Now wasn’t the time to celebrate small wins. There were a few more tasks ahead. I carefully pushed the door open and stared at the dark stairs for a moment.
Eighteen. That’s how many steps I had to climb down. After drawing in a deep breath, I took the first step toward freedom. The second I closed the door behind me, I was enveloped in complete darkness. My eyes were wide open, but I couldn’t see a damn thing.
I gripped the iron railing for balance as I began counting one step at a time. “…fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen.” Almost there. “Seventeen….”
The moment my foot landed on the last step, something unexpected happened. The fluorescent bulb above flickered to life, illuminating the basement with a warm glow.
I stopped in my tracks, squinting against the harsh light that nearly blinded me. Seconds later, my eyes adjusted to thebrightness, and I saw him seated on a wooden chair a few paces away.
His legs were crossed, his gaze unwavering, with an expression that was both flat and unsettling.
“Going somewhere?” he asked calmly, his voice low and even.
I swallowed hard, my heart pounding loudly in my chest. My palms were sweaty, my pulse was racing, and my throat went suddenly dry. I stood at the base of the stairs, shaking slightly, frozen in place.
It was clear from the way he was seated, staring at me, that he already knew about my plans to escape tonight. That’s why he was waiting for me.
But how did he know that I’d be down here at this exact time?
Had he been watching my every move?
I thought I was careful enough.
I thought I had closed every loophole.
How did he manage to catch me without even trying?
Maybe I overestimated myself.
What’s he going to do to me now?
“I asked you a question,” he said, slowly rising to his feet.
The man was stripped from the waist up, exposing his ripped body. Broad chest, chiseled abs, and the kind of torso that narrowed into a tight, cut abdomen without even trying. His skin was marred with scars, long and short alike, some fainter than others.
He wasn’t built like a man who lifted weights for vanity. His body was the kind that came from functional violence. The sight of this tall, godlike man left me speechless and almost mesmerized.
As he closed the distance between us, the intoxicating scent of his cologne filled the air around me. Those steel-blueeyes locked onto mine in a way that made my heart race. I struggled to keep my gaze on his face, but my eyes kept darting down to his torso.
His insane build had awakened something in me, something I wasn’t ready to name yet. A cold shiver ran down my spine as an invisible force pulled me in. That’s when I remembered the way he watched me from my doorway the other night.
I had the same look on my face right now, and it was embarrassing. Especially because I’d judged him for staring at me like a creep.
It wasn’t until he stopped in front of me that I remembered I was in trouble for trying to run away. He towered over me, his height making me look smaller than I was. I lifted my head to meet his gaze, distracted by the scars on his skin.
“Did you honestly think that you could escape from me?” he questioned.
His voice was deep. Husky. Sexy.
Damn it, Ellie, focus.
I swallowed hard and clenched my jaw. “It was worth the shot.”
His expression didn’t change.
“You’d do the same if you were in my shoes,” I added, feigning courage even though I was shaking on the inside. “I’m sick of being locked up in that gilded cage. If you’re gonna kill me, do it already. Don’t cage me like an animal.” The words spilled out in a quiet, controlled manner.
He leaned in, his warm, fresh breath brushing my ear. “Try this again, and you’ll spend the next month down here.” He pulled back just enough to meet my gaze. “In an actual cage.”
