"What a mess, you made, MC," Jake commented on the state of our dinner.

The special fried rice was spilt on the floor after he knocked into it trying to get me for his ridiculous trust challenge. He scooped it up off the floor with a metal spoon, then he held up to my face for me to eat it.

"Don't waste good food, MC. Some of us have had to live on rotten scraps. This is still palpable," he encouraged with a threatening tone. "Unless you think you're too good for it."

Given he had already burnt my arm intentionally, I wasn't going to risk angering him so I opened my mouth reluctantly and let him spoon feed me. He paused to pick out a hair from the rice and then put it in my mouth.

"Good job," he grinned. "I know you went through a lot there. Let me take care of you, ok? You were very brave to show me so much trust."

Jake kissed my the top of my head, then wrapped his arms around me and held me close against him while I was still stunned. How could one minute he be the Jake I knew and then suddenly switch to something so unrecognisable? I went through in my head so many scenarios of how to escape him and get myself to the Embassy. Somehow, I would have to explain this and admit that I was duped by a psychopath. Hell, maybe he was the one who sent the email after all. Maybe everything I've seen was staged to make me believe we were in trouble. Was that possible? He said so himself, he was a con man and I was easy.

Up until now I didn't realise how trapped I was with him. He hadn't let me leave the room since I screwed up with the phone I stole. Was he keeping me caged? Was I his prisoner? Suddenly I felt like the walls were closing in on me. I just wanted out from him and from that room. I made a mistake ever thinking this monster could ever be the Jake I fell in love with.

My attention suddenly snapped back to the present with the feeling of stinging on my arm. I looked to the side and saw Jake cleaning the wound on my arm gently with an alcohol wipe.

"Sorry, I wasn't intending for it to blister. I can't put any bandages on it right now," he spoke softly as he examined the damage. Then he leant over and kissed the skin above it.

"Stop," I mumbled while trying to pull away.

Jake just gripped my arm tighter, "You're confused right now. Later you will understand that this was all just a test and you passed."

"Fuck you and your test!" I yelled.

"I understand that you are angry right now and you have the right to be, but I needed to know before I put a phone in your hands whether you would turn on me," he tried to excuse the shit he pulled.

"You know, before I wouldn't have. Before you fucking frightened me to death!" I cried. "When you get like that, I don't know how far you're going to go! I don't know if you're going to stop! How can I trust you!?"

"Hit me," he said simply. I slapped him across the face without hesitation. He barely flinched. "Harder." I slapped him harder. "You're right, I was wrong for doubting you. Know that I love you and I won't ever cause you the harm that you fear." Jake bent over, lowering his head to my feet as if to grovel.

"I don't think I can forgive you. Jake, you're sick. You need help, more than I can give you," I responded honestly.

Jake lifted his head and looked directly into my eyes, "I know. Let me get us across the border first, ok? Then if you wish me to see someone, I will. Just, please, all I ask is for you to stay by my side. I can't do it alone."

"Ok, but you're going to go set up my new phone. Then you're going to get me the details of my new bank account and put them on there. Then you're going to reset all my passwords to something I can actually remember. The next time I say I want to leave the room, you're going to let me without complaining," I set down the new rules.

"Of course, I will do as you ask, but it was never my intention to make you feel like a prisoner here," he frowned.

"I'm not?" I asked quizzically.

He sighed, "If I wanted to keep you captive I would've tied you up or..."

"Or?" I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear the next part.

"Or put a shock anklet on you," he continued honestly.

"You have thought about that, have you?" I questioned.

"I think about many things. That doesn't mean I ever intend to act upon them," he responded.

"That survey. You really have considered the entire list," I thought out loud.

"I need you to establish my boundaries, MC, or else I'll keep pushing them," he sighed.

"Won't you just push them anyway?" I doubted his self-restraint.

He smirked, "Answering the survey will guide me to the boundaries I can push."

My heart skipped a beat. Even after everything, I still couldn't help, but feel turned on by him. Fuck, I was hopeless.

"We should get you to sleep though. It's late and after that, you will undoubtedly feel exhausted," he sat back up and reached for the bottle of water to hand to me. "Drink up first."

"Is it drugged?" I questioned.

Jake sighed, "No. I thought about it. It would help you sleep, but it would only make things worse between us. However, if you want it, I can give it to you."

