Chapter 2 A Leap Of Faith (Mirabel's continued pov)

As the car pulled away,i tried to focus on the road ahead, ignoring the growing unease twisting in my stomach. The ride was suffocating,the faint hum of the car engine did little to mask the tension building in the enclosed space.

Tony started peppering me with questions that felt to personal..."where i grew up?, who i lived with?, whether my family knew where i was tonight?". Each one seemed innocuous on the surface but the way he asked,his tone probing for something more,made me uneasy.

"So," He pauses for a second,gives me a side glance then focuses back on the road "do your parents know you're meeting someone tonight?". He asked,his voice steady but with an undercurrent that made me stiffen. "No". I replied shortly glancing out the window wishing the ride would end.

I tried to keep my answers vague hoping he'd lose interest but he didn't.Instead, he leaned in slightly as if he could coax more out of me just by being closer. "We should go somewhere private", he suggested after a pause,his tone casual almost dismissive as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

I froze,my stomach twisting. He hadn't offered me a gift,not even the customary "allowance" sugar daddies were supposed to provide up front. And yet, he was already suggesting something intimate. It was disrespectful even by my standards.

I needed to set boundaries,make it clear that i wasn't same easy mark,but i also didn't want to make him angry. My heart raced as i forced a smile and nodded feigning indifference."sure", i said lightly. Though,my fingers gripped my bag tighter.

He didn't say another word,he simply turned the wheel and drove us out of the city center. The streets became narrower,darker as the familiar glow of street lights faded into patches of shadow.

My unease grew with every passing second. This wasn't the kind of man i usually dealt with, his demeanor was too cold,too controlled,but i reminded myself of why i was here,i told myself to keep my composure and play along untill i could safely leave.

The car slowed in front of a small unassuming house on the edge of a barren street. It looked nothing like what I'd imagined,a place for someone who claimed to be successful. The yard was overgrown,weed creeping along the cracked driveway.

The house itself was dark with peeling paint and a sagging porch. There were no lights on inside,no sign of life,just an eerie... almost abandoned quality." This is me",Tony said. Stepping out and monitoring for me to follow. I hesitated,my instincts screaming at me to stay in the car,to make an excuse and leave,but his gaze lingered on me, sharp and expectant.

I swallowed my unease and got out. My legs feeling heavier with every step towards the house. Inside,the air was stale,the faint scent of mildew clinging to the walls. The furniture was sparse and mismatched,the kind of items you'd find at a thrift store.

Papers and empty cans were strewn across the floor and the dim lighting cast long,menacing shadows.

It was a far cry from the sleek modern apartment I'd envisioned when he first described himself as a "man of means".

"Make yourself comfortable",he said. His tone almost mocking. I perched on the edge of a bathered couch,my eyes darting around the room. Everything about this place screamed danger but i couldn't afford to let him see my fear. "Drink?",he asked holding up a bottle of cheap wine.

His smile was crooked,the kind that didn't reach the eye."NO thank you". I said quickly,my voice firmer than i expected

He frowned but didn't push it. Instead,he moved closer, sitting beside me...his knee brushing against mine. The small contact sent a jolt through me. Not of attracti,but if pure dread. He leaned in,his breath warm against my ear, "you're tensed", he murmured, his hand brushing my shoulders. I flinched recoiled slightly but he didn't seem to notice or care.

His hand lingered, sliding down my arms as if testing how far he could go. My heart pounded, every instinct screaming at me to get out,but i was trapped. All i could do was force a smile, hoping it would buy me enough time to figure out a way to leave.

Tony leaned closer, invading my personal space in a way that made my skin crawl. His hand brushed against mine deliberately. His fingers lingering as if testing my reaction.

The room seemed to shrink around us,the air thick with an oppressive unease. "You're really something,you know that?, I don't meet women like you every day", He said. His voice low and oddly charged.

I faked a weak smile shifting my hand away subtly,but his eyes followed the movement,a glint of amusement flickering in them. The faint smell of sweat mixed with cologne hung in the air, sharp and nauseating, "thank you" i muttered,my voice strained.

