Roman's POV:
Roman pulled out of the alley with a screech of tires, driving to the mall at reckless, high speed. His jaw was clenched, his entire focus consumed by the black satin image that had triggered his rage.
He wore a plain black hoodie and a dark mask, his profile radiating dangerous anonymity. He knew exactly where she was, thanks to the tracker on her phone.
"I am coming, sunbeam," he murmured to himself, the words dark and possessive, promising violence.
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Ashley's POV:
Back at the mall, Ashley hurried into the private, single-occupancy restroom, locking the door behind her. She needed the lock; she needed the silence.
She quickly finished and turned to wash her hands. As she reached for the soap dispenser, a shadow shifted in her peripheral vision.
She froze. The door was locked. Yet, leaning against the far wall, stood a tall, powerfully built figure in a plain black hoodie and a dark mask. He was utterly still, radiating a silent, lethal certainty.
Roman.
Ashley's voice broke the terrifying silence, shaking with a desperate fury. "You—! What is your problem? I locked this door! Yesterday, you did the same thing! Who do you think you are? You're supposed to be my brother's friend!"
Roman remained calm, his voice dangerously low and even behind the mask. He simply listened to her protest, his silence more terrifying than any yell.
He moved then, pushing off the wall with terrifying slowness, deliberately cornering her between his massive body and the wall.
"I hear you, Ashley," Roman murmured, his voice unsettlingly smooth. "You want to know my problem."
He reached up and tore the mask down beneath his chin. His gray eyes, usually cold, now burned with an absolute, frightening intensity.
"My problem is that you are mine," he stated, his voice a low, immutable fact. "And you do not run from me. You do not defy me. And you do not display what is mine to the public."
He lowered his head, his hot breath washing over her ear.
"I have been obsessed with you since the moment I first saw you, six years ago. You were a child, and I waited. I watched. I don't care about your brother. You are the only objective that matters."
He pulled back, his lips brushing hers. "Do you understand? You were always mine."
His mouth crashed down onto hers. The kiss was brutal, demanding, and purely possessive.
Ashley struggled, but his hand gripped the back of her neck, fusing their mouths together. He broke the kiss, moving to her throat.
He lowered his head with predatory speed, biting her neck, hard, right beneath her ear.
Ashley cried out, a small, choked sound of pain and shock. His lips and teeth moved furiously over her skin, trailing agonizing kisses and sharp nips along her jawline and the frantic pulse at her throat.
"You are mine, Ashley. Mine," he repeated fiercely, his mouth clamped against her skin. "Every piece of you, every breath, every thought. Mine. Now delete that photo."
He moved back to her mouth, claiming it again, only to pull back to whisper the final, damning words against her lips.
"If you want to be a slut," he hissed, his eyes burning with fury and dark desire, "you will be a slut only for me. In front of me. Only when I tell you."
"but...." Ashley protested
He released her, but kept her trapped with his presence. "Delete the image. Now. And give me your phone. You will not be near any other man."
Ashley, trembling and defeated, accessed her phone, quickly deleting the post while Roman watched.
He secured the mask back in place. He reached down, swept her off the floor, and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
Ashley struggled wildly. "Let me go! Roman! Put me down! You can't do this!"
He ignored her, his grip punishingly firm. He unlocked the door and walked out of the mall.
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He reached his car, and with a jarring shift in his demeanor, he tenderly placed Ashley inside the passenger seat, handling her as if she were made of glass. He quickly secured the seatbelt.
While Roman circled the car, Ashley grabbed her phone with trembling fingers and quickly sent the lie to Mia.
Text to Mia: Daniel picked me up! Shopping emergency over. Back soon!
Roman slid into the driver's seat and peeled out of the parking lot. "Where are you taking me?" Ashley pleaded.
"Home," Roman cut her off, his voice flat.
He placed his hand with casual dominance on her thigh. When Ashley shoved against his palm, his fingers curled, pushing deeper into the tender flesh of her inner thigh.
Ashley gasped, her defiance instantly reversed into a flash of disconcerting heat. Roman kept his eyes on the road, a slow, utterly satisfied smirk across his face.
Ashley sighed, a tiny sound of defeat and strange, unwelcome relaxation. She stared out the window, the full weight of her captivity settling over her.
Then Roman's voice came, low and final, shattering the silence.
"And sunbeam," he said, glancing at her. "Don't dare to cover your neck. That is your punishment. Even at school."
Ashley stared at him, tears welling up as she realized the mark he'd left was meant to be seen by everyone. She opened her mouth to protest the forced, public humiliation, but his gaze, hard and absolute, told her the argument was already lost.
He had won.
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Author's Note:
Okay, you can breathe now. Maybe. Just kidding, you probably can't.
Let's unpack that Possessive Fury we just witnessed. Roman's six-year obsession completely redefines the story. This isn't a chance encounter; it's a meticulously planned takeover. And now, he has moved past threats and has placed a physical mark on her neck—a visible, undeniable claim.
The moment he tenderly secured her seatbelt after throwing her over his shoulder like a potato sack? That is the perfect picture of his possessive madness: brutal control mixed with a twisted sense of care. It's the moment Ashley realizes her terror is being complicated by a confusing, unwanted physical reaction.
And that final line: "Don't dare to cover your neck. That is your punishment. Even at school." Roman isn't just taking her freedom; he's humiliating her publicly, forcing her to wear his ownership like a bizarre piece of jewelry.
What happens when they walk back into her normal life? Will her parents notice the mark? Will Daniel realize his "friend" is a predator? And how will Ashley navigate school knowing she's wearing her captivity around her throat?
Chapter 7 is where the real psychological game begins. Get ready for some serious family drama!
-Vaanni, who needs a very strong drink and a therapist after watching that restroom scene.