, Tristan used the back of his hand and smashed her across her face so hard. So hard… She hit the floor from the force of his attack.

Tristan wasn’t proud of himself but he was not going to allow a stuck up snob think she had the goods to bring him down. No way no how. He would break her until she was nothing if not completely broken.

Callie had her hand on her face as she looked up at him with wide eyes. Her saw her tears and was kind of happy to see that. She needed to learn. Tristan grabbed her arm and pulled her so she was on her feet. Her face was red where had struck her. He stroked her cheek and she flinched moving her head away from his touch.

“You only have yourself to blame for this.” He said moving her hair to put it behind her ears. “I’m sorry this had to happen, maybe you can learn from it.”

He was being condescending and wanted her to know that. He wanted her to understand that unless she began to find ways to please him she would be the only one to suffer.

Her mouth… Her mouth needed to learn what not to say to him.

“Now… Let’s try this again, how about you sit down and eat your breakfast…” Tristan grabbed her arm and led her to the table again. He moved the chair and pressed on her shoulders to sit down. He stood behind her with his hands on her neck, a warning for her to do as she was told. “Breakfast is getting cold.” He kept his voice low.

Callie had her back up, she was tense as hell. He waited for her to pick up her fork and when she didn’t, he applied a little pressure around her neck. Smart cookie understood the threat and began to eat her food.

He moved away from her after a while. He sat down and waited for her to finish. She didn’t eat much.

“Done?” He asked when she sat there just staring at her plate. Her blue eyes looked up so she was looking at him. “You will be hungry if you don’t finish your food.”

Callie didn’t reply and Tristan knew she might be in some kind of shock. He let it go for now. He did warn her that she’d be hungry right?

He stood up now and grabbed her arm pulling her to stand up. He led her to the bed before he retrieved cuffs from his bedside table. He clipped them around her wrist and attached it the bed head before he grabbed the tray of food and left the room making sure to lock her in the room.

Callie would figure it sooner or later. She was smart. She would know that going against him was not going to go in her favour.

“Trouble in paradise?” AJ smirked at him when Tristan joined them.

“Fuck off.” He said before he lit himself a cigar.

“You know what you’re doing brother?”

“Yeah…”

“So, where is she then?” Marla asked after she gave him an open mouth kiss.

“In the room.” He looked over at Sally now. “Go and give her a change of clothing. Have a chat to her.”

Sally the ever obedient did just that. He smiled to himself, would be interesting to see how this reunion went. He wanted Callie to understand how futile it was to fight him. If only she gave it up. If only she saved herself the trouble and just went with it.

“Bro, you get that this is going to become messy right?” AJ was shaking his head. “Why the trouble?”

“I’m bored. Why the fuck not right?” He shrugged his shoulders. He waited for Sally to return and when she did she looked a little unsure how to proceed.

“So… What did she say?” He asked as he took a sip of his black coffee.

“Um… Not much.”

“She didn’t beg you to let her go?”

“No.” What the fuck? This bitch was always counterattacking. “She didn’t say anything.”

“Nothing? She said nothing?”

“I tried to talk to her, I put the clothes on the bed… I… She refused to speak to me.”

He nodded his head as he inhaled a long drag of his cigar. Interesting.

Tristan left Callie alone for most of the day. She would understand sooner or later that displeasing him was not how it worked. She wanted to be allowed any privileges at all she would have to make him happy.

Tristan waited for the cook to have prepared the food and took the tray up to his room. He was not sure how she was going to react.

Callie was still in the same position that he had left her in. Her arm would be sore. He placed the food down onto the table before he walked over to the bed where she was.

He walked over to her and stroked her cheek. The little shit turned her face away in what looked like disgust. Okay then…

“You don’t want me to undo the cuffs?” He asked smiling at how angry she appeared. “I’m sure you would be needing to use the toilet… I mean, how long have you been there for?”

He laughed as he undid her cuffs. She rubbed her wrists before she sat up and literally nudged him out of her way, she grabbed the clothes that Sally had left for her and went to use the bathroom. He sat at the table and waited patiently for her to return.

He heard the water running and knew she was having a shower. Tristan felt his dick come to life. The thought of her naked body under the water…

Took Callie a while before she walked out of the bathroom. She was dressed in a skimpy dress. Much like all the women around here dressed liked. Tristan could tell that she was uncomfortable being dressed this way.

She surprised him by walking right up to the table and sitting down. She demolished her food and gulped her drink. He sat there happily watching her eat her food. Something so sexy about how she did things. She disregarded the fact that he was there watching her. It was like she had no reason to worry what she looked like because she didn’t want him. She was not trying to impress him that was for sure.

“Hungry?” He asked knowing very well she would be starving.

