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Chapter Four
By the time morningarrived, the storm had calmed. Rain still lashed through the sky, but it was nowhere near as heavy as the previous day, and the wind had gone. I wondered how well my boat had fared overnight. Had it ended up smashed up against the cliffs, or was there a chance the vessel was retrievable?
From the lack of noise in the house, I assumed Loretta was still sick, and I’d be left to fend for myself again. I didn’t mind. I wasn’t a child and was perfectly capable of cooking and cleaning for myself. It was only because my time was better spent elsewhere that I employed Loretta—well, partly that, but also because I’d known I wanted another woman around when it came to taking Jolie captive. Loretta had had her own cross to bear about what Jolie’s father had done. The loss of her daughter had twisted her and made her bitter, and she was more than happy to come onboard with a plan that would result in Patrick Dorman ending up dead.
I climbed out of bed, threw on sweats, and tugged a t-shirt on over my head. I didn’t plan on doing any work today. I wasn’t even sure what day it was—not that it really made any difference to me. Weekends and weekdays all blurred into one.
I figured I’d go and check on my housekeeper first. I wasn’t exactly a nurturing personality type, but I didn’t want to have to worry that she was literally dying under my roof.
Crossing the property to the wing of the house where her room was located, I rapped lightly on her door.
“Come in,” a croaky voice replied.
I pushed my way into the room and tried not to visibly recoil at the stink of sweat and vomit. Loretta was a huddled bundle under her bedcovers.
“How are you feeling?” I asked.
“I’ve felt better,” she replied. “But I’ve stopped being sick, so I guess that’s a good thing.”
“Yes, it is. Can I get you anything?”
The bedcovers rustled as she shook her head. “I can’t manage anything to eat yet. I have a bottle of mineral water, so I’m not going to dehydrate.”
“I can make some hot tea,” I offered. “I’ll sweeten it for you. You could probably do with some sugar in your system.”
“Thank you, sir. That’s very kind of you.”
I frowned slightly. I didn’t do kind. “No problem.”
She sat up. Her hair was all over the place, her skin ashen. I was used to seeing her unkempt. Everything felt off kilter right now, and I didn’t like it. I liked things to be in tidy boxes, and at the moment I wasn’t even sure I had any boxes.
“The weather sounded terrible last night,” she said. “Was there any damage caused?”
Our captive almost escaped, and I’ve lost a million dollar boat to the ocean, I thought but didn’t say. Instead, I shook my head. “Not that I’m aware of, though I haven’t done a round of the building yet.”
“What about the... other issue?”
“She’s still safely locked up in her room, and the plane left with her letter before the storm hit. I imagine it’s been sent already. We should hear something soon.”
“Good.” She sank back beneath the covers. “Let me know.”
I nodded and backed out of the room, grateful to be back in reasonably fresh air. I went downstairs to make the tea. I’d make tea for myself, and cook some eggs for my breakfast, too. Should I make something for Jolie? I was still furious with her for her antics last night, and it wasn’t just about her escaping, or that she’d lost me a very expensive boat. No, it was how she’d gone about escaping that had left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. I didn’t want to admit to myself that I’d enjoyed spending time with her. And there had been a fraction of a moment, when I’d had my fingers knotted in her hair, and her mouth was sliding up and down my cock, that I’d actually considered the possibility of a different future.
Would I have done that for her? Would I have put to one side the plan I’d worked toward my entire life for the promise of a future with her sharp mouth, and sexy body, and wicked smile?
No, it was a moment of weakness. I wouldn’t be repeating it. In fact, if anything, it had taught me a lesson.
I got to work in the kitchen, heating water for hot tea, and cracking and whisking eggs for breakfast. My gaze kept getting drawn down, no matter how much I was trying to keep my mind off her. She was in the dark down there; I’d made sure of it. What would she be thinking right now? Did she understand she was being punished, or did she think something else had happened?
I wanted her to know she was in the dark because it was my choice. She needed to understand that everything in her life was my choice now. I’d control what she ate, what she wore, even what fucking hours she slept if I wanted to. She was mine now, and she needed to stop fighting.
That was the only way this was going to work.
Toast popped up, hot and fragrant, and my stomach grumbled. I scraped the eggs onto the toast and ate while standing at the counter. Jolie would be hungry by now. She hadn’t eaten since the meal we’d shared, and her race across the island in the storm would have burned a lot of energy. That was fine. She was going to stay hungry. I was throwing my rule about offering her meals if she ate the last one out the window. I’d fed her well, and she repaid me by running. Now she could go hungry, and then hopefully she wouldn’t have the energy to try to escape again.
I wished I could figure out a way to turn off my emotions. I’d never considered myself an emotional person before—quite the opposite. I’d believed I was cold and dead inside, but then I’d brought her into my life, and I’d discovered something human still existed inside me. I needed to turn off my guilt about knowing she was hungry and alone down there in the dark. There was nothing down there she could hurt herself with. She was dry and had clean clothing.
If I switched on the computer and brought up the live feed, would I be able to see her? Perhaps I could bring up the lights for just a second, so I could make sure she was all right? It was my weakness edging in again, but even though I wanted to destroy her, I also wanted to protect her.