"What is it?" I tried to remain calm.

"Just a sleeping pill, nothing more," he insisted. "It's the only way I can sleep."

I took a giant swig from the bottle, "Give it to me."

"You sure?" he asked with surprise.

"I'll wake up in exactly the same condition I went to sleep?" I raised my eyebrow.

"Yeah, of course, I won't touch you," he promised.

"Then give it to me," I pressured. "No more stupid trust games. While I am under the effects of the pill, I will be completely at your mercy."

"But now that you've said that..." he began, but saw my glare and stopped. "I will wait until you're awake again to defile you."

I couldn't help, but laugh a little, "Is waiting that hard for you?"

"MC, I noticed a long while ago that you're not even wearing panties," he teased. I blushed heavily as I had completely forgotten that I was wearing his hoodie and nothing else. Subconsciously I pressed my legs together. "I am not sure you're in the position to call me horny."

"What, you want me to call you admirable for holding out?" I tried to maintain my cool.

"You have no idea how much I want to," he admitted. "It's what you want too though, right? Otherwise why the open display?"

"That was before, not now. Now, you're not going to," I said both as an instruction to him and as reconfirmation to myself. "You're going to give me that sleeping pill and I'm going to sleep and not a hair on me shall be moved."

"Fine," Jake reached into his pocket and pulled out an orange pill container. He popped it open and dropped a pill into my hand. "But the second you're awake, well, anything goes."

"It's a date," I joked and took the pill, washing it down with some more water.

"Come on, let's get you to bed," Jake stood up first, then helped me to my feet.

"You know, I hate you. Why do you have to be so damn soft?" I sighed.

"You make me soft," he laughed. "Although I can try to be harder to you if you like."

I nodded, "Make it easier to hate you, will you?"

"Are you sure that will work though?" he gave me a cheeky grin.

"What are you implying?" I raised my eyebrow.

"You know as well as I do you like it when I'm rough with you," he clarified.

"I meant, be more of an asshole," I rolled my eyes.

"So, you want me to take what I want and not give any shits about it?" he mused. "Do you know what you're signing up for?"

I yawned, "As long as I hate you at the end."

"Hmm, I can't guarantee that. You might still enjoy it too much," he teased. "Even if I start carving into you."

"Would you? Would you cut me if you had the chance?" I narrowed my eyes.

"Even I have my limits, MC," he assured me. "Though the thought of leaving a permanent reminder on you isn't without its appeal."

"Why?" I pushed. "Why do you mark me?"

Jake dropped his shoulders and paused for a moment, "Proof that I exist."

"What the hell? Of course you exist!" I glared.

"One day they will kill me and wipe me from all memory," he looked away. "They're remove all traces of me. It will be as if I never existed."

"I will never forget you," I promised. "Even if that were to happen, which it won't. Because I won't let it."

"Is it wrong that I want more than that?" he stared at me intensely. "I want you to carry evidence of me. Evidence that I existed. That I meant something to someone."

"There are other ways, Jake. You know that," I reached for his shoulder and ran my fingers over where his tattoo was under his hoodie.

"You would get a tattoo for me?" he questioned.

"Yes," I smiled. "Something they'll never be able to erase. Where do you want it?"

Jake ran his fingers from my jaw down to the middle of my chest When he reached above my heart, he laid his hand flat against my skin, "Here."

I nodded sleepily. "A red eye."

"You mean it?" he was unsure of my commitment.

"Yes, I mean it," I insisted with heavy eyes. "I'm not going to let you die, but I will do it anyway."

"I worked out how to make you hate me," he mused.

"Dying isn't an option," I frowned.

"No, not that. That other promise. I don't think I'll be able to keep it," he admitted.

"Not a single hair!" I reiterated.

"Ugh, fine, but I'm not holding back when you wake up," he warned. "I want all of you right now and I will take all of you."

My heart skipped a beat. Even in my drowsy state, a part of me was revived by his words, "When I wake up, fuck me up, Jake. Until then, let me sleep."

The biggest grin I had ever seen from him emerged on his devilish lips, "Gladly."

By then I was having trouble keeping my eyes open. Jake helped me to the bed and gently urged me to lie down. Before sleep could take me, I felt him pulling up the blankets over me and tucking me in. As I drifted away, he pressed his lips against mine.

"Sweet dreams, MC."