Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 135958 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135958 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
They left me alone, taking up their spots outside the door, and this time I did a more thorough search of the place.
The vents were too small to fit in.
The main window in the living room looked out over the same cliff the deck did. If I wanted to escape from this room, I would have to fall to my death. So that meant I needed to be able to move around the house more freely. There had to be another option elsewhere.
I really was tired. Jonah was right. I needed rest, so I crawled into Kai’s bed and tried to not notice how good the sheets felt until I faded off.
• • •
I woke to darkness.
The curtains were pulled back from the glass doors, so moonlight filtered in, but it wasn’t much. Then I sensed what must’ve woken me. A figure moved in the closet, and I heard rustling sounds. Clothes. Clothes being removed. A hanger clanging against another.
I didn’t say anything, and after a moment he moved out to the main room.
Light flooded in from the bathroom before it faded, and I heard water come on. The light shone again when the door opened before it was flicked off.
The clock beside me said it was three in the morning. I had slept all afternoon and through the evening into nighttime.
My bladder was uncomfortable—that could also have been what woke me.
I didn’t hear Kai come back, but I sensed him again. He paused at the end of the bed. “Should I turn the light on for you? Do you need the bathroom?”
I croaked, sitting up, “Yes. Thank you.”
He flicked the light on, and it was blinding. I closed my eyes, keeping my head down as I got out of bed and hurried around him. I felt his gaze the entire time. The air electrified as I moved past him. I felt like I could breathe easier the farther away I got from him, and once I shut the door, I felt better.
Maybe just his presence had woken me?
I was pretty sure he intended to sleep with me. Was that why I was in his room? He hadn’t pushed it before, and I hadn’t considered it. Tanner had made no moves. Jonah either. The guards were all respectful. There’d been no lewd comments, no suggestion of anything sexual. But was that all done after tonight?
My body was calm. I wasn’t reacting the way I should be in a kidnapping situation. It seemed as if old friends were keeping me away from home, but I could choose to leave if I wanted. That’s how it felt to me, but that wasn’t the truth.
I needed to wake up to this situation.
Had there been something in that juice earlier? I’d watched as Tanner poured the first glass. He hadn’t put anything in it, and he’d poured himself a glass later. He drank from the same pitcher. I saw him pour the coffee. Had he put something in my mug before putting the coffee in? But Jonah hadn’t wanted me to drink it. That didn’t add up with them drugging me.
I knew I was dehydrated from the night before. I’d vomited everything out of me and cried away the rest.
My body really was exhausted from the shock.
Now I was in Kai’s bed, sleeping, and he’d offered to turn the light on for me? He was being kind, when I knew he was cold and ruthless.
My head began to ache, and after relieving myself and washing up, I was nervous to go back into the room. I was nervous about dealing with Kai Bennett.
Where had he been today?
I knew the storm from last night was coming again. Kai was back. Kai was the one who would demand my assistance.
I sensed him on the other side of the door. Again there’d been no sound. I didn’t see his shadow, but I knew he was there before he spoke.
“We’re going to sleep. That’s all, Riley.”
A lump formed in my throat.
Again with him being kind. Patient. Calm.
My body leaned toward him, as if he were the shelter for me in this storm.
I gritted my teeth.
I needed to remember he’d killed that man. I needed to remember Cord and their father. Brooke had been scared of him.
But.
Even as I tried to remember all of those things, my body was still drawn forward. I sagged toward the door, wanting to open it and step out. He was seductive without trying to be seductive.
My hand shook as I opened the door, and there he was. My stomach jumped to my sternum. My heart picked up its pace.
He wore only sweatpants, the waistband hanging low. I couldn’t help myself. I took in every single muscle of his chest and stomach. Even his hips were defined. He straightened from where he’d been leaning against the doorframe and his eyes darkened, turning completely black as he looked me over too.