Page 71 of Absolution
But he’s prepared. A length of black cloth draws tight between my teeth, forcing the underwear deeper into my mouth. He secures the perverted gag with a firm knot at the back of my head.
My growled curse is garbled, and he simply laughs at my predicament.
More rope loops through the cuff around my wrists, securing them to the bindings around my ankles so that I’m forced to bend at the waist. Even if I could get to my feet, it would be impossible to run away.
That doesn’t stop me from trying to fight.
I ball my hands into fists and swing wildly, throwing my entire body into the attack.
He reels back, easily evading my clumsy attempt to resist him.
He clicks his tongue in reprimand, and that’s the last thing I hear before a thick black cloth hood drops over my head. His strong arms close around me, cradling my bound body to his chest. I twist and writhe, but he holds me firmly.
Several racing heartbeats later, he places me down on my side on padded leather.
The back seat of a car?
My fingers grope at my surroundings, and I feel the familiar shape of a buckle.
Yes, I’m in a car. I barely hear the engine rev through the thick hood, and then we’re moving. I’m completely disoriented, and despite the fact that I know I’m completely safe with Dane, fear sparkles through me.
I allow myself to sink into it, loving our dark game.
I’m not sure how long we drive before the car comes to a stop. My heart hammers against the inside of my ribcage, and my fingers shake with the force of my unspent adrenaline. Myclit pulses in time with my racing heartbeat, and my nipples are tight peaks against my pink silk nightgown.
His hands are on me again. There’s tension on the ropes, then a sudden release of pressure. He’s severed the one that connects my hands to my feet. Then the binding around my ankles falls away. I’m free, other than my tied wrists.
He helps me out of the car, and I feel cool, damp grass beneath my bare feet.
He must think that my bound wrists and the hood will keep me subdued while he leads me wherever he wants me to go, but he’s mistaken.
I extend my elbow and throw my body in the direction of his torso, driving it deep into his stomach. He releases a low grunt, and his hands fall away.
I reach up and tear the hood from my head as I lurch in the opposite direction. It takes a moment for the night to coalesce around me, but I don’t stop running in the time it takes my vision to focus.
I’m several paces away from him when he growls my name.
Giddy fear trills down my spine, and my maddened laugh is muffled by the gag. My hands are still tied in front of me, so I can’t waste time fumbling at the knot behind my head. Instead, I devote my full focus to putting as much distance between me and my assailant as possible.
My feet pound the soft earth, and my breath begins to saw in and out of my lungs as I sprint toward the ruined abbey. There’s no shelter up her on the clifftop, nowhere to hide. The museum and café will be locked, and if I tried to break in, an alarm would probably go off.
I don’t want anyone to interrupt my twisted game with my husband.
I’ll take refuge in the shadows of the abbey. If I can evade him and then circle back to the car, I might be able to drive offwithout him. That would be disappointing, but the shock on his smug, handsome face would almost be worth it.
“Abigail!”
He’s coming after me. Whatever damage I managed to inflict has barely slowed him down.
I slip into the abbey, running beneath the skeletal arch of the ruined building. The moon is full overhead, far too large and bright on the cloudless night. The only advantage is the long shadows cast by the ancient stone pillars.
I duck into one of them and press my back against the pillar. Damp seeps through my thin nightgown, and I shiver at the chill. It’s a shocking contrast to my flushed skin, and the dueling sensations only heighten my physical awareness of an encroaching threat.
He’s almost completely silent, appearing like an otherworldly being in the moonlight. He isn’t even bothering to run after me; his confidence in my helplessness sets my teeth on edge.
I hold my breath and wait for him to stroll past me. When he’s twenty paces away, I sneak out of my shadow and try to duck into the adjacent section of the ruin.
“There you are.” He says it with warm indulgence, but my heart leaps into my throat.
