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)
Begrudgingly, I took the glass and brought it to my lips. The smell reminded me of tobacco mixed with mint, an odd combination. I knew very little about wine, preferring the fruity drinks from gas stations or shots of Silver Patron.
I took a generous swig, pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted. A mix of raspberry, red fruit, chocolate, and black licorice combined into liquid silk. I finished half the glass off and refrained from wiping my mouth with the back of my palm.
“Do you like it?” He sounded as if he genuinely cared about my opinion.
I nodded and rolled my lips together, swallowing one last time. “It’s really good, thank you.”
His attention dipped to my mouth where it remained for three long seconds before flitting back to ensnare me once again. He didn’t seem to mind all the eyes that were on us, and I was unable to look away. As much as I wanted to put space between him and me, I couldn’t deny how captivating he was. He radiated an aura of magnetic charm, interlaced with a hint of danger.
“Finish it,” he prompted, breaking the mystifying spell I’d begun to fall under. His underlying command was like barbed wire against my skin. A faint smirk said he noticed.
I lightly cleared my throat and tightened my grip on the glass. “No, I need to get back to work. Thank you again, though.”
Before he or anyone else could say anything else, I hurried away.
Anya rushed up to me as soon as I’d made it a fair distance from the table. She’d watched the entire interaction from the sidelines.
“Are you okay?”
“I’ve been better. Want some wine? It was imported from an island.”
“An island? Sure.” She gingerly took the glass from me. “Now tell me what the hell just happened.”
I was still wondering that myself. “I’m not sure, but I need some air. Cover for me?”
“Yeah, of course.” I heard her soft reply as I walked away. This day was proving to be one for the books. All I wanted was to go home and put it behind me. Anya owed me big time.
CHAPTER THREE
I blinked a few times to clear my vision, confused by what I was seeing.
Dark vaulted ceilings.
The aromatic scent of lavender and labdanum.
Ice slithered through my veins, chasing all my drowsiness away. This wasn’t my bedroom and definitely not my apartment. I sat up, panic flaring when a weight around my leg made itself known. I flung a heavy comforter onto the floor in search of what had ahold of me.
“What is this?” I reached down and skimmed my fingers over a thick chain wrapped around my ankle.
“What the fuck is this?” I breathed out harshly, searching for an opening, some way to get it off. My fingers sunk into a slight indentation, and I realized there was no way to remove this without a key of some kind.
I sucked in a ragged breath and twisted around, crawling across the bed to follow the chain. I shoved aside a nightstand and found a small metal plate affixed to the wall. The end of the chain was bolted into its center. Logic and rationality failed my cognitive ability. I pulled and tugged, cursing loudly when nothing happened.
I nearly tripped as I spun to study the room. Of the two massive floor lamps inside, only one was on, giving the large space a soft glow. The furniture was like something you’d see in a high-end catalog, or one of those scripted shows that staged luxury houses.
Long, thick drapes hung on the far wall, blocking any view a window may have given me. I couldn’t get to them anyway. The chain wouldn’t stretch that far. A little further down was a small bathroom that lacked a door. The sight of it had my pulse ratcheting. No one would set up a room like this without having some kind of specific purpose for it.
I didn’t want to think about what that could entail, not when I had no way of breaking free of the chain around my leg and I was to be at the mercy of whoever brought me here. I shifted in place and looked my body over. I was still in the chiffon dress. The only thing missing was my shoes and aside from the dull pounding in my head, I felt physically fine. This gave me a small measure of relief.
I racked my brain, trying to piece together how I could have wound up here.
The last thing I remembered was telling Anya I needed air and managing to slip out onto the amphitheater’s private terrace.
What happened next? Why couldn’t I remember? Everything after was a black stretch of nothing until I woke up here. I hadn’t eaten or drunk anything other than the wine Shana encouraged me to try. Wait, was it the wine? The glass had already been filled when I got to the table. If it was spiked, someone could have done it beforehand.