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The only way they can have my clothes is that Liam arranged for them to have them. At least that’s what I tell myself.
As I head to the bathroom, I look outside the window. It’s nearly dark. If it had been unsafe to leave this secluded place with snow everywhere, it would be even more unsafe to do so at night.
I have to hope that Liam arranged for me to be here and not think too hard about why I had to be drugged for that to happen.
The bath is large, with a rain spout shower and a large garden tub. I want to wash away the horrors in my life in the shower and soak in comfort in the tub.
But I don’t want to take too long since I don’t know when Liam will be here.
I opt for the shower, savoring the hot water as it melts away the lingering aches from my captivity and the fog from the drugs.
I exit and find a plush robe hanging on the back of the door. Once I dry off, I put it on. It feels luxurious, which is a far cry from my normal life.
I grew up in a regular middle class household with my dad always telling me money was tight.
And yet, he paid for my college. He even helped me with my apartment.
That reminds me that my father was on the take. I want to think it was because he wanted a better life for me, but it’s still difficult to know my father crossed the line.
When I leave the bathroom, the scent of food makes my stomach growl. Cherry must have stopped in while I was in the shower as I find a tray with soup, thick, crusty bread, hot tea, and a glass of water on the table.
I’d been so afraid that I hadn’t registered hunger. Now that I do, I’m starving.
I sit down and try not to gulp down my food. It tastes homemade. The food along with the fire and cozy atmosphere… it feels almost like I’m on vacation.
I’m probably an idiot to think that. But if I’m about to die, at least I’m going out feeling warm and with a belly full of food.
As I dip my bread in the soup, I look around the room for a phone. I could call Liam. Or maybe Elena.
I think about how Liam isn’t the only person who can help me. Elena would send her husband Niko to save me, wouldn’t she? Lucy would send her husband Donovan too, right? They could rescue me and I can go back to my life, such as it is.
The door swings open, and I nearly drop my teacup. Liam walks in, shutting the door behind him.
I’m all at once relieved to see him and afraid because he looks… off. His hair is wild. He has a black eye. His expression is cold. Like he’s angry at me.
“What’s wrong?” My words come out on a squeak.
“You’re going to stay here for a while.” It’s more than a statement. It’s a command.
“What? What’s happening?”
“I don’t have time to give you all the answers. Just know that you’re safe.”
“Okay.” Normally, Liam made me feel safe, but right now, I’m mostly confused.
“Don’t leave this house without one of my men with you?—”
“You’re not going to stay?—”
“No using the phone. You can move around the house, and my staff will get you anything you need, but you cannot leave the property under any circumstances, is that clear?”
At first, I’m struggling to make sense of what’s going on. But when I register how he’s talking to me like I’m a petulant teen, I get annoyed.
“Why?”
He practically snarls. “Did Fiori hit you on the head and you lost your memory? You know why.”
His words are like tiny stabs to my heart. Why is he being so cruel? He’s so different from the man I met six months ago.
