"One of the basic human rights he takes away from you is the right to be angry with him. No matter how badly he treats you, he believes that your voice shouldn't rise and your blood shouldn't boil. The privilege of rage is reserved for him alone."

Morgan Ann Bennett

"Wake up!" I jumped on top of a sleeping Chris.

It was almost noon, we slept in far too late, but hey, no complaints here!

I was bursting full of energy and couldn't wait to spend another day relaxing and playing house with Chris basically.

I never thought growing up, that I'd have a day like this with any man. Seeing Callie go through everything with x amount of guys, I thought romance was bullshit. Kyle, my ex, didn't really set the bar high either. Actually, the bar was in hell. So the fact that Chris came along and it's nothing but laughs and intense episodes of passion, I just feel full.

Mary and Carter made a delicious grilled chicken dinner with avocado salsa last night. It was my first time trying and definitely not the last.
Their company was well welcomed, well, after they barged in, I mean. Anyone could see how much they loved their son, it almost seemed like that's what bonds them. I sat back, not speaking for a change, just watching them get along and be in their own bubble. I didn't feel excluded either, I felt, for some reason, I sense of pride and warmth. I hope Chris knows how loved he is and that he'll be that good of a parent whenever it's his time.

I got to shower, brush my teeth, and clean up our mess in the living room from last night all before Chris woke up.

I think I'm going to name Chris's dick. It needs a name, and an award! I want to worship it. If we ever end — whatever this is— I'll like to make a mold of it, my own custom dildo.

Of course I know we can't stay in this oasis much longer, but it felt nice. I don't want to go back to sneaking around, so we had to enjoy this while we could.

For the day, I just had on a cropped baseball tee with pink sleeves, and Margo Fray Hem denim (Daisy duke style) shorts. My hair was getting frizzy now three days after my blow-out, that's fine. I put it in a claw clip and called it a day.

"Chris, come on," I whined at his feet.

He's so big, when went around the bed and tried pulling him, he took his arm back and I fell to the floor with a 'thud!'

Oof.

I literally shook it off and got back up off of the dark, hardwood floor.

Chris cracked an eye open and started to laugh at me in his pillow.

"At least you're up," I joined in the laughter.

"Why do you have so much energy? It's only..." he tried to say, voice husky. I love his voice, one of many qualities that made him so damn attractive - irresistible.

"Noon, now please get up, we have a whole lot of nothing to do today!"

"You don't have any plans?" He asked. His abs ripples as he sat up, briefs low on his waist.

"Nope, none," I said, vibrating my lips.

I sat in his office chair in that private — well not so private because it's surrounded by glass windows— nook off of his bedroom with the view of the city.

His designs, blueprints, sketches — whatever you call them— were really great. I admired his work a second longer before seeing Chris at his drawer, putting his phone on the charger.

I still hadn't unboxed mine but Chris said the guy at the Apple store set me up. I knew Callie probably wasn't reaching out and only Malcolm would be trying to get a hold of me. He can wait.

But my eyes fell on Chris's lean, athletically-toned and evenly bronzed body. I loved his natural tan, he looked like he lived on the beach with it and his long hair, it made his green eyes pop.

Deciding I was hungry, I went to the kitchen and raided his pantry and fridge for some breakfast.

Chris walked out and was typing at his phone with one hand, the other situating himself in his briefs.

I couldn't help myself. I walked over and turned him against the counter top.

We were finally to ourselves and could have each other the way we wanted. I didn't mind being all over each other multiple times a day, or all day.

However, just as I was about to free Woody — I don't know, I'm trying out names for it— from his dark briefs, someone charged in.

"What the fuck," Chris bellowed. "What the actual fuck?"

And here I am thinking we escaped to his place for some privacy? Second time someone just barged in.

There's Mr.Grumpy again. No, but I actually quite liked him all stressed and angry, he's so hot.

I heard Teddy's voice. "What?"

"What do you want?" Chris clenched his jaw.

Mental note: tell Chris not to be mean to my Teddy bear!

"Where's Morgan?" He asked, out of breath.

Laughing awkwardly, I popped up. "Heyyy, Teddy. What, you took the stairs?"

Chris laughed at what I said and then excused himself to go put on some clothes.

