The ballroom glittered with chandeliers, laughter, and soft music. Loraine tried to blend in, her gown catching the lights as she moved carefully among the guests. Jason had promised her it would be a simple evening—a party, some introductions, and nothing more. But as she observed him talking with his friends, her heart thudded uneasily.
She rounded a hallway to get a quieter moment and froze. Through the half-open door of an adjoining room, she saw Jason leaning close to a female friend. They were laughing, their faces near each other, and then, briefly, the woman brushed her hand against his shoulder and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Loraine's heart sank.
Her breath caught, fear and jealousy twisting her stomach. Without thinking, she turned and ran, fleeing through the hallways and out into the night.
The Escape
She reached the car outside, fumbling with the keys, shaking with panic. Her hands were trembling, and her chest ached with the rush of adrenaline. She just needed to get away from the party, away from the sight she had just witnessed.
But before she could start the engine, she felt a presence—a dark, impossible calm that made her blood run cold. Jason was there.
"Loraine…" His voice was low, smooth, but sharp, carrying an edge of anger and desperation. "Wait… please, mine… don't run…"
She glanced at him and tried to start the car, heart racing. "Jason… I… I can't… I…"
Rage and Possession
Jason's eyes darkened, and in a surge of fury, he grabbed her arm, stopping her. She gasped and tried to pull away, but he was too strong.
"Why did you think you could run from me?" he shouted, his voice echoing across the empty parking lot. "Do you have any idea what it does to me to see you scared… to see you thinking of leaving? You… are mine!"
In a moment of blind rage, he hit her lightly against the car, the sound sharp in the silent night. Loraine stumbled back, tears immediately streaming down her face. He grabbed her shoulders, holding her firmly, then pressed his forehead to hers.
"You… you are mine!" he shouted again, voice breaking. "Mine! Do you understand? You belong to me, Loraine!"
Apology and Desperation
As she trembled and sobbed, he dropped to one knee, his hands gripping hers. "I… I didn't mean to… I… I lost control," he said, voice raw with desperation. "Mine… I'm sorry. So sorry… I… I will never… I won't ever hurt you like that again. Please… forgive me, Loraine… you are mine… only mine…"
Her tears flowed freely, a mixture of fear, anger, and confusion. "Why… why did you… Jason… why?" she whispered, trembling.
He brushed her hair back, staring into her eyes, voice low and intense. "Because I cannot bear it… cannot bear the thought of anyone else touching you, speaking to you, even laughing with you… except me. You are mine… always mine. Do you understand?"
She nodded weakly, tears still streaming. "I… I understand… Jason…"
He smiled darkly, his hand brushing her cheek gently. "Good… because you are mine… and I… will never let go."
Return Home
The drive back to the mansion was tense, quiet, punctuated only by soft sobs and Jason's occasional apologies. When they arrived, he led her inside, still holding her hand, dark eyes shadowed with obsession and regret.
"Mine," he whispered as he pressed a lingering kiss to her temple. "You are mine… and I will never let you go. Never."
Loraine curled into herself, exhausted, heart aching, torn between fear and the lingering, complicated love she felt for him. Questions spun in her mind, sharp and insistent:
Why does he love me like this… so dark, so consuming?
Is this obsession… or love?
Can I ever feel safe in his arms… or am I trapped forever in the storm of his possessiveness?
And… do I really belong to him… or am I just caught in the shadow of his desire?
Jason held her close, murmuring her name softly, brushing her hair, whispering apologies, and repeating his dark, possessive affirmation: "Mine… always mine…"