Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 65862 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 329(@200wpm)___ 263(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65862 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 329(@200wpm)___ 263(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
Ryker comes back over to me, holding his hand out. I take it because I don’t really know what else to do, and he leads me back towards the front of the house. We walk up the stairs and back to the bedroom I woke up in. Thunder rumbles again just before the lightning strikes and it makes me jump. Ryker pulls me into his big body, and though I probably shouldn’t use him for comfort, I do.
“It’s okay, Cricket. I’ll keep you safe, but I had a storm shelter installed in the basement. Do you want to go down there and sleep?”
I shake my head. I love the idea that there’s somewhere safe to go during a storm, but I don’t like the idea of being locked up tight in a basement. I should probably be thanking my lucky stars I’m not locked up down there already. With the things Ryker keeps saying, he’s definitely not worried about my escape plan. He’s baffling me right now. He says the sweetest things and the craziest stuff almost in the same breath.
“If you change your mind, just let me know.”
His hands release mine and I think he’s going to leave. But instead he goes over to the closet and comes back out a few moments later in a pair of loose-fitting sleep pants. I try not to stare at the outline of the beast he has between his legs, and it’s then I notice he has a piece of silk draped over his arm.
My mind goes back to what’s in the closet. I remember seeing all the women’s clothing inside and my anger starts to grow. “Are you married?” I ask, and I realize the way it comes out is accusatory. For some irrational reason this makes me madder than when he told me I couldn't leave. Maybe it’s my newfound disgust for cheaters. Apparently, they’re worse on the hate scale than kidnappers.
He lets out a deep laugh, as if my question is funny. It only makes me angrier. My hands go to my hips and I stare up at him. He smiles down at me.
“Calm down, Cricket. No, I’ve never been married.” He leans down, and I should step back, but I don’t. I hold my ground as his mouth pauses a breath away from mine. “Yet.”
Before I know what’s happening, he pulls the shirt I have on over my head and tosses it to the floor. I don’t have time to react as he slides the silk nightgown over my head, and I stand there stunned.
“Since I’ll be sleeping with you tonight, there’s no need for you to sleep in my shirt,” he says easily, like he didn’t just take my clothes off and see me naked.
I think I should smack him, but I just clench my hands into fists. I remember my clothes had been changed when I woke up. He’s seen me naked already. Well, at least partially. Or maybe he had that woman from the kitchen change me. I think I would know if he did something. Wouldn’t I? I’d still be tender between my legs. My eyes trail down his body again as if they have a mind of their own. Yeah, I would have known if he used that on me.
I’m irritated that all this is happening around me and I don’t have any choice or say. I don’t feel threatened exactly, and I’m not scared, so frustrated is all I can seem to manage.
My hand goes to the necklace and I lift it, drawing his eyes there. “I can’t get it off,” I tell him, already knowing he put it there. Who else?
“I know,” is all he says in response. I look down at the necklace again, not sure why he put it on me, but out of everything it’s the last thing I should be worried about.
I turn around and stomp towards the bed. I hear him laugh behind me, and I spin around, wanting to give him a piece of my mind, and almost run into him. How did he move so fast without me hearing him? Someone his size should make a noise when they freaking move.
“Did you touch me while I slept?” I spit out and raise my chin in defiance.
“I changed you out of your clothes, nothing more.” He pushes my hair off my shoulder, and then he traces a finger down my chest to the deep V in the silk nightie next to the necklace. I’ve never worn something so pretty and soft before, but I don’t tell him that. “I’ll touch you, Blair. But you’ll be awake for it. You’re mine. Now get into bed.”
His words are final as he tells me what to do, so I turn around and do what he says. The bed is so tall, though, that I’m trying to climb in when I feel his hands on my hips to lift me up. I don’t say anything as I crawl in, but when I see him getting into bed with me, I hold my hands out.