Page 76 of Guarded Hearts

“You caused this!” She lifted a hand to rip the mask off her face and realized she was bound with a strap across her wrist. She attempted to lift the other and found it was secured too.

She was tied down, at her stalker’s mercy.

He tipped his head, studying her closely. “You don’t really want to do that, Layne. You need to rest,doll.”

She gaped at him. How did he know Carson’s pet name for her?

The creepy smile dropped from his lips, flattening it into a grim line. “I had my doubts that you and I would have ourhappily ever after when I saw you and that man sharing a bed. And your date at the restaurant and movie theater was steamy.”

“What! How do you know—”

“Now, Layne. If you get any more upset, I’m going to have to give you something more to help you sleep.”

“No! F-f-fuck off!”

“Do you like this room? I made it just for you. The green walls are the same color as some of the walls in Golden Horizon.”

“Oh god! How do you know these things about me? How long have you been spying on me?” She balled her fists into useless knots.

He picked up a syringe filled with clear liquid—some drug he could use to knock her out…or worse.

“What do you want from me? If it’s art, I’ll give it to you. Anything.”

“You must know that material objects don’t interest me. From the minute I laid eyes on you, I knew that you were meant to be with me. I’ve done so much for you. Bought you vases of flowers.”

“Paris.” The word was a hoarse croak.

His smile was back, but it didn’t reach his cold, blue eyes. Nothing like Carson’s deep gray ones that shone with love for her.

On and on, Patel talked, rambling about times when she didn’t see him but he saw her. Trips to Europe, and up and down the East Coast.

When he mentioned her Manhattan condo, her stomach dropped thirty stories.

“I’m going to be sick!”

“The anesthesia can do that. And you do have a concussion. Poor little doll.”

“Stop calling me that!” She retched.

The mask was pulled aside, and a plastic container thrust under her lips so she could vomit.

Weak, miserable and scared out of her head, she stared at him through her tears. “Let me go!”

“All you had to do was go out on that first date with me.”

“I never date clients.”

“You didn’t need to work with my interior designer.”

“It’s my policy.”

“You were afraid of me.”

She shook her head. Back then, she wasn’t afraid of anybody. Now all that had changed.

“You don’t have to be afraid of me, Layne. You know that, right? I’d never hurt you.”

“But you did hurt me!” Her exclamation kickstarted the pain in her face. She swore she could feel every single thread of every stitch he’d placed in her flesh to close the wound that he caused.

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