Stay with Me by Awesomekristii (jenna bush book club .TXT) 📖

Five Years Ago

DELILAH

I walked down the staircase feeling a little lightheaded. It's been more than a day since I hadn’t eaten anything. Dad said it's needed to keep me fit. I looked down at myself and despite the little chubbiness in my thighs, I was okayish. Maybe it’s just in my eyes.

I didn’t dare to ask him. After Mom's and my sister's death, he had become colder towards me, not that he wasn’t before. But he didn’t even want to be near me or talk to me. He tucked my hand with him walking inside a huge building.

As we walked inside I looked around the high living room with a large chandelier at the top. There was a long staircase spiralling up to the second floor. There was a smokey, and leather smell hitting my nostrils under the dim light place, light coming just from the chandelier above.

I clutched my dress as we walked further inside. I didn’t even know why we’re there but Dad said he had some work and I was needed to be with him. I didn’t question to that. I never did.

We walked towards a black leather couch and took our seats, and yet there wasn’t any sign of anyone around. I picked my chipped nails as we waited, my mind drifting to my summer classes I had taken extra this year. I didn’t want to stay at home.

Summers were supposed to be warm and enjoyable yet, I couldn’t hope for that not after I lost two people closest to me. I sighed at the thought of the accident and tried to push it back. Summer classes would help me to keep engaged and wouldn’t drift my mind back to the abyss.

The sound of shoe clicking the tiled floor made me look up from my hands and met with a short-haired man, dressed in a business suit. He walked closer to us, a smile on his face which was exactly a professional one. I looked at my Dad as he stood up offering his hand. “Mr Ethan Louis.”

The man took his hand giving a shake, before his eyes drifted towards me. Something in his gaze didn’t feel like. How he eyed my bare legs, my dress reaching my knees, and how his lips pulled in a smirk the more he eyed me up and down.

I shifted uncomfortable when I heard my father speaking. “That’s Delilah. I talked about.” The man hummed and didn’t say anything. His eyes still on me. “How old is she?”

“Will be turning sixteen this year.” He nodded again and I saw how he brushed his fingers under his lower lips, which made me more uneasy. “Young enough.” My father turned towards me and nodded.

“Yes. So… what do you say?” The man looked back at my father, and I noticed his ashy grey eyes focusing at him.

“Do you want to discuss it here?” He looked at me once before back at my father. “Or the study?”

“I feel the study will be better.” He hummed and I saw them turning around and walking towards a room on the other side of the huge staircase.

Confused at what’s happening, I concentrated back at my chipped nails letting out a sigh of relief. The man was giving me such a pervert and creepy vibes.

••••

I didn’t know how long before I saw my father walking out of the room and approaching towards me, and a smile on his face. Maybe they cracked a deal, and that made me happy for him. After my mom's and sister's death this was the only time he was looking happy.

I saw him carrying a suitcase clutched to his chest, and I stood up from the couch feeling we would be leaving soon. The more he came closer I discovered him looking at the exit more rather than me. Why did he even bring me here? I didn’t ask that, maybe I would after getting back to his house.

I began to take steps at his direction when I heard a voice booming in the empty hall. “STOP.” I stopped in my place and saw my father also ceasing in his steps towards the door.

My body racked with an unknown fear as I turned and faced the man. His expression dark and hooded as he looked me up and down. “Where are you going, girl?”

Confused I looked at my father and saw him looking everywhere but me. “With my father.” He smirked as he shook his head. “That’s not your home anymore.” 

I moved closer to my father, and asked. “What is he saying? “He cleared his throat and didn’t say anything for a while, before I heard him talking in broken syllables. “Um.. I..uh…”

“Let me break it to you.” The man walked towards me, and immediately I took a step ack. “He sold you to me.”

It took me more than a second to reconsider his words. My heart thumping fast as if it would jump out anyhow, but I kept myself cool knowing however much bad and cruel he get sometimes, he wouldn’t sell me.

Not believing him an ounce, I turned towards my father and asked him, my voice scratchy and full of need. “What is he saying? I… I wouldn’t be coming with you?”

He closed his eyes tightly, clutching the suitcase closer to himself. “No.” I felt my nerves heightening, my palms sweating. “You… you belong to him now.”

I heard the sound of something inside me breaking, my mind going blank, hands limb and cold sweats broke out on my skin. “What?”

He didn’t speak, looking longingly at the exit. My throat tightened as I couldn’t bring to speak. “I'm not an object you can sell.”

I heard the man from behind chuckle at that as if that’s funny. “Women.” He shook his head and clicked his tongue. “Are born for men's pleasure and nothing else.” My inside boiled with his words, my fingers in a tight fist and every power it took me from inside from grabbing his collar and kicking his jewels.