Page 53 of All The Way Under
Saylor is wearing a robe, and her hair is wrapped in a white towel. She’s leaning against a doorframe, one leg crossed over the other, watching me.
“I wasn’t sure you’d come.”
I grin at the same time I sigh out in relief.
“You sent your dad to fetch me. Did you think I wouldn’t listen to that man? I’m an asshole, but I’m not stupid,” I say, taking a tentative step toward her, then another. “I’m glad you’re settled in and safe. How are you feeling?”
“Okay,” she replies. “Missing you.”
She’s still as stone, but her grip on the doorway tightens. It’s an immeasurable gesture I only notice because I’m trained in reading body language. She means what she just said, and she didn’t want to say it.
“Slightly horrified when I remember what I went through. But I can’t regret it because ofyou.”
I cross to her, smiling, watching how it melts her just to be in my presence.
“What did you tell your father, Saylor? He implied you told him about us.”
I pull the plush white belt of her robe. She jerks closer to me.
“Us inthiscapacity, not the captivity capacity?” I say, looking into her blue eyes, letting it drop to her lips.
Saylor has on makeup. It’s the first time I’ve seen her like this—like she’d appear on the street instead of inside a cage. It’s understated and fucking beautiful. Her lashes curled up, giving an even more perfect view of her eyes.
“I told him I wanted you,” she says, swallowing hard. “If you’d have me, and if my parents thought it would be acceptable.”
That makes my stomach sink. “Acceptable?”
She looks to the side but can’t resist looking back at my face.
I pull on the belt until it falls open. I can feel the heat from her shower radiating from her smooth skin.
“The thing with my family that’s not like normal families is that my mom has opinions on who I should end up with.”
She huffs, licks her lips, and stares at my mouth.
“The good thing about being kidnapped and having you save me is that you earned a Bianca Wyndham pass. She doesn’t care who you are or what you do because you saved my life.”
Another noisy exhale exits her perfect pout.
“She saw you in the lobby yesterday and decided on the spot that you were acceptable.” She grins. “I know how vainand classless this all sounds, which is why I didn’t say anything before, but it means something to her, whether it makes sense to the rest of the world or not.”
“But I passed the test? What did she like most? My face or my muscles?” I tease, but inside, I’m allowing the shock to roll through.
It’s odd. But just because this way of dating doesn’t make sense to me, I know that others live differently. My only concern is beingenoughfor Saylor.
“I don’t think you’re like that, just so you know. You wanted me when I was cruel and a simple mechanic, remember?”
Her eyes widen. “I’m nothing like her. My mother wanted me to get back together with the guy I dated in college, Archie. He cheated on me with multiple people, and she didn’t care. Archie passed the test too. Don’t flatter yourself too much. I think I’m merely being granted a hall pass because I could have died.”
She takes off the towel on her head and drapes it over a chair.
I inhale the sweet, familiar scent of her hair.
“Hall pass. Is that what I am to you?” I ask, reaching between her legs.
She’s soaking wet. Saylor squeezes her thighs together, trying to keep me from seeing the evidence. “You just want to fuck me?”
At the word fuck, she spreads her legs and lets my hand slide between them fully. I push the robe off her shoulders and back her into the room behind her.
