Page 46 of Reclaiming Adelaide

Tell that to all the missing persons cases that went unsolved every year.

I’d done all the right things, yet they popped up like shadows everywhere.

“If that’s true, then let me leave. They’ll come after me, and you’ll get caught in the crossfire.”

I jumped from my seat, and Jake rounded the island with unnatural speed and grabbed hold of my shoulders. I shied away, wincing as his fingers dug into my bruise, the agony buckling my knees. “Ahh.”

Jake’s brows pulled together as he dropped his hand from my shoulder, then pulled my shirt away from my wound.

“I thought you said he didn’t hurt you?”

“He didn’t.” I shrugged him off and adjusted my shirt, so it sat straight again. “That was from the truck four days ago.”

“You didn’t feel the need to mention this?”

“In case you’ve forgotten,” I said, backing away from him. “We aren’t exactly on speaking terms. Remember?” I cocked my head to the side. “Or did that slip your mind?”

He reached out for me again, but I dodged his touch. “You won’t win this fight without me.”

I rolled my eyes. “Seems like I won’t win at all if what Tonk says is true.”

“Don’t call me Tonk. It’s Randall.”

“Fine… Randall.”

Just let me vanish into thin air so I can pretend this never happened. I’d go skiing in the mountains or hide in the snow of Montreal. Maybe I’d go to Florida and swim with the manatees.

Either way, I couldn’t sit here explaining my situation to Jake. Not because I didn’t want to be near him, but because the longer I was, the more desperate the situation became.

But maybe he was right, and I stood a chance at survival with him. Because if it wasn’t for him, I’d be in the trunk of some car, waiting for them to dig my grave.

13

It’dtakenmesevenwhole days and nights filled with emails and phone calls that ended up filtering into a generic voicemail until they made contact. All the while, she’d complained endlessly because I’d cut her off from civilization and electronics.

“I’m leaving,” I said, catching her reflected gaze on the TV.

She hadn’t moved from that seat all day aside from digging into the fridge and eating me out of house and home. For a woman as thin as she was, she sure could eat.

Adelaide twisted in place on the leather couch, her elbow resting on the back, her chin on her arm. “Where are you going?”

“I have some errands to run.” A meeting I’d worked tirelessly to make. “Don’t leave the house. Don’t go snooping. I’ve locked my computer, so don’t even try to get on the internet, and the house arms the moment I drive away. I’ll know if you even think about opening a window or door.”

“Yes, Daddy.” She snarled. “Why can’t I go?” Her frown turned into a pout. “I’ve been stuck in this house for days now.”

I could wipe the frown off her face if I bent her backward over the couch and slipped my cock into her mouth. Taking one step forward, then two, I paused, clenching my fist.

It wouldn’t take much for me to fulfill that fantasy.

“Do as you’re told. I won’t be long.”

I stepped back, putting distance between us, then grabbed my keys from the hook and pocketed the cool, thick key fob.

“What if something happens? I won’t have any way to contact someone.”

“The alarm will do it for you. You can hitpanicon the panel, and they’ll send the police, or when the alarm goes off, they’ll call the police automatically.”

She sunk back into the couch with an irritated grunt and crossed her arms under her breasts, propping them up into delicious pillows I wanted to take a bite out of.

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