"I, ah, didn’t have a choice."
"What do you mean, you didn’t have a choice? Did he force you?" She scowls, "Come to think of it, he’s still recuperating; he couldn’t have physically forced you."
"He didn’t have to."
"Sorry, but I am not understanding this." Her brow furrows.
"He asked me to move in with him and I couldn’t refuse."
"You couldn’t refuse?" She repeats the words slowly as if I am speaking a language that she doesn’t quite understand.
"Yeah, when he orders me to do something, I seem unable to say no."
"Ah," her brow smoothens, "I see."
"What do you mean,I see?" I huff. "I don’t like it when you use that tone of voice."
"What tone of voice?"
"That one," I point my finger at her—or rather, at the screen. “That smug tone of voice which seems to indicate that you know something I don’t know."
"I do know something that you don’t know."
"Oh?" I scowl, "Well, out with it then. What is it that you know and I don’t?"
"I can’t tell you." Her eyes gleam.
"Nooo," I groan, "don’t do this. Please, don’t do this, Cass. Don’t be so mean. I really need to understand what’s happening here, and if you know something and you are not telling me, then it’s going to eat at me. I won’t be able to sleep now, please, Cass—"
"You’re in his power."
"Excuse me?"
"Okay, that came out wrong." She glances away, then back at the screen. "I mean, clearly, his will is stronger than yours, and you are attracted to him, so—"
"So?"
"So he’s not above using his dominance to make you do his bidding."
"Ugh," I glower at her, "I kind of guessed that, but this has never happened to me before. I’ve never found myself rushing to do someone’s bidding like this."
"It’s not like you are a particularly strong-willed person, Theresa, and I mean that in the most complimentary fashion."
"Umm,"I don’t think that was a compliment, "you make me sound like a…a weak indecisive person."
"No, no," Cass shakes her head, "all I’m saying is that you have a soft heart. You tend to feel things deeply and see everything from an emotional view point."
"And you think that’s a bad thing?"
"It’s something others can take advantage of."
"Like Axel?"
"Among others, yes."
"I can’t help it," I begin to pace. "I’ve always been the kind of person who can see the other’s point of view, you know? I understand where they are coming from. And if I can get by without hurting the other person, then well, I’d prefer that."
She stares knowingly at me.