It has been a week since we began living together. Mentally feels like it’s more than a year already, as the days past has been the longest I’ve been in. It's been a long. I’d say sixty-two hours a day felt more accurate.

In the past week, Keenan had taken it upon himself to make us anything but close. He’s hired three maids, one of which is my helper and he said that like I was an invalid, two professional chefs, three gardeners, two drivers and four security men. He never for once did he ask for my consent to everything he did, well at first I didn’t want to give him any advice, but he didn’t listen when I tried to later on.

He banned me from coming to the office, which is understandable because I hate the whole idea of working under my husband. But not only did he ban me from coming to the office, but he also banned me from looking for another job and when I tried arguing with him, he told me it was part of the prenup I signed. I demanded to see it and he said the documents were still with the lawyers and I had to take his words for it.

I didn’t need to be schooled to know that he was cutting my legs from under me. Removing me from social associations and communications. He didn’t want me at the office because he couldn’t stand the constant reminder of what he had done and stopped me from getting any job so I wouldn’t be independent.

In the last week, Keenan spent most of the hours in the office. He'd wake up early and leave before I can say a thing and return extremely late at night when he knows I’m already asleep.

Three days ago he asked Luke, the head of his security, to come and take my phone. I wasn’t even using it because I was already low on my call bill and cashless and he won’t let me step out of the house. What he did violated my right as a human being and privacy, but I haven’t had the chance to talk. He makes sure I don’t the chance to see him and talk.

As for the cause of last week, I tried reaching Levi but I couldn’t. Most of my calls went into voicemail, but he returned none, at least not until my phone got confiscated. I finally realised where my relationship was with Levi. We passed the reconcilable point. He didn’t want to talk to me anymore, and he probably was moving on now.

I grew lonely and bored though, and who can blame me? I had nothing to do, and I didn't know how to do anything. There says an idle mind is the devil’s workshop and yes, my mind has been the Italian devil’s workshop in the last few days.

I hated him for everything that has happened, and for the rogue turn which my life was in, for losing Levi and for becoming his prisoner. I couldn’t help longing for him, wanting to see him, partly because I want to make him suffer and partly because I want to please him and take his mind away from everything.

The event that took place on the night we got married became a nightmare most nights and a fantasy I secretly crave to redo.

I’ve never felt more joy, more alive as I felt in the memory of that night and whether drugged I wanted to feel it again, feel him again, feel us again, skin against skin, with our mind working as though we are one and cannot get separated for any reason.

He’d have to be seeing Taylor to attempt that with you for real, and from what has been happening these past days, he’s seeing you. My mind tells me bluntly.

I sigh and get up and walk to the window when my door cracks open and Rebecca, my helper, enters. She is half Indian and half American. She just turned seventeen last month, and she’s a real nice girl.

She works as a maid to earn some money this year so she can further her studies and get a degree in acting. She’s noble and a sweet girl and she reminds me of myself when I was her age.

She smiles and walks toward the window where I stand before saying, “The bathtub is ready ma,”

I smile back at her, “I told you before, call me Varisha, or Vary.” I remind her of what I had told her yesterday.

Rebecca’s eyes widen in grave fear and she shakes her head, “But he said to never take your name. I don’t want to get into trouble or get fired.”

I take her hand in mine and gently squeeze it. “You won’t, I assure you. Besides, aren’t you only doing what I told you?”

Her fear and uneasiness subside a little, “Okay, Va-Vary.”

I walk to the bathroom and once the door closes; I let the nightgown I had on fall to the ground and I enter the bathtub and lather myself up with soap. The bathroom is a large room compared to the one I had in my old apartment while I lived with Alian; the floor was made with brown shiny tile and the bathtub was large and most time I wonder if it’ll be large enough to accommodate Keenan like it did the night we got married.

Flashback

“Come with me,” Keenan said, taking my hand with his and leading me out of the living room as he brings me down to the bar counter.

He kissed my already swollen lips and swept me into his arms. He made his way into the bathroom and once we enter he closes the door; then he kissed me again, this time harder and rougher. His hands lifted to my back where my bra was and he unhooked it and let it fall to the ground. Then his hand drags down my panties and I step out of them, standing naked before his lust-filled dark gaze.

“Bella! (Beautiful!)” he proclaimed, pulling away to stare at my whole body, now completely naked before his hungry eyes.

“Can’t wait to see what you have,” I said, tiptoeing to kiss him before pulling away to tug down his pants. I first met the trimmed pube surrounding his hidden dick, then I pulled down further and his thick member bounced out to greet me.

My widened eyes made him chuckle, and I looked up with a sceptical eye, “I’m big, hun” he confessed, feeling a little embarrassed as well at the fact.

Well, he was right. He was big and well hung, much bigger than when I touched him earlier.

“I know you haven’t done this before, so,” he back away and took me in his arms into the bathtub.

We made out in the bathtub again and he made me straddle him and grind him until everything; I was coming down from the height, and thrilled. After that, my vision blurred and my eyes finally shut.

“Can I come and take your clothes to the laundry room now?” I snap out of my dirty thoughts at Rebecca’s voice.

“Yes, you can,” I reply, still trying to catch my breath from the surprise my breathing took when Rebecca knocked. She enters and picks up my gown from the floor where I left them before leaving the bathroom.

I rub the soap on my body and massage myself lightly, closing my eyes to feel the effect and a moan escape my mouth. This is good, but having someone do it for me is better.

