Page 129 of Captivated

She tried to focus on just one thing. Either the pain, the way her lips peeled off whatever they had been pressed against, the haziness in her mind, or … all the rest. It felt like everything was mixing together and only getting worse the longer she tried to fight whatever was happening to her.

And Christ …

What was happening?

Her vision was as thick and hazy as her mind. As though she were looking through gray clouds to focus on whatever was behind them. Black leather, she thought. A handle, maybe? Also black, but that was just about all she understood.

She tried to reach out to touch whatever it was just in front of her face, but found her strength was seriously lacking. Even moving like she had took every bit of effort she possessed, and when she couldn’t reach whatever was there, her body just gave out.

Done, again.

Why did her stomach feel empty?

Her mouth tasted like vomit.

And her head …

Jesus, her head hurt.

“No, no, no,” she heard.

The words came out sing-song.

Teasing.

Amused.

Pleased.

And that voice.

Oh, God.

That voice.

Every part of Liliana screamed internally at that voice.

Rich Earl.

“Don’t wake up just yet,” Rich said somewhere behind the clouds and the haze and the pain. “I’m not happy enough to talk with you yet, whore.”

That tone.

That warning.

That man.

Liliana squeezed her eyes shut as whatever she was resting on swayed a bit. In a car, maybe. Soft leather, and that distinct rental smell. It had to be a car, didn’t it?

How had she gotten here?

The memory flooded …

“Anything in particular?”

Liliana hummed as she looked over the menu, and glanced back to where Joe was still sleeping on the bed. He was fucking out. Like a damn light, or something. A hurricane wasn’t about to wake that man up, and some silly part of her found that most amusing.

She could have slept longer, too, but she woke up hungry.