Page 21 of Hunted Temptation
Looking around wildly, I realize that I’m alone, inside a parked car, in a parking lot. Before I can even look around to figure out where I am, my mind still very much in a sleepy haze, my door opens.
My body jerks again, my head swinging to the side as I look up to see a man standing in front of me. It takes me only a moment to realize who it is. Clearly, I was more out of it than I realized. Vaughn stands in front of me, his arm outstretched, his palm open and waiting for my fingers to slip inside.
“Vaughn?” I ask
He nods once as I hesitantly place my hand in his. When his fingers curl around mine, something shifts inside me. Almost as if all my anxiety and worry from earlier vanish. He calms me. His touch calms me. I don’t know what that means, but since I’ve never felt calm a day in my life, I don’t question it.
I slide my legs to the side, place my shoes flat on the ground, and stand. He doesn’t release me. His grasp stays firm, even when I’m standing up straight and stable. He keeps holding my hand as he guides me toward a door.
We’re at a hotel.
Or rather, a motel.
I watch as he opens the door and steps inside, his hand still wrapped around mine as he gently pulls me into the room before closing and locking the door behind him. I start to ask him what we’re doing, but before I can say anything, he begins to speak.
“You need some sleep that isn’t in the passenger seat of a car.”
I’m not sure if this man is real. “Does that put us in danger, at risk?” I ask.
He releases his grasp on my hand, and his lips curve up into a smile. “No, Goldie. Trust me when I say that I got this.”
I suppress the shiver of desire I feel when he calls me Goldie. Desire is the absolute last sensation I should be feeling, but I can’t deny that it is exactly how he makes me feel. Biting the inside of my cheek, I dip my chin in a nod.
“Okay,” I exhale.
“Take a shower, then crawl into bed and get some sleep.”
That sounds absolutely amazing. Like, beyond amazing. I’ve still got my hair and makeup done from earlier. I would love to wash it all off my body. I start to ask him if he would like a shower first, but decide against it.
I move past him on my way toward the bathroom, but he reaches out and wraps his fingers around my bicep, effectively stopping me from reaching my destination. Lifting my eyes to meet his, I wait for him to speak.
“You’re safe with me, Elodie. I can’t promise a whole lot about the future, but I can always promise you that. You’re safe.”
As much as I shouldn’t trust him, I can’t deny that I do. He’s a stranger. A sexy one, but that’s not the reason I trust him. It’s the way he makes me feel. The composed man, the protector, everything all mixed together creates this strong calm in the storm of my life.
“I know I am, Vaughn.”
He dips his chin in a single nod, then his fingers release my arm, and I flash him a smile before I dip into the bathroom, closing the door behind me. Staring at the lock, I wonder if I should twist it in place or not.
I decide against it. I don’t get those kinds of vibes from him, and I feel like if he needed to come in here for whatever reason,he might just break down the door, so it wouldn’t matter much anyway.
Turning the water all the way to hot, I let the steam fill the room before I step inside. The hot water hits me, causing my skin to prickle, and for the first time in maybe ever, I feel truly alive. Not just breathing and surviving, but alive. I’m not sure how long the sensation will last, but I close my eyes and allow it to consume me.
All-consuming.
The world seems a little brighter tonight. It could be a false sense of security, and if it is, I’m going to just accept it for what it is. If this is leading me to a new version of hell, then I’ll deal with it when I get there. For now, I’m going to enjoy the freedom shower.
Chapter Eight
VAUGHN
“You brought her with you?”Theron’s voice grinds out.
“I brought her with me,” I confirm.
In the silence that follows, I think that maybe he didn’t hear me, but at the same time, I know he did. He had to have heard everything I said. I’m sure he’s thinking about what I’ve done, since it’s not the norm for me.
“Why?” he asks.
