Page 16 of Manacled Hearts

Stroking Maya’s hair, I urge her to fall back asleep, only I notice that the faint light I was seeing wasn’t moonlight at all. The sun rises slowly, and I urge myself to fall back asleep, even if just for another hour or so.

Only, my mind wanders. It wanders back to the man who came here with flowers he never gave me and left with ire in his eyes.

He confused me, and I’ve been trying to understand what happened for the last two days. He was eager, then a flip switched, and he couldn’t distance himself fast enough.

But unfortunately, that’s not all… my mind wanders to the brightness of his blue eyes, his messy, blonde curls, and to his high, defined cheekbones.

It’s all flavors of wrong.

Yet, I’m curious of the taste of them all.

CHAPTER 3

EVELYN

Katya was right—I’m bursting out of my skin in this apartment. I have more space here than in our old house. Much more than my car or the shoddy motel rooms. Still, I’m beginning to feel claustrophobic.

There’s an ache beneath my skin, an itch I can’t scratch, and thirst that I fail to quench no matter how I occupy my time. Maybe getting out of here is the solution. I have to.

I need to.

Jay is here today. We’re alone again as Katya had to go to work sometime around nine this morning, and I still didn’t ask about her job. The opportunity came, but I chickened out. Even confined to this apartment, it’s not hard to piece things together and understand the type of world I stumbled into. And I fear I might judge her when she reveals it. I don’t want to resent her for being part of what’s clearly an organization dealing in less than legal endeavors. Even if she’s been helping us selflessly.

At least, I think it is selfless. Nothing has been asked of me—of us—so far.

If I’m right about her and their world, it might be better for mine and my sister’s safety to remain oblivious.

I shake my head before dropping it in my hands and rub my face as I brace my elbows against my knees.

That’s not me, though. No matter what the truth is, I’ve never been, nor will I ever be, a foolish, oblivious person. I can’t live in the belly of the beast without knowing its breed. I need to find out what I have gotten us into, and how to leave.

I jump when a knock sounds at the door, but it opens before I can react. Jay walks in, followed by a tall, dark shadow.

“Maddox,” I say on a sharp exhale, my back relaxing the moment the man comes into view.

He nods his hello, looking awkward as he walks into the apartment and shoves his hands in his pockets. I’m not sure if he’s uncomfortable being here, or in those jeans that seem a little too stiff on him. Are they new?

“Is everything okay?” I ask when he doesn’t say anything.

This might be the best opportunity for me to get answers to all those questions I’ve been having. Although, I’ve noticed that he’s quite guarded and doesn’t like to speak much. It’s not like I can ask anyone else, besides Katya. I don’t know the others.

Yes, you do—the golden-haired man who slipped into your dream once you fell back asleep last night.

I shut down that ridiculous train of thought before it has time to settle.

“Everything’s fine. Just wanted to see how you’re doing,” Maddox finally answers, and I’m so freaking thankful he did, because my mind needs to stay occupied. And distracted.

Definitely distracted.

“Actually, I remembered something, a name.” I pause, but Maddox doesn’t say a thing, just waits. “Vassallo. That guy with a lisp called him boss.”

Maddox nods and pulls out his phone that looks comical in his huge hands.

“Katya mentioned you haven’t left the apartment yet,” he says as he slides the phone back in his pocket.

“Not yet, no. We just”—we don’t have money to go anywhere—“didn’t know where to go.”

Maddox tilts his head, fixing me with his gaze.

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