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“On whether you want to stay here, locked up where no one can find you,” he bores his eyes into mine. “Or has this feisty stray learned her lesson?”
“Don’t patronize me.” I bite back, a multitude of foreign emotions circulating through my mind and body, causing me to act out.
“How about a compromise… quit bitchin’ and I’ll think about it.”
PHOENIX
I follow Dane in silence; two steps behind like an obedient dog—like the stray he wants me to be. Against my better judgement, mixed with lack of food and sleep, I comply. But not because I want to.
I spent years living under the hands of someone else’s rule, forced to do as I was told. To be rarely seen and never heard. Meek and mild was my whole personality, molding myself to fit around everyone else’s wants and needs. I’ll be honest, for a time I thought I’d stay that way forever—the girl I was before lost to the shadows. Forced to stay in exile forever, trapped, desperate to break free.
Then the switch flipped. My body couldn’t take any more pain. My mind was over the sick and twisted games. I foundmyself again. I grew strong and said,fuck this shit, and I took back every piece of control which had been stolen from me. The days of me hiding out in darkened corners, cowering from the predators around me were finally no more.
It was over.
Or so I thought.
Melanie’s words echo deep in my mind, reminding me of my purpose here, but my heart drops to my stomach. I should be happy. I’m supposed to be free. This was supposed to be my second chance. Another shot at life. I could be anyone I wanted to be here at Stonebrooke. A chance to put the past behind me where it belongs. To figure out who I really am instead of acting like someone I’m not. Yesterday I would have given anything to stay in Braxton, but now I’m here things have changed—and not in the way I imagined.
My secret hook-up with Dane has awoken all kinds of feelings deep inside me and I’m not mad about it. Thanks to him and his wicked ways, the urge to rebel has been activated. Every fiber of my being is screaming at me to stay away from the deranged psychopath in front of me. Warning me that he’s dark, dangerous and all kinds of wrong.
Less than a week ago I would have walked in the opposite direction; keeping my head down and praying he didn’t see me, but right now it couldn’t be any different. Not only do I want dark and dangerous more than I’ve ever wanted anything else in my life; right now, and as much as I hate to admit it, but I need him.
I don’t want to need him, but I’m here in a different town, away from anything I’ve ever known. I’m all alone in this monstrous castle. I don’t know anyone. I have no idea where Iam or what I’m supposed to be doing. Anyone could have walked past me and the Dean last night, handed the task of leading me to my quarters, but the universe stepped in and decided to fuck me over some more. Choosing to play with fire, it placed me right in the Devil’s waiting hands. Some people would call it karma, but I prefer to call it bad fucking luck.
I still can’t believe he came back for me. I really thought he’d keep me locked up, hidden away. His vulnerable captive. The beauty to his beastly ways. Biting down hard on my lower lip I fight against the smile creeping onto my face while trying to clear my mind of the inappropriate images as they crash to the forefront of my mind, but no matter how hard I try, it’s impossible to shut him out.
Especially when said sinful creature is right in front of me. Especially when everything about him screams authority and attention. I need him out of my head, but I doubt that’s going to happen anytime soon.
Looking around I try to shift my mindset and focus on my surroundings. On anything but the large set of his back, his muscles rippling as he strides along the narrow corridors, the oil lamps on the wall casting a dim glow on the curve of his ass as he moves forward and I can’t keep my eyes off him.
I know I haven’t been all too far since my arrival, but Stonebrooke feels different compared to last night. It could be because Dane is still by my side, but I feel really small and completely irrelevant compared to my impressive surroundings.
Finally, after what feels like a lifetime of creeping around in the dark, Dane turns down another narrow corridor before his posture stiffens, causing all the small hairs on the back of my neck to stand tall and an icy shiver runs down my spine, warning me of the dangers which lay ahead.
There’s no doubt in my mind that this is just another one of his fucked-up mind games. Hell, I was crazy—utterly delirious to think that he’d be willing to set me free.
“What’s this?” I question, suspicion heavy in my tone. “Another cozy lock-up?”
“If I wanted to keep you locked up, you would be.”
My eyes roll behind his back, knowing he can’t see me. Fuck, my dark demon is becoming predictable, fast. I thought he’d be a lot smarter than this. It doesn’t escape my attention that he’s decided to move me when no one else seems to be around, which seems to be pretty convenient for him. No doubt the normal and sane students of Stonebrooke are still tucked away, safe and sound in their beds—oblivious to my waking nightmare.
Dane doesn’t say anything else as he opens the wooden door before him, his large frame moving to the side, his back flush against the wall as he grants me entry to another one of his deadly dungeons.
“What is this?” I repeat.
His head drops a little, his hungry eyes roaming my body like he’s about to eat me up and a wildfire blazes deep in my core. “Whatever you want it to be…” he whispers, inching closer to me. “but I thought you’d want to freshen up before you’re temporarily released.”
His sentiment hits me hard, straight to the chest, but it’s drowned out by his last statement. “Temporarily?”
He rewards me with a wicked smile, his eyes crinkling at the edges and my breathing falters, my chest rising and falling as he takes all of me in. “Ever heard of good behavior.”
“Have you met me?” I ask breathlessly.
“My point exactly. Now about getting you cleaned up…”
Suspicion gnaws at my insides, his words leading me into a false sense of security, just the way he wants, I’m sure. “Okay, who the fuck are you and what have you done to my dark and dangerous captor?” I’m too caught up in the moment and the words fall from my lips before I can stop myself.
