Page 9 of Taken By the Fae

His expression turns serious, his features hardening. “You will keep this bracelet on no matter what. Understood?”

I want to take it off and throw the damn thing at him, but I nod. My teeth hurt from keeping my jaw locked, and I’m pretty sure I look feral.

He reaches into his pocket again and pulls out a business card. “Call me directly when you find her and be discreet.”

I take his card, slipping it into my pocket, then lift my wrist, inspecting the bracelet again. “You said I had fae magic in me. Won’t that complicate things?”

Tristan shakes his head, walking past one couch, and runs his fingers along the back. “It’s too minimal to trigger the magic in the charm.”

“And what happens if I find this fae you’re looking for and she catches on?”

He doesn’t miss a beat. “It’s a simple task, Aurora.”

“Is that what you told Max?” I remark, my voice dripping with sarcasm. Call it a momentary lapse in judgment—or a brave flare of defiance toward this entire situation—but I can’t stop myself from adding, “What’s to keep me from bailing on this ‘simple task’ at the first opportunity?”

He pauses, taking his time meeting my gaze, sizing me up like an animal surveying its prey. “You’d like to test me?”

I force a neutral expression even as he closes the distance between us in a single stride. “It doesn’t seem like many do.”

A dark look passes over his face as he dips his chin and lowers his voice. “There’s a reason for that.”

My heartbeat rattles the cage of my ribs. The weight of Tristan’s gaze makes me feel as if I’m wide awake and dreaming at the same time. As if none of this is even real, which I’m still not entirely convinced it is. And yet, I don’t back down. I don’t cower away.

His eyes narrow. “Whoareyou?”

It takes me a second to find my voice. “I guess you should’ve done your research before you abducted me.”

“Had it been my intention to bring you here, I would have.”

I shrug. “Oh well. Now do I get to go home?”

He offers a tight-lipped smile as he unrolls his sleeves and picks up his jacket, pulling it on and buttoning the front. When he inclines his head toward the front door, I follow him back to the elevator, again standing on the opposite side, and we ride in silence to the lobby.

It’s quickly apparent I’m in one of the fanciest hotels in the city. The white marble floor and sparkling crystal chandeliers are a dead giveaway.

“This… is yours?” I ask, unable to hide my surprise.

“Yes,” he answers.

The lobby has a subdued atmosphere that comes with wealth. I’ve never considered a career in hotel management, but I feel an uncomfortable sliver of respect for Tristan. I immediately want to slap myself and insist it’s strictly professional interest.

Or Stockholm Syndrome.

Tristan walks me to the front of the building, where a black town car is waiting at the curb. “My driver will take you home.” He opens the backseat door for me and stands behind it, waiting for me to get in. I slip into the car, buckling my belt, and Tristan leans inside. “Remember our deal, Aurora.”

I force my lips to curl. “Has anyone ever told you how much of an ass you are?”

He mirrors my smile. “No one alive.”

I roll my eyes. “Good one.”

He closes the door and steps back onto the sidewalk. Keeping my eyes on Tristan, I tell the driver where to go. As we pull away, I watch Tristan stand at the curb until we turn a corner out of sight.

I stare out the window for a while before I realize I’m crying and quickly wipe the tears away. I’m no longer running on adrenaline. Glimpsing myself in the rearview mirror, I cringe. I look, well, like someone who was kidnapped and held captive for hours. My hair is in a tangle of messy waves, and both my eyeliner and mascara have smudged almost all the way off since the party last night. I glance at the clock on the dash; it’s almost six in the evening. Last night feels like a long time ago.

I was taken by the fae.

The driver clears his throat, and I startle from my reverie to realize the car has stopped moving. I glance at him for a moment and then go through the motions of unbuckling and opening the door to get out.

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