I opted to walk around the hall of the mansion, rather than staying in my room. I felt like a sitting duck waiting for Joseph to come along.

The halls were strangely busy. There were lots of people rushing around the halls arms full of things that were covered so I couldn't see them. No one acknowledged me they just went about their business. I thought about stopping someone to ask what was going on when I saw Joseph coming my way talking with one of his men.

I swore under my breath and quickly turned hurrying away from him. My breathing was heavy from anticipation. Wondering if the person that I had been avoiding had seen me.

I ducked quickly into a more empty hallway and leaned on the wall. I closed my eyes to catch my breath. I shouldn't be nervous. Not of him I kept telling saying, willing myself to not think about last night again. But my mind has always been a little rebel. The memories of how he hadn't wanted me there last night played in my mind and I wanted to slide down the wall and cry once again. I had feelings for him and he played with me.

"You're avoiding me." I yelped loudly when I heard his deep voice right next to my right ear. My eyes flew open and I jumped away from him. I studied him for a moment. He looked completely composed. Like he'd gotten 10 hours of sleep the night before and hadn't spared me a second thought. Meanwhile I slept maybe 4 hours and had been thinking about him nonstop. He just wouldn't leave my mind, no matter what I thought about.

"Joseph." I nodded my head stiffly.

"See what I mean." He huffed and ran a hand through his blonde hair. I held my breath. Damn. This never used to happen. "What happened to you last night? Why were you so rude?" He asked calmly leaning against the wall.

All thoughts of him being the sexiest man alive left my head, and all that was left was that he was an ass. I shook my head and started waking away from him, already ready to be done with this conversation.

"Don't you turn your back to me when I'm speaking to you." He grabbed my arm roughly, forcing me to face him again. "I have been going easy on you. Ordering all of my men not to lay a finger on you, purely because you're young. Do not think that I can't revoke that order if you disobey me." He spoke with anger that I had never seen before.

"Are you threatening me?" I whispered. He glared at me and gripped my arm tighter. I winced at the pressure on my wrist. I stared at the ground not wanting to look into his furious green eyes.

"Yes." He hissed. I frowned and struggled to escape his iron grip. He growled and shoved me away from him storming off in the opposite direction.

I stood frozen in my spot, rubbing my red wrist. The red was already starting to turn blue and you could see the shapes of his fingers. A constant reminder that he didn't care about me the way I thought I did about him, and that he wouldn't hesitate to hurt me if I stepped out of line.

******

That night at dinner I stayed silent. Ruben tried to start up conversation with me, but I just shrugged him off. I could feel Joseph's gaze on me. It was making me feel sick. The butterflies that I used to get around him was replaced with fear.

The bruise on my wrist was prominent. I tried to hide it, but it was on my left hand and I unfortunately was left handed. Once Ruben saw it he was mad to say the least.

He grabbed my arm in his beefy hand and pulled my long sleeved shirt up. "Who did this to you?!" He looked up at me, his bushy eyebrows furrowed together in anger. I shook my head and pulled my arm away, pulling the sleeve back down. "WHO DID IT JESSICA!" He slammed his fist down on the table and the whole thing shook. Everyone looked at him and ultimately causing them to look at me, because I was Jessica.

My face was beat red and I looked down at my hands the whole table was quiet, everybody was looking at me curiously including my new enemy.

I cleared my throat. "Excuse me." I said quietly and left the room. All eyes on me the whole way. I closed the door and started running. This was too much I didn't want to be here I wanted to go home. I ran until I reached the front doors. There were two men standing there that were guarding. They both stood unmoving watching me come toward them. I wasn't crying yet but the tears were on their way, and fast approaching.

I reached the door and flung it open surprisingly receiving no resistance from the 2 guards. I bolted down the gazillion steps in front of the mansion.

I ran to the right of the beautiful cobblestone driveway, positive that the guards at the gate wouldn't let me out. I bolted straight into the lush gardens that surrounded the sides of the beautiful house.

I finally found a spot in the dirt that looked hidden enough from plain sight. The fact that I was sitting in the dirt didn't really seem to bother me. The tears I had been holding back streamed down my face now in an unceasing flow.

It was all too much. I missed my father, my home, even as much as I never thought I would say it. I missed school. I missed the opportunity to constantly be learning. It one of those things you don't appreciate until you don't have it anymore. Here I felt constantly at risk of being attacked by my sister. Whether she had someone do it physically, or do it verbally herself. The stress was taking its toll on my body. All that plus the pounding headache that still slightly lingered from my last run-in with Olivia's goons, left me a blubbering mess.

