Page 33 of Curvy Hostage Mate
“As what? Bait?”
The thought chilled me to my core. But I jutted out my chin and stared up at him with defiance.
“If that’s what it takes, I’ll do it,” I said.
He gave a derisive scoff as he rolled his eyes. That sound, that gesture, rankled me almost as much as the fact that he had kept this from me for all this time. I couldn’t stand it when people patronized me. Not long ago, he told me how strong he thought I was. I guessed something had changed in the last week or so, because he had switched from that to assuming I was completely incompetent.
“You’re being ridiculous,” he scoffed.
My eyes burned. “And you’re being an asshole. You can’t keep things from me, especially if they’re going to impact me. I’m going to help, whether you like it or not.”
He let out a low, threatening growl and took several steps toward me. “I’m not letting you put yourself or the baby in danger. You’re being ridiculous,” he repeated.
“I’m being ridiculous for wanting to help people?” I asked.
“You’re being ridiculous. You’d be putting yourself in danger for no reason. And you’re sure as hell not doing it now,” he said. “Not with a baby.”
I gritted my teeth. Here he was, controlling my life again. Just like every other man I’d encountered in the last few years. I had hoped he might be different.
I glowered up at him. “You can’t keep me here forever.”
“I’m not,” he argued. “Just until Cain is six feet under.”
I gave a harsh, bitter laugh that grated on even my own ears. Chris gave me a surprised, borderline unnerved look, as if he hadn’t thought I had that sort of backbone in me.
“And how long is that going to take?” I snapped, coming to stand right in front of him. “Because you haven’t exactly been doing a great job taking care of him so far, have you?”
His eyes darkened, and I saw a twitch in his jaw as he bit back some comment. “Even if you don’t plan on handing yourself over, what happens if he catches you? What do you think he’ll do when he finds out you’re pregnant?”
“He won’t hurt me,” I said.Not physically, at least, I thought to myself. “As for the baby, I’m sure I can strike a deal with him that will keep them safe.”
“That’s a lot of supposition,” Chris growled. “I’m not going to let you go and run headfirst into danger. You’re staying here, even if I have to make you.”
It was those final two words that broke that last little bit of restraint. I snapped.
“God, you’re no better than Cain,” I fired back. “You kidnapped me and are holding me hostage. You say that I’m free, but how? You didn’t even let me see my sister withoutsupervision. That’s not free. I’m as trapped as I was when I had a fucking collar around my neck.”
His eyes narrowed, his expression darkening as he stared down at me. I glared back, sensing his anger but refusing to back down.
“You’re staying here, and that’s final,” he snarled.
“I’d like to see you make me,” I hissed back, no longer bothering to hide my anger. I was tired of his arrogance, that obnoxious confidence that he knew best.
He leaned forward, his face inches from mine. “Watch me,” he growled.
He straightened and spun around. He marched out, slamming the door shut behind him. I could hear the lock slide as he trapped me inside.
Chapter 15 - Chris
I stormed out of the house, not caring that the door had rattled when I slammed it behind me, or that I had locked the door after promising I wouldn’t anymore. If I hadn’t, Morgan would have snuck out, anyway. This way, she was at least safe. Even if I was pissed off, I wasn’t going to stop protecting her.
I glanced back at the locked door, then out at the woods, still trying to get myself under control and push down that rage still building inside me. Couldn’t she see I was just trying to help her?
I needed to get out of my own head. I needed to clear my mind and just not think about things for a few minutes. The forest called to me. Without giving myself much time to think about it, I shifted.
My claws dug into the earth, dry and crumbly with winter, but still satisfying as it churned beneath my paws. I shook my head, loosening my muscles as I took in the surrounding area.
I charged through the woods, relishing the feel of the wind through my fur as I darted between trees, moving this way and that. My wolf savored the sensation. When was the last time I had just let go and run through the trees? With everything going on, I hadn’t had the chance to do anything like this in weeks. It hadn’t been until I started running and caught the faint scent of rabbit that I realized just how badly I had needed this.
