Eternal Ties

After about an hour’s drive down the parkway, Christopher pulled into a private, secluded driveway surrounded by woods.

“Welcome home,” Christopher murmured, smirking down at me as we pulled up to this beautiful modern mansion which was painted in white and had huge glass windows. The outdoor entry had Doric columns and huge mahogany double doors.

“You live here?” I whispered, ogling the mansion, wide-eyed.

“Yes, and so do you” he said, parking the car outside the massive garage.

Personally, I would have preferred my own house with my mom, even to this luxurious manor with the gorgeous Christopher.

“Are you coming?” Christopher inquired, breaking into my thoughts.

I jumped and looked around to see him holding the door for me, staring down at me with the same humorous glint in his eyes.

“Oh, yeah.” I said, allowing him to lead me up the front steps by the hand.

Christopher pulled the keys out his pocket, never taking his eyes off of me as he stuck the key into the hole and turned it, more slowly than necessary.

“You look nervous” Christopher remarked, his eyes catching my every move.

“Oh no, I do this every day, can’t you tell?” I snapped sarcastically, my lips pursed.

“There’s no need to be nervous, Maria, I would never hurt you” he whispered, stretching out his hand towards me, making me take an automatic step back.

“I beg to differ” I mumbled.

Christopher grinned and pushed the door open to reveal an entryway more gorgeous than the outside. The floors were made of marble and so were the two staircases on either side which were carpeted in red velvet. There was a vast oriental rug in the middle of the floor. The whole place looked like every nook and cranny had been mercilessly cleaned. That job must have taken hours.

“Do you like it?” Christopher asked, taking off his leather jacket and putting it in the closet.

“Well…yeah it’s gorgeous” I muttered.

He smirked, “You don’t seem very happy”

“What are you talking about? I’m beaming” I growled, rolling my eyes.

“Alright then” he said, “Come with me” He lead me up one of the beautiful staircases and down a hallway with mahogany paneling and was lined with old portraits.

He opened one of the black doors and revealed a huge master suite with a gigantic king-size bed with dark satin sheets and lots of pillows. The fireplace was lit and there were two fancy-looking armchairs surrounding it.

“This is my room?” I asked, astounded.

“No, that is my room…this is your room” he corrected opening another door, exposing another room around the size of a big walk-in closet. It had a small cot, a simple dresser, and a nightstand.

“Why is it attached to your room?” I snapped, my eyes wide.

“You are my assistant, I must have you near at all times” he explained, a hand on my head, stroking my hair.

I slapped his hand away, totally forgetting about the consequences. Christopher gripped my hair tightly, staring down at me with angry eyes, “Already forgetting the rules are we?”

“I’m sorry” I whimpered, as lead me to one of the chairs around the fireplace. I sat down and he knelt down in front of me, like I was a 4 year old throwing a tantrum and he was scolding me.

“Maria…” he purred, “You don’t want me to hurt you, do you?”

“You said you would never hurt me” I hiccupped, holding back tears.

“You need this, honey, I don’t do this to hurt you” he explained tenderly. I hated how Christopher treated me, like I was a bratty little kid he had been forced to take care of. I couldn’t believe how gullible I was, I’d probably be dead by tomorrow.

“I don’t need you” I mumbled, averting my eyes from his.

“Not yet” he smirked, trailing his finger along my cheekbone, his eyes studying me again, murmuring, “You have your father’s eyes”

Before I had a chance to react, there was a knock on the door.

“Come in” Christopher called, straightening up.

A girl who looked around 21 years of age walked in. Her blond hair reached her belly button and her brown eyes looked were fleeting around the room, as though waiting for someone to lunge out at her. Her practically stick-skinny figure was covered in a black pencil skirt that was just above her knee, a white ruffled dress shirt, and black stilettos.

“S-sir” she stuttered in a slight British accent, curtsying slightly.

“Sandra” Christopher said, nodding his head in acknowledgement.

“Theresa’s throwing a fit” Sandra murmured urgently.

Christopher rolled his eyes and brushed past Sandra, pulling me along with him. He led me downstairs and down a hallway and into a modern kitchen. There was a tall girl with medium length black hair with her back turned to us, stirring something on the counter.

“Theresa” Christopher called out in a hard voice.

“What?!” the girl snapped, turning around, her blue eyes wild.

“I instructed you to be gone by this morning” Christopher snapped.

“You were serious?” she muttered, eyes narrowed, looking me up and down.

“Painfully so, yes” Christopher told her while tightening his grip on my hand, making me flinch in pain.

“Replacing me with a stupid human like her sounded like a pretty good joke to me” she snapped, throwing her spoon in the sink.

“Maria is no ordinary human; she is the only child of James Hanover” he explained, moving his hand to my shoulder.

Her eyes grew wide for a second, but then she retained her angry demeanor once more and said, in forced indifference, “Whatever, James is long gone, it’s a shame his daughter is human”

Christopher rolled his eyes and demanded, “Leave my house, I have fired you”

She let out an agitated growl and stormed out of the kitchen and out the door, calling, “You’ll regret this Christopher!”
He sighed and guided me upstairs and into his bedroom once more, where Sandra was still standing there, her nervous eyes still darting around.