I had cried more in the past 2 weeks than I had in the past 2 years.

As if cloning to my mood the little droplets of water began to fall from the sky. I looked up into the sky and tried to watch the water fall. My eyelashes did their best to shield my eyes from the falling droplets, but they were no match for the water. It fell into my eyes and I looked back down at the ground cursing, and blinking rapidly in an attempt to get the excess water out of my eyeball.

"There you are." I snapped my head up at the sound of an intruder. I sighed heavily when I saw Ruben standing above me.

"How did you find me out here?" I grumbled. And dug my fingers into the wet mud around me.

He chuckled and sat down next to me. Crowding me into the bush next to me. I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest and glared at the ground just like a little child would have done if they didn't get their way. "You were swearing pretty loud."

I shook my head. He would never have found me if I wasn't so stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

"It's cold Jess. Let's go back inside. You can get something to eat since you didn't eat any of your dinner."

I shook my head again, and kept my mouth shut.

He huffed in frustration. "Fine. Do you wanna tell me where you got that bruise then? Cause I know it wasn't there when I saw you thins morning." He stared at me. I could feel his glare on my face even through the down pour of rain.

"No. I don't want to tell you." I said a little more rudely then I should've and I instantly felt bad. Ruben didn't deserve to be on the other end of my rant. No matter how nosy i felt he was being he was really just trying to help.

I swore I heard him growl. I peeked sideways at him and my eyes widened slightly. He looked pissed. He stood up and stood there for a moment. I just sat there looking up at him waiting for him to make the next move.

I gasped when he bent and swooped me over his shoulder. I didn't even have time to react. He was lightning quick. I didn't know such a big guy could move so fast.

"Hey?! What do you think your doing?" I yelled to be heard over the rain.

He didn't answer me just carried me inside silently. We walked for awhile until we reached the front doors again. I heard the men at the front doors chuckle when we came into view. I frowned and flipped their backs off, too much of a coward to do it to their faces. They did have guns after all. And what did I have? My scrawny, boney, little fists.

"You know it looks like you shit your pants." Ruben said. I gasped loudly and struggled harder to get off his shoulder.

"Let me down right now Ruben!!" I yelled loudly. The whole castle probably heard, but it couldn't possibly be more embarrassing than having your butt sticking up in the air covered in mud, this making it look like you crapped your pants.

"Let her down Ruben." I mentally shot myself in the foot twice when I heard his voice. The one person that I didn't ever want to talk to, or see for that matter, ever again was right in front of me. As much as I told myself I didn't care what he thought, the thought of him thinking I popped my pants made me cringe.

I was set on my feet and I quickly turned around so I was facing him and covered my butt with my hands. I could see Joseph's mouth twitching at my struggle.

"Did you need something? Cause I was actually just about to go to bed." I whispered. Still slightly afraid of what he might do if I spoke to him in a casual manner.

"I was actually hoping to talk to you." He paused. "Alone."

Ruben nodded and left without hesitation. "Yes sir." I watched him until he was no longer in sight.

"What happened at dinner." I looked back in his direction but kept my eyes on the floor.

I swallowed and shrugged. "I- uh." I shrugged again. "I don't know sir."

He stayed silent for awhile. I squeezed my eyes shut when I heard he moving towards me. He stopped right in front of me. I kept my head angled to the ground. He grabbed my chin and lifted my head, so I was looking him straight in the eyes. "I don't like it when you call me sir."

"Everyone calls you sir." My eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.

"Yes. But I don't want YOU to." He put extra emphasis on the word you.

"Oh." I mumbled.

He released my jaw. I kept my head held up, and continued to look into his beautiful piercing green eyes.

He looked down and gently grabbed my arm. "I am very sorry about this. I didn't mean to hurt you." He said surprisingly gentle.

I nodded "it's ok. It really dosent hurt unless I bump it or squeeze it or something." I shrugged and looked at the dark purple imprint of a handprint around my wrist.

He lifted my arm slowly to his lips. My eyes widened more for every inch higher my wrist moved. He pressed his lips softly to my arm, and held it there for a moment before looked up at me. I looked at him quizzically.

He released me and stepped backwards. "Goodnight Jessica. I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast." He slowly walked backwards a couple of steps and then he turned around and left.

I stood there for a moment with a stupid smile slowly growing onto my face. I bit my bottom lip to try and stop the grin from growing any bigger.

I walked back to my room and got ready for bed in a daze.

I stared at the ceiling as I laid in bed. I thought about the whole day and the huge smile that was plastered on my face faltered slightly. How was it that 1 man could make me feel angry, sad, sacred, and so incredibly happy all at the same time?