Teddy looked in the other direction. "I don't ever want to see you in that position again, you're like a daughter to me. Are you decent?"

I let my eyes roll but I appreciated him, he is like a father to me, too. "Yes, I am. What's up?"

Teddy looked at the stool and wondered how he was going to sit his two hundred something pounds on that little, unconventional thing Chris built and passed off as a stool. I like it.

"Fuck it," he mumbled, opting to stand. "I tried to call you?"

"I got a new phone," I said like he should've known. "I texted you."

"Oh," he scratched his bald head. "That's why I got a text saying 'this is Morgan, I'm okay'? I thought I cheated on my fiancé."

I laughed sweetly at him, offering some orange juice.

When he drank some, I asked again what he wanted because his entrance seemed so urgent.

Chris then walked back to us in the middle of Teddy breaking down how Malcolm was throwing a fit on the whole town yesterday.

I cracked up, not caring. Why should I?

"Good," I said, arms pretzled. "Let him act like that."

"He threatened everyone," Teddy explained.

Chris shook his head. "I never seen him act like this."

"He's on one, for sure. We should get you back," Teddy suggested, heading towards the door.

I nodded, pretending to play along. "Go in the car, I'll be down in a second."

Teddy gave me an assured look and then made his exit.

"He seems pissed," Chris said low. "He must really care... What are you going to do?"

I hugged him and then stayed there for a while longer than I should've.

Pulling away, I looked up at Chris. "I'm going to tell him I'm done. I-I'll stay at the b&b or get a hotel somewhere. I finally have you and I don't want to want you if it means sneaking and feeling guilty. Do you really want to go back to that constant rollercoaster?"

He hesitated. "No."

"Exactly," I said with some authority. Because I was going to call it quits whether Malcolm liked it or not, and if Chris had his doubts, then that would be the end of our little fling, as well.

I searched the floor and then found my bag. Once I had all that I came with, I slipped on my old Rainbow Flirty Braided brown flip flops and followed Teddy into the elevator.

***

"—I'm done, Malcolm. Goodbye," I practiced what I was going to tell him as Teddy passed the security gate.

It didn't feel good to be back. It didn't feel like anything.

The mansion was beautiful, I was going to miss it, that's all.

The lifestyle I shortly grew accustomed to, was no more. I thought that being rich and pampered was all I wanted, but no. Since being here, all the rich people I've met have been the least notable. My heart was with the people of Penshaw, who were hospitable and worked hard and cared deeply.

Teddy and I jumped out, I left my stuff in his truck because the rest of my things were just going to go in there anyway.

Before we even ascended the stone driveway, Chris's blacked out Durango pulled in.

I shook my head. This guy just can't go away.

Teddy gave him this "what's up" head nod and proceed to the house.

"Why couldn't you just not come here?" I asked Chris.

He hunched his shoulders. "Just in case," he said. I tried to understand.

I'll say his presence is for moral support. But this will be over fast.

The three of us took to the front door and noticed someone there already knocking.

Oh, great, he must be having company, I thought in my head.

"Excuse me," I began talking to the man. "I have to talk to Malcolm about something important if you could just-"

"Morgan?!"

My feet became glued to the ground. I couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't speak. Was I even breathing?

"Oh my God, what the hell... Kyle?!"

"Morgan!" He exclaimed proudly and lunged forth to hug my body.

I quickly backed up. "No, no, no, no, no. You can't be here! Leave, now."

"What? I just got here. I've been calling you all weekend. Morgan, I want you back," he dialed.

My head was spinning. Is it fucking one hundred degrees out, why am I sweating right now?

I began hyperventilating.

This cannot be happening!

"Kyle, you don't understand. You need to leave," I begged, walking backwards to avoid his advances.

"Baby girl, I'm sorry. I haven't even touched another girl in three weeks!" He said.

I straightened my face and posture for a second. "I've been gone two months."

"See, I did good! Morgy, baby, I want you back so bad. You're the girl for me. Everyone at the bar misses you, I miss you - your parents!"

When he tried reaching for my face to kiss me, I stumbled against the rock fixture and that's when Chris stepped in.

"Look, man, you gotta go," he said calmly at first.

