Page 58 of Captured Heart

“What happens if he doesn’t?” My voice quavers despite my best effort to sound strong.

Alex’s eyes meet mine, and for a moment, I see something almost like regret. “My guess...Vic will probably kill him.”

I freeze. Ice runs through my veins. My dad...dead? The thought is too much to process, and panic rises in my chest, threatening to choke me. Tears prick the back of my eyes, but I blink them back. The gravity of the situation settles on my shoulders. I’m in this mess because of this asshole in front of me. My dad could lose his life, and he’s willing to rip my family apart formoney.

“How much is he paying you?” I ask, the words bitter and acrid.

“What?”

“Victor? How much is he paying you? I want to know what I’m worth.”

He stares at me for a long time before he stands up and approaches the bed. He stops in front of me. “What are you worth?” His voice is dangerously low as he presses his fists into the mattress on either side of me. He leans closer, the heat of his breath caressing my lips, and I try to swallow my nervousness. “Let’s see. I’m risking my life, my freedom, my fucking sanity—all because of you. At this point, I don’t thinkanyamount of money could adequately sum up how much you’re worth to me.”

There is an electric current in the air, crackling with the tension rising between us. I don’t know what he means by that, but something about his tone softens me just a little.

He’s so close, his broad frame dominating the space around me. I feel his arms on either side of me, encasing me in a cocoon of strength. Somehow, his proximity makes me feel safe, and for a moment, I forget where I am.

Once again, I see the man I thought I knew, the one who showed me humor and tenderness, the one I could talk to so easily. I seehim. And I wanthimto slip those arms around me, hold me close, and tell me everything’s going to be okay.

He leans in, his lips hovering a mere inch from mine, and that’s when I snap back to reality. This man broke into my house and abducted me. He isnottender. This is probably another tactic to get me to trust him again, and I won’t fall for it this time. He’s dangerous, and I need to get away from him.

I clear my throat, shifting back slightly. “I need to use the bathroom.”

Alex nods and steps back, gesturing toward the small bathroom. “Go.”

Standing up, I walk to the bathroom, taking deep breaths to steady my erratic heartbeats. I step inside, closing the door behind me. I need to get out of here.

My hands tremble as I scan the room. It smells musty, and the faint drip of the faucet echoes in the silence. There’s an air vent above me, but it looks too small to crawl through.

I yank open the bathroom cabinet above the sink. My heart pounds as I sift through its contents: an old toothbrush, a nearly empty tube of toothpaste, and a bottle of acetone. Useless! I slam it shut and crouch down to check the cabinet beneath the sink.

Bleach, detergent, rubber gloves, and a scrubbing brush. No scissors. No sharp objects. No salvation. Frustration builds within me, hot and suffocating. I slam the cabinet door shut, swallowing back a scream.

My eyes dart to the tiny window above the toilet. It’s narrow, but maybe—just maybe—I can squeeze through.

Looking around, I grab a towel from the rail and jam it against the door. It won’t help much to stop anyone from entering, but at the very least, it could buy me a few extra seconds to get away.

Turning on the faucet to mask any noise, I climb onto the toilet and push the window open. The warm afternoon air brushes against my face, and I grit my teeth as I hoist myself up.

It’s a struggle, my dress catching on the edge of the frame, but I force myself through feet first. The rough edges scrape against my skin, but I don’t care. My feet touch the ground, and relief washes over me. The sun is hanging low in the sky, but there’s still enough light for me to find my way. To where? I don’t know, but I have to get out of here before anyone notices I’m gone. I’m not sure what’s beyond that fence. Looks like more warehouses and—

“Going somewhere?”

My stomach plummets.

I whip around, and there he is. Alex, standing in the shadows with his arms crossed.

“Don’t,” I start, but before I can finish, he grabs my arm. “Let go!” I thrash against him, desperate to get out of his hold.

“Stop fighting.”

“No!”

He told me if all else fails, I should bite. It already worked last night, and I’ve got nothing to lose. My teeth sink into his forearm, and when he winces in pain, I use all my strength to break free. I sprint toward the boundary fence, my bare feet slapping against the cold, hard ground. My lungs burn, but I don’t stop. Freedom is so close. I can taste it.

Alex catches me just before I reach the fence, his arms locking around me as I fight with everything I have.

“Let me go!” I scream, clawing at his arms.

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