“Fuck you.” She snapped after wiping her mouth using the back of her hand. Tristan tilted his head as he eyed her out. She wasn’t getting it.

“Callie, this is only your first real day here… You don’t want to be starting on the wrong foot.”

“You want me to dress like this?” She asked as she stood up and turned around for him to have a good look at how she looked. “This is what you want? I mean the four women you have downstairs who are more than willing to dress this way for you are not enough?”

“I thought you’d want a change of clothing…”

“Right… And you thought by sending Sally up that I was going to beg her to help me out? Is that what you thought?”

Well yeah that was the plan.

“Why are you always on the defence? Why can’t you just be into the moment?” He wanted to understand why she fought this fight so much. She was a gorgeous girl. Smart, funny… She had literally everything to gain from this union… Why she fought it so hard he just didn’t know.

“What moment? The moment where you keep me locked up against my will? That moment?”

“You won’t even consider giving it a go.” He wanted to get into her head and just try and work her out.

“Give what a go Tristan? Is that the aim then? You want me to be like Sally? Okay… I’ll be like her…” She nodded her head. He knew she was only fucking with his head.

“It’s a shame… I mean… You could live like a queen…” He was trying to make her see what she was missing.

“I don’t want to live like a fucking queen. You want me to fuck you and your brother? You want me to put on a dance for you and strip for you and do everything they do for you? I mean, what the fuck do you get out of that? You are sick. Nothing more to it. You and your brother are both sick…”

“Don’t do that Callie. Don’t be speaking shit about us. You will not like the outcome…”

“I should watch myself right, wouldn’t want you to hit me again.” Sassy little bitch didn’t hide away in fear.  

“Damn fucking straight.” He was giving her a hard look hoping she just understood that some things he would not let go.

“Does it hurt to hear the truth? Just because you act like you and your brother are high and mighty does not make it so.”

“No… It makes us high and mighty when we come up on top over and over again. When little bitches think to take us on and end up locked up in a room.”

“Okay Tristan, do your worst. I’m here… Locked up. I’ll see how long you can keep this up.”

“Don’t underestimate my need to win Callie. I will go however far I need to go to get what I want.”

“Yeah, I can see that.” She rolled her eyes at him and shook her head.

It was hard to keep his cool around Callie. She always managed to rile him up. It was her mannerism. She had this way about her. Like she was not taking him seriously. Like he wasn’t important enough for her to take seriously.

Tristan stood up and approached her, she took a step back and he smiled to himself. She was afraid, he could smell her fear. He continued to walk on ahead until he was right in front of her. He lifted her chin up and looked into her amazing blue eyes.

“I think I’m in love with you.” He said before he could stop himself. The minute the words came out he knew it was the truth. He was in love… Tristan had fallen in love with Callie.

In response to that, Callie moved her head away from him and scoffed. Tristan felt himself tense. He was actually not coping with rejection. He didn’t like this feeling she was evoking within him.

“You’re pathetic.” Her words cut his soul. He rubbed a hand over his mouth trying to figure out how to do this. He was close to hurting her again. He didn’t know what was happening to him. “You think you saying that is going to make a difference to me? You are downright stupid if you believe for one second that I will ever accept your love.”

“Callie…” Tristan had no idea what to even say to that. It was like he was warning her to stop… Warning her not to keep this up.

“What? Ha? You think I would accept your love with open arms? What the fuck? You really are so full of yourself that you believed that I would be okay with it all just because you said you are in love with me?”

Again, that feeling inside him. Been so long since he had had that sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach. She was making him feel weak… That’s what it was. Callie made him weak. He felt weak and would definitely appear weak to everybody around him.

“It doesn’t matter what you think Callie. I didn’t tell you that so you could say it back… I said it so you know how dire your situation is. See… You should be very worried baby… Very worried… Me falling in love with you means you are pretty much fucked. Do you get that? I have you here… Right here away from the world. I have you here alone… Nobody is going to come to your rescue. I have that much power that you will never be found. Ever…”

Tristan saw her face drop. That’s right baby… You have just fucked up your entire life… Tristan was now more determined to keep her. He wanted to prove to her just how much power he had. He would fucking show her.

“I actually feel sorry for you.” He said wanting her to know just how fucked up she was. “You have made an enemy out of me and that is not a good thing. I can assure you that I have never lost a fight so far…”

“I will get away from you Tristan. What would you have then?” She tilted her head to the side as she waited for him to reply.

“Oh no sweetheart… You are very much mistaken. It is now my mission to keep you locked up. I have all the time and money in the world. There is nothing I can’t get… You… You will remain right here locked up like my little pet. You will be how I want you to be if you ever want to leave this room. I promise you that much. You will be my little pet… Much like your sister…”

At the mention of her sister Callie’s face turned hard. Yeah… Looked like he was finally getting through to her.