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I approached with great caution, smiling hesitantly. “So…what did you think of my performance?”
Still tied up in the chair, he growled at me, his eyes turning almost feral.
“Not a fan, I see.” I nodded just to have something to do. I couldn’t look at him, not when he so clearly wanted my head on a platter. “You were great. I mean, that whole torn-up look on your face was…top notch. I almost believed you actually cared,” I joked.
It was the wrong thing to do. He tried to leap from his chair, but couldn’t move with the restraints holding him down.
“Now, just think about this a moment. You’re not really angry with me,” I tried. “What you’re really upset about is that…that…you couldn’t get to me.”
“You think so, huh?” he snarled.
“Yes,” I said shakily. “It was a shock to see me in that chair when you woke up. But given some time, you’ll realize that I had to go along with the plan. It was the only way to ensure my survival.”
“And you didn’t think I could help you?”
“I—” I fumbled through my thoughts, trying to find the right words, but they wouldn’t come. I focused on his shirt. The neck was pulled to the side from all his struggling. I reached forward without thought and pulled his T-shirt straight.
“What the fuck are you doing?” he growled.
“Your shirt was crooked,” I informed him. “And…and I needed to straighten it.”
“You left me in the dark,” he said, his voice low and threatening. “You didn’t even give me the opportunity to help you.”
“It wasn’t my choice. I was in the trunk of a car. I had to trust Ivan completely.”
“You could have trusted me!”
“You were unconscious. How was I supposed to fill you in on any of this?”
His answering growl had me taking a step back. “Clearly, you’re not in the right frame of mind to talk about this.”
“Get back here,” he snapped.
“I think you need some time to cool down.”
“Raven,” he snarled, “if you run, I won’t stop until I find you.”
I knew that. And maybe that’s why I did what I did. He would come for me, and that sent shivers of excitement down my spine. I grabbed the keys sitting on a nearby table and took another step toward the door.
“You’ll feel better about this whole thing once you clear your head.”
“I’ll feel better about this when I bend you over my knee!”
I smirked at him. “Promises, promises.”
And then I took off toward the door. I passed Cash on the way and shouted, “I need two hours!”
He looked at me in confusion, but then a smile tilted his lips and he saluted as I rushed on. I had no idea whose keys I’d stolen, but I thanked them for being so careless. As I ran around the building, I spotted the cars all hidden in the trees and hit the key fob. Lights flashed at me and I ran toward them at breakneck speed before anyone could stop me.
I flung the door open and got in, slamming the door as I started the engine. As I reversed out of the spot, I saw Cash running out the door, yelling at me. I rolled down the window just enough to hear, “That’s my car!”
I waved at him jauntily and hit the gas, tearing down the dirt road as I headed toward my last days of freedom. It wouldn’t be long before Nicholas caught up, and then I’d have to pay for my sins.
28
NICHOLAS
“Raven!” I shouted as she ran for the door. “Get your ass back here!” She ran right past Cash and I saw how he winked at her. “Cash!”
