Rain droplets hit the window, slowly and gently, as if calling her name. The dark clouds decorated the sky, leaving no room for the sun to show up.
It was Christmas Day.
Victoria had been awake for almost an hour, but she didn’t feel like leaving the bedroom. Not today.
Her head was pressed against the cold window, her eyes staring at the wild ocean outside. She missed being outside. She missed being cold, feeling the wind on her face and smelling the salty air. A tear drop rolled out of her cheek.
Today was Christmas Day. Today was the day that she was supposed to spend with her family. She closed her eyes and tried to remember the smell that used to fill her house on this day. Today was the day that she was supposed to feel happy.

Downstairs Zacky knew that she was already up, he had heard her footsteps inside the bedroom a while ago. Yet, today he knew that he had to give her some time alone.
Being kidnapped was a lot like grieving. It had the exact same five stages that grieving had. And Victoria was going through all of them.
First there was denial.
He still remembered her disorientated look on her face when he had kidnapped her, not wanting to believe that such thing was true, secretly hoping that that was just a bad dream. A smile appeared on his lips. She had been a fool by asking him just to let her go, but he understood that that was a natural human response to what had just happened to her. It was a part of the process.
Zacky finished breakfast displayed everything on the table.
Then anger came. She had tried to run away from him, had insulted him and he had not liked that side of hers. Locking her up had tamed her and thankfully, the second stage had vanished quickly.
Zacky sat and started having breakfast. Outside the rain showed no sign of slowing down.
The third stage had been bargaining. Victoria had given her life for Emily’s, had promised whatever he wanted in exchange for her safety. At that point he knew that she was slowly changing.
He wasn’t lying when he had told her that he had not killed Emily. He had planned to kill her and then lie to Victoria, he had been tracking her for over a week, but once he saw Emily he couldn’t do it.
It always had been easy for him to kill people, but not this time, because all he could think about was how Victoria would hate him for doing that. Because she would eventually find out the truth. Maybe she was slowly changing him as well.
The fourth stage was depression, the current stage Victoria was in, which meant that he was close to having her.
Zacky smiled to himself. The fifth and final stage was acceptance.

“Look who decided to appear…” Zacky teased as he saw Victoria appearing at the kitchen door. “Are you hungry?” She looked at the food, then back at him, and finally sat next to him. “Did you see what I got for you?” He asked once she started eating.

She chewed for a while and finally answered. “No.” She lied. It had been the first thing she had seen in the morning, the beautiful black dress laying at the end of the bed that, much to her frustration, suited her perfectly.

Zacky nodded. “It’s for you to wear tonight. I know how Christmas is special for you and I want to make today special.”

Jitters knotted Victoria’s stomach. “What do you mean?”

Zacky finished eating and placed his place inside the sink. “I hired someone to make us a fancy dinner for tonight. A Christmas dinner.” His eyes widened in anticipation. “The first of many.”

***


Victoria had just finished getting ready for dinner when she heard Zacky calling her from downstairs. Two women had spent the entire afternoon preparing dinner and, although Zacky had allowed her to go inside the kitchen, the smells that now hovered in the air told her that they had done a great job.

She looked at her reflection and took a deep breath. What the hell was she so nervous about? This was just another dinner, she was not supposed to give that much importance.
Victoria glanced at the mirror one last time before leaving the bedroom. She liked the way she looked.
As she walked toward the dining room, heaviness settled in her shoulders. Deep down in her mind, she hoped to amaze Zacky.

Zacky smiled once she saw her. “You look stunning.” He pulled out her chair.

“Thanks.” Following him with her gaze, she couldn’t help but think that he looked handsome. She was not going to say it, of course, but seeing him dressed like that and hearing him complementing her made her smile.

The Christmas dinner was, like she was anticipating, amazing. The chatter between them had eventually died down after a few minutes, but somehow she didn’t feel as uncomfortable as earlier.

“I have something for you.” Zacky suddenly spoke and Victoria raised her gaze, her shock clear.

He disappeared for a few seconds and came back with a small, blue velvet box. He opened it for her, revealing a white gold necklace with a heart pendant.
“Why did you buy it?” It seemed a stupid question, but it was all that she managed to say.

“I had to buy you something for Christmas.” Zacky held the necklace gently. “Let me put it on you.”

Victoria tried not to tremble as he moved her soft hair across her shoulder, exposing the back of her neck. His hand moved around her neck as he got an inch closer, inhaling her sweet scent. If he didn’t soon unleash the raw energy brimming inside him, he’d go insane.
She felt him caress her hair and her body stiffened for a second, but the primitive emotional side of her that was so needy and hungry for love, warmed.
She turned around to look at him. Zacky was staring at her as if he wanted something from her. Like he needed something from her. Green eyes bore into her and she found emotions kept jabbing her.
His index finger lifted her chin and slowly his face came down. She felt as if an invisible force had reached out and stolen her breath. Closing her eyes, she didn’t even realized what she was doing until his lips touched hers.
Her eyes shot open even before the kiss was over. Shit, what have I done?

Notes

Another chapter!
As you can see, things are starting to get hotter ;)
Thanks for reading and leaving feedback, I love you all!