49. Game Starts (Bonus 6)

Anna was startled when a guard came in with a nicely wrapped box. He came in and he wasn't looking at Anna at all. He looked down as he said "Ma'am. This is from the boss. We need to accompany you to their office after you use what's inside this box. He then bowed and left through the door as he politely spoke again "Ma'am. Please step outside in the next fifteen minutes. That's an order from the boss."

Anna shook her head and she approached the box. She opened it and saw clothes inside. She guessed he wanted her to dress a certain way that he wanted. The logo on the box was obvious this was a fashion call. She couldn't do much but she could disobey him. She had no intention of wearing the clothes or following the guard to his boss. She didn't take orders from his boss. She had her own loyalty and that was to her husband and her cousins.

As she was sitting on the sofa, fifteen minutes went past and more. She leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes trying to imagine freedom. She hated how she was trapped here. She didn't like it. She had landed herself in this mess and it was only fair for her to rescue herself.

She opened her eyes as she heard footsteps outside and loud talking. Boss wasn't pleased or so it seemed. The door opened and Jackson came in. He closed the door loudly. She jumped from her seat and stood cautiously. The look in his eyes made her back off. She wanted to insult him and taunt him but that predatory look in his eyes that made her back down slightly.

He stared her down silently as he walked towards her slowly. She backed down. She took a few steps away and stood behind the sofa shielding herself. Jackson was not gentle. He looked as though he was going to hit her. He believed in painful love. He was abusive. Arturo had saved her from a life time of an abusive and controlling marriage by proposing to her. If Arturo didn't exist Anna would have married Jackson. She was not one to back away from a challenge. She would have married him and would have fought him. Jackson was right. He had seen her first and Anna did have feelings for him but he was a monster. But she didn't want to admit it to Jackson no matter how many time Jackson brought up the fact that if Arturo was dead he was the one worthy to be her husband.

Anna was wrestling with herself. She did feel sorry for how she had broken Jackson's heart but they were never together. He didn't fight hard enough for her when she was single or rather he said he couldn't because his father forbid him. All because of Francesco's influence. That was one secret she hoped never came out.

Jackson approached her and pointed to the box "Go get changed". His voice was harsh.

She didn't move. She didn't trust him. She had to cross the room and walked passed him in that state. That was not ideal. He was violent, twice her size and looking murderous despite looking calm. If she had a weapon she wouldn't have minded. Despite all this. She didn't regret her defiance. She was abducted, stolen, against her will. Her instinct told her to fight. The more ground she gave to the monster the more he took. That was why Francesco tried to keep him apart from her even by making the relations between rosarios and the O'Kane much worse than it should have been.

Jackson crossed the room and circled the sofa and so did Anna. "Anna. I have asked you nicely. I won't ask again in the same manner. I don't want the you to be wearing clothes that he touched while being around me.

Anna froze  "What? You are that jealous?" She was looking at him with disbelief.

Jackson walked to her as she was frozen in her spot "If you know what jealousy can do, then you will quickly get changed. Do it. Or you will get hurt Anna. I mean it."

Anna had no doubt he was going to hurt her. Still she whispered "Why? Why are you so possessive of me now after all these years. I am married now. Why now?"

Jackson stopped walking and said in a displeased tone as his murderous eyes narrowed "I have been feeling like this ... since you married Arturo. I just never had the chance to get you out of his grasp because your family were never this occupied. They didn't watch you once and I took my chance. Ever since you married him I realised what I lost..."

Anna said in a broken voice "Then I am just your obsession Jackson. You don't truly love me. Otherwise you wouldn't abduct me and threaten to kill my husband. If you loved me you wouldn't touch me when I haven't given you consent."

Jackson closed the distance between them and looked into her eyes deeply as he spoke earnestly "Anna. Since when do I need consent to touch you. You always belonged to me. I saw you first. Do you need a reminder? Do you want me to take you where we first met? You always were mine. You married Arturo when you belonged to me. So by definition you cheated on me Anna. You married another man when you belonged to me. I can touch you because you are mine." He then made her shiver as he ordered "Now. Go get changed. You can do it the easy way or the hard way. I need an excuse to show you my anger with you abandoning what we could have. You should have waited for me. Before I hurt you Anna, do as I say."

Anna said "Hurt me? You already have. You already have broken my heart by threatening my family. You want to kill my husband. That is going to hurt me."

