There was none.
With only one way out the large bedroom was a prison.
Every door and drawer Everly had opened and searchedfrantically, hoping and praying for anything that would give her a bit ofleverage to escape. She found nothing. The gigantic room had only a bed, twonightstands, two lamps, a vanity and stool, and a pair of wingback chairs infront of the fireplace. It was as if the whole room had never been touched,much less slept in.
The bed was distractingly large. Growing up she shared abunkbed with three of her sisters, their bed wasn’t even a fraction of themonstrosity she was laying on now. It could fit eight people comfortably. Nextto the bed, there were two doors, one on either side next to the duplicatenightstands both leading to the same place. Inside there was a large hallwaylike bathroom with a closet on each end as well as two separate toilets oneither end, with a large shower and tub in the middle. Besides a handful oftoiletries and towels, it was barren and untouched as the bedroom.
Letting her gaze drift from the fireplace, Everly looked outthe large windows on either side of the fireplace. Bright morning sunlightshined brilliantly over the thick trees surrounding the cabin. Shifting in thebed she turned towards the large wall of windows that faced the bed and watchedthe gentle waves of the water in the distance. The room was mostly windows,large thick, impenetrable picture windows, she knew that because she did herbest to break them. The lamp base Reid tossed from her hands earlier was stilllying on the floor where she dropped it in disgust after trying and failing tobreak the thick wall of glass.
Now she was just tired—and numb.
So many stupid naïve mistakes. Ignoring the little burn oftears in her eyes, Everly brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her armsaround her knees. It’d only been two years since she left home swearing toherself and her father that she would make it on her own and she would behappy. Getting accepted into the large art school in Savannah was all theencouragement and motivation she needed to validate she had made the rightdecision. Things were falling into place just how she had dreamed. Growing upshe knew she needed freedom, the chance to go off and explore what the worldhad to offer and not hide from it and judge it like she was taught.
She wanted to know more than just what she was allowed toknow. Go and see places, experience new things and fall in love all under herown command—not her father’s. Entering into college was like a thrilling dream.Scary and daunting at times, especially since there was just so much she didn’tunderstand, but it didn’t matter because Everly was optimistic. Doggedly shestudied the people around her, watched TV, eavesdropped, made conversationswith strangers, just anything that would get her closer to acclimating to the“real world.” And she was, at one point she truly felt she had even maybeaccomplished it until she realized just how wrong she was.
Peter Creery, her dark-haired charming impressionistsprofessor. The man was everything Everly imagined the perfect guy would looklike. Walking a mile every day to the small county library ran out of the backof an old church, Everly would occasionally sneak glances at the handful ofsecular books they had, mostly detective and thriller novels. It was funimagining the rest of the world outside her community, imagining whatadventures people had and what they looked like. Tall, lean, and handsome Peterwas exactly what she had imagined. Their relationship started slow and sweet,subtle flirtations that evolved into romantic dinners and outings. Everly felt asif she was floating, never had anyone made her feel so special. Foolishly, shenot only dreamed of their future together, she actively planned it. What jobscould she get in Savannah to be near him, when should she send a letter to herfamily about them, all of those thoughts—all of those beautifully foolishthoughts.
All of them destroyed.
The day she found out she was pregnant she was overjoyed,and nothing in her naïve mind told her Peter wouldn’t feel the same. The shockand anger on his face still felt like a knife to the heart even remembering it.Those beautiful carefully crafted dreams shattered in her face. Turns out,Peter was married, married to a woman who was returning from an art residencyprogram in Brazil in a month. Giving her the money to abort her baby, theirbaby, Peter told her to leave.
Golden Creek was supposed to be her clean slate, their cleanslate, clutching her stomach protectively. And again, she trusted the wrongperson. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks in shame as she thought about how shehad been working up the nerve to ask 2Blackhearts to share a photo with her.Everly had hoped that maybe even one day they could meet up in person together.
What an idiot. Two black hearts indeed, scowling at thememory of Reid’s anger. They were liars and criminals, and she had to get awayfrom here, away from their hungry terrifying gazes.
