Chapter 52
Rae
Ididn't know how longI had before Caleb would be back, so I knew I had to be quick.
I ran toward our room and picked out one of his flannel shirts, a lacy bra and panties, and then headed towards the bathroom.
“Come on, Duke!” I called as I walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind me, locking us in before I turned.
A couple of minutes into my shower, I heard something outside of the glass walls. I peeked my head out and saw Duke staring at the door, ears up. “Is Caleb home, buddy?” I turned the water off so I could listen, but when I didn’t hear anything, I continued my shower. Even though my glasses were off, I could still make out Duke standing by the door. It seemed awfully fast for Caleb to be back already, but maybe he came back to get something.
I finished my shower and stepped out onto the bathmat. Duke had not moved from his spot and had not stopped staring at the door. “Buddy, I don't hear anyone out there.” I put my ear to the door. “Nope. Nothing. He probably came back to get something and left, bud.”
Duke looked at me and sat down.
I got dressed and looked at myself in the mirror. While I still didn't see myself how Caleb saw me, I'd become more confident since I'd been with him which made me smile. I was standing in a flannel with nothing but a bit of lace under it, and I felt good.
My skin was flushed, and my heart sped up at the idea of being with him when he returned from the barn.
I put on my slippers before I opened the door to the bathroom. As soon as I opened the door, Duke jumped up and pushed past me, nearly knocking me over. “Duke! What the heck, bud?”
He went to the bedroom door and waited. When I opened the door, Duke walked out and began searching for something.
I walked past the spare room and saw the door open. I swore I closed it earlier. Maybe Caleb did forget something and came back to get it. I glanced at the front door and pet Duke’s head on the way. “Bud, the front door is still locked.” I looked out the kitchen window and saw Caleb and Luke near the barn. “Looks like they've got one more horse to lock up before they come back home,” I told Duke. He lay in the middle of the living room, facing away from me.
I found the popcorn Caleb had mentioned earlier and put some in a bowl before taking wine glasses out of the cabinet. Setting them on the counter, I went to the refrigerator and opened the door. Our refrigerator was well stocked, and Caleb had put the wine away when we got home. “Where is the wi—oh, there it is!” I reached towards the back to grab the bottle and then read the label to make sure I got the right one.
I jumped when I heard Duke growl and whine. Then a door shut. I stood up to see what had caused that noise since I was sure I was the only one in the house. I didn't know what to expect him to be growling at, but what caused it was the last thing I'd expected.
The world felt like it had started spinning, and I could hear my blood pumping in my ears, my heart was racing so fast.
“Hello, Rae.”
Glass shattered as I dropped the wine bottle, and wine splashed everywhere. Duke barked somewhere in the house, but he was no longer in the living room.
“Ethan. H-how did you get in here? Where's Duke?” I asked shakily, backing away from him. His eyes looked as black as the night sky.
“Don't worry, he's not hurt. He’s safe. I know you'd never forgive me if I hurt an animal. He's locked in a room. I had to get time alone with you, to convince you to come with me, but I didn't hurt any of the animals.”
“Did—were you the reason the horses were out?” The sudden realization hit me. Ethan grinned creepily.
