Page 38 of Dark Torment

OLIVIA

Why isthe bed so comfy right now? I never want to get up again. I push my head deeper into the pillow, then freeze when something moves against me.

I feel the whimper building in me, but I don’t let it come out. Instead, I mentally talk myself into opening my eyes and am met with a pair of dark brown ones staring back at me. Ones I know well.

“Sadie?” I question, knowing it’s her.

There’s no way I’m dreaming this time, though. Not a chance in hell.

Sadie’s ears perk up and she starts wagging her tail before doing the dog version of an army crawl until she’s nudging my chin with her nose, making me laugh.

God, I love this dog.

I pet her for a few moments as I look around the room, conscious of the fact I am most definitely not in my house right now.

If I wasn’t dreaming earlier, and Sadie being here with me right now proves that, then logic would say I’m at Jonathan’s house.

But why?

Why would he bring me here? And how did I get here to begin with?

“Shelby!” I gasp, sitting up fast, feeling a little dizzy.

Right, wine. Way too much wine. I don’t think I’ve ever been that drunk in my life.

Not a great time to have done it either, but having the police question me wasn’t exactly a fun and stressless experience. Then, knowing Ben is missing and somehow they think I’m involved because Jeff the creep ended up dead?

It’s enough to make anyone want something to drink. Though, looking back, I think maybