AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The windows? Are they connected to the system? Can they be?
“You won’t get out of the house without setting the alarm off.”
I start to let out a scream at the sound of Cyprus’s voice behind me, but he clamps a hand over my mouth.
“Shh, remember Bride’s asleep. You don’t want to wake her,” he whispers next to my ear.
My eyes widen, and I nod. My heart feels like it’s about to tear out of my chest with the rapid palpations. I try to catch my breath but it’s as if all the air in my lungs swooshes right out and I’m left completely breathless.
“Easy, baby, take a breath,” Cyprus coos and presses a kiss to the spot right behind my ear. He removes his hand from over my mouth, slides that hand down to my stomach, and holds me close. His front flush with my back. “Where were you going to run off to?”
A shiver runs down my spine as he whispers his question and nips at my ear lobe. My legs go wobbly, and I’m lucky to keep them from collapsing. Even more, between my legs aches with a need unlike I’ve ever known. With Hector, he took my virginity, he forced himself on me and never cared about how he did it. And I just took it. Did what he wanted. Right now, though, with the fluttering of butterflies in my stomach, I bite my lip to keep from whimpering in need. It’s also not lost on me the hardness pressing into my backside.
“Answer me, baby,” Cyprus utters and slowly turns me to face him, keeping his arms around me and his body flush against mine. I shake my head in answer, but he grips my chin and forces me to look at him. “Where did you think you were gonna run off to, Noelle?”
I open my mouth, however, words escape me. I wet my lips, clear my throat, and finally find my voice. “I was going to go home.”
Cyprus’s nostrils flare, and his arm around me tightens. “That’s not your home anymore, Elle. You are not that person, and damned if I’ll let you put yourself back in that predicament.”
“You can’t keep me here.” I stiffen and narrow my gaze.
“Wanna bet?” He cocks a brow. “You won’t get past the alarm system, and if you did, there’s a prospect out there watching the house. You won’t get past him. And even before that, you have to get past me.”
“I got past you once,” I remark snarkily.
“Did you?” He smirks. “You think I wasn’t awake when you inched your way out of the bed and then stared at me while I laid there? You think I didn’t know you snuck out of the room? Baby, I followed right behind you, and you didn’t even know it. So, don’t think you’ll get past me without me knowing.” Releasing me, Cyprus steps back and scoops me into his arms. “Now, let’s go back to bed. I’m tired, and I know you’ve gotta be exhausted.”
Carrying me to his room, he places me in his bed and joins me, putting us in the same position we were in before.
“You could have told me you were awake,” I huff and stare into the darkness of the room.
“If I did that, I wouldn’t have gotten to see how you were gonna try to find your way out of my bed.” Cyprus gives me a squeeze, and I swear the way he breathes on my neck sends tingles down my spine, and I want to feel more of him. Lots more, but there’s no way. Hell, I shouldn’t even be here. Not with me being who I am. “Go to sleep, baby. I can all but hear your mind going overtime, and you need to relax. Tomorrow’s a new day, and while we’re out getting you what you need, we’ll talk.”
“Talk?”
“Yeah, talk.”
I swallow my anxiety back down and close my eyes. There’s no way I can do this, but he’s right, I’m exhausted.
* * *
“Wake up, Elle.”
I burrow deeper into the pillow, not ready to face the world. Face my life. I just want to sleep. My parents can’t hurt me in my dreams. Not like they do every day. Hector can’t do anything to me when I’m dreaming.
“Come on, baby, we’ve got things to do today.”
There’s that voice again. The smooth, husky, gravelly voice.
And at that thought, everything that happened yesterday comes back to me, and I jerk upright, my breathing heavy as I stare wildly into a set of dark but gentle eyes. Eyes that should be filled with hatred.
“Easy, Noelle, you’re safe. Take a deep breath,” Cyprus murmurs and cups the side of my face. His thumb strokes my cheek as I do as he says. “That’s it, baby, focus on me and breathe.”
Blowing out one last deep breath, I blink away the sleep and take in the sincerity and concern in Cyprus’s gaze.
“What time is it?” I ask randomly. Well, not so randomly—he did hire me to be his nanny. Now that I’m thinking of that, I’m not so sure if he just used that as an excuse with Bride or what. I mean, if I’m his employee, I shouldn’t be in his bed. Right? It should be unethical.
“It’s a little after noon,” he answers, pulls away slightly, and keeps his gaze on me. “You still sleep like the dead.”
