IN HIS GRIP

Chapter 7

Isabella

We sit in silence for the rest of the way into London. I know he is upset but to threaten to take my baby from me. It will not happen. Riah wouldn't let it happen, anyway. Then again with solicitors, family courts and judgments being made. I don't look good on paper. Pregnant, irresponsible twenty- year- old student. James has a well- paid job and is established. I try not to think about his threats. I keep stroking my tummy, trying to soothe myself and the baby.

James pulls into a small alley and around the back of a building to park his car.

"Welcome home, Isabella." He says sarcastically.

He gets out of the car and opens my door. I unbuckle my seatbelt and he tugs me out of the car and he pulls me towards the building door.

"Stop dragging me around."

Completely ignoring me, he uses a card to swipe open the door. He takes me to a lift using his card again. He drags me inside while hitting the tenth floor button. I'm already thinking ahead I can either get the card or find a fire exit and make it to Riah's place.

"How long are you off for the Easter break?"

"Three weeks."

"Good. Plenty of time to get yourself comfortable in your new home."

"I'm not moving in with you, James."

"You don't have a choice, Isabella. I told you I'm keeping you both. I am going to arrange for all your lessons to be online. You won't miss out on your studying and you won't be working yourself to death in a fucking shitty little cafe." He says, his voice rising in anger.

I don't reply to him. We weren't all born with silver spoons in our mouths. Fucker probably never had to go without or know what poverty was.

The lift door pings open. He continues to drag me by my wrist towards a door. I look around. There aren't any other doors around.

He opens the door and pushes me inside before closing the door and locking it.

"There are cameras all over the building. You need a card to use the lift. Cameras cover the fire exits. I have this entire floor. So get comfortable. You're here to stay."

I reach into my small crossover purse to pull my phone out to let Keira know what's happened.

James snatches my phone out of my hands.

"What the fuck? I need to let Keira know I'm okay."

He looks at me suspiciously.

"No, I think I will do that."

Tired of him being an asshole. I ignore him and walk around him to walk out of the hallway. It's a massive apartment. At least there should be plenty of space between us. I make my way to the open plan living room. Plopping myself down on the sofa. I am feeling drained physically and emotionally. I had a long shift at the cafe and I wasn't expecting to be kidnapped by my insane baby daddy.

He goes off somewhere else. I look around his pristine but boring living room to look for the TV remote. I don't see one anywhere and I'm too tired to look. Laying down on the sofa, I close my eyes. I was too wired to sleep on the journey here, but I just need a quick nap. Baking another human is hard work.

00000

I wake up with a warm blanket over me. I look around for the time.

"You slept for hours."

I startle, not expecting him to be here with me.

I look over at where the voice is. He is sitting at the bottom of the sofa near my feet. I say nothing because he will just berate me for working in the cafe.

"Did you at least text Keira? She will be worried."

"Yes, I text her to say you have moved in with me and someone will be there to collect your things tomorrow."

"You can't do that, James."

"I just did. You do not leave my fucking sight."

"How are you going to get to your office?"

"I've taken a leave of absence. I'm extending it as I don't work because I have to. It's the challenge that keeps me going back. Just imagine every second of the day I will be here with you," he says.

I look over at him and his blue eyes are practically twinkling. He is loving this. I groan and fling my head back onto the pillow.

"I've ordered us food. It should be here soon. Let me show you the apartment."

He gives me a tour of the apartment. Even though it's modern and soulless, it has 4 bedrooms, all with en- suites. The master bedroom is massive. He has a theatre room, a small gym, laundry room, a massive kitchen and a study.

"You're going to be in my room."

"No. You have spare rooms. I can take one of them."

"I have missed four months of your pregnancy. I will not miss anymore. You will not be sleeping in any other room."

Before I can say anything, the doorbell rings. Leaving me in the living room while he goes to collect the food. He brings the food into the living room before leaving again and getting plates, drinks and napkins. I watch him as he pulls the remote out from behind the TV before switching it on.

"Are you allergic to anything?"

"No, and I'm not fussy."

He piles an assortment of food high on my plate. I watch him and wonder how much he thinks pregnant women need to eat.

"I can't eat that much, James."

"What? Why not? You're eating for two."

"Yes, but my stomach can only take so much food. I would end up throwing it all up if I forced myself to eat that much."

He keeps that plate and makes me another one.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

I demolish my food. I was so hungry after my nap.

