Page 9 of Blood
I decide to bide my time. I need him distracted, and then I can try to run.
It’s then I realize I’m just standing here awkwardly and that his eyes have been following me. A shiver goes through me when I meet his dark eyes. There’s a hunger in them. He stands up, and I involuntarily take a step back. I’m trying so hard not to show fear, and every time he moves, I fail. His lips turn up on one side.
“I’m going to see what I can find for food, princess. You can stay here and relax.” He walks toward the kitchen and pauses with his hand on the door frame, turning back to me. “Don’t do anything dumb.”
I sit on the couch once he disappears into the next room. What do I do now? I push down on my thigh to stop my leg from bouncing up and down.Think, Everleigh. There has to be a way out. I need to get away from him, to get back to the city. Where the fuck are we, anyway?
The Kings will be pissed that I fucked up this job, but maybe Asher will step in. He could fix things, if he wanted to. He was always around when I was little, until he moved out at the end of high school. He was my protector, the one who stood up to the bullies and mean girls in elementary school.
He’ll still protect me—I know he will, once he lets me back into his life. And I’ll find another way to prove myself to him and to the Kings.
I glance toward the kitchen. I can’t see the guy, so he can’t see me. This might be my only chance. It’s probably stupid to try and make a move so soon after being punished, but I have to take whatever shot I can, since I might not get another one. I take a deep breath, rising from the couch as quietly as I can.
My ass stings, and I grit my teeth as I tiptoe toward the door. My sneakers are quiet on the hardwood floor, and I let out a relieved breath.
When I reach the door, I look back toward the kitchen, biting my lip. I still can’t see him. This is my chance. I grab at the handle, pulling hard, but it doesn’t turn. The door doesn’t budge. Fuck.
I keep grabbing, tugging at it. This is the only way out. The door opened to let us in. It opens somehow. I look along the edge of the frame for a key or some hidden lever. Nothing.
I continue to pull at the door that may as well be a lead wall. As I work fruitlessly, something pushes into my back. I stiffen. He’s right behind me, crowding my space. I’m trapped between his hard body and the door.
He brings his head down to mine, his deep voice gravelly in my ear. “You still trying to run, little bunny? Your punishment wasn’t enough?”
My stomach twists. I try to ignore him, or at least pretend I can ignore the massive man standing right up against me. I keep working at the door, finding no success. There’s something more than the deadbolt keeping it closed.
He chuckles at my fruitless attempts. “If you want to run, maybe I’ll let you. Hunting a baby rabbit is always fun for a big, bad wolf. I don’t think we’re going to let you run today, though.”
He grabs my wrist and tugs, spinning me around to face him.
I instantly back against the door when I realize his chest is right up against mine. I shove against the solid wall of muscle, getting nowhere. My breathing is shallow and coming in pants.
He laughs, and the vibrations rumble through his chest. “Come on, princess. Time for dinner.”
I hadn’t realized it had gotten that late. We must have been driving for longer than I realized. How far are we from the city? It doesn’t matter, I guess. It’s not like we can be that far from civilization. If I can get out of this cabin, I should be able to get a decent way on foot, and I can hitchhike the rest of the way. The dangers of hitchhiking pale in comparison to being locked up here.
This man could kill me easily. But that’s not what scares me.
It’s that despite everything, my body wants him.
8
Everleigh
Heclearstheemptybowls and washes the dishes, setting them on a towel next to the sink. It’s strangely reminiscent of the way my father used to do the dishes every night, after my mother cooked. It was a deal they’d worked out shortly after getting married, and it just always worked for them. I don’t remember any of my friends’ dads doing dishes when we were little. It dawns on me just how special my parents’ relationship was. How much I lost when they died.
I don’t speak at all while we eat, and neither does the man who’s with me. I’ve been lost in my own thoughts, trying to think of a way out. I look up at one point during dinner and realize he’s watching me. I can’t quite read the expression on his face, but the intensity of his stare has me quickly dropping my eyes back to the bowl of chili.
I let out an involuntary yawn. My belly is full, and the adrenaline that’s been coursing through my veins all day has started to wear off. Sleep would be a good thing right now.
An even better thing would be if this asshole would fall asleep while I stayed awake, if I can manage it. I could find a way out, or at the very least steal his weapons. But what would I do with them? If I managed to get the guts to kill him, the door is still completely sealed.
I’m also not at all confident in my ability to stay awake if I lie down for even a minute.
He yawns too, probably in response to mine. He turns off the sink and wipes his hands dry. “You must be sleepy. Let’s get you ready for bed.”
I don’t protest as he leads me back through the living room and opens the other door, the one that was closed before. It opens into a bedroom. The minimalist theme of the living room extends to this room. There’s a queen-size bed in the center and a dresser along one wall. Otherwise, the room is bare. Even the bed follows the Spartan aesthetic of the room, with only two pillows and a few thin blankets on top.
Maybe it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to get some sleep before I try to get out of here. Another yawn blooms in my chest, and I try my best to stifle it.
