Page 95 of Spark

Goddamn.

He took one look at my plates and shook his head, turning and heading for the walk-in closet. “Keep going,” he ordered.

I groaned, took a big breath, and shoved one of the pieces of French toast in my mouth, chewing slowly and hoping I didn’t chuck everything back up. When Darren came back out of the closet a few moments later, he was dressed in a thick black turtleneck sweater and dark jeans with black leather dress shoes. I hated how easy it was for him to look as sexy as he did all the time.

Darren came back around to where I was perched on the bed, my chin resting on my knee as I finished chewing, and regarded my tray again. He picked up the fork, speared the toast, and placed it in front of my lips. I groaned again.

“Come on,” Darren prompted.

I parted my lips and took the final piece in my mouth, chewing as slowly as possible to keep everything down.

“Good girl,” he said and set the fork down. “Go freshen up and meet me downstairs in fifteen minutes.” He headed for the door before ultimately turning around for one last order. “Oh, and I want that orange juice gone, too,” he said and then walked out the door.

I looked over at the orange juice and almost considered just pouring it down the drain in the bathroom, but like my bedroom, I was sure cameras were installed in here, too. I officially assumed now that no matter what I was doing or where I was, someone was always watching me.

Getting up from the bed, I took a sip of the orange juice and headed into the bathroom. I used the toilet, gave myself a better cleanup job after Darren’s wake-up call this morning, washed my face, brushed my hair and teeth, and put my hair up in a high ponytail. With only fifteen minutes, I didn’t have much time to style it. Heading over to the walk-in, I put on a bra, a dark purple sweater dress with long sleeves, and black fleece-lined leggings. I pulled on the comfy, warm slipper boots and then left the room. Romero and Alex were standing just outside my door, waiting for me.

“Merry Christmas,” I said to them as they escorted me down the hall. They just gave me a curt nod. I narrowed my eyes. “Don’t you guys have family to be with?” I asked them as we descended the stairs.

“No, ma’am,” Romero replied, and that was the end of the conversation because Darren appeared around the corner.

Darren took my hand and led me into the great room, but I couldn’t help but linger on the thought that the guards and probably many of the people Darren employed didn’t likely get any time off from their duties, even for the holidays. But Clive and Owen weren’t here, so maybe there was a rotation? I wondered if Darren would disclose.

He kept a good grip on my hand as we walked through the room and rounded the couch to sit down. That was when I noticed all the presents under the tree, wrapped by what looked like absolute professionals. They had hand-tied bows and ribbons, perfectly proportioned wrappings, all done in beautiful colors of red, green, gold, silver, and blue. Some boxes were bigger than others were, some rectangular, some square. I blanched when I realized they were likely all for me and looked up at Darren’s smirking face for confirmation.

“That cannot all be for me,” I said, as I plopped down on the couch.

“Oh, yes,” he confirmed. “I finally get to spoil you.”

You could spoil me with freedom…

“Spoil me? Are you serious?”

“Absolutely,” he said as he bent down to lift a present from under the tree. He sat down on the floor next to the tree, his arm casually draped over his raised knee, and handed me the gift. Begrudgingly, I took the present and placed it in my lap, pursing my lips as I hesitated to open it. This just felt… off.

“What’s wrong now?” Darren asked, his eyes dark as he watched me.

Fuck, I did not want to get into a fight now.

“It’s nothing,” I said, making sure I made eye contact with him. I tried to give a small smile to assure nothing was wrong, but I knew he wouldn’t buy it.

“Jaden,” he warned. That was my cue to give him the answer he wanted.

I sniffled, looking down at the small square present in my hands. “I just didn’t expect all this. I’m not sure how I feel about it.” More gifts from him I didn’t want to accept.

If there was one thing I could feel, it was anger steaming from Darren’s body. After a few moments, he released a heavy breath and relaxed against the end of the couch.

“I actually went to a lot of trouble for all this. To try to make you happy. The least you could do is let me enjoy it just a little while I watch you open your Christmas presents.”

Classic guilt trip.

I sighed, knowing I sounded like an ungrateful bitch, but I should have been sharing this special morning with Jason, with my actual family. Darren wouldn’t understand that; instead, he’d just punish me for it.

Biting my lip, I tossed my grief out the window and tentatively began to tear away at the wrapping paper surrounding the box. I couldn’t have missed the smile on Darren’s face if I tried. He absentmindedly took the paper from me and crumpled it into a tiny ball and placed it in a trash bag nearby. The name Rolex appeared on the small square box in my hands, and my breath hitched when I opened it to find a sterling silver watch with a hot pink sparkly face. I almost laughed.

“You know; I’m beginning to think you’re the one with the unhealthy obsession with pink,” I said, a smartass smile on my face.

“What? I like you in pink,” he dejected.