"You must be who she left me for, huh, tough guy?" Kyle grew some balls and pushed Chris in the chest.

Teddy took a step forward, hand on the tool on his hip but stopped, seeing Chris staying collected.

Chris even laughed, his smile big and eyes almost closed. This guy just turned into the Joker...

It was an intimidating look, for sure, almost one like he'd enjoy a scrap.

"Don't fucking touch me," Chris warned. I would've listened, he had me kind of scared. That was new.

"I always knew you were a whore. You never wanted to sleep with me 'cause you slept with everyone else, that it?" Kyle snapped on me.

I said nothing.

He paced and then came back, dropping to his knees.

"Okay, Morgan, I'm sorry. I take it all back, just please come back to Arizona with me. I learned my lesson," he pled.

That's when the doors parted and we all gasped at Malcolm exiting through them, followed by Sage, rolling up his black long sleeves.

Gulp.

This isn't how I wanted to face him.

I moved in front of the three men and approached Malcolm myself.

"Darling," he said gently.

When he went to kiss me, I lowered my chin so he could only get my forehead.

His eyes squinted on my face as I looked everywhere but his.

"You can barely look me in the eyes. What have you done? Who have you done?"

I panicked, trying to meet his gaze but it was too late.
He pushed me out of the way and I watched him address Teddy and Chris. And then the stranger.

"Teddy, Chris, I don't know which one of you did it, but whoever brought Morgan back to me, thank you. You'll get a nice, big, healthy reward. Now, who... are you?" Malcolm went on.

Kyle all of a sudden had no words.

Malcolm circled his unimpressive body and walked with this cane. I wondered why he had that cane.

"Dude, I don't know who the fuck you are, but I'm taking Morgan back home with me," Kyle suddenly spat.

Malcolm turned his neck to Kyle and nodded his head with this The Godfather-esque frown.

"The ex, I take it?" he questioned.

"Not for long," Kyle boasted under the sun.

Malcolm nodded again this time more slowly. He wore a plain white Loro Piana shirt that costs five hundred dollars for no reason, khaki-colored Valentino cotton gabardine pants, and black Givenchy monumental mallow sneakers.
He smoothly pulled the top from his trousers and adjusted the chunky cigar and cocktail rings on his fingers.

Sage, beady eyes scoping the scene, stayed on his boss's right, cracking his knuckles.

"And I-" Kyle tried to speak but got knocked with the cane.

He keeled over, holding his stomach.

"Dude, what the fuck?!" Kyle yelped all that he could, completely caught off guard.

Malcolm let him get back up just to do the same thing.

"Kyle!" I screamed for him. Not because I liked him at all but because he didn't deserve that.

"Nooo," Teddy rang in my ear, pulling me back. He kept me in his grasp no matter how much I squirmed and fought.

Sage helped Kyle back on his feet only to hold him in a headlock with one arm, the other keeping his hands behind his back.

Kyle begged for Malcolm to stop but Malcolm revealed brass knuckles from his pocket and started throwing punches anywhere on his body.

Kyle quickly was bloody and unconscious as Malcolm continued to stomp him and break the cane over his head.

The tears that streamed from my eyes burned.

There was a pit in my stomach and hurt in my heart.

I don't even think any sound came out of my mouth anymore, I was just trying to breathe as water leaked from my tear ducts.

"Chris?" Malcolm panted. "Want in one this, take some of that anger out, my boy? I know you still have it in you?"

Chris backed off. He didn't look at the body on the ground.

"Teddy?" Malcolm asked.

Teddy said nothing.

"Here, Sage. Teach that mother fucker a lesson," Malcolm declared, dropping both halves of the silver-tipped walking stick on the ground, around Kyle's legs.

Sage seemed to enjoy this all too much. He bounced in his steps and then kicked Kyle in the gut.

I knew when Kyle didn't react or respond, he was done.

"ALRIGHT! THAT'S ENOUGH!" I screamed.

Sage and Malcolm looked back at me like I had some nerve.

Malcolm stopped to light his joint and then puffed his chest.

"You heard her," he said to Sage. "That's enough."

"Come, darling, let's get cleaned up," Malcolm said to me in passing.

"You're just going to leave him?" I fretted, finally snatching away from Teddy.

