AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m only running around the complex,” I ground out.
I slammed the door on the way out and caught it just in time before it banged after remembering Jill was asleep.
Seeing Jill lying there on the bed tore my heart into pieces. I should have been at the ball! I ran deep into the woods and howled, letting out all my pent-up energy and nervousness. Something wasn’t right. I had been unsettled since I smelled that faint whiff of familiarity at the ball. I knew the smell was related to what happened to Jill, I just couldn’t figure out why. Running had made my emotions somewhat feasible to control, but I couldn’t keep running. I had to figure this out so Jill didn’t get hurt again.
Jill
I wokeup with a throbbing headache and told myself I shouldn’t have enjoyed myself as much as I had last night. Then, flashbacks of the ball started replaying in my mind in slow motion, and the horrors of last night washed over me. My eyes popped open, and I realized I was in an unfamiliar place. It smelled different, too, like masculinity on steroids. I couldn’t be back in Rich’s room!
I immediately sat up and glanced around, looking for the familiar dresser and bookshelves Rich had installed to entice me to stay put. Gifts were his go-to. Tricks, as I saw them now; nothing more than tricks to get me to stay. And I was stupid enough to fall for them—but not now.
What I saw, though, made me pause. This room was not Rich’s, and I only knew that because it was cluttered. In a good way, though, as the room felt homey and welcoming. A knitted blanket was laid over me, and there were real books on the shelf—some I recognized from grade school—along with trinkets collected from around the world. There was a television mounted on the wall with photos hanging next to it, containing photos ofactualpeople. Rich would never have done that. He would have called it baseless, unworthy of his time. If he wanted to see people, he’d go see them he’d say; why hang them on the wall?
But then a worse thought came to mind—maybe this was all a trick? It wouldn’t be the first time Rich had changed my environment to make me confused and further keep me in his grasp.
I jumped up, on high alert. The place was quiet; this was the perfect chance to escape. I had to try. Now that I’d tasted freedom, I was never going to stick with him again. I wouldn’t. Becca had saved me, and I deserved a life free of imprisonment.
I jumped off the bed, only to have my legs give out, knocking over the drink I hadn’t seen on the side table in the process. I cursed, thinking now I’d done it. Rich would find a stain on his table and carpet, and I would get a beating for it. I grabbed the first thing I could find—the blanket—and started wiping up the mess.
The door opened behind me, startling me, and I turned, fully expecting Rich to be staring at me with a “gotcha” look on his face. It would serve me right for believing I had the freedom to do as I pleased.
But those thoughts came to a halt when I found it was Luc staring back at me, without a shirt on, and his pants hanging low on his hips. He looked startled himself, with his hair going every which way.
“Jill,” he rasped.
Luc started walking toward me, and that’s when I bolted. Memories started surfacing of the men who came out of their rooms, all who looked like Luc, as if they were in a gang just like Rich. I had left one only to join another!No, no, no, no, no, no!
I ran out of the bedroom and straight toward the front door. My fingers curved around the handle when a massive hand pressed against mine and held the door shut.
“Jill—”
“No, please don’t hurt me! I just want to go! Please, just let me go, Luc! I won’t tell anyone about you, I promise I won’t tell a soul. Just let me go back to my room. I’ll pack and be out of your hair before you know it. You won’t ever see me again, I promise.” The words rambled out of my mouth as I sank to the floor. I covered my head with my hands and hoped I would only receive bruises instead of ending up in the emergency room.
There was a knock on the door, followed by a voice that sounded like Damon’s. “Boss, everything okay?”
“Everything is fine. Tell the boys to go back to their rooms.” Luc’s voice sounded gruffer than normal, and I knew my time was numbered. Rich’s voice always dropped an octave the madder he got. The longer he yelled at me, the deeper it went till it was nothing but a guttural growl.
There wasn’t any verbal acknowledgment of Luc’s order, but I heard the doors open and close.
“Jill.”
He crouched down next to me and then a hand touched my arm. I was curled up so tight. I wished he’d just get it over with already. This was torture. What did he want with me?
A moment later his hand was gone. “I’m not going to hurt you, Jill. Please, open your eyes. I’m in the living room. You’re free to open the door and leave if you want.”
It was a trick. As soon as I opened my eyes, a fist would be there to knock me senseless. But Luc’s voice had come from a few feet away, and so far no blow had landed. I peeked between my arms and, sure enough, there was no one in front of me or beside me. I leaned back and felt the door to the coat closet along my spine. I then turned to face the living room and saw Luc sitting on the floor, with his back leaning against the sofa. He was breathing hard, and I could tell he was worked up about something.
“I’m sorry I spilled the water. I’ll replace the table and the carpet with whatever you want.”
“You’re worried about what you spilled?” Confusion lit his face, and I started to point back toward his bedroom, but then he said slowly, “You’re hurt and you care about spilling some water on the table?”
“It must have damaged the—”
“Who did this to you?” he barked.
“What?”
“You heard me. Who made you so scared? Who hurt you yesterday?”
