Page 7 of Savage Knight
Chapter Three
Lowen followed Evrenas he led her down the hallway to a spare bedroom.The walls were painted a pale grey with white trim.A queen-sized bed looked like a nice haven to rest and reflect on what she was going to do with her life.
“You have an en-suite bathroom through that door.Feel free to utilize all the amenities.”
She turned to Evren and smiled.“Thank you so much for this.I promise I’ll be out of your hair tomorrow.”
“It’s fine, Lowen.Let’s worry about tomorrow when it gets here.”
“Okay,” she said.
“I’ll get you something to wear.Be right back.”
He turned and left her, and she walked over to the bed and sat down.What a bizarre twist of fate to land here with Evren Grenier.In her past life, he’d been at the center of the pivotal moment where her life had derailed.The truth was, she was still scared, only this time about the new life she had to navigate.She had no means to support herself, and even if she did, there was nothing stopping Scias or her father from finding her and dragging her back to the manacles.
“Here you go,” Evren said as he entered the bedroom.In his hands were a few articles of clothing.“All my stuff is going to be humongous on you.You can wear the t-shirt as a dress.”
“It’s fine,” she replied, her voice feather soft.“I appreciate your kindness.”
He hesitated.“Are you okay?”
She blinked.“Yes.Or, I guess I will be.Since this is a different path from where I previously walked, I’m wondering what lies ahead.”
“Well, you don’t have to decide tonight.You should get some rest.”
Lowen nodded and accepted the clothes he held out.“Again, thank you, Evren.”
For a moment, their gazes met and held.Unease swirled in the pit of her stomach ...a twisted fluttering she wasn’t sure what to call.Then he blinked, and the moment passed.
“Good night, Lowen.”
“Good night.”
He left her alone, closing the door behind him.
With a sigh, she rose and carried the clothes to the bathroom.The color scheme extended into the décor, with accents of red to offset the grey tones.Lowen placed the clothes on the counter and stared at herself in the mirror.Her hair was still elegantly styled.Makeup flawless.Dark smudges lay under her eyes, which seemed a tad too wide for her face.She was too pale and too thin.
Not liking her reflection, she quickly undressed and stepped out of the chiffon dress her father had approved for her engagement party.Everything she wore held his approval.The only thing she had of value was the necklace around her neck.A drop diamond on a delicate chain, which was the logical thing to hock for money.Everything else in her father’s house held no meaning for her since he had thrown out everything that belonged to her mother.
Had her mother been one of the shadow people beckoning her into the afterlife?
Like mother, like daughter, Lowen had been eight when her mother had fallen down the stairs and broken her neck.Only, she knew it hadn’t been an accident.The horrific scream would live with her forever, as well as the memory of her father standing at the top of the staircase as he stared dispassionately down at his dead wife.
The death of her mother had destroyed a big piece of her heart, and Lowen felt shame for following in her footsteps.The hot steam of the shower filled the room and she let the water wash away her tears.Tears got her nowhere.They were ineffectual and stupid.There was no reason to grieve a woman who died long ago.So, she stomped down her emotions and took a deep breath.That chapter of her life was over, and now she needed to figure out a precarious new future.She had to outsmart her ex-fiancé, along with his resources and the army of minions eager to find a promotion within the ranks.What better way to make that happen then to catch a runaway bride?
Pushing aside all the pain and fear of being lost, she finished washing herself and her hair.When she stepped out of the shower, she knew nothing else mattered except staying alive.
****
What the hell am Igoing to do with her?
Evren couldn’t answer his own question.Who the hell was she?She didn’t seem crazy, but still ...he ran a hand down his face and headed into his bathroom.After his shower, he put on a pair of sweatpants and got into bed.The last thing running through his mind, just before he dozed off, was the woman in the spare bedroom.
He didn’t know how long he slept, but was suddenly awoken by a scream.Vaulting from his bed, he grabbed his gun in the nightstand drawer and ran to Lowen’s room.Another cry erupted, followed by a whimper as he burst inside, gun pointing.One sweep of his gaze told him no bad guy lurked in the dark.Lowen thrashed on the bed, gripped in the fangs of a nightmare.
“No, no, no.Please don’t hurt me!”
