Page 83 of Release You

Feeling numb, I trudged to the massive bathroom that was bigger than the hotel room I’d been living in for the last month. My bare feet slapped on the cold marble floors, as I made my way to the steaming shower. I peeled my dress off and let everything else drop on top of it—Jonathan’s phone, my emergency pack, the Taser, and my boy shorts.

I stepped under the water, braced my hands on the tile, and sobbed. Dirty water ran down my legs and into the drain. A fancy bar of soap sat on the recessed shelf. I unwrapped it and used it to wash my hair and body. The hot water and lavender smell soothed my tensed muscles. My battered soul would need more than scented oil to heal. The emptiness I felt was too much.

Lisa’s name had been cleared. Tomorrow I would make sure everyone in town knew what really happened. But what would I do after that? I couldn’t stay in Paradise Creek, not when Henry was still here, probably hating me for leaving him again. I should leave tonight, but where would I go? I didn’t have a plan. I blinked, my eyelids heavy with sleep. Tomorrow. I would figure things out tomorrow. I’d been up all night, and I couldn’t think anymore.

I shut off the water, grabbed a towel out of the bathroom cabinet, and dried myself. Henry’s closet was mostly empty except for a few T-shirts from his boarding school in Tucson. I grabbed one, put it on, and then ran my fingers through my hair to comb it. Had he left these here the day they sent him away to Canada?

Numb, I slipped under the covers. His smell was no longer on his clothes or his bed, but I had the memories of us in this room to keep me company. Good memories.

I woketo rain pelting down on the window. Something about it comforted me. It felt like home. I sat up and peered at the stunning Italian carved and gilded eighteenth century sofa across the room. Right. I was in Henry’s room. I blinked a few times. How long had I been sleeping? I threw my legs over the side of the bed and welcomed the cool feel of the marble when my bare feet touched the floor.

I didn’t remember this place being so cold or empty. I padded to the bathroom to pick up my emergency pack and Jonathan’s phone. It died while I slept. I returned to the bed and threw the pack and the phone on the bedside table. I couldn’t go back to sleep. Instead, I sat on the sofa near the window and contemplated the cloudy and gloomy sky beyond the garden. I had no idea what time it was, if I’d slept just a few hours or days.

Time didn’t matter. I was awake now, and I had to get out of here. But first things first. I needed to call Russ so he could bring me some clothes. I didn’t mind going out in just a top, but no underwear was pushing it.

I rushed to the door and turned the knob, but it was locked. How long after Henry’s dad died before Francesca put an outside deadbolt on Henry’s door? But more importantly, why the hell had Russ locked me up? I tried again. What the fuck, Russ?

I darted back to the bed, grabbed my emergency pack, and rummaged through it. But then I remembered I left my lock kit in the tunnels last night. I paced the room with a swirl of ideas swimming in my head. Now what?

A click on the door made me jump, and I turned to face it, bracing myself for whatever was coming my way. The police had taken Scott, and they said most of Francesca’s security guards had run off when the SWAT team descended on them. I was supposed to be alone in thehouse.

I glanced at my legs. I was naked from the waist down. The hem of Henry’s T-shirt barely brushed the spot between my ass and my thigh. The door cracked open, and Henry’s head peeked through. My heart did a somersault when I saw his beautiful face, the same jolt I felt in the tunnel when I had the gun pointed at Francesca and he stood at the threshold looking like the hero of some western movie, complete with dirty jeans and a sexy scowl.

Like before, I wanted to run to him, bury my face in the nook of his neck and tell him I never left him. That everything I did was because I was afraid for him, because I wanted to protect him.

“Is it safe?” He swung the door open.

“Why don’t you come in and find out?” I widened my stance.

“I was hoping you’d be asleep. But I can explain.” He cleared his throat and closed the door behind him before he flipped the inside bolt.

“What?” I crossed my arms over my chest, and my top rode up an inch.

Henry’s mouth fell open with a look on his face that by now I recognized well. I pulled on the hem to cover myself.

“What are you going to explain? That you sent Russ to trick me into coming up here so he could lock me up? Why?”

He sauntered toward me, wearing a clean pair of jeans and a T-shirt, hair wet. He smelled of lavender and aftershave. Crap. I pulled on the hem again as his dark gaze dropped to my hand, as if he could see through the fabric.

“Don’t even think about it. You think I’m interested in canoodling after the little stunt you pulled last night. Locking me up, like I’m some kind of willful child.” I didn’t even know why I was angry at him.

“It was this morning.” He flashed me a pantydropping smile. “I asked Russ to make sure you didn’t leave the house until I got back. I may have mentioned my room had an outside lock.” He took another step. “Stop me, if you want. Tell me you don’t want this. But now you have to say it to my face.”

I stumbled back. In two strides, he reached me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and pressed his lips against mine. His kiss was hungry and demanding as he slipped his hands under my shirt and up my hips to the small of my back. His fingers felt hot against my skin. Suddenly, the cold floor didn’t bother me anymore. I responded the only way I could. I let him in.

My tongue slid across his lower lip, while he held me tight against his chest. Kissing my cheek, he walked me back until my butt touched the bed.

“Could you ever trust a thief?” The question had been lingering in my mind since last night when I thought leaving was the right thing to do.

“No.” He shook his head once, cradling my neck. “But I trust you. With all my heart. I’d like to hear you say it.”

I glanced up at him. “I never left you.”

“I know.” His lips brushed my temple.

“No more cons. If you want me in your life, I’m here. I’m yours.” I ran my fingers into his hair.

“Why does it feel like it’s been an eternity since the last time I tasted you?” His hot gaze sent goose bumps down my back.

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