Page 45 of The Phantom's Vice

Think. Things are not looking good.“W-why not? What are you going to do with me?”

He shrugs, that faceless oval moving off to the side again. “I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know! That’s?—”

“I said I don’t know!”

I jerk, my chest heaving as that distorted voice echoes off the stone walls. A heavy sigh tears through him, and he stands from the bed, making his way toward my head.

“What are you doing? Get away from me!”

He acts as if he doesn’t hear me, reaching toward my chest and loosening the strap with a flick of his fingers. I blink, ceasing my struggle as I realize what he’s doing. He pulls a slim silver key from his breast pocket and inserts it into one of the restraints on my ankles. There’s aclickas the lock comes undone, and I breathe a sigh of relief as blood flows freely to my toes.

“Thank you,” I whisper, sitting up as soon as my other ankle is free. I hold out my wrists to him, but he shakes his head.

“I do not trust you with your hands free.Besides…” His voice takes on a teasing lilt. “I like seeing you in handcuffs.”

I frown, throwing my legs over the side of the bed clumsily. The Phantom jerks his head to the far end of the room and takes off, leaving me to stumble after him.

He stops in front of a plain stone wall, and my mouth pops in a question. It dies in my throat, though, when he presses the back of his wrist to it, and a secret door slides open.

“Whoa. That’s pretty badass.”

He whips his head to me, seemingly surprised to hear me say something other than a threat. “You think so?”

I shrug awkwardly. “Sure. That, or I’m easily impressed.”

A snort sounds from that eerie black oval. “Come, Brett. Watch your step.”

He jerks his head, motioning for me to head up in front. My hackles raise, but it’s not like I have another option. Taking a deep breath, I pull my shoulder back as much as the cuffs will allow, and I ascend the stairs.

I don’t need to look back to know the Phantom is staring directly at my ass the whole way,and it fills me with a strange buzzing feeling. I shake my head.That’s it—I’ve definitely lost my marbles.

“Brett?”

I jerk, my foot sliding from the step and sending my body reeling backward. I close my eyes, waiting for the smack of my head against the steps, but there’s nothing—nothing except a warm pair of arms wrapped tightly around my waist. That strange electricity returns, emanating strongest from the places his hands rest on my hips.

“It’s okay, darling. I have you now.” His voice is so soft. So… I don’t really know the word to describe it.Reverent, maybe.

I pry my body from his grip, frowning when I’m left utterly empty by the loss of sensation. “Why do you keep calling me that?”

“You have a lot of questions,” he says, ushering me up the last few steps. I’m about to point out that I have a right to be, but then I step into the main room, and all previous thoughts fly out the window.

A massive chandelier hangs from the thirty-foot vaulted ceiling, complete with hand-carved stone ornaments along each of the arched hallways. The room is cast in a gentle orange hue from the light of the chandelier bouncing off the sandstone, givingthe entire space a cozy feel despite the size. A grand piano sits in the center of the room—a Steinway, by the looks of it—and stacks on stacks of sheet music are sitting on the top, their edges frayed and yellow from age. I move toward the massive instrument in a trance, running my fingertips lightly over the worn ivory keys.

It’s so quiet here that I can hear my heart beating. And if I listen closely, I swear I can hear waves crashing in the background. Curiously, I float over to the window taking up the wall on the left of the room. It’s dark outside, so I can’t see out, but the closer I get, the surer I am of what I heard earlier.

We’re by the ocean.

I press my forehead against the cool glass, listening to the waves crash against the stone cliffs. My best guess is we’re somewhere in the northern part of Moriton—possiblyinsidethe cliffs that break off into the ocean.

I shudder, the severity of my situation hitting me tenfold.If I’m where I think I am, then there’s no possible way for me to escape. We’re deep in the wilderness, with no sign of civilization for miles. Even if I somehow managed a way out of this stone fortress, I wouldn’t know which direction to start running.

“I’m trapped,” I whisper, squeezing my eyes tight.I’m going to die here, aren't I?

“Brett?”

I jump, knocking my head against the glass with a loudthunk.I bring my hand to my forehead with a wince, then twist to face the Phantom.

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