Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 57028 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57028 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
“What if things aren’t as simple as they seem?” She whispers. “Maybe I’m confused too. But I don’t want to be manipulated.”
“I’m not trying to manipulate you.”
“The second we got intimate, the manipulation began.”
“Was that me, Evie, or was that you?”
“I don’t think it’s possible for the kidnappee to get Stockholm Syndrome,” she replies.
“Is that what you’re getting?”
“I think I’m starting to like you – for real.”
“That sounds like manipulation to me,” I point out.
She shrugs. “Think what you want. It’s the truth.” She initiates a kiss, breathing passionately when it ends. My body roars for her. “Your dream must’ve been awful if I heard you in the panic room.”
I shut down. Turn cold. “I don’t talk about that.”
“But you want to share it with me.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah.” She kisses my cheek tenderly. It’s not sexual. It’s romantic, intimate, and makes me want to believe.
“We should get going,” I say.
“Why?”
Because I’m starting to believe in her act, and that’s dangerous.
When I don’t answer, she sighs and stands. Together, we walk back through the garden toward the garage. She stands at the garage door, looking over her shoulder at the tall wall and the gate.
“Once I’ve handled The Vultures, you’ll be free to go,” I tell her.
“Free,” she repeats, her voice low and depressed. “I haven’t been free my entire life.”
She gives the surroundings another lingering look, as if debating making a run for it, then sighs and walks into the garage and down the trapdoor. I watch her go, but Meatball remains behind, purring and rubbing against my leg.
Her dejected posture makes me feel like a demon. I ran from my life in the mob, specifically because I wanted to be better than them.
But if being a monster is what it takes to stop this bright, passionate young woman from falling into an early grave, it’s what I’ll be.
CHAPTER 10
EVIE
“Should I have made a run for it?” I ask Meatball, stroking my hands through his fur as I sit cross-legged on the couch and watch mindless reality TV.
Or half watch, really, because my thoughts are elsewhere.
“Maybe I could’ve made it to the gate. But could I climb over? I didn’t see any trees or plants near the walls or the gate. It’s like he designed it so nobody could climb a tree and then clamber over. He says I’m manipulating him, but can he blame me?”
Meatball whines. He doesn’t buy the manipulation angle. He thinks I’m using it as an excuse to do what I want, to get closer to Dom. When I mentioned his nightmare, Dom got this look on his face, a darkness I wanted to learn more about, maybe help him with, maybe even light it up.
The phone buzzes.
Dom: I forgot to say earlier, I heard from Rafe today. Tasha is still safe.
Evie: Are you sure?
Dom: If they find her, Rafe will fight. I know that for a fact.
What about me? Am I safe? From him – from myself, from these feelings?
The phone buzzes again.
Dom: Earlier, when you said you’ve never been free. What did you mean by that, Evie?
I grab the phone and type quickly.
Evie: So, you can quiz me about my deep dark thoughts and secrets, but God forbid I ask about a single nightmare.
Dom: My dreams are nothing special. Veterans all over the country have similar experiences. You are special, Keepsake.
He says he doesn’t like my nickname for him. I can’t say the same. When he uses ‘Keepsake’, confusing emotions shiver through my being.
Dom: Did The Vultures keep you as a prisoner?
“Why is he acting like he cares? If he cared, he’d let me go.”
Meatball looks at me as if to say, He’s keeping you here because he cares.
Evie: It wasn’t as simple as that. I shouldn’t be telling you this, but if you’re going to pretend to be interested… When I was a kid, I thought The Vultures were my friends. I grew up around bikes and the smell of engine oil, and the big, scary bikers never seemed scary to me. They’d wear pieces of jewelry I made. I thought they cared about me.
Dom: What changed?
Evie: What was your nightmare about? And why was I in it? Did you dream you hurt me? Was it guilt that made you roar my name so loudly I heard you all the way down here in the dungeon?
Dom: I’d never hurt you. My dream was about my time overseas, but you were there too. It was messed up. We’re not talking about that.
Evie: What happened overseas?
Dom: Lots of awful shit.
Evie: Like what?
Dom: Tell me what changed with The Vultures.
Maybe he’s fishing for information about where they might hide, but I honestly have no clue. I wasn’t lying about that. Or is it possible he’s genuinely interested?
Evie: I saw Mason hit my mom for the first time. She’d hidden it from me for years. When I got older, I noticed things, like the drugs the bikers took, and how some of their girlfriends looked scared all the time. I tried to get Mom to leave, but she wouldn’t. She claimed she loved Mason. She didn’t see him as a bad guy, though he was responsible for every bad thing in her life.