Page 5 of Hell and High Water

“Rustic. Cozy. Maybe I’m not being held hostage,” I try to laugh, but the effort slices through my side like a knife into my ribs. “Nope. No laughing today.”

And I can’t let my guard down. Not yet.

Unease settles in my stomach at the quiet of the house. Maybe I’m just imagining things.

The first window I reach reveals a twist to my safety. Bars along the outside. Whether they’re to keep anyone out or to keep me in has yet to be seen.

Nonetheless, red flags and alarms ring in my head at being trapped inside. I need to keep calm. Examine the facts.

And try to remember anything else that may help give me a clue as to why I am alone in a strange house. The days leading up to my injury were stressful, a blur of rehearsal, then one hit after another, Tell lying to me, Evan betraying me.

The night of the ball comes flooding back, sending me to the couch before I lose my balance and fall.

Darkness, lights on the stage.

Evan and me performing, dancing, making love, and completely losing ourselves in each other.

One of the most intense and sensual experiences of my entire life.

Followed by one of the worst.

Being taken to a meeting of Sanctum’s elite, finding Tell there with his father, the mayor. Xavier Clive, the president of the Motor Club, Oliver Devonde, the pharmaceutical mogul and leader of the Holy Ghost drug gangs.

Topped off with the crowning jewel of finding out my violent, criminal step-father, Marco Vice, was in Sanctum Harbor, and there at the ball. All those years of thinking I had escaped his grasp, crumbling in a heartbeat.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Evan said nothing.

And then he let them auction me off to that monster.

I would have been lost, taken that night if not for Tell. He set off some sort of explosion, shattering the windows in the concert hall, allowing Evan to get me out the back door.

Still, his appearance, the fact that Tell had been following me, shadowing me and present at almost every horrible experience I’ve gone through since we met, had me terrified and feeling betrayed by him, as well.

I told him never to lie to me…

His explanation of his actions, that he works for the Sinful and was working to protect me, separate from Evan, from Aunt Rachelle who seemed to be in charge of what happened that night…

It changed things. But it didn’t make the lies hurt any less.

I guess I’m still reconciling the details.

That night didn’t offer me time to do so. I ran. I found Gavin. We made love for the first time.

And then I left. Or tried to.

I check the door again, the panel beside it showing that the system is armed. A quick glance around the space gives me a good idea that the whole place is locked down and any attempt to leave will signal someone.

“Geez, this place is a fortress… overkill much?”

The camera below the banister faced right at the front door is an even more blatant giveaway.

But who is my keeper?

A peek out the windows along the walls shows me the house is isolated, at least from any road. The driveway veers a dozen feet down, curving out of sight. Other than that, it’s just trees, trees, trees.

Beautiful, and I am relieved to recognize that it must be somewhere more or less near Sanctum Harbor, still in the mountains, at least. It’s hard to appreciate the view or the proximity with the worry of being a prisoner at the forefront of my thoughts, though…

Forcing the panic rising in my chest down to a dull roar, I make my way back toward the kitchen. Another glass of water has my head clearing and my body feeling slightly more able.

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