±
Images of the dark empty eyes of those masks jolted her fromher sleep. Heart pounding, Everly sat up in bed and squinted at the throbbingpain in her head. Looking around the sun-drenched room, memories of last nightand this morning flooded back with all too real clarity. It wasn’t just sometwisted nightmare. Sitting on the massive bed, Everly looked out the tallcrystal-clear window at the high afternoon sun shining across the bluegraywater. Looking at the clock on the nightstand next to her it was half pastthree. Everly wasn’t even sure what time she fell asleep, but by the way herhead was pounding it was either too much, or not nearly enough.
The water bottle caught her eye. Sitting on the nightstand,the cool plastic bottle slowly dripped with condensation. Everly’s heartlurched as she looked up at the door across the room in fear. They were in hereas she slept. Heart racing, she pulled back the blankets and paused, staring atthe thick white comforters with an accusing glare. She fell asleep on top ofthe covers, not under them. Peeling back the covers she let out a sigh ofrelief at her still intact clothes. It felt like ages ago when she got dressedfor work in her gray sweater dress and black tights, not knowing that her wholelife would be shattered in one night.
Getting up from the bed, she padded softly across thecarpet, hesitantly she reached out for the doorknob. Surprisingly, it turnedunder her hand. Quietly as possible Everly pulled open the door. Cooler airfrom the quiet hall whorled around her as she stepped outside. The hallway waslong, quiet, open, and nothing like she’d ever seen before. To her right thewall stretched down to the other end of the house and what looked to be onlyone other door along the wall. The other side of the hall was completely openreminding her of a hotel atrium. Directly in front of the bedroom was a largeopen kitchen with expensive stainless-steel appliances set amongst the woodencabinetry. The large open kitchen opened up to a large foyer. She had caughtonly a glimpse of the foyer when they first brought her in from the car.Spotting the large dark wooden double doors, Everly clung to the shadows of thehalf-exposed hallway until she was directly in front of the front door.Reaching out to the large handle, the blood in her veins froze at the familiarvoice.
“How did you sleep?” Turning around Everly pressed herselfinto the sturdy wooden door as she watched Zane walk towards her and stop.
The large interior entry hall had no windows except for thewindow she spotted far back in the kitchen. The A-frame steepled roof, however,had large rectangular skylights that filtered in the bright sun in big shaftsof light towards the floor. Stepping into the light, Zane stood with his handsin his jean pockets, giving her a lazy smile while his eyes danced bright withmischief.
“Zane,” she whispered, her heart beating faster unsure ofhis reaction to her trying to escape.
Smiling wider he simply watched her a moment longer as sheheld herself flat against the door.
Blue eyes went wide as if a thought suddenly occurred to him.“Would you like a tour of the house and the island, sweetheart?”
Shaking her head, she stepped cautiously forward, she had totry to reason with him. “Zane, please, let me go I don’t deserve this,” hervoice sounded strained even to her, but she continued searching his handsomeface for any sign of mercy. “Please let me go.”
Just like the broken shift in light Zane’s smiledisappeared, and his face became unreadable. Stepping forward he slowly crowdedher until she was pressed back against the heavy door, trapped between it andhis large body. Nervously she blinked at his bright burning gaze.
“Sweetheart, you can either accompany me hand-in-hand on atour or…” Zane let his last words trail off as he leaned closer until theirfaces were only inches apart. Everly’s heart felt as if it was slamming in herchest as she watched his eyes dip down and settle on her lips. “Or you can kissme.”
Everything was so silent between them, only the sound of herfrantic heartbeat like a war drum in her chest. Surely he could hear it, shethought.
“And sweetheart, I so very badly want to kiss you.” His low,silken tone wrapped around her and ensuring her he meant every word.
Oh God, he was insane, she was trapped by a madman. Could henot hear himself? Or see what he was doing to her? But the bright blue gazedidn’t waver.
Everly had no choice, she knew if she continued to plead forhim to let her go he would kiss her and if she didn’t take his offer for thetour, he would also kiss her. Seeing her capitulation, Zane leaned back andheld out his hand. Everly didn’t miss the look of disappointment that passedhis eyes before he quickly masked it with his usual wicked charm. Placing herhand in his, Everly had to suppress the nervous shudder that ran through her asshe felt his broad callused hand close around hers.
“Now, let’s start in the house,” Zane tugged her to follow.