“Go back to your cleaning, Sandra, Theresa is not coming back” Christopher stated in a soothing tone.

Sandra nodded, a look of relief coming over her, “Thank you, sir” and she hurried out, but not before giving one of her little curtsies again.

“And why does she curtsy for you?” I asked cynically, turning around to face him.

“Just an added sign of respect, so she knows not to run away again” he muttered, loosening his tie.

I raised my eyebrows. Running away was not a bad idea, not a bad idea at all.

“It wouldn’t be beneficial for you, Maria, I can promise you that” Christopher said, eyeing my contemplative expression.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about” I lied curtly.

“I wouldn’t like what I would have to do to you” he continued, ignoring me, “And I know you wouldn’t like it”

“Is that a threat?” I stammered.

“No, just a…warning” he said, slowly, holding my chin between his thumb and forefinger.

“Same thing” I muttered.

“Sure, but that’s not the point, if you run away, you will be punished, end of story” Chris snapped.

“What would my father say if I told him you hurt me?” I inquired, backing away from him, making him release my chin.

Christopher’s lips tightened and he gripped both of my arms so our faces were inches apart, snarling, “Don’t you dare try and threaten me, Miss Maria, who is the boss here?”

I didn’t answer, just stared up at him, thoroughly frightened now.

“Answer. Me.” Christopher demanded, in the same tone he had spoken to Theresa in.

“Y-you are” I stuttered, tears rolling down my cheeks in droves.

“Good girl…good girl…” He whispered gently, loosening his hold on my arms, “Now get some rest, you’ve had a long night”

“Good night Christopher” I mumbled, but before I could go into my ‘room’, he caught my hand and whispered, “My darling Maria, don’t you remember the rules?”

“Good night, sir” I said through clenched teeth.

“Good night Maria” He replied softly, watching me as I walked into my new bedroom, which was a million times worse than the old one, to be frank. I opened the drawers and found some plaid flannel pants and a Hollister sweatshirt. I threw them on and collapsed on the bed. As far as cots go, this bed was alright.

“Maria…Maria love, I see you” a familiar voice called. I looked up to see my father’s beaming face looking down at me.

“I see you too, daddy” a much younger version of me squeaked in a teasing voice.

We were in our old house, the one we used to live in when Dad was still there. I remember it being much bigger than what Mom could afford.

“Come here, little girl” he growled playfully, taking me in his arms.

“I’m a big girl!” I corrected, making him grin.

“Oh right, I forgot, you’re a big girl now” he purred, rubbing my back as I dug my head into his neck.

“Daddy…” I whispered, my arms wrapped around his neck as tight as I could.

“Yes, my love?” Dad murmured, kissing my cheek.

“Do you and Mommy not love each other anymore?” I asked, looking him in the face, into his green eyes that were identical to mine.

“Maria…I will always love your mother, just like I will always love you, your mother and I just have some special differences that are causing some problems right now” Dad explained in a soothing voice.

Then, another familiar voice called, “Hey James”

I looked around to see Christopher, standing in the doorway, his eyes on me, “Hello, Maria”

“Christopher!” I exclaimed, elated, struggling to break free of my father’s grasp.

Dad chuckled and set me down, allowing me to jump into Christopher’s arms. “Hello, little princess” Christopher whispered, cradling me in his arms.

“Big princess!” I exclaimed, laughing.

“Big princess? But I don’t think big princesses get to ride on my shoulders” Christopher said in mock-worry, frowning down at me, holding back a smile.

I frowned also, thinking, then giggled and said, “I’m still your little princess”

“Okay then,” he smiled, “Hold on” He lifted me up on his shoulders, gently holding my ankles as I rested my elbows on his head.

“Daddy look I’m taller than you!” I called, waving at him.

“Yes you are, Maria” Dad chuckled, taking hold of my hand and squeezing it.

“Maria, wake up” I heard Christopher whisper, a hand on my back.

“Mmmm….” I mumbled, rolling over, thinking I was still on my queen size bed at home, but, of course, I wasn’t, and I fell off of my barely twin size cot.

“Be careful, dear” Christopher chuckled, pulling me up.

“I-I had a dream about you last night” I stuttered, my legs shaking.

“Really?” he smirked, moving some hair away from my face, “Only one night and you’re already having fantasies about me?”

I rolled my eyes and grimaced, “No, it was a memory, you called me your little princess, and my father was there, we were in my old house, I was 5”

“You were premature at birth, and have always been small for your age” Christopher explained, “James would call you his little princess, and I guess it stuck with me too”

“You were really nice” I mumbled, looking down at my nails.

“And I’m not nice now?” he inquired, staring down at me.

I let out a laugh, “You. Nice. Okay”

“I can be extremely nice…if I feel like it” he smirked.

“So I’m guessing you never feel like it?” I asked, grinning.

“Good one” he muttered, sarcastically.

After a short period of awkward silence Christopher inquired, “Are you hungry?”

I was just about to answer no when I felt my stomach rumble and nodded quickly, my eyes ravenous. Christopher laughed, took my hand, and led me downstairs and into the kitchen. I was always surprised at how easily he touched me. Guys at my high school would never hold a girl’s hand without at least 4 dates prior.