Malcolm, at the steps, raised both shoulders. "I don't see why not?"

I shook my head, crying in my hands.

"Boss," Teddy pulled.

"Fine," Malcolm blew smoke. "Call an ambulance. And Morgan, get in there with him and as you look at his limp body, think about what you've done - how this is your fault. Teddy, go with her to make sure she doesn't try anything funny. Chris, you follow them and make sure he doesn't try anything."

Sage laughed with some sort of evil in him as he trailed Malcolm inside of the mansion.

***

Out of all the hospitals we could've went to, we had to be taken to the slowest one.

It was late, we were all tired.

I hadn't seen Chris because I was in the emergency room lobby and he was with Teddy in the cafe, talking about some things - probably their crazy boss. No, crazy is an understatement. Malcolm is deranged and sick in the head for what he'd done. Who does that, and for what?

While I was alone, I had a lot of time to think. First, about Malcolm and how I was going to leave him now. That is, if I can. . .

Second, how this is my fault that Kyle is in the E.R. unresponsive.

I hated what happened. I hate that I'm blaming myself but if I wasn't off trying to live some fairytale with Chris, I wouldn't have broken my phone and not been aware that my ex was tracking me down. What are the odds that he'd show up at Malcolm's? How he found me, I have no clue.

That's when I got a call from a number that I recognized as my sister's.

I darted my eyes around the waiting room with two other families and stopped shaking my leg long enough to answer the call.

"How is he?" She talked. Teddy must've filled her in.

"I don't know," I talked through a small yawn.

"I'm sorry," Callie said.

"Me too."

"I shouldn't have let him go up to Malcolm's. I was going to tell you to meet him at my place or the lodge, but-"

I hung up.

Of course it was my fucking sister that gave away Malcolm's address, sending Kyle to his doom. Of course!

My leg shook in the chair as I held the chain my ex gifted me.

I sniffled.

This is taking forever, I thought. Just give me the good or bad news so I can know peace.

Teddy and Chris finally joined me in the waiting room.

"Anything?" Teddy asked.

I just looked down at the floor.

"Nurse?" He asked.

She said to wait and that we'd hear something soon... for the fifth time.

This is useless.

After another four minutes or so, a doctor finally came to me.

His head hung. That's never a good sign. I braced myself for the worst.

"He's dead, isn't he?" I asked lowly.

The space around me began to vignette to black. Shame filled my body and exited in the form of more salty tears.

"No, he's not dead, Miss Bennett," the doctor made clear.

Not even an ounce of relief washed over me, he's still in a hospital bed.

"But?" I rushed, waiting for the bad news.

Doctor Holte's deep brown face paled, having to deliver us Kyle's fate.

"Traumatic brain injury, broken ribs and nose, retinal detachment," he listed.

I covered my ears and walked away as he went on.

The hallway grew shorter and shorter the more I breathed so I finally stopped. Only for a second.

When Doctor Holte put a hand on my shoulder, I pushed it off; not to be rude, I just didn't want to be touched.

I put my palm to my lips and then smoothed my hair back, pacing.

"You'll be able to see him shortly," the doctor let me know and then stepped away.

"I'll stay with you all night if I have to," Teddy said, walking up behind me.

You ever been so upset, so overwhelmed, you felt like you're going to through up?

I continued to exercise my breathing, keeled over by the window, when Chris appeared at the end of the hall.

Teddy parted his lips just to say nothing, and then let us have a second.

"I didn't know he was going to do that," he sighed.

My eyelids closed for a second longer than a normal blink, I didn't want to open them again and still be in the hospital.

"Morgan," Chris called my name.

I hesitated to open my eyes again. When I did, he was closer than before.

I'd always been the one smiling ear to ear, cheeks bright and perky, and giggling at everything. Never before had my face been so emotionless and dull, and it stayed stuck like that for the night.

"Is he going to be okay?" asked Chris.

I laughed from the back of my throat, shaking my head. "He's alive."

"I'm sorry, you shouldn't have had to see that."

"It shouldn't have happened, period," I scoffed, trying to walk away.

"He's going to hurt you, too, if we..." I trailed off. I didn't want to have this conversation for a fourth or fifth time.

"Morgan!" Chris called after me, trying to grab my wrist but I snatched away fast.

