Trying not to run, Everly walked back to the bedroom andshut the door. A strangled cry, that she had been holding in with every ounceof control, spilled out the moment the door shut. Leaning against the wall,Everly covered her mouth as she squeezed her eyes shut to the wrenching tearsthat consumed her. She did not want to let them hear, she didn’t want to cry infront of those monsters ever again. Sliding down against the wall, Everlysettled on the carpeted floor, taking deep breaths to calm herself. She wasn’tsure what she was going to do, but she knew regardless she had to find a wayout. Tomorrow, she would explore the surroundings again and try to get a closerlook at that gate. But she needed her sleep first.
Beginning to stand up, she wanted to go freshen up in thebathroom, but a sound gave her pause. Frozen against the wall, she replayed thesound in her mind.
The same sound from earlier.
The click from the bedroom door, locking her in.
Chapter 7
The last streams of sunlight faded from the room, slowlyreceding over the staggering treetops and across the lake leaving the water aninky black. Still sitting on the floor leaning against the knotted wooden wallof the bedroom Everly watched until the sun disappeared entirely, leaving asoft gray sky that darkened by the minute.
Tired and stiff she slowly stood up and straightened fromthe wall. Walking across the carpeted floor she didn’t bother turning on thelight, the two large window walls let in plenty of nocturnal light allowing herto see just fine. Besides what did it matter, she felt like a robot simplygoing through its motions as she entered the bathroom. Her heart didn’t evensink as it should have when she realized that neither door to the bathroom hada lock. Most likely an intentional design, just as the lock was on the outsideof the bedroom door. How many girls have they kidnapped? Remembering theirstory about how they just recently built the cabin, did make a little sense,she thought as she looked around the sterile, pristine bathroom. Only onecabinet had toiletries, expensive looking floral soaps, shampoos, andconditioners. All brand-new women’s products— all stuff for her, products sheshared and talked about with 2BlackHearts. Maybe she was just their firstvictim, not that the thought mattered, regardless she was still trapped.
Dizzying fear crept up her spine, breaking the numb tranceof hopelessness. Maybe they planned on killing her? Gripping the white marblededge of the bathroom counter, Everly steadied herself forcing her mind to thinkrationally and not give in to her panic. Memories of the panic attack she hadon the plane came to mind, along with it the memory of Zane holding her gentlywhile whispering to her that she was safe. Even despite the mask, she knew thatwas Zane, and it was Reid who initially carried her and held her during thedrive to the cabin. Reid’s dark aqua gaze wasn’t of life-threatening harm, itwas one that matched his brother’s, a dark, obsessive hunger.
A certainty settled in her, they would not harm her, neverlike that but she knew better than most there were many other ways to breaksomeone.
Shakily, she stepped back from the counter and did her bestto push away the thoughts of what that dark hunger meant. Checking bothclosets, she found that they were empty. With only the towels she found neatlyfolded in a cabinet and the supplied toiletries Everly slowly removed herclothes. She felt grimy and was sick of wearing the same work clothes sincelast night. At the very least she was going to take a shower, even if thatmeant putting on the same clothes afterward, at least she would feel cleaner.
Standing perfectly still, she listened for any sounds ofmovement in the bedroom. Nothing, just silence. Hurriedly she finishedstripping and piled her clothes on the counter and grabbed the neededtoiletries.
The shower was bigger than anything she had ever seen, theglass door opened up into a large hallway like shower with the bench along thefar wall and two large rain shower heads above. Closing the glass door, shewalked to the end of the shower and turned on the rainfall above her, thankfulthe glass door was at the other end giving her a bit more privacy. If it wereany other situation, she would love to take her time in the luxurious showerbut with every minute that ticked by exposed like this, in the same house withthose two men, raised her anxiety. Turning off the water, she quickly toweldried in the privacy of the shower and wrapped the soft white material aroundher body and stepped out. Reaching for the counter where she left her clothes,Everly froze.
They were gone. Her clothes were gone.
Cold dread bloomed throughout her body, she looked arounddesperately praying she was mistaken. Holding the towel tighter around herbreast, Everly slowly twisted the doorknob to the bedroom, and carefully openedthe door.
The bedside lamps were both on, when they weren’t before.The soft yellow glow barely illuminated the bed and faded to nothing at theremaining dark expanse of the room. Sitting on top of the large bed were neatlyfolded clothes. Anger rolled through her like an impending storm as she grabbedthe clean cotton underwear and flannel pajamas. Shutting the door to thebathroom, Everly leaned against the door, her forehead resting on the coolsurface of the wood. Those…those horrible liars were in here as she showered.The wave of exposed vulnerability that racked her body left her feeling sick.She hated this feeling, squeezing her eyes shut she waited for a moment beforeshe found the strength to even look at the clothes they left. The underwear wassurprisingly modest, if not plain. Simple gray underwear and a matching bra.The bra was comfortable and the kind she liked with the front snap. No doubt afact they probably discovered as they snooped and pried through every detail ofher life. Grabbing the last item Everly scowled. It would’ve been perfect if itwere not missing a vital piece. The longsleeved flannel button-down top wasloose and soft but it wasn’t like the ones she wore at home that ended at hercalves, this was a pajama set that should have included pants. There were nopants.
