Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 115400 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115400 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Not sure of what I can and can’t say, I offer her a tight smile. “I, uhhh . . . don’t think I got a choice in the matter,” I tell her in a light tone, trying not to suggest any wrongdoing on her boss’s part. Not that he deserves the kindness.
“Oh, I can imagine,” she laughs as though extremely fond of the man, making me wonder where he is. “That man is a force to be reckoned with.”
My brows bounce involuntarily, and I mutter under my breath. “Ain’t that the truth.”
As she works, Krista asks me about my dietary requirements, and when she offers me the plate, I take it eagerly. My sandwich looks back at me, presented like a work of art in small triangles, complete with a garnish and a glass of ice water. “Here you go, dear. Enjoy.”
“Thank you,” I say, collecting the plate off the island and getting up. I give her a smile before taking the glass of water and trudging out to find the back door. I don’t have to go far to find an adjoining room complete with floor-to-ceiling bi-fold doors opening up to the jaw-dropping outdoor entertainment area.
I make my way out to the poolside patio and put my plate down as I gaze out at the sparkling water, which is just as breathtaking as I’d imagined. I’d kill to be able to spend my day lounging around a pool like this. It’d be an endless vacation. Just last night I was hell-bent on finding my escape, but being in the presence of such luxury makes my feelings about leaving one thousand percent more complicated. It’s not as though I really have anything great to go back to. Hell, I doubt I even still have a job at this point.
As I soak up the sun, my gaze sails around the back of the property, taking in the tennis courts and gardens when something makes my back stiffen with unease. “I trust you slept well,” that deep, thick Romanian tone rings out.
I swallow my bite of sandwich and glance back to find my captor staring down at me wearing another black suit, and yet somehow this one seems a little more casual. Those dark eyes still hold me hostage. I place my sandwich down and hold his gaze, my chin raised high, remembering the vulnerable position he had me in last night. “Did you have someone put something in my water last night?”
“Yes,” he says, without skipping a beat. “You needed to rest, and I don’t believe you would have slept soundly without intervention.”
“That simple, huh? You could have asked.”
“Would you have taken it had I asked?”
“No.”
“Exactly.”
I gape at him. “Not even an apology for drugging me?”
He arches a brow as though bored of the conversation. “Are you well-rested?”
“Yes.”
“Then you will receive no apology.”
Picking up my sandwich, I take a slow bite, chew, and swallow, glaring at him the entire time. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re possibly the most infuriating human being on the planet?”
He shrugs his shoulders as if that’s not news to him, and I’m surprised to find he doesn’t call me out on having an attitude. Perhaps it’s only in the middle of the night when he’s tired and pissed off that he won’t tolerate my bullshit.
He steps around the small table and pulls out a chair, casually taking a seat and leaning back. He doesn’t say a word, just continues watching me, and as the seconds tick by, the silence becomes too loud. “Your doorman asked if I wanted to go out for a run.”
He gives me a blank stare. “And?” he questions, his gaze dropping down my body. “You’re dressed for a run. Why wouldn’t he ask if you wanted to go for a run?”
“I just . . . I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to go out for a run.”
“Then why get dressed for a run at all?”
“I didn’t get dressed for a run,” I say, frustration gnawing at me. “I just like to wear comfortable clothes, and as it happened, I just look like I want to go for a run.”
“So, what’s your problem?” he questions. “You want me to put a bullet between his eyes for suggesting you wanted to go for a run?”
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I gape. “Absolutely not. I just wanted to know how much trouble I was going to get in if I did happen to walk out the door and go for a run?”
“Why would you get in trouble?” he pushes, staring at me as though I’m the one losing my mind here. “I told you last night, you have free rein of my home. That includes the outdoor areas. However, I suggest you do not venture into the woods. I cannot guarantee that there won’t be creatures lurking after dark.”