He looked hurt, or rejected, I couldn't tell, but certainly surprised at me.

I gulped and tucked the hair behind my ears, struggling to introduce our eyes.

"I don't want to be here. I don't want to be touched right now, and I don't want to hear about Malcolm," I expressed, hoping he would understand.

He reached out like he wanted to hug me or just rub my arm, but I shut my eyes and held my elbows.

He swung his fist in his hand and then walked through the corridor, leaving me be.

"Miss Bennett," a nurse appeared to say.

"Yes?" I sniffled, wiping my eyes fast. "Yes!"

"You won't be able to go inside of the room, but," she said, holding the door open for me. "you can follow me right this way."

I picked up the pieces of myself off the floor from falling apart in the lobby and followed the woman with short black locs to Kyle's room where he was now stable.

***

Confused, panicked, and groggy. All things I felt when I woke up in the lavender bedroom the next day. Or, at least I think it was the next day.

I always sleep heavy after a night of crying.

My heart ached, I was still hoping that what happened was all a nightmare or prank.

At least I didn't wake up next to him.

The first thing I wanted to do was check my phone for texts or missed calls, someone could've been trying to reach me about Kyle.

However, my phone wasn't on the stand, nor were any of my belongings.

I flipped the covers off of my legs and stepped into a pair of slippers to walk downstairs and see what was going on, if much at all.

"Ah, Morgan," Hana greeted me in her uniform.

My hair was a mess and I'm sure I had lines of crust from my eyes after crying myself to sleep.

She pushed me to the exaggerated dining room table where a breakfast spread was waiting for me.

"What's this?" I asked her, hesitating to take a seat.

"Master Jameson will be right with you," she let me know through her accent.

Hana frantically dusted around my space and placed a napkin in my lap.

She fluffed my hair and I got so annoyed that I swatted her away.

"Hana!" I sharply raised my voice just for a second. "What is this?"

Hana's dark brown, almost black, eyes darted around the room so she could read it.

She bowed before me and began to whisper.

"Master Jameson is bad man. He take too many sleeping drugs, he not himself right now. When you were gone, he threatened to-"

"Hana," Malcolm's confident voice rang. "You take directions well, breakfast looks lovely. You're excused."

"Yes, Master Jameson," she exhaled with a curtsy before scurrying away.

I kept my face loose.

"Your beauty is still striking," Malcolm said to me with a kiss to my temple.

When I flinched, his eyes darkened but he walked to the opposite end of the table and had a seat.

"Eat, darling. I had that nice Indian woman make your favorites: blueberry muffins," Malcolm talked.

It's chocolate chip muffins. Asshole.

I didn't tell him that he was wrong, I just didn't eat it.

He didn't make a plate either, just kept his focus on me.

My stomach growled but I wasn't about to eat his food and satisfy him.

"Your little disappearing act caused a lot of people to get hurt," Malcolm stated.

My eyes shifted to the kitchen behind Malcolm where I saw half of Hana's face. She was watching us intently, but when she noticed me, she went into hiding.

Yeah, I'm definitely not eating this food. Next thing I know I'll end up drugged and handcuffed, chained to his bed.

"You like hurting people?" I spat.

"Only when they deserve it. But I'd never hurt you, darling, you know that?"

"I'm supposed to trust you?" I asked, hands flat on my thighs.

"Well, yes, I fund your whole life," he started laughing.

"I want out," I proclaimed.

He took a drink of wine, eyes still on me.

"Did you hear me?" I asked when he had nothing to say. "I'm done, we're done." I stood to leave.

"And how will you pay me back?" He asked, locking his fingers.

"Pay you back?" I questioned, hands now on the table.

"Precisely. Sage!" Malcolm called for him henchman with a strict handclap.

Sage approached his boss with a scroll.

I scoffed, putting my weight on one leg, arms folded.

"Ah," Malcolm sounded, putting on his reading glasses. "Let's see. There's the car, the fur coat, all the bedroom renovations to accommodate you, your shopping sprees-"

"I'll mail it to you," I snarled, walking away.

"Morgan," Malcolm cleared his throat. "We both know you don't have that type of money, but I do. Let me help you."

I shook my head, not wanting to hear him out but for some reason, I continued to listen.

