Bounty Hunter

Zinnia

I stretched my skin, basking in the velvety feeling of the sheets caressing my body. A low moan swept past my lips as I squinted my eyes shut, grabbing a pillow and placing it over my head.

Wait, a pillow? Sheets? Was I in a bed?

I sat up in a speed of light, resulting in a whiplash. My hands flew to my head and a groan slipped past my lips.

I take in my surroundings. The room is a striking mix of plushness and comfort, all wrapped in a rich, welcoming dark range. The walls are adorned with plush, midnight-black velvet drapes that cascade to the floor, contrasting with the gleaming onyx-black hardwood floors.

In the focal point of the room, a lavish dark sectional couch with curiously large cushions stands, conveying an enticing welcome to sink into its extravagant depths.

A massive, wall-mounted flat-screen TV in a high-gloss black frame dominates one side of the room. Close to it, a cutting-edge dark marble chimney oozes warmth and solace.

A precious stone light fixture swings from the roof, giving a hint of charm amid the dimness, projecting a delicate, welcoming sparkle. This room is an exquisite fusion of darkness.

Where the hell am I?

I got out of bed and wrapped the sheets around my body, then walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window. Nothing but tall and large trees greeted me.

Where the hell am I? And where the hell is Reed?

I know for a fact he was with me. The soreness of my butt and my thighs and the pink lines on my wrist could only have been caused by him. But where was this place?

I spotted the closet and grabbed an oversized hoodie. Given my petite figure, it looked like a gown.

I matched for the door and turned the doorknob. To my surprise, it was opened. At least, that drove away any thought of being kidnapped.

I walked down the stairs and gasped when I reached the steep and a female voice sounded behind me.

“Oh, you’re awake,”

I turned on my heels and came face to face with a girl with dark lush hair. She couldn’t have been more than twenty years and was stood four, maybe five inches shorter than me.

“I’m sorry, who are you and where is this place?” I questioned, straightening my shoulders as though to exact authority over her. However, something told me that this girl, whoever she was, despite looking young and shorter than me, wasn’t faced with that.

“Hi, I’m Hermine. RD’s…. I don’t know what I am to him. I just know I’m his favourite,” she replied cheerfully, stretching out her hand for a handshake. I looked at it quizzically and when I didn’t show any sign of shaking her hand anytime soon, she retreated.

“Who the hell is RD and again, where the hell is this place? Why the fuck am I here,”

“Aha! She’s got a smart mouth. It is no wonder his dick gets hard,” the small girl, whose name I’ve come to know was Hermine smiled as she murmured. She began to walk away and unconsciously, I followed her.

“RD stands for Reed Dammington. Does a ring a bell? Your stalker,” I could sense the amusement in her voice when she murmured the last words.

It all began to make sense. Why I woke up in an all-black room with a top-tier comfortable Scandinavian bed. I ignored her last remarks and approached her.

“So uh, where is Reed at the moment?” I tiptoed around the question. I wasn’t sure why though.

“I’m not sure. After he brought you upstairs, he left in a haste. However, he asked me to be on the lookout for when you woke up and need anything. So, do you need anything?” Hermine winked at me, making my cheeks flush.

“Oh, no. I’m good,” I replied, standing awkwardly in the room while Hermine carried along with her activities. It was a while before she spoke up.

“I have to admit, I never thought I would meet you face to face. At some point, I figured you were just a fiction of his imagination, but when I saw you over the monitor, I realised he wasn’t that crazy,” she spoke and I frowned.

“What monitor?” Out of everything she said, that was the only thing that caught my attention.

Hermine seemed to freeze. Gradually, she turned to face me.

“Don’t mind me. I seem to have mouth diarrhoea. Why don’t you have a seat and I make you some breakfast?”All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

“No. What monitor? Reed has cameras installed in my house?” I asked, and Hermine stayed quiet. Groaning, I stormed out of the kitchen, unsure where to go because the house was so big, almost like a fortress.

However, I didn’t let that stop me. I started with the first floor, opening every door I could find. Hermine followed behind, screaming and pleading with me not to be hysterical. But I ignored her. Anger clouded my judgement.

I could take him stalking me. But implanting cameras in my house? That I couldn’t accept. He was invading every aspect of my life.

After what seemed like much of a hassle, I found what I had been looking for, and the very sight of it made my stomach churn.

I felt Hermine standing behind me while I still processed everything I’d seen.

“Yeah, it’s not as bad as it looks. He just worries for you,” she spoke in an attempt to dilute the tense atmosphere.

I faced her with a frown on my face. “Not as bad as it looks? There are images n every corner of my house,” I yelled, turned back. On the monitor, were images of my living room, bedroom, balcony, hallway and toilet? The more I looked at it, the more furious I got. I marched in, rummaging through the table for what? I’m not sure. I scanned further and was able to grab a hammer.

“No, no. I will think twice about doing that,” Hermine warned, but her words fell on deaf ears. I was too angry to care. With all the strength I could muster, I jabbed the hammer at the monitor.

Once. Twice. Thrice. At some point, I lost track of what I was doing, and when I finally realised myself, the nature of the damage I’d caused weighed down on me.

Hermine stood in the doorway, arms folded, she had an amused smirk on her face.

I dropped the hammer and stormed passed her.

“Where the hell are you going? Reed says not to let you leave under any circumstance,” Hermine’s voice stopped me in my tracks.

“Do I look like I give a fuck about what he said? To hell with what he wants. I am not one of you who kneel at his every whim. I am out of here,” I spat, walking towards what I assumed was the exit.

As I walked, I heard a male voice but I didn’t stop. Then I heard Hermine murmur.

“Let her be. RD will cut off your hands if you so much as touch the hem of her dress,”

Good! I think to myself.

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