I drop the soap and rub my body when I hear the door opening. “Rebecca?” I call out but only get silence back and a little fear stirs my heart as the door opens wider. “Who is it?” I ask this time, and I stand up in the bathtub and stretch my hand to the left side of the tub to pick up my towel when someone walks in and because I’m trying to pick up my towel, I don’t see who it is.

The door closes as I pick my towel up and I look to see none but Keenan in a three-piece blue suit that matches his eyes perfectly. Talking about his eyes, there are looking at me with pure anger and frustration which is not directed at me written all over his face. Seeing him for the first time in many days, I don’t think things are going to go as I envisioned.

So I wrap the towel around my body and prepare for the worse.

His eyes don’t leave me or my body as he proceeds further into the bathroom, striding across the bathroom like he owns the place and he does and holding so much rage and anger and I cling to the towel around me for support and strength.

“Did I just hear Rebecca take your name?” He asks with a stony gaze as he gets even closer to the bathtub.

‘We could channel all that rage and anger into something productive, something we can both enjoy to its fullest, right here right now.’ I shake the carnal thought away from my head and I look at him only to see him staring are me with a slightly raised brow and a squinted eye.

Shit! Did I say that out loud?

“Yes you did, Vary,” he replies, his expression changing into an unimpressed one. and he looks down at me as if about to scold me. “And I do not appreciate you trying to change the subject.” he folds his arms around his chest, “Why did you let her take your name?”

“I don’t see any problem with that. It’s like you just said, my name and anyone can take it.” I rub myself with the towel around me and I step out of the bathtub.

I wanted a long bath, but it seems like I’m not getting that today.

“Your subjects have no right calling you by your first name!” He addresses his eyes, so angry he looks like an old man.

I can’t help chuckling when he says this, “Just listen to yourself, Mr Hilton. Do you know just how ridiculously ancient you sound calling your workers’ subjects?” I shake my head and rub my left arm. When I look up, he’s standing before me. I jump startled and scared, and I move back only for him to take a step forward.

“What is funny, Bambina? (Baby?)” His brow rises curiously.

Why do I have a feeling he just called me barbie?

I shake my head and immediately look away from his face. “No, nothing is funny, Mr Hilton, just calling your housekeepers’ subjects.” I keep stepping back and he keeps moving closer. “I–I should–n’t have laughed. Can you move away so I can get myself dried up? ‘Cause it’s feeling awkward”

“This is the last time you’re going to let just a servant girl take your name. Got it?” He sounds his warning to me like I’m also his subject.

I scoff and I challengingly look at him, “No, I don’t get it.” Who the hell does he think he is to come in here and tell me what to do and what not to do? “And you also know what? I’m gonna let whoever the hell I want to take my name because it’s like you said it mine!”

He raises his hand, “Listen to me, Ms Klean–”

“No, you listen to me, Mr Hilton,” I cut him off, “This week you have happily ignored my existence and acted like you could not care less about me and I get it because you wanted none of this, but you quickly forget that neither did I! You’ve taken my freedom and you have cut off all my connections like I was some servant or slave who you can do whatever you want to and now you come in here barking orders at me? You can take your warnings and go screw yourself with it!” I brush past him and make my way out of the bathroom.

I’m just a little close to the doorknob when I step on something sticky and, not knowing what it is, I stepped on only to slip and go flying the next instant.

My eyes shut as I wait for the big, nasty fall to come but after the first minute of probably hanging in the air and I don’t fall, I peel open my eyes and see Keenan’s arms around me, holding on to me tightly. I also realise that my towel has fallen off in the process of me falling and so that leaves just my naked body in his hands and to his gaze.

His eyes shamelessly take every each inch of my exposed body in and his eyes flares in undisclosed desire, unwanted feeling come up in me and I do not feel ashamed for being naked in this man’s hands and for what it’s worth, I feel a thrill as he looks at me, trying to control himself.

He sets me down and picks up my towel, “Well, thank you,” I tell him, but as I stretch my hand to collect it, he takes it away and I just watch him move closer to me, but this time I don’t back away.

His hand slowly crawls up my lip and runs a faint circle on it before moving down my neck and then sweeping it faintly down my chest, and then further between my breast and down my navel and going even lower. I bite my lips and look away from him. The last thing I want to do is to show him what he desperately wants, my weakness.

He pulls me closer and his lips meet my neck and there he trails torturous and weakening kisses, while his hands move down to the rest of my body down my most intimate part and I gasp as his hand slowly moves on its sensitive button and weakness takes over me and a long moan escapes my mouth and my cheeks heat of embarrassment. Hearing my moan, he growls and looks up at me from my neck where he buried his face and his eyes are lustful and drunk with desire.

His hand flicks over me as his gaze is on mine and I moan again and I move my hips to meet the rhythm of his skilful fingers with my eyes still in his. I bite harder on my lips and my eyes close dreamingly and I felt something powerful coming, something I have never felt before and my breath becomes rapid, frantic and short, but just as I am about to hit my limit, he withdraws his hand and my eyes open, both in loss and horror to look at him confusedly. He grabs a fist full of my hair and brings his lips dangerously close to mine before speaking.

“Sei così bella e ancora così ingenuo (You are so beautiful and yet so naïve) Why would I ever want to screw myself when I can always screw you instead?” And immediately he let me go and hands me the towel before walking out of the bathroom.