Page 118 of The Boy I Loved
Rising, a cool gust of air seeped into my skin, sending an assortment of chills careening all over my flesh. Something was wrong. I could tell by how he spoke.
“Is everything okay?” I pressed gently, glancing around the darkened room.
His frustrated huff penetrated my eardrums, but that was how I knew he was close. His hand latched onto my shoulder, his fingertips curling around the bone and forcing me in the direction of my closet. His movements were jerky as he steered me, but he seemed to have the room memorized right down to a science.
Dominic tugged me to a stop and released me, but I could still feel the body heat rolling off him. “Shoes. Now.”
“I can’t see,” I retorted, the frustration bubbling up inside me.
He’d been so sweet and respectful over the weekend that it wasdifficult to process the way he was acting now. He was being bossy, pushy, and rude. I was half tempted to tell him to go to hell and demand answers. But I could tell something was bothering him, so I bit my tongue instead. Kneeling, I extended my arm, swiping my hand through the air until my fingertips connected with an object.
Once I’d pulled the shoes free, I slipped them on and folded my arms across my chest, awaiting my next order. A multitude of questions penetrated my brain:
What happened?
Why was he here?
Where were we going?
Dominic slid his hand down my arm, eliciting a series of goosebumps with his touch alone. His hand connected with mine, his fingers threading through the gaps of my own. Everything about him was comforting, despite all the things I knew about him.
He tugged me backwards, forcing me to stumble after him in the dark. As soon as we reached my partially ajar door, he pulled me to a stop and turned to face me. His hands instantly moved to the sides of my face, the light casting a faint shadow over the sharp edges of his stubbled jaw.
“Hazel,” he whispered, sucking in a ragged breath. “I’m going to try to break you out of here tonight.”
I reeled back in surprise. That was the last thing I expected him to say. Excitement and hope shot through me, intertwining together until the alternative no longer existed. It might have been wishful thinking, but it was the best news I’d heard since being captured.
“Really?” I whispered. “Why now?” If he could break me out of here and knew how to do it, why hadn’t he already?
“Clay is planning on having you killed this afternoon.”
Ice prickled along my skin at that revelation. Clay had been pissed when he found out about the tattoo Tristan had given me. He called me a useless whore and sent me to my room. At the time, Iwas thrilled to not be doing the shoot. I hadn’t considered the more sinister consequences.
Dominic’s grip tightened around my face, his eyes searing through my own. “Whatever happens, just know that I love you and I’m so fucking sorry for everything.”
My lower lip wobbled, a mixture of emotions pummeling through my head and heart. “I love you too, Dom—always.”
His lips found mine instantly, the kiss turning heated in a matter of seconds. My hands fisted the front of his shirt, tugging him as close to me as humanly possible. My abdomen screamed in protest when his jeans brushed against the artwork, but I didn’t let it deter me.
“You’re mine,” he whispered against my lips, pecking me one last time.
“Forever yours,” I agreed.
With a sad smile, he released me, linking his hand in mine once more. Cautiously, he reached for the door and pulled it open, causing me to wince when it creaked.
There was a part of me that was thrilled, but another part of me that was terrified we couldn’t pull this off. What would happen if we got caught? The contents in my stomach soured at the mere thought. Wehadto pull this off. There was no other option.
The hallway was surprisingly empty when we stepped out of my doorway. Usually, there was someone out here patrolling or fucking one of the girls.
“Nicholas and Mason are on break,” Dominic whispered, seeming to read my thoughts.
My hand tightened around his, my heart thumping to a deadly tune. For so long, I’d lost all hope. I thought for sure I’d die in this place, and hell, that was still a possibility—especially if we were caught. I pictured running back home and jumping into my father’s arms, crying with my mom until my eyes burned, spillingeverything to Tory and sobbing with her, too. Most of all, I’d finally have Dominic by my side.
My chest warmed, a desire for the future invading my mind once again. I’d always been an optimistic kid growing up. I’d always thought of the future and planned ahead, making it easier to focus on my goals. All of that diminished the second they took me from my home.
The lounge came into view, my muscles locking up instantly. This place wasneverempty. My eyes darted around the room frantically, because I knew someone would be there.
Dom pressed a finger to his lips, urging me to keep quiet. “Stay out of sight against the wall,” he whispered. “Mason and Nicholas are right through those glass doors.” He nodded his head in the direction of the back door for emphasis.
