Page 28 of The Deceived

I shut the door and lean back against it, dazed. What the hell can this be about? It doesn’t make any sense. I worry my lip between my teeth, my thoughts racing. Then I realize I only have an hour to pack and get ready for whatever this is.

I head to my closet and start pulling out clothes. I don’t even know how long I’ll be gone. Or what I’ll do once I get wherever I’m going.

A few minutes later there’s another knock at the door. I’m almost scared to open it because who knows what could happen next but despite my fears, I make my way across the room and open the door. One of the Manor staff stands on the other side with a small high-end suitcase.

“Madam.” He extends his arm holding the suitcase out for me.

“Thank you.” I take the suitcase from him and as he turns to leave and I shut the doorand walk back to my bed, placing the suitcase on top of it. I open it up and begin to pack.

The hour ticks by far faster than I realized and with just over five minutes left to spare, I hustle my way to the front door. I practically run through the halls, my high heels clicking and echoing every step that I take.

It somehow feels wrong to exit through the front doors, but the guards outside pay me no mind as the driver of the town car opens the door to the backseat for me.

This is all surreal.

The driver takes my bag as I slide across the black leather into the back seat. He shuts the door before depositing my borrowed bag into the trunk of the town car. I watch, practically holding my breath, as he walks around and gets in behind the wheel.

I peer up at the Manor, the massive stone monolith, and wonder if I’ll make it back here. The driver starts the car and a few moments later we are on our way.

It’s odd to pass through the gates and be heading back into the town that I haven’t seen in months.

We pass by the diner where I last worked, and people come and go as if everything is just fine and as if no time has passed at all as we drive out of town. I crane my neck from left to right, everything still looks the same since the last time I saw it.

It’s me that’s different now.

We drive along in silence and I’m almost certain that this driver can hear the pounding of my heart. I hear its every beat in my ears.

Am I having a panic attack?

I inhale a deep breath, stealing my nerves for what must be the hundredth time within the last hour. I take another deep breath as we turn into the small airport just outside of town and I release it slowly.

I’m going on a flight?

That’s the only thing that makes sense as we pull up to where a sleek, pristine white private jet sits waiting on the tarmac.

What the hell?

There’s another car here, a limo and as the driver gets out of my town car and opens my door, I almost pass out as I see Rex step out of the back of the waiting limousine.

Oh my God!

Of course, the guys at the Manor wanted me to come. They want the Governor of Tennessee to owe them a favor. I can’t say that I blame them. That’s a very powerful card to have in your pocket when you’re running an underground brothel and casino.

Damn it. Rex looks amazing in his gray three-piece suit. I can tell from here that it is cut to fit his physic impeccably and I hate him even more for daring to look so damn good.

The driver opens my door and I step out, my black high-heeled shoes clicking on the tarmac as I try to keep my composure. I don’t want Rex to see that I’m a little off guard that it’s him, but I’m also very happy about this turn of events.

The wind blows my hair into my face and as I brush it out of my line of sight with my hands, an arm wraps around my waist.

I squeak in surprise as Rex hauls me against him, my hands coming up to rest on his chest.

“My little storm.” He breathes the words onto my lips and then his mouth is moving against mine.

Game on.

I break the kiss and hold my hair back with one hand. “What are you doing here? What am I doing here?” I giggle and swat at his chest acting the part of an infatuated lover happy to see him again, but my mind is reeling.

What is happening?

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