Jackson gave her a menacing look "He is not your family. He never was. It was meant to be me marrying you. It was meant to be me in place of him to father your children. But it's never too late. You will make it upto me." He surprised her by taking a step away and turning around "I am going to give you one more chance Anna. I am going to step outside before I do something I might regret." He then walked away "You have 5 more minutes. Get changed. Come out. Or ..."

Anna asked "Or what?"

Jackson opened the door "Or there is hell to pay..." He then put his hand in his pocket and dropped something on the floor as he left. Anna slowly walked to the door curious to see what he dropped. She didn't care about his threats. She didn't want to take off the reminder of Arturo. She knelt on the floor and picked up what was on the floor and screamed.

That was a picture of her father. He was chained to a wall in a dimly lit room. He had bruises on his face.

Jackson had actually abducted her father and it was not hard to imagine he was going to be torturing him every time she defied him.

Anna against her wishes decided to get changed. She had to find a way out. This was a mess. It was all her fault.

When she got changed she walked outside and was greeted by the guards who blind folded her and accompanied her in a direction. He was doing it to make a statement that she was a prisoner and obviously he knew she was going to try to escape if she became familiar with her surroundings.

She heard a door open and her blindfold was removed. She saw Jackson sitting in a chair behind a table where there were names laid out. This was his games room. There was a bar and plenty of games laid out. He was a freak in casino games and a rival in chess to Francesco. His twisted mind was matching to the games he played.

He glanced up at her and stated "Come closer. There is just us here. Don't be shy."

She looked around and then at him as she breathed "You have my father. You are a coward."

He chuckled as he took a sip from his drink "I would be careful Anna if I were you. You wouldn't want to be disrespecting me and find out what happens next to your father. Behave and I might unchain him for a while to give him a break so he can get some sleep."

Anna was outraged "You monster." She walked towards him "He is an old man. How dare you hurt him?"

Anna stood across the table "why?"

Jackson said "Because I can Anna. Now behave and your father gets good treatment in captivity. It's only the beginning Anna. This is my silent war. I strike when they don't look." He then stood up and walked towards her. He picked up a bottle and glass. Ha poured a drink "We are going to spend some time together here Anna. Some quality time. You need some time to get used to me. I get that. I understand it but it's hard to resist claiming what's mine." He put the drink in front of her. He then went behind her and put his hands on her hips as she was standing and her hands were gripping the table. His breath hit her neck as he leaned down "I can't wait to make you my wife. Damn the rules. I have to wait but it's not easy. Your husband has to die Anna. He just has to." He then lifted his hand up to her neck and made her stiffen. "Your soft skin under my touch... Your soul being locked to me. Imagine our union... a legitimate union where Francesco can't object, a church approved union... That would be the beginning of our lives. You might as well give in Anna." He then lifted her and turned her around like she weighed nothing as he looked into her eyes while resting his hands on her hips "I will kiss these lips in church. I will make your people watch you walk down the aisle and watch you marry the man they hate." He squeezed her hips "Say you love me... Denounce him. You belong to me."

Anna was trying to control her rage. This man was tearing her apart. She hated herself for ever feeling anything for him. She pushed on his chest "Get away from me."

Jackson sounded offended "I am not hurting you. A touch that doesn't hurt shouldn't bother you. I am your future Anna. He is your past."

Anna said "He is my past, my present and future... You were never part of my life. Stop trying to become part of it."

Jackson leaned close and inhaled "Stop fighting it. You always were mine... You smell like roses..." He then reached his hand to her hair and put some strands of her hair behind her ear. He whispered "He liked to do this before kissing you. Right? He stroked your hair a lot. There is nothing I can't do Anna. I can do anything he can do and more. I can touch you like he touches you."

Anna was thinking about what to do next feeling close to tears. But then suddenly Jackson fell.

She saw Antonio standing behind Jackson with a billiard stick with his chest heaving up and down. He had hit Jackson. He knew where to hit to make him unconscious. That was his expertise.

Anna said "Antonio..,"

Antonio dropped the stick and walked to Anna. He seemed pained as he took a step towards her. He embraced her and said "I am so sorry Anna I couldn't protect you from him... How dare he touch you? I am sorry I got to you late... It took a while to escape through the air conditioning system... he had locked me in the basement away from you... We will find a way to escape... There has to be a way..."

Anna sobbed "How can we leave? He has my father... His game starts now ... It never ends with him Antonio. He always wins..."