Page 55 of Ruin

“Okay, fine. Brush teeth. Cuddle time over.” He chuckled with amusement as he followed behind me and moved between me and the door. He turned his back to the door, facing me as he spoke slowly. “Are you sure we are okay? You feel…conflicted.”

My eyes widened, and I couldn’t seem to find my next breath. I stammered as my eyes scanned the floor. “I…I’m just.”

Make something up, for fuck’s sake.

I locked my eyes into his, trying my best to seem genuine. “I’m still having flashbacks.”

His eyes softened as he pulled me against his chest. “Oh, Claire. I am so sorry. Let us just focus on spending time together, and it will get easier. I promise you.”

The vibration of his voice against my cheek made my knees buckle as I nodded.

I watched as his hand reached for the handle of the door, pulling it slowly. The hallway beyond the room was dim with light from the living quarters above.

Sunlight.

Arik led me in the direction of his chamber at the far end of the hallway. As we walked, we passed closed door after closed door that lined the hall. I had never quite noticed them before or wondered where they led, but now my curiosity was piqued.

Is Jennifer behind one of these doors? The two other missing women?

STOP.

Arik’s hand settled on my shoulder as he opened the door to the chamber before us. It looked just as it had the night that I found out the truth about him. Even the security blinds in the window were still drawn down.

“Isn’t it daytime?” I questioned, not entirely sure of the exact day or time. I paused. “Wait, what day is it?”

Arik rested his back against the door, arms crossed as he spoke. “It is Thursday.”

I gasped, my eyes growing wide as my voice rose. “Thursday? How is it Thursday? You’re telling me my family hasn’t heard from me in three days?”

Arik walked toward me, resting his hands on my shoulders and walking me backward to the bedside. He kept his voice low, an almost soothing calm. “After the accident, you were in and out of sleep for the first day. Between the injury and the medication, it does not surprise me that you do not remember.”

He took a pause as I sat down on the bed, steadying myself. “And your family has heard from you. And work, as well.”

My eyes shot to him, an expression of what the fuck plastered across my face.

“Sam went to the hotel and used your laptop to iMessage your family.” The tone in his voice was fearful, as if he were afraid that I would be more angry than appreciative.

I shook my head and closed my eyes, my brows growing tightly together in confusion. “Wait…how did you get into my laptop? Where is my phone?” I scanned the room, unable to remember where I had last put it before the bath.

Arik took to his knee before me, resting his hand on my thigh. He was trying so hard to be calm that much was obvious. His eyes drilled into mine as he spoke slowly, almost as if he was trying to convince me.

“We found your phone at the bottom of the tub. I had put it under your robe for you, and you must have knocked it into the water when you put your robe on. It has been sitting in rice since we found it, but I am not sure it will make it. I have already had Sam order you a new one, just in case.”

His hand reached up to my face, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear as I steadied myself. He continued, a smirk crossing his lips as his voice dropped, “Now, your laptop…the password…”

He looked toward the ceiling, taking his bottom lip between his teeth and exhaling sharply from his nose. “You really should not make your password your ex-boyfriend’s birthday.”

My eyes narrowed. “Oh, don’t look so amused. He wasn’t my ex when I made it that. I just haven’t…” I stopped. “How do you know Alex’s birthday?”

Arik stood, towering over me as he cocked his eyebrow. “Oh, come on, Claire. You think I do not know everything about you?”

My eyes widened as I sat there, jaw dropped, unable to speak. Every question that raced through my mind—I already knew the answers to.

I’m never getting out of here.

If I ran, he would find me.

STOP.