He makes a small noise, like air through his nose.
Andhe’s laughing at me?
What a fucking asshole.
“Drink this.”
Something lands on the floor beside me, rolling into my side. I peer down to see a bottle of water and waste no time forcing my body to cooperate, somehow convincing it to sit up. I grab the bottle, and it takes me way too long to get the cap untwisted, my hands uncoordinated and clumsy. As soon as I have it open, I tip it back and gulp down the room temperature water, some dripping down my chin.
Pride is the least of my concerns right now. Nor do I give a fuck if it’s poisoned. My mouth is drier than the fucking Sahara.
After chugging half the bottle in one go, I lower it to my lap and make one fatal mistake.
I look.
My vision swims as I squint up at him, but I can still make him out, like he’s the only clear thing in the room.
He’s tall with broad shoulders. His hair is a soft brown that deepens in the shadows, cut short but just long enough to fall into loose, unruly strands that tumble forward over his forehead. He has a bit of a five o’clock shadow dusted over his sharp jawline. It’s hard to tell from here, but his eyes look gray. I swear they’re almost silver.
He’s also dressed too casually for anyone who’s allowed this much control over a locked door. He looks…annoyinglynormal. Dark jeans and a gray T-shirt that reveals the veins in his right forearm and the full sleeve of tattoos on his left. Every bit of fabric clings to well-defined muscle.
I guess I was expecting some mad scientist in a lab coat or theatrical villain accessories.
That’s disappointing.
Especially because…
Of course. Ofcoursemy kidnapper would be hot.
Figures my luck would land me an abductor who looks like a walking regret.
Trauma, but make it confusing.
The man’s eyes narrow. “What?”
Did I say all of that out loud?
Oh. No. I’m laughing.
I shake my head, trying to rein it in and failing. Spectacularly.
Everything still feels funny and fuzzy. It’s like my body has decided all on its own that this is the most appropriate response to being abducted by a hot stranger and held in some creepy, high-tech basement. I clamp my mouth shut, but it’s no use. The laughter continues bubbling up, loose and breathy and entirely unhinged.
“Sorry,” I mutter, grinning up at him like I’ve completely lost my grip on reality. Which, to be fair, I might have. “I think the universe is having a joke at my expense is all.”
“Right,” he says flatly, like he regrets every life choice that’s led him to this moment.
Then he turns toward the door.
And for some reason, panic spikes.
Stupid. Reflexive. Veryme.
Surely I’d rather be alone than trapped with the very man who kidnapped me?
“Wait.”
He pauses and peers back over his shoulder.
