A Rebirth

d with fear. What had happened the night before- Ethan's harsh commands, his threatening voice-played over and over in her mind like a drumbeat that

age from Ethan had been blunt: "Meeting tonight at the club. Task details are enclosed. Be there." It was a command, one which did not admit to discussion.

rformed the drudgery of pouring booze and pretending obedience. But her mind shrieked for liberty behind every phony smile, every clipped obedienc

e muttering discontent. Melinda braced herself psychologically for the confrontation with Ethan, her chest labored with the fury of

alls. Ethan sat behind a shiny mahogany desk, his face a mask of cold, calculated authority. A couple of his enforc

will do something for me." He paused, looking at her as if trying to measur

a reply out of conviction, but a hopeless whisper of someone

relessly spoken but bore the sting of a warning. "I do not enjoy it. You're supposed to be focusing o

gentle voice and kind eyes fought against the poison of Ethan's accusation. "Jonathan-he isn't here to save

his chair, his fingers beating a staccato on the edge of the desk. "You're playing a very nasty game, M

exting him, trying to get away from my control? No one in my world is permitted to have allegiances beyond me. An

ing more than property in his eyes. As his words took effect, her body locked up, and revulsion washed over

curity. And now you're flirting with getting rescued by some man like Jonathan? What kind of message is that?" His voice dropped

or. "I don't need anyone's help," she spat, her voic

th sarcasm. "Look at you, Melinda. This is not a life- it's a prison. And I have the key. But if you keep drifting, if

hand was firm and possessive, and for a moment, she could sense the hard, cold fact of

st was a cutting knife, and tears hovered at the corners of her eyes-not just from the pain, but from the crush

leased her wrist with a sharp yank, and she backed up, applying a trembling hand to where his fingers had dug into her flesh. "You'll do as I say," he c

d an angry surge. "I am not disloyal," she w

getting to choose whom you trust," he answered coldly. "Your loyalty is to me-and only to me. I

ght between Ethan's oppressive strength and the elusive, out-of-reach hope of Jonathan's distant benevolence. Ev

rds rang hollow as they left her lips. It was a plea, o

rself," he said, his tone dripping with contempt. "Fantasies don't put food on the table, Melinda. Facts do. And if

r emotions, was almost too much to bear. But in the darkest recesses of her brain, a light of resistance began to flicker. Even while Ethan bullied her, even whi

belong to me, Melinda," he recited, his tone unbending. "And if you ever attem

ell silent once more, the darkness of his threat lingering in the air like poison. Melinda's

aking. Each day, she had been forced to choose between living and being destroyed- a

The bitter reminder of her place in his world left her taint of loneliness more acute than ever. In that intimate

y vowed that she would not allow Ethan's words to govern her, a part of her-her-no matter how small-yedd for freedom.

tood on the brink of making a decision which would either push her deeper into the depths o

the tears, and pray that the general hope of rescue, embodied in Jonatha