9. Lars

9

LARS

I couldn't have taken my focus off of Dolly if I tried.

I watched her, my gaze never leaving her face as she tried in vain to fight the effects of the drug to stay awake. She was strong, my little darling, fighting the pull of the sedative that, although still coursing through her veins, would fade soon.

Her nostrils flared as she took in as much oxygen as she could, on the verge of hyperventilating. I wanted to tell her to calm down, that she was safer with me than she'd ever been in her life. But I knew things were very fragile right now, and pushing her—even with mere words—would just make things worse.

Her eyelids fluttered, heavy with exhaustion, and I could see the panic in her gaze as she realized she was losing the battle of staying awake.

I couldn't lie. It was absolutely beautiful to observe the way her expressions and body language showed me she understood she was fucked in this situation, yet she still fought against the inevitable. But we both knew she couldn't win.

Not against this.

And soon enough, she'd realize there was no use in fighting against the concept of us being together.

Her breathing grew slower, her body sinking deeper into the mattress as her strength faded.

Keep watching me, Dolly. Keep staring at me, little darling.

Dolly tried to keep her gaze locked on mine, but she needed to sleep off the effects of the sedative a while longer. Her eyes finally closed, her body going lax as she succumbed to the drug once again.

I didn't move just yet. I sat there and watched as her chest rose and fell with her easy breath she took. Knowing she was at my mercy right now, unable to control or stop anything, was an addictive feeling.

Finally, I stood and walked toward her. The floorboards creaked under my booted feet as I moved closer to the bed. I stood there for a second, just taking in the sight of her before I was unable to resist and reached out, my hand brushing against her cheek. I trailed a finger down the side of her neck, her skin soft and warm… and so damn addictive .

Her pulse beat steadily beneath my fingertip as I took in the fact that she was so fragile, so perfect.

For me.

I crouched and leaned over her, not stopping myself from inhaling her scent. She was sweet, her familiar fragrance something I'd grown seemingly dependent on to survive over the past few weeks . Her aroma clung to every aspect of her before settling on the sheets. I wanted that scent to bury deep into me, to mark my very cells as hers.

She'd already wrapped herself around me, making my twisted obsession with her even stronger, harder to resist, and more consuming than anything else in the world.

I forced myself to pull away and stop touching her, but I did carefully adjust her position on the bed so she was more comfortable because I didn't want her to feel any discomfort. It already felt like there was a knife protruding from the center of chest seeing her wince in response to the headache the sedative gave her. I didn't want to hurt her, not in the sense she most likely thought I did.

I just needed her to understand, to accept that she was mine now, once she was awake and we could talk about this.

I sat back down, continuing to watch her sleeping form.

This is how it's supposed to be. Just the two of us. With my Dolly alone with me in this place I prepared for us.

From the moment I saw her, I started making my plans. And now I was at the finish line. I glanced around this little cottage I found during my searches. Time hadn't been on my side, so it was a rental, but soon, I'd find us the perfect, isolated home, where it could always just be the two of us.

As I sat there, dark satisfaction settled into every part of my body. She was here. Finally . And no one could take her away from me.

I rested my elbows on my knees. "You'll understand soon, darling," I whispered, my voice barely audible, even in the room's stillness.

The darkness was thick around us, the low light of the table lamp barely stretching into the corners. The bleakness of the forest beyond this cottage was so thick it threatened to break in through the window and consume everything. It wrapped around us like a shroud.

My emotions were intense where she was concerned, and it was a strange sensation. I was someone who never really felt , never actually wanted anything but the essentials to keep me alive.

So these new feelings I had were bright and loud, and they controlled every aspect of me. She'd wake up soon, and when she did, I'd be here. Waiting. Watching. We'd have that talk, and I anticipated it.

But for now, I was content to sit here, in the shadowy room, and watch over her. To make sure she was safe and protected.

No one would touch her… but me.