Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 24451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 122(@200wpm)___ 98(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 122(@200wpm)___ 98(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
He wasn’t fully unconscious, and the groggy sound that came from him and the way his head lolled slightly told me he’d be waking even more soon.
I’d given him the smallest amount of mushrooms, just enough to make it easier for me to get him to where I wanted him, so I would be in control.
He looked massive, even like this, with his broad shoulders dwarfing the chair, and his presence still dominating the room despite his restraints and unconscious state. There was just something about him that drew me in, intoxicating me with Kane’s potent pheromones.
Whatever darkness that consumed him was magnetic, and I hated myself for the way my body responded.
My arousal for this man was twisted and wrong, but it was there. It was like another pulse in my body, a second heartbeat that raced. I took a step toward Kane and watched as he sluggishly opened his eyes, blinking slowly before he focused on me.
“Hi,” I whispered.
Kane opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, there was a knock at the door.
My breath hitched, but not because I was afraid or apprehensive. I looked toward the small foyer, where the front door was just around the corner.
The knock came again, sharp and insistent and seeming to echo through the house. And Kane and I stared at each other. His head dropped slightly, the drug still dulling his reactions. I grabbed a dishrag and secured it around his mouth. But I had a feeling he had no intention of calling out for help.
A predator took care of his—or her—problems on their own.
With a calm breath in and a slow breath out, I smoothed my hands over my sweater, willing my expression calm and neutral before stepping to the door.
When I opened it, two police officers stood on the other side, their faces set hard as they looked at me and then tried to glance around me and into my home. But the positioning wouldn’t allow them to see into the living room, where I held my captive.
They were soaking wet and looked miserable.
One of them had his hands tucked into the sides of his vest, and the other had his hands resting on his belt. The storm raged outside, and I braced myself against the door, trying to keep the cold and snow out of the house. The wind whipped by, and the police officers moved closer, lowering their heads, as the storm was vicious.
“Evening, ma’am,” the taller, but older, and more robust in the midsection of the two said in a loud voice to be heard over the storm. “Sorry to bother you, but we’re doing a sweep of the area.”
“A sweep?”
The younger, shorter one grunted and gave a sharp nod. “That’s right, ma’am. There’s been an escape from the state penitentiary.”
“A dangerous felon. He’s violent and highly unpredictable,” the older police officer added.
I swallowed hard, pretending to let the weight of their words sink in, and acted worried as I covered my mouth with a hand and placed the other one on my chest. I could have used this chance to point them toward the living room. They’d take him, and he’d be out of my life.
This nightmare would be over.
But I didn’t say a word.
Something twisted inside me, a dark thrill that surged like a drug in my veins as I met the police officers' gazes and shook my head, my eyes wide with fear. “Oh my God,” I breathed. “No. I haven’t seen or heard anything. Am I safe?”
The officer nodded, handing me a flyer with a mugshot of Kane and a phone number to call if I saw him. “Just stay inside with your doors locked. If you see or hear anything, call 9-1-1 immediately. Don’t approach. This man is extremely dangerous.”
“Of course,” I said, forcing a polite smile. “Thank you.” I used all my strength to close the door as the wind pushed against it from the other side. I stood there for a moment, the paper in my hand, as I stared at Kane’s picture.
My heart raced when I turned the corner to the living room, where Kane was awake now, his dark eyes locked on me, sharp and unyielding. He said nothing at first, just watched me with that opaque intensity.
I held up his mugshot.
When he spoke, his voice was rough. “Why didn’t you turn me in?”
I leaned against the doorframe and shook my head, a smile spreading across my lips. I felt… exhilarated. “Because,” I said, tilting my head and staring at the flyer again. “Maybe I’m as fucked up as you are, Kane.”
His expression was unreadable as I pushed off the frame and stepped closer, reached into my back pocket, and pulled out the little knife I’d tucked back there.
“Maybe it’s my turn to be in control.” I kept my voice soft, but I made sure the weight of my words was laced through them. Thick and heavy. “And at the end of it all, maybe I’ll be the one to let you go, because you are my captive.”