Chapter 12: The visitor

Bronte’s POV

The necklace felt like a chain around my throat.

I wore it under my shirt all day, constantly aware of its presence. Every time I touched it, I heard Rufus’s voice in my head: “Every time you touch it, you’ll remember who owns you.”

Mom returned from her short retreat that evening, exhausted but in a good mood. She made her famous lasagna and talked about work the whole dinner.

I smiled and nodded, but my mind was elsewhere.

Rufus sat across from me, calm and charming as always.

But under the table, his foot kept brushing against mine like a silent reminder.

Later that night, after Mom went to bed, I got a string of messages from Chloe

Jake won’t let this go. He’s really worried. He said he’s thinking about talking to your mom, please be careful. I’m scared for you.

I was typing a reply when Rufus walked into my room without knocking. He saw me on my phone

“Who is it?” he asked

“Chloe,” I said quickly.

He took the phone from my hand, read the messages, and set it on the nightstand.

Then he sat on the edge of my bed and pulled me onto his lap.

“You’re shaking,” he observed.

“I’m scared,” I admitted.

Jake might tell Mom, Chloe’s worried and everything feels like it’s closing in.

Rufus was quiet for a long time, just stroking my back. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and serious.

“Then maybe it’s time we make some harder decisions.”

He didn’t fuck me that night. Instead, he held me close and whispered all the ways he would protect what was his. His words should have comforted me. Instead, they terrified me.

Because I was starting to realize, Rufus didn’t just want my body.

He wanted total control.

The next day was chaos.

I was in the middle of an online lecture when the doorbell rang. Mom was working from home, so she answered it.

“Bronte! Someone’s here for you!”

I came downstairs and froze.

Jake wasn’t alone this time. He had brought his older sister Lena, someone I hadn’t seen in over a year.

She used to be like a big sister to me when Jake and I were dating. Now she was looking at me with deep concern.

“Hi Bronte,” Lena said gently.

“Can we talk? All of us?”

Mom looked confused but invited them in. Rufus emerged from his office, his face unreadable.

The five of us sat in the living room. The tension was thick enough to choke on.

Lena didn’t waste time, “Jake told me what’s been going on or at least what he suspects,” she said carefully.

“Bronte, you’ve changed. You’re distant, you look stressed. If something is wrong… you can tell us.”

Mom turned to me, frowning. “Honey, what’s this about?”

I felt cornered. My hands trembled in my lap. The necklace suddenly felt burning hot against my skin.

“I… I’m fine,” I lied.

“There’s just a lot going on with school.”

Jake looked hurt. “You’re not fine. I saw the marks. I saw how he looks at you.”

Rufus leaned forward slightly, his voice calm but icy.

“I think you’re overstepping, Jake. Bronte is my stepdaughter. I take care of her.”

The way he said “take care of her” made my skin crawl.

Mom looked between all of us, clearly overwhelmed. “I don’t understand what’s happening right now.”

Lena tried to reduce the tension. “We’re just worried. That’s all.”

The conversation dragged on painfully. Mom eventually asked Jake and Lena to leave, promising she would talk to me privately.

The moment the door closed, Mom turned to me.

“Bronte… is there something you need to tell me?”

Rufus stood behind her, his eyes were on mine like a silent, dangerous warning.

I forced a smile.

“No, Mom. Everything’s okay. Jake’s just being dramatic.”

But as Mom walked away, still looking unsure, I knew the cracks were spreading fast.

Later that night, Rufus came to my room. This time he wasn’t gentle.

He pushed me face down on the bed, yanked my leggings down, and fucked me hard while covering my mouth.

“You almost slipped today,” he growled in my ear.

“If you ever embarrass me in front of your mother again…”

He didn’t finish the sentence, I guess he didn’t need to.