Page 43 of His Pet

I throw my makeup bag in the duffel and zip it up.

We hit the road, and I pay attention to the highway we take, searing the drive into my memory in case it’s useful someday. Lorenzo glances at me on occasion with an amused grin.

A little after one, my eyes get heavy. I relax into the front seat and allow my eyes to close, just until we make a turn.

“Wake up, Kitty. We’re here.”

My eyes shoot open, and I glance around, inhaling a deep breath. Fuck, I fell asleep.

Lorenzo’s olive skin and dark hair is illuminated by the car’s light. He has my door open and is leaning through it, unbuckling my seatbelt. I let him help me out, and he guides me with a hand on my lower back toward the cabin steps.

I look all around me, a sleepy haze clouding my senses, but I’m quickly becoming alert. There’s a screeching sound all around us, and I search out the source in the dark. “What is that?”

Lorenzo chuckles and pulls out his keys when we step onto the porch. My bags sit beside the door.

“Those are katydids, Kitty. You should get out of the city more often.”

Lorenzo unlocks and opens the door, and I follow him inside the dark cabin. He switches on a light to reveal a kitchen on the left and living room on the right. A hallway in front of us leads to the bedrooms and bathroom.

It isn’t huge. There’s a quaint little breakfast nook and a white rug in the living room, in front of a brown couch. A fireplace fills one corner, and ashes scatter on the floor in front of it. This place has the same feel as Lorenzo’s penthouse, but with a much cozier vibe. It isn’t as spotless. It looks lived in. The furniture looks like it’s been used, and the floorboards could use a good polish. I notice there isn’t a TV.

Lorenzo carries both bags in and drops them on the floor. He must have everything he needs here because he doesn’t have any bags of his own.

I grab the duffel that has my PJs inside and head to the bathroom. After washing up and changing, I step out of the bathroom and glance around for Lorenzo. He isn’t in the living room, and neither is my other bag. There’s a door open to the left of me, and I walk in the bedroom expecting to see him, but he isn’t there. I drop my bag and check the other bedrooms. Still no Lorenzo.

A panic comes over me. What if he left me here? What if this is some kind of prison?

What if I’malone?

It would be the perfect cage for him to put me in. We must be miles away from civilization, and I would never make it in the woods by myself. I’m a city girl. I’ve never even been camping. The closest I’ve come to nature is a trip to Africa I took last summer, but even then, I stayed in a resort. Same with a trip to Australia. I’ve seen lions, giraffes, zebras and kangaroos, all in their natural habitats, but I didn’tsleepwith them.

I race toward the front door and fling it open. The black Audi is still parked in the little dirt driveway.

I let out a breath and lean against the doorframe, intent on not letting the car leave my sight. Lorenzo appears minutes later with a stack of logs in his arms. I almost don’t recognize him in sweatpants and a T-shirt.

I’m glad I brought my cardigan because it’s much colder here. Almost no wind, though. The trees must block it. They surround the cabin, with only the dirt trail breaking through.

He passes by me, and I follow him inside. He sets the logs next to the fireplace and tosses a few inside. A fire warms the cabin a few minutes later.

“Are you going to stand there staring at me all night?” Lorenzo asks, still crouched in front of the fireplace. “Go to bed, Kitty. Your room is down the hall.”

My room? Are we sleeping in separate rooms?

“What are we doing here?” I ask, shifting my feet. “Is this some sort of trick? Are you planning on taking off as soon as I fall asleep?”

Lorenzo chuckles and stands. He walks over to me and leans against the wall. “No, it isn’t a trick. I like it out here and want to spend a few days away from the city. To be honest, I like to be alone, but leaving you in Vegas seemed like a bad idea considering all your adorable little escape attempts. I’d hate to have to cut my time short because you made a fuss.”

“Speaking of,” he says, his expression growing serious. “The keys to the car are someplace you will never find them. If you tear this place apart looking, I’m going to be pissed.”

“And all this time, I thought you liked when I made a ‘fuss’. If you’d like to be alone, you could always let me go. If you give me your phone, I’m sure I could find a ride.”

Lorenzo gives me a crooked grin. “Go to sleep, Kitty. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I smirk before heading down the hall to my new cage. I get in bed and must already be broken because it feelsstrange. Too soft. Too nice. Very unlike the rug I’ve been sleeping on.

What am I going to do if Lorenzo climbs into bed beside me? This room doesn’t even have a rug. Would I sleep on the floor? Ask if I can go to the couch? Would he let me?

A shiver runs down my spine, but it isn’t from fear. A little sick part of me doesn’t hate the idea of him climbing in bed next to me. Blood rushes to my face, and I roll onto my side.

I don’t find out what I would do because he never comes into my room. After what must be an hour, I close my eyes and go to sleep.

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