Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
It was my fault.
Anya had to have been taken because of me. I retraced my every step the night of the trade show, trying to find the common denominator, and realized it was the wine. I’d handed her that glass without a second thought. I’d never once stopped to consider it may have been laced with something.
Shana knew what would happen, though. She had known Alexander was dangerous when she brought me to drink his poison of choice, going so far as encouraging me when I said no. She chose to practically hand me over, and I could only begin to imagine why.
It was for that reason I couldn’t hold a grudge against her. If our positions were reversed, I would’ve done the same to her. I wasn’t selfless enough to sacrifice myself for someone I didn’t care deeply about. The people on that list were almost non-existent. But thinking of that and all the way things could’ve been different wouldn’t help me now. I wasn’t sure what could.
I had clung to the hope that Anya would move heaven and hell to find me. Now knowing she couldn’t, that she was somewhere in this place, vulnerable and alone, felt like a cruel joke. It was very clear that Alexander was not a fan of hers. If the other men had the same views as him, then they wouldn’t be either.
I wanted to find and protect her, but that led right back to the issue of not knowing where she was. I’d always been the more level-headed and practical one, so this sense of responsibility wasn’t new.
The scenario was, and I didn’t know where to begin figuring it out.
The price of my defiance might not be mine to pay alone. Alexander was a man of voided depth and unpredictability. He had the power to grant mercy or inflict cruelty with a mere whim. I had witnessed and experienced it firsthand. The only reason I was relatively unharmed was because, in his twisted mind, I belonged to him.
Anya had no one.
I wiped away an errant tear and chugged the rest of my water to help settle my stomach. I couldn’t begin to guess where Anya would be being kept. Going in guns blazing wasn’t an option. I barely knew my way around this house, much less the area surrounding it. Finding her and escaping just to wind up lost or hunted down like rabid animals would only leave us worse off.
Esther and Nicolette entered the room just as I was straightening in my chair, moving with a graceful synchronicity.
“Did you enjoy the food?” Esther asked with a warm smile.
“I did,” I replied honestly, leaving out the fact that her brother had ruined it, and right now all I wanted to do was throw everything up onto the table.
I stared at her pretty face and saw so much of Alexander it was a little disturbing. Her personality seemed to be the exact opposite of his—that, or she was an amazing actress. But kind words and friendly smiles weren’t enough to fool me into trusting her. Nicolette blocked my view of Esther and leaned down slightly, as if about to tell me a secret. Her dark brown eyes locked with mine, holding a hint of mischief and something else.
“In about an hour or so, the smoothie should begin to work. I imagine that extra boost of energy will do you wonders after the night you had.”
I blanched and jerked away from her. I couldn’t sense any malicious intent behind the playful goad, but how could she make light of something so personal? I was still struggling to come to terms with what had been done to me. I didn’t want to acknowledge or discuss what had happened, let alone with someone that was even more of a stranger to me than Alexander was.
“Nicolette!” Esther’s swift reprimand cut through the air.
She glanced from me to Esther and seemed to realize the impact her words had had. “Oh, I didn’t mean to—”
“Just stop talking, Nikki.” Esther stepped forward and all but shoved the other girl out of the way. “How about that tour?”
I nodded, desperate for the distraction and a better idea of the house’s layout.
Guided by Esther, I left the dining room—and Nicolette—behind. She caught up to us a few minutes later.
The grandeur of the first floor, with its gothic architecture and luxurious furnishings, was unlike anything I had ever experienced, even working at Millennium. When we reached the formal living room, I was met with the same breathtaking view as before.
The lake’s calm waters reflected the beaming sunlight. I couldn't help but be captivated by the serene beauty of the landscape, yet my heart ached as I took in the splendor around me. It was like something out of a dark fairytale, a place where secrets whispered in the corridors and shadows played tricks on the mind.