Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 108721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
“Don’t hurt her, and don’t do anything stupid. If anything happens to her, Bel and Sebastian will have your head on a spike. Got it?”
Lee salutes him with a knowing grin. “Got it, Dad. You act like I’m a monster.”
“Wait…don’t. Please don’t leave me here.”
“Monster? No. Manic and completely unhinged at times? Yes.”
While I don’t know Drew that well, I've had enough interaction with him to know better. Lee, on the other hand, I know nothing about him. I’ve only ever seen him in passing and at functions where we both happened to be in attendance.
A whimper escapes me.
Drew shakes his head and turns to start walking away. “Don’t be a baby. You’ll be fine.”
I watch his back until he disappears into the darkness. Fuck.
Then I shift my focus back to Lee. Rumor has it he is a party boy with a reputation for danger, but he seems the most...normal of the group as far as I've been able to tell. Okay, so I realize I’m trying to rationalize the situation so I don’t have a panic attack, but it’s not really working. My heart hammers against my ribs, and while I’ve learned to hide my fear over the years, it’s difficult when I’m in the middle of nowhere with a man I don’t know that well.
“Lee, can you untie me, please? It’s almost dark, and I’m cold and tired.”
“Unfortunately, I can’t do that.” The leaves crunch beneath his feet as he walks over to me, pulling out some black object from his pocket. “Releasing you would ruin the surprise, so while I know you’re uncomfortable, you’re going to be okay.”
How can he possibly know that?
“Says the one who wasn’t kidnapped under the false pretense of being ‘helped.’” I shiver. “Just let me go.”
“Not an option.” He gives me a boyish smirk, and then my world goes dark as he ties something around my face. I feel pressure at the back of my head, like he’s placing a blindfold on me, but then he puts something else on top of my head, similar to a headband.
“Lee, please? I’m begging you. Just let me go.”
A humming sound emits from deep in his throat. “Oh, Elyse, don't beg me. I might not be able to resist. Actually, no, I take it back. Beg me to let you go, and maybe I will. I’m a sucker for a girl who begs. I’ll almost always give her what she wants.”
My throat constricts. There has been a lot of begging in my life.
Begging for my father to stop hitting me.
For Yanov to stop touching me.
For some God or whoever to help me.
It didn’t once do me any good, so what’s the point now? Exactly; there is none. I won’t beg anyone ever again. Pressing my lips into a firm line, I glare at him, knowing he can’t see my expression.
“Ah, there's your backbone. I knew you had one,” he taunts. “Don't worry, Sebastian will take care of that soon enough, and maybe when it's over, you'll be made of steel this time instead of straw.”
What the hell is he talking about?
“Stop talking in riddles,” I snap. “If you won’t let me go, can you at least tell me what is going on?”
He lifts me by the elbows, and the movement is so fast, I stumble into his chest, catching a whiff of alcohol on his breath. That only intensifies the worrying in my gut. I’ve dealt with alcoholics my entire life. Any time my father had a drink, it never ended well for me.
“I don’t want to ruin the surprise, silly,” he jokes. “We should make sure you're properly dressed, though, right? A bunny can't run unless she's all dressed up.”
I'm still processing his words when I feel the fabric of the dress part down the middle. Cold air hits my skin, and I recoil, trying to pull away. “Stop. What are you doing? Why are you cutting my clothes?”
“I'm not going to hurt you, Elyse. And I promise I won’t look, Scout’s honor.” His tone is matter-of-fact. Like he's picking out clothes for a party. He spins me around and then cuts the fabric at my wrists.
I'm wearing basic department store white underwear, and I'm almost embarrassed to have him see me in them. Even more so when I'm bound and blindfolded.
His fingers toy with the strap of my bra. “An upgrade, I think.”
He cuts the tights off, ripping them off at the ankle. Next is my underwear, and I shiver at the cold edge of the knife on my skin. It’s not the same way Sebastian's knife feels against my skin. No, Lee’s blade makes me shiver with fear.
I want to believe he won’t hurt me, but I’ve been told that so many times in my life that I’ve come to expect the lie. It never ends the way I hope for it to end.