Chapter 5: My Time Is All The Time We Need
"You see, I’ve developed an interest in cremating people...alive".
Adrien realizes that he should have just jumped out the window. He had already taken off the damn ring and rolled up the bedsheets like a sliding rope, but he bailed at the last minute.
"I wonder if it’s as excruciating as burning them alive...or maybe it’s so quick, they don’t even have time to scream?"
He really should have jumped out the fucking window.
"Are you listening to me, little duckling?" Orion leans closer, his voice dropping. "Or do my little interests bore you?"
"Of course not..." It’s hard to fake a smile while sitting straight with a gun to his head, but Adrien manages— it’s not like he has any other choice.
Not when he’s struggling not to hyperventilate, while calculating how to manipulate a crazy bastard.
"Then why don’t you look the least bit interested in what I like, little duckling? Or does ignoring me and my orders make you feel better about yourself?" Orion’s lips twist into a disturbing pout.
Adrien blames his past and his lack of common sense for this.
"I was just..." Orion deliberately lets the cold steel of the gun rest against his forehead. The man brightens just from seeing him choke on his words. "I was just wondering if you could drop the gun? Please?"
"But you disobeyed me," he tilts his head, a slow smile forming, "and you haven’t even apologized for that."
Adrien would have apologized to him, but everything happened too fast. One moment he had his hands on his makeshift bedsheet rope, and the next, he’s slammed so hard against the wall that his ears still haven’t stopped ringing.
Any other person would be unable to think straight after that.
But Adrien isn’t just anyone, he’s a man who prides herself on getting out of sticky situations. "I’m sorry for trying to escape...please forgive me."
"Okay then," to his surprise, Orion sheathes the gun back. "I won’t cremate you, but you’ll have to say that you’re sorry for trying to escape knowing fully well that would be impossible for you."
After sucking in a deep and much-needed breath, Adrien repeats his words...flatly. "I’m sorry I tried to escape knowing fully well that would be impossible for me."
"Say for someone like you."
He desperately wants to curse this madman, but his self-preservation instincts won’t allow it. Or maybe that’s just his common sense finally returning.
"I’m sorry I tried to escape knowing fully well that would be impossible for someone like me."
He glances at Orion who’s now lounging on the edge of the bed, still smiling. "Does this mean I’m forgiven— "
"Nope," Adrienna suddenly gets chills. "Remember that leash and collar we were discussing...?"
No. Fuck no.
"But I didn’t end up leaving! And isn’t that a crime against humanity? You can’t just choose to treat me like a pet!" He scrambles away from him in panic.
He recognizes the unholy glee in Orion’s eyes— it’s the same one the madman had when he started talking about cremation.
This bastard is completely serious. Insane but serious.
"Who says I can’t?" He shrugs. "I’m Orion Vassilis, I could make you my pet and even build you a kennel...Wait...that isn’t such a bad idea..."
What is this? Some kind of roleplay?
"You’re insane." His voice falters. "How can you blame me for trying to escape when you don’t even see me as— "
His gaze drops to Adrien’s trembling hands. "Let’s not play hypocrites, duckling. We made a deal before I took you out of that club."
"I didn’t...we never made a deal, Orion. I would know if we did." Adrien barely remembers a conversation with him about anything— only being shot at and humiliated.
"No, we definitely did." Orion’s smile sharpens. "It was either you came with me or I killed your lovely landlady who feeds you as a love language, or I could have killed your loyal hairstylist who hassles you for a cut..."
All traces of color drain from Adrien’s face.
"Or your neighbours whose daughter you babysit as charity. I could just take your coworker...what was her name again?... Marie, I think?..." he glances at Adrien’s pale face solemnly.
"I could chop that one into little bits and bury her underneath the harbor, what do you think?"
"Please...you can’t— "
"No, I definitely can." Orion sighs. "You really have to understand when I’m being kind to you, Adrien. You have to know that when I give you an order, you only need to follow because I could make it way worse for you."
Adrien’s gaze falls to his own trembling hands— truly, he had forgotten. He had forgotten how easy it would be for one elite— much less, Orion Vassilis— to destroy his life and the people he’s let into it.
And he had forgotten how much he hated them for that.
"I’m sorry. I won’t do it again, Orion." He looks up at him, eyes wide and pleading. "I’ll stay and do whatever you tell me to! I’ll wear the collar and the leash if that’s what you want! So please...please don’t do anything."
He flinches as Orion’s hand lands gently on his head— but he doesn’t pull away or try to move a finger.
"There’s no need for the collar, Adrien. I’ve never needed to leash you for you to obey me." He fights back tears of burning humiliation as Orion slips the ring back on his finger.
"But if you really want a leash or a collar, then let that be this." The ring gleams ominously on Adrien’s finger— as if daring him to slip it off again.
"What do you say, Adrien?"
"Thank you...Orion." He bites out the words, like letting them slip out easily would damn him to an even worse fate.
"None of that, please," he pats his head cheerfully, "just Fiancé would do for now."
"Yes...Fiancé."
"It’s a term of endearment not a title, duckling. I’m not your master." He runs a hand through his hair, enjoying the way Adrien shivers at his touch.
"Yes...Fiancé."
"We’ll work on that later." Orion shrugs. "Anyways, we’ll be taking this show on the road soon. What do you think about a heartfelt reunion with your dear sister?"
His heart skips a very important beat. "Already?"
"Yes, it’s already time. In fact, we couldn’t have made our deal at a better time, duckling," he chuckles, "you’re just in time for the biggest event of the Vassilis family...minus our annual business reports, of course."
If Adrien was pale before, now he looks like a ghost that wandered into the human realm. "You don’t mean..."
"It’s my Aunt Dimitra’s birthday celebration in two days, and that means that we are going to Greece as two engaged lovers."
"You’ve got to be joking..." Adrien exhales in disbelief. "You’re taking me to your family event? You haven’t seen me in years, Orion! What even makes you think that this is such a good idea— "
Orion cuts him off by simply letting his hand fall from his head and pressing down on a pressure point on his neck. Adrien falls forward like a puppet whose strings have been cut, right into his waiting hands.
"You can panic on the jet, duckling. I don’t have any time to waste today."
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There are always privilege Chapters to unlock. If you want to read more Chapters, then you can unlock privilege Chapters to stay ahead.
— The Love Poet.