When I look up, James is staring at me.

"What?"

"I've never seen anyone eat so quickly. Here have some more. You should have taken this plate, to begin with."

He puts more rice and vegetables on my plate with a piece of chicken.

"I must have been hungrier than I thought."

I take the remote from the table to browse through the channels as he delicately eats his food. In the mood for some action, I put the Avengers movie on. I doubt I will go back to sleep anytime soon.

I dive straight back into my food. It's so good. I wonder if the baby is having a growth spurt. I never eat as much as this.

I frown. I have an appointment in a week's time.

"Are you okay?"

"Hmm? Oh, I have an appointment next week. How am I going to get back to attend it when you have kidnapped me?"

He rolls his eyes at me.

"While you were snoring away, I organised everything."

I smirk at him.

"Best you keep me in another room, then. I wouldn't want to disturb your beauty sleep."

"I have earplugs."

I ignore him and finish my second plate of food. I slump back and rub my belly. Looking over to see James isn't even halfway through his plate. He must eat like a delicate little bird.

My eyes move back to the TV screen. If I carry on watching James eat, I will fall asleep again with boredom.

It's not long before I can feel his eyes on me again.

"What is it now?" I ask, without moving my eyes from the TV.

"I want to see the baby."

"Well, you need to wait five months."

"I meant your stomach."

I look over at him. His eyes are on my stomach.

I lift my t- shirt up as edges closer to me on the sofa. His hands cover my belly hesitantly. Before he gently strokes the entire surface. I never realised how large his hands were.

"That's our baby in there." He says in awe.

I look at his face and he looks amazed at what we created. I feel my heart soften before remembering this is how it all starts. My father didn't stay with myself and Riah. Who's to say James won't return to his whoring ways?

I pull my t- shirt back down.

His head shoots up to my face as he narrows his eyes at me. He slowly removes his hands from my stomach.

"I don't know what's going on in your head. But you will understand one thing. This is my child. I will keep him or her with or without you. The choice is yours. I won't have my child being raised away from me."

I don't say anything as my hands clench the bottom of my t- shirt.

He stands up and clears the food away, leaving the drinks on the table. I watch him leave the living room. He is wearing a tight fitting t- shirt and denims. My eyes linger on his ass like a pervert. It must be hormones.

I wish I could speak to Riah about this mess, but I don't want to stress her out while she is pregnant. I try to watch the movie but I'm feeling too anxious. He is being serious about taking my child. I grip my stomach a little tighter.

He walks back into the living room. I keep my eyes on the movie even though I'm not paying attention to it.

"I want my phone back."

"No."

I get up and stomp to one of the spare bedrooms, hoping there is a lock on it. Before I make it to the door, he comes and pulls me away from it by my wrist.

"Well, if you're tired, you should have said." He pulls me along behind him as he takes me into the master bedroom. Locking the door behind him and making a big show of taking the key out and putting it in his pocket.

When I get to the bathroom door, I slam it as hard as I can until I hear something rattle. I lock the door quickly before he invades this space. I wash up using his toothbrush because, well, fuck him. Using the toilet, I notice the large tub in the corner. It looks so inviting. Fuck it. Might as well. Once I'm finished, I wash my hands and promptly fill the tub up. I find some bubble bath in a cupboard and strip off, hanging my clothes over the railing attached to the wall. Tying my long hair up in a knot, I sink into the warm bubbly water. Just like that, the tension eases out of my body. I reach out for a towel and roll it up to put under my head.

Shit. I would consider living with him just for this bathtub.

Maybe he could move out, and it could be just me and the bathtub.

I smile. That sounds so damn good.

Not too long after I top up the bath with some more hot water, I hear something by the door before it opens.

"Seriously? Give me some fucking privacy." I sink further into the water, but the bubbles have all but dispersed.

He doesn't say anything, he just looks at me in the bath from top to bottom before he pulls his t- shirt off and unbuttons his jeans.

"What do you think you are doing?"

"I'm taking my clothes off." He says nonchalantly.

"Fine, I will get out."

"You don't move." He says as he pulls his jeans and boxers off.

Oh, yes. I remember his big, underperforming cock from all those months ago. Quick draw McGraw. Good to look at, shit to try.

"If this is going to be like your last show. This should be the quickest bath in history."

His cheeks flush and his nostrils flared.

"It was the amount of alcohol I had."

"Sure it was, hon."