Page 228 of The Alpha's Second Chance Mate

I thought about it. Ashton looked at me with pleading eyes. Finally, I let out a heavy breath.

“I will. I’ll trust you, but if anything happens to my son,youwill be the first one who pays. Not Kyle.You.”

Sydney bowed her head. “Fair enough.”

Ashton grinned. “Nice.”

Sydney smiled at me and put a hand on Ashton’s shoulder. “You’ve got a special guy here. Be ready tomorrow night. We’re getting you two the hell out of here.”

She turned to leave, and Ashton watched her go with a look of deep fondness. I almost rolled my eyes. I had to force myself to not tell him that girls could come later. Boys. Even when their lives were in danger, they made googly eyes at pretty ladies who walked by. Unbelievable.

We ate in silence. Turkey and cheese sandwiches, chips, a fruit cup, and a cookie—like a school cafeteria lunch. Actually, it was probably closer to a prison lunch, but I didn’t allow myself to think about that very long. It hit too close to home.

We’d barely finished when a guard came in.

“Let’s go, pup,” he snapped at Ashton. “Back to your room.”

“What?” I gasped. “Aren’t we staying here together?”

Ashton shook his head, a look of remorse on his face. “No. They moved me here when they brought you in. I have my own room.”

“I don’t want you to go,” I said, fighting back tears.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” The guard groaned. “Let’s go. Let’s go!”

“You’ll be safe,” Ashton said, trudging after the guard.

The click of the lock nearly undid me. I missed him already. To have been apart for so long, only to be torn apart again so soon, was a sick joke. Though, if Kyle really was as obsessed with me as he seemed, Ash was probably right. He wouldn’t hurt me. Not yet. But God, whatotherthings might he try? I shivered at the thought.

As though summoned by my thoughts, Kyle unlocked the door and entered ten minutes later. He wasn’t dressed in the suit with the partly unbuttoned dress shirt he usually wore. Today, he wore a simple polo and slacks with penny loafers. The way he looked at me as he closed the door made my skin crawl.

Bearing down hard on my own instincts to flinch away, I stayed motionless as he crossed the room. I swallowed hard as he brushed my cheek. His skin barely made contact with mine, but I felt dirty nonetheless.

“They weren’t supposed to hurt you,” he grumbled in a low and threatening manner. “As soon as I saw this—” he touched my split lip “—the man responsible was taken away. I can assure you, my love, that he is being dealt with.Harshly.”

That should have sent a chill up my spine, but I could still feel the crack of the man’s palm against my cheek. That man—both of those men—had killed Porter. Deep down, the bitter, vindictive part of me hoped the man was screaming. Screaming in wretched agony. Screaming the last scream he’d ever scream.

Kyle must have seen that in my eyes. He grinned. “Yes. He won’t be touching anyone. Not ever again.”

“Why did you send them?” I asked, doing my best to maintain the character I’d built during my conversations with him. “Ithought we were going to wait until Cole was taken care of before I joined you.”

“I’m truly sorry for that, but things have been growing more dangerous by the day. I was afraid Cole might snap and hurt you to get back at me. It was in your best interest that we extracted you ASAP.”

“And you drugged me?” This time, I couldn’t keep the anger from my voice. “Was that part of the plan?”

Kyle sighed and gave me a strange half-smile, half-frown that showed contrition. “That was part of the plan, yes. I’m sorry, but it was much easier to transport you in the trunk of a car than?—”

“Trunk?” I pulled away from his hand. “Seriously?”

He bobbed his eyebrows up, a happy little grin on his face. “We do what we must. That way, you could be transported here without anyone spotting you through the windows. But you’re fine now, aren’t you?” He touched my face again, and I managed not to recoil, allowing him to slide those reptilian-like fingers across my cheek.

“I suppose,” I said.

“I can only imagine how awful it must have been,” he said, gazing down at me lovingly, “being forced to be with a man you don’t love.”

A braying laugh nearly erupted from my throat at the irony of his words, but I managed to hold it back. He was right. It was awful being forced to be around a man I didn’t love. I was experiencing it at that very moment. Not that I could say that. No, I needed to keep feeding his delusions. Keep up the act until Cole camefor us, or until whatever plan Sydney and Dallas were concocting came to fruition.

“You’re right,” I said, forcing my voice to hitch with emotion. “He’s become a monster. I’m not happy with how you got me out of there, but I’m much happier now that I’m here. With you.”

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