Fixation

Prologue

Eden POV

Chased down a dark alley. Running for my life. Why did I decide to come this way?

Well, maybe because it was my only way home. I didn’t know anybody. I barely spoke the language and still, I went this way.

Two maybe three guys chasing me. Telling me things like “stop! We won’t hurt you” but their wicked laugh said otherwise. I didn’t have a chance to look back. I just kept running. No one else was around. I screamed for help, but nobody heard me.

I ran some more. I finally decided to look back and when I did, I bumped into a man flesh wall.

His arms held me tight. He looked in my eyes. His were dark as the night. They were brown but they looked black. His hair was covered underneath a hoodie. But I could see that it was blond. He held me tight. I tried to jerk out of his reach. But his strength was too powerful. Too strong.

When the men that were chasing me reached me, they immediately stopped. When the man looked at them, he turned me around to face them. I could barely remember their faces.

They immediately stopped and said things like “sorry man, sorry we didn’t know she was with you” fear written all over their faces.

“Well now you know,” he said. He turned me around to look at him as if he was memorizing my face.

“Name,” he said.

“What?” I asked still trying to get away from him but there was no escaping his strength. “What is your name?”

“Eden,” I said. I couldn’t lie. I had to tell him the truth.

“From this day on Eden belongs to me and nobody dares to put a finger on her, or they will have to answer to me! No regrets!” He said.

“No regrets,” the men said back. And there my life with Ross began.

6 years later.

Eden POV

The phone was non-stop beeping.

“Where the fuck are you at Eden I swear if you don’t answer me in the next second, I will send Earl to go and fetch you! And you know he doesn’t play just like I don’t play answer your fucking phone!”

I was in the middle of an interview for a school scholarship. Apparently, I was one of the best cooks they had, and they wanted to interview me for a spot at one of the best chef schools in Switzerland. A great opportunity. But my phone was not letting me concentrate. I had it low enough so that only I could hear it but still, it was bothering me.

“Miss Alicante. Your teacher Professor Nice says that you are one of his best cooks. That you have rarely if ever gotten one dish that doesn’t taste good. We want to see a sample of what you can do.”

Oh, my goodness!!! Really!! This was awesome!

“Of course, when will you like the sample?”

Before they could answer. A huge man stormed inside the building. Taller than the door. Big and muscular. This man could be a sumo wrestler. His built was made to be one. He was strong and powerful. Earl! Ross wasn’t kidding! He really did send Earl to “fetch” me as if I was a dog or something!

“What are you doing Eden?” He asked.

“What does it look like Earl!” I told him louder and angrier than I intended to sound. Especially in front of my interviewers. These people were from one of the most prestigious swiss schools and they were here in Australia interviewing me for a spot at their school! So yes, I was furious at both Earl and Ross for sending him.

“Ross wants you” Ross always wants me! I thought.

“Tell your boss that when I am done here then I will go to him but not a minute before!” I said walking away and leaving Earl with his words inside his mouth.

“I am so sorry Mrs. My brother is sometimes too possessive and worries too much”

“Oh, I have brothers too I know how they can be. I tell you what. Why don’t you prepare one of your dishes and we will set up a meeting next week to try it that along with this interview and then one that will have to be done at our school in Switzerland will determine if we grant you this scholarship as you can imagine this is a very selective opportunity”

“Oh, of course, Mrs. I completely understand and no worries I will prepare the best plate I have ever made before”

She smiled and shook my hand. I got up and Earl came storming inside.

“Ready”

“This is unbelievable Earl! You have no idea how upset I am right now!”

“Ross wants you”

“I don’t care!” I said. I had to hold my composure.

“You know what, tell Ross that I will not be at one of his grotesque adventures today! I have things to do, my own things! So, tell him I will see him tomorrow”

Earl looked as if I had slapped him on the face. I was beyond pissed. How could Ross send his bodyguard pet to get me when I was in the middle of something important. He had pulled me out of school, out of the church, even out of a bath at one time but not this! This I wasn’t going to allow! How did he know where I was anyway?

