Page 16 of Nave
We hadn’t seen a single other house anywhere nearby. And this deep in the woods, it almost felt eerie. Borderline freaky. Like some serial killer might come out from behind a tree with a chainsaw and chase you down. Where literally no one could hear you scream. Where no one could come help you.
Suddenly, my gaze cut back to Lolly. To her all-glass house with its hundreds of cameras inside and out. With a man who controlled everything from how she dressed (clearly), to what foods she ate, and what kind of plates she ate it off of.
And I couldn’t help but wonder if all the cameras were there to keep others out.
Or to keep her in.
She had a very clean, very safe, glass prison.
But I had no idea what her relationship was with her warden, if she was a willing inmate here, or if she didn’t have a choice.
I glanced down at her watch again, wondering if it did more than just track her steps and heart rate.
“So, you like the woods?” I asked, waving around at it all around us.
“They’re pretty. Lots of little animals around.”
“Are you from this area?”
“No, not really. I’m from about an hour away. I moved here when… Ben finished building it.”
She twirled her cup around in a circle, avoiding eye contact.
“Do you miss living closer to civilization?”
Her gaze flicked up.
And the answer was in her eyes even if she couldn’t bring her lips to say it.
“Lolly,” Ben’s voice called, making Lolly damn near jump out of her skin. “Another coffee?” he asked, his tone sharp.
I watched Lolly’s eyes go wide, panicked.
“I asked her to join me,” I explained.
Ben’s cold gaze moved from Lolly to me, then back again.
“What were you two talking about?”
“The woods, mostly,” I said. “We just sat down.”
“I’m ready for you now,” Ben said, his face a mask.
“That have sugar in it?” Dezi asked, reaching to take my coffee as I got up.
“No.”
“I can get you sugar,” Lolly said, popping up, even more anxious with her partner in the room.
I shared a look with Dezi, then turned and followed Ben toward the stairs.
I glanced back once, finding Lolly already watching me.
And I swear to fuck I could see the longing in her eyes.
For her freedom?
For me?