Stepping out of the bathroom Everly was relieved to find thebedroom still empty. The flannel button-down barely covered her backside,leaving her legs exposed and chilled. Teeth chattering, she looked longingly atthe other side of the room opposite the bedroom door, with the large windowwall with the stone fireplace in the middle. The dark mouth of the fireplaceseemed to yawn from the cold darkness at the end of the room. The weak glowfrom the lamps may as well have been candlelight because their light did notreach either side of the room, only illuminating the bed like an island.
Getting under the thick sheets, Everly shivered as her bodywelcomed their heavy pressing warmth. Keeping her eyes focused on the darkoutline of the bedroom door, Everly strained to hear any sounds beyond thebedroom. Nothing. It was utterly quiet. Minutes passed, and her gaze grewweaker. Blinking she tried to refocus, to stay vigilant. Blinking again, hereyes grew heavier. Blinking again, she did not open them.
±
Such a warm deep luxuriating sleep. The type of sleep thatmade her mind feel like a calm pool of endless nothing. There was only oneripple, however. One nagging thought that brought her back from the tranquilabyss. She needed to turn over.
Ever since moving out on her own Everly realized she was astomach sleeper. A spread out hug her pillow type of stomach sleeper. Now thatshe was pregnant, she reminded herself nightly to stay either on her side or onher back in preparation. Currently, she could feel the comforting softness ofthe bed beneath her breast and the searing radiating heat on either side ofher, she needed to turn over. But God, she didn’t want to. Groaning into thepillow, Everly pushed and slowly turned herself on to her side, stretching herleg out she groaned again as it nestled against an unmoving wall of heat. Hersleep addled brain sent up a warning thought, but her body reveled in theimmense heat. Curling in tighter towards the source, again Everly brushed herleg against the searing source. Hot, so unbelievably hot. The slow realizationshit the calm pool of sleep with undulating ripples. Hot and…was that hairy?
Forcing her eyes, open Everly stared at the form next toher. The dark lump slowly taking shape as her eyes absorbed the moonlight fromthe large window. The room was drenched in the darkness, it was onlyhighlighted by deep rivets of dark sapphire streaming in from the windows.Following the rise and fall of the form next to her Everly’s eyes widened inshock. With one hand bent behind his head Zane slept shirtless with his faceturned the other way. Everly felt her stomach drop in fear as she sensed theother source of heat behind her. Carefully with hardly any movement, she lookedover her shoulder. Sleeping on his stomach with his face turned away as wellReid slumbered quietly as a cat next to her. Anger and fear choked her tosilence, paralyzing her to the spot.
Looking at Reid’s bare torso, Everly felt her pulse crashagainst her neck as she watched the long hard lines and grooves of his muscularback slowly flex with his breathing. He was just as powerful under thoseclothes as she suspected. Carefully she turned her head back to Zane, his largetattooed chest seemed to take up most of her vision, she would have to push-upto her arms if she wanted to see over him.
Panic was settling over her again, her breathing started tobecome quicker. Waiting until tomorrow was no longer an option. She had to leave,she had to get away from them now, out of this bed!
Slowly and carefully, Everly sat up in the bed, a move thatfelt like it took minutes to complete silently. Trapped on either side, shewould have no choice but to slide down the middle of the bed to get out. Slowlyshe pulled her legs out from beneath the cover that covered all three of them,she couldn’t risk dragging it off and waking them. Pushing with one arm Everlyslowly pushed herself down the middle of the bed. The journey was painfully slow,and the silence of the room only seemed to echo her every movement. Leaningdown to lift her leg over the large wrinkle in the covers, she took a sharpintake of breath as she watched her hair brush against Zane’s hand. Ever soslowly, she pushed back her long dark curls, curls that came loose from thebraid she put up before she fell asleep. Seeing that neither man moved orstirred, Everly continued. She was so close now.
Touching one foot to the carpet, Everly leaned forward tostep off the bed. A tight grip caught her wrist.
Whipping her head around Everly met Zane’s bright gaze as hesat up in the bed. The barely contained excitement and hunger in his eyesfrightened her to the core. Tugging at her arm frantically, Everly tried tolean away from his grip with all her weight. “Zane no,” she cried in a whisper.
Smiling cruelly, Zane easily pulled her back, reeling in herstruggling body easily across the bed until he could grab her by the waist withhis other hand.
“Zane,” she was prepared to yell louder hoping to wake upReid, praying he could stop Zane, but Zane’s lips against hers cut her off. Thekiss was hard and overpowering, like a man starving for this moment, waitingfor it forever. Relentlessly, he moved his mouth against hers despite her hummingprotest against his lips. Battling and winning entrance to her mouth, electriccurrents coursed through every inch of her body as his tongue found hers,temporarily absorbing the fight from her body. The brief pause was all Zaneneeded as he pulled her up against his bare hard chest draping her legs overhis lap. Finally pulling back, giving her the chance to gasp for much-neededair Zane stared at her with a fierceness that left her trembling.
“My beautiful Everly,” he murmured while stroking her wildcurls back. “I have to taste more of you, sweetheart, I have dreamt of it toolong to wait any longer.”
“No,” she yelled, finding her strength she used her onlyfree hand, the hand that wasn’t pinned against his hard abs to claw at hisface.