“Eden please Ross send me to get you”

“I don’t care!” I said and ran as fast as I could. Earl couldn’t keep up with me. After that day that I was chased by those men, I told myself that I would train to be the fastest runner I could be, and I did.

I got home in less than twenty minutes I ran all the way there. Mom and dad were still at work. So were Lysa and Joseph my sister and brother. So, I had the house to myself to think of which recipe I was going to make. I would take a shower and then get cooking.

I heard a bang at the back door. I went to go see what it was, and I froze in place. There standing in front of me with his face as cold and deadly as ice.

Ross.

His eyes looked darker than they were, and his semi-long blond hair was held back in a half up half down style. He looked like he killed someone. Or he wanted too. He got closer to me. I looked outside through the window and saw all of his motorcycle gang there guarding my house. Why?

He kept coming close to me until he was standing just inches from my face and body.

“Why didn’t you come with Earl?”

He asked simply.

No hello, how are you? How did your interview go? Nothing of the sort.

“You knew I was at an interview. What I don’t understand is how did you know where it was at. I don’t recall telling you that info...”

“I don’t give a fuck if you were burying your grandmother at Sydney cemetery when I call you answer! When I tell you to come to me, you come to me!”

“Ross please, I...”

“I don’t want to hear it, Eden! I need you! I have a huge party to attend to tonight we are going to be recruiting new members into the knight lions and I need you there to help me choose”

“Ross, I know nothing about that sort of thing I... I wouldn’t be of much help”

“You will be there because you will be there or else Eden!”

He was threatening me.

“What time do you want me there?”

“Fuck! After what you did today you will come with me right now, you will get ready at my house”

“I didn’t do anything but attend an interview, Ross”.

“You listen to me very well Eden you do as I say when I say it. Remember that time I took you out of the bath? I will take you out of bed, out of a hospital bed if you ever land on one out of a freaking tomb if need be! But you will come when I tell you to come!”

“Okay! Ross calm down! Let me get ready and I will be there”

“NO, you come with me and you get ready at my house with me!”

“Fine!” I had no choice. I had no idea when I had lost my own free choice but when it came to Ross, I had none. He knew where I was at all times, he wanted me by his side 24/7 he always wanted me to go places with him. Even when he is at his worse partying ways and participating in wild crazy stuff I had to be there. I had witnessed some very disturbing things when he gets high on drugs his partying becomes too much.

I was starting to realize a lot of things. One is that I didn’t want to take more part in any of this anymore. I never did drugs I kept away from all of that. I had a few drinks here and there but never anything to get me drunk and to the point where I didn’t know who I was or where I was. Ross, on the other hand, got out of control. Way too many times.

I was going to go with him because I had no choice apparently. He would follow through with everything he said he would. There was no doubt about that.

But there was one particular thing really making me do all he asked. Well, apart from the fact that I was desperately in love with him ever since he saved my life six years ago. He had also given my family and I protection. Ever since I was chased that day, I had become paranoid that someone might want to harm us for being different. We had moved here from Spain seven years ago and everyone here looked the same and spoke the same way. We didn’t. Ross had stationed a few of his men to guard our home every day ever since I met him. I was able to sleep comfortably at night because I knew my family and I were safe.

But now it was becoming a bit suffocating. He had become possessive over me. Trying to control my every move. I had to be there at his best but also at his worst. Which was scary. Because there were parts of him, I had rather not know about. But I was forced to be there. I was scared of what he might do if I didn’t do what he asked. I mean look at today he almost sabotaged my interview by sending Earl after me. If he hadn’t ruined it already. I was scared of what he was capable of. I grabbed my purse and walked out in front of him. But he didn’t let me go far.

He grabbed me by my hips and pulled me back to him. My back was against his front.

“Remember Eden you do as I say you only leave when I say and tonight, I want you to stay”.