He buttoned his jacket and sauntered over to me by the grand staircase.

"I need you, darling, you should understand that. I want to make this work, and you're not making it easy. I've done nothing but given you everything, and you look at me like you're disgusted."

I looked between his eyes as his face was just inches from mine.

"Malcolm, you try to control what I wear, otherwise you don't pay attention to me, you sell drugs, y-you almost beat someone to death!"

He rubbed along my arms and I tensed up.

His head hung, he exhaled greatly.

"I know I have my... faults, darling. I'm hurting and I need you to continue to heal me. I'm a broken man. When I landed on your photo, I saw someone who was also broken - someone who had nothing. Together, we can help each other. See, I was like you: poor relationship with my older brother, he was crazy. My mother was my father's shadow, no real thoughts of her own. When he kicked my ass and kicked me out, she just watched. Yet look at all that I've done with it. I take in those who want to start over new, isn't that what you wanted? To live this lavish lifestyle? I can give that to you," Malcolm spoke as he circled my body.

"Take Sage for example," Malcolm stated. "A convict - theft. I saw him for him and took him in. Now, when he's not working for me, he has a family and a dog farm. Teddy, oh I know you think he's so precious. He was accused of beating his girlfriend - his now fiancé. Thanks to me, I got him the best lawyers, and he's a free man."

"What does this-" I tried to speak but he stood behind me, squeezed my shoulders and went on.

"Christopher, even. Seventeen, lost in life, beat up two guys so badly one of them had to get a full set of dentures at eighteen. He left them there. Honestly, I think he's more cold-blooded than me, he did all that over nothing but a silly basketball game. But I helped rehabilitate him. That's what I do, Morgan, I give. I would hate to see you take your poor sister and that baby girl away from their new home and quality of life. I mean, poor Caleen, she's already so fucked up in the head, what's she going to do if you try to uproot them again? She might go off the deep end, I fear, but you know her more than I do."

I shook his grimy paws off of me and blinked away the tears that so desperately wanted to fall from my eyes.

"We had a long talk, Caleen and I. She said she approves of me, even let me speak to Mommy and Daddy on the phone. Nice people, I asked them to come visit. Caleen said you weren't interested in me and that you were seeing another man. Surely that can't be true, can it? Because I would hate to see him end up like your little friend Kyle," Malcolm bloviated, taking a Cuban cigar from the box in Sage's hands.

He lit it, looking away from me for the first time this whole conversation, and pulled.

"You have a choice, Morgan, but I would be smart if I were you. I go to great lengths to protect what's mine. Clearly. If you're smart, I'll see you at LeRoux for dinner tonight at nine," he added, blowing smoke in my face.

"It's time, boss," Sage let his superior know.

Malcolm gave me a wink and let Sage dress him in his jacket before making their exit.

Sage, at the door behind Malcolm, turned and sent me a menacing smile.

When the door slammed shut, I finally let my emotions out.

"Fuck!" I screamed, running up the stairs.

"Morgan!" Hana's small voice called after me.

I stopped at the top of the steps and paced, wiping the moisture off my face with the back of my hand.

"What?" I asked weakly.

She ran after me with a ringing iPhone in her hands.

"It's your sister on the phone," Hana let me know. "She's been calling, wanting to come see you. She says-."

My forehead wrinkled with the creasing of my bushy eyebrows.

"What? Why do you have my phone? Give me my phone!"

"Here, here," she squealed, handing it over.

I declined the call with a quickness and held my stomach.

"She doesn't come here, okay?!" I made known to Hana, crying. "She doesn't get through to Malcolm, anymore, and she will not come to this house. Got it?"

"Miss Morgan," Hana shuddered. She looked like she knew something she couldn't tell me, or didn't want to. I don't trust Hana. In fact, I no longer trust anyone on Malcolm's payroll.

"Take the damn phone," I said, throwing it up so she could catch it. It was probably compromised anyway — wired— with all of Malcom's security intel. I'll have to get a burner.

For the meantime though, at least until tensions are down, this meant no Chris. There would be no more late night FaceTimes, risky texts, or spontaneous phone calls about any and everything.

But it doesn't matter, because after the hospital, I didn't hear from him for the next week. . .