I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, trying to appear composed,but every fiber of my being screamed for me to leave. Tony didn't stop there,his hand casually found it's way to my knee, his touch deliberate yet feigning nonchalance "so tell me" he began,his tone growing heavier " what do you really want to get from all of this?","is it just the money? Or are you looking for something deeper?".

I froze,the question catching me off guard."i think I've been clear",i said cautiously, trying to mask the tremor in my voice. I shifted slightly in my seat, angling my body away from him. The couch felt like a trap, too soft,too yielding, making it impossible to stand without being conspicuous.

He chuckled again,that same unsettling sound that sent a shiver down my spine."You know,i can feel when someone's holding back", He said. His hand creeping just an inch higher up my thigh.

"You're a tough one,but i like that". My stomach turned. The way he spoke,the way his eyes roamed over me as if i were some kind of price he'd already won. It was unbearable. I cleared my throat summoning every ounce of courage i had, "I think i should go" i said firmly,my voice breaking slightly at the end.

Tony's smile faultered,his hand pausing mid movement,his expression was unreadable but the air grew colder,the weight of his presence more oppressive."Go?" He repeated, leaning back slightly but not taking his eyes off me.

His gaze was piercing, dissecting me like a predator sizing up it's prey."Why the rush?... we're just getting to know each other". I shook my head standing up abruptly,"I don't think this is going to work,there are plenty of other sugar daddies,wealthy, generous men who know how to treat me right. This...i gestured around the dimly lit room...is not not what i signed up for".

His eyes darkened,the warmth in his expression vanishing."You think you can just leave?" His tone was sharp, cutting through the silence like a blade."I'm leaving",i said firmly, taking a step towards the door,but before i could reach it,he moved faster than i could react.

His arm shot out, grabbing my arm with a force that made me cry out. "You're not going anywhere". he hissed,his grip tightening. Panic surgged through me as he pushed me back against the wall. His other hand covering my mouth.

My muffled scream filled the room,but there was no one to hear me. I struggled, clawing at his hand, kicking at his leg but his strength was overpowering. His grip iron strong as he shoved me against the wall with a strength that knocked the breath out of me. The cold unyielding surface bit into my back, amplifying the pain coursing through my body.

My legs kicked wildly desperately aiming for his shins,his knees any weak spot i could find. One lucky strike landed and he grunted in pain,his grip fultering for a split second. Seizing this moment,i twisted my body with every ounce of strength i could muster,but it wasn't enough.

He caught me again this time grabbing a fist full of my hair and yanking my head back. A sharp pain, searing pain shot through my scalp as i gasped in agony. "You're not going anywhere",he spat,his face inches from mine.

His eyes burned with an intensity that froze me to my core. His other hand pressed against my throat,not tight enough to cut of my air completely,but enough to assert his control. I scratched at his wrists,my finger trembling as they met no weakness,no mercy as i trashed and screamed.

My voice with panic,i couldn't stop myself from crying out "why are you doing this to me?..what did i ever do to deserve this?". He paused, just for a moment. His hand tightening around me as if my struggles amused him.

His face was devoid of empathy,his eyes cold and dead. Then,he said it calmly as if it were the most normal thing in the world"i just want to know what it feels like,to kill someone".

His words hit me like a hammer,my chest tightened,my stomach churned and my mind screamed for me to fight harder. This wasn't anger or some sick mistake or even some twisted passion. This was premeditated,he brought me here for this exact purpose and now i was nothing more than an experiment for his morbid curiosity.

In these moments, everything became a blur of fear and pain.My mind screamed at me to fight to do something,but my body was betraying me, growing weaker with every passing second. My vision blurred as i realized the horrifying truth,i wasn't going to escape.

The last coherent thought that crossed my mind before the darkness consumed me,was filled with regret and despair. I thought i was in control,i thought i could handle this,but i was wrong...i was terribly terribly wrong.