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)
I polish off one sandwich before taking another and settling in on the sofa with my book. I don’t know how long I stare at the same page, well aware that Ryker is watching me. But that same feeling I got when I was in my apartment comes back, and now I know it was him all those times I thought someone was watching me. Someone was.
I still wonder why he’s so fixated on me. There has to be more to it than something as simple as seeing me and needing to have me. Love at first sight isn’t real. It can’t be. He might have nurtured an attraction to me over time, so I wonder how long he’s been after me.
No matter how many times I go over and over it in my head, it all comes back to the stolen artwork. Maybe it has something to do with that? There are a lot of nice pieces of art here in his house. It’s also obvious Ryker has a lot of money, and people around him who are willing to commit felonies for him.
Maybe Ryker is a thug in a suit? Is a thug as sweet as Ryker is with me? I want to roll my eyes at my own questions. How would I even know that? The only men I know are the drunks my mama dated, and Fritz. All of whom turned out to be total losers.
Ryker lets out a deep sigh. “I’ll let you have your moment, but I’m not going anywhere.”
I peek up him out of the corner of my eye as he goes around his desk and sits back down. Bear comes strolling into the office a moment later and I watch as he walks right past me and jumps onto Ryker’s desk. Ryker reaches out and pets him, and I feel like I was just betrayed. One would think they’re best friends with the way Bear purrs for him. The normal pissy attitude Bear gives new people is nowhere to be seen. Even Bear’s going to be loyal to him, too.
I grab a blanket and a pillow off the sofa and take it over in front of the fireplace. I’d always wanted a fireplace growing up. I never thought the first time I’d be curling up in front of one with a book would be with my handsome kidnapper watching me.
I lie down and reopen the book, trying not to feel salty about my cat loving someone that I think is pretty great, too.
“Cricket, I’m sorry about Johnny. Don’t be mad at him. It would break that old man’s heart if you didn’t talk to him again.”
I let his words sink in and attempt not to cry. Instead I push all thoughts of Johnny away. I block out thoughts of everything that hurts my heart and focus on my book. I turn the pages, pretending to read, while I try to come up with a plan to escape.
Chapter 13
Fritz
I beat on the door of the apartment and wait. I hear music blaring from the other side, so I know Roxy is home. I bring my fist up to pound on it again, and just as I do, it swings open.
“About time,” I say and shoulder past him. I go straight to her room and see it’s completely empty. There’s no trace that she was ever in here, and anger bubbles up inside me. “Where is she?”
I turn around and glare at him as he shuts the door. He stands there with his arms crossed over his chest and looks at me like I’ve got two heads.
“Who?” he asks, like we have any other mutual acquaintances.
“Blair, you fucking idiot.”
“Clearly you can see she moved out. What do you want?” He looks me up and down in disgust. I notice he has a fading black eye.
“I want to know where the hell she went!” I shout, but all he does is stand there looking unsure of what to do.
I’ve been looking for her for days, and nothing has come up. I wasn’t too worried about it at first until we figured out she’d taken with her all of our documents on the art. Then once we realized she had everything in hand to expose all of us, the search was on. I wasn’t going to jail, or worse, ending up dead because the people we’ve been working with find out about our little slip.
I tried to track down her redneck family, but I couldn’t remember her mom’s name or that of her trailer park. She doesn’t have any social media, and no friends. I wasn’t about to make a trip to Louisiana and just knock on her door. Plus, I don’t really think Blair would have gone crawling back to that sewer. I don’t remember much about her past, but I know she didn’t want to be anywhere near it.