Trapped

Riley's POV 

"I agree" I replied reluctantly. "I'll do as you say."

As I stared at the ground, a storm of emotions swirled inside me: shame, anger, helplessness. 

This wasn’t a choice; it was survival. 

I hated every bit of my decision, yet I had no other choice. 

Losing my job wasn’t an option, not with the crushing weight of rent and bills hanging over my head. 

I had worked too hard to let Jaxon ruin it all, yet here I was, at the mercy of a man who took pleasure in watching others squirm.

"Good decision," Jaxon said with a smug grin, leaning back in his chair. He crossed one leg over the other, folding his arms in that infuriatingly arrogant way he always did. "Though I’m honestly not surprised. You’ve always struck me as someone who knew his place."

I clenched his fists behind my back, hiding them from Jaxon's view. 

I could feel my nails digging into my palms as I forced myself to keep my expression calm. 

I didn't have the luxury to express my true feelings, not now. 

I tried to steady my breathing as I forced myself to respond.

"Yeah," I muttered, my voice barely audible, "guess I didn’t have much of a choice."

"Oh, don’t look so sour, Riley," Jaxon chuckled, tilting his head and eyeing me with a mocking expression. "You should be grateful I’m giving you this... opportunity. Most people wouldn’t have been so kind."

I swallowed back the sharp words that wanted to escape. 

I knew they would only make things worse, but the urge to speak my mind gnawed at me like a persistent itch.

Instead, I simply nodded, trying to mask the disgust boiling inside me.

Jaxon’s smirk widened, clearly enjoying the situation far more than he had any right to. 

“Now, before we begin, there are some... rules. Important rules. This isn’t just some casual arrangement, Riley. I expect you to follow them exactly.”

I looked up, meeting Jaxon’s gaze reluctantly. 

The man was insufferably smug, practically basking in his control. 

My mouth felt dry as I spoke. 

"What rules?"

Jaxon’s smirk turned sharper, his eyes glinting with amusement as he began his twisted version of the terms.

"First and foremost, you’re not to breathe a word of this to anyone," he said, his tone darkening. "Not your friends, not your colleagues. No one. I’d hate to see a little... rumor ruin your reputation. And mine," he added with a feigned sweetness that turned my stomach.

My jaw clenched, but I nodded, trying not to let my hatred for the man show too obviously.

"And, of course, obedience is non-negotiable,” Jaxon continued, leaning forward to make his point clear. “When I tell you to do something, you’ll do it. No questions. No attitude. I want full compliance."

I could feel the anger simmering under my skin, but I forced myself to keep quiet, my gaze fixed on a spot on Jaxon's desk. 

I refused to give Jaxon the satisfaction of seeing just how deeply his words affected me.

“Loyalty, Riley,” Jaxon continued, each word laced with a possessive tone that made my skin crawl. “Your loyalty belongs to me now. That means no sneaking around, no talking to other people about me, nothing that would make me doubt your... commitment.”

I didn’t trust myself to respond. I simply nodded, my mind racing with the absurdity of it all. 

Loyalty? What did that even mean in this twisted context? 

I wanted to laugh at the irony of it, but I knew that wouldn’t end well.

"And there’s one more thing,” Jaxon said, his gaze flickering over me as if assessing me. “I need you in one piece. No bruises, no scratches, nothing that would... diminish your appearance. I have a certain standard, and you’re expected to meet it."

My stomach twisted. This was more than just an arrangement—this was control, pure and simple. 

Jaxon’s words were like a cage, closing in around me, and I could feel my freedom slipping away, one rule at a time.

“So, I can’t injure myself?” I asked, my voice filled with thinly veiled sarcasm. "And I have to look presentable? Is that it?"

Jaxon’s gaze darkened. 

“Precisely. You’re to be... presentable at all times. No exceptions."

I bit back a retort, feeling a fresh wave of anger bubbling within me. 

Jaxon was treating me like some kind of accessory, a pawn to be molded and manipulated.

"And finally,” Jaxon said, his voice lowering as he leaned closer, "you come when I call. No matter where you are or what you're doing, you’ll drop everything and be at my side. Are we clear?"

The final rule felt like the last nail in the coffin. 

I wanted to scream, to tell Jaxon exactly where he could shove his demands, but I couldn't. 

My livelihood depended on this, as twisted as it was.

"Understood," I murmured, the word tasting bitter on my tongue.

"Good," Jaxon said, a smile of satisfaction spreading across his face. He leaned back, exuding an air of triumphant authority. "See, Riley? Things will go much smoother if you just follow orders."

I bit down on the inside of my cheek, using the pain to keep myself grounded. 

I wanted to look anywhere but at Jaxon, but I forced myself to meet my boss’s eyes, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing me break.

"Remember, if you so much as breathe a word about this arrangement," Jaxon said, his voice dripping with malice, "I’ll make sure you regret it. I'll ruin you, Riley. You'll be out on the streets before you even know what's happening. Do you understand?"

The threat hung heavy in the air, each word twisting deeper into my mind like a poisonous vine. 

The warning was clear: Jaxon held my entire life in the palm of his hand, and he wasn’t afraid to crush it if I stepped out of line.

I swallowed, his throat tight with suppressed anger and fear. 

I gave a short, reluctant nod, hating the power Jaxon wielded over me.

The situation was as degrading as it was terrifying.

"Good boy," Jaxon smirked, and I felt a surge of hatred rise within me.

But I said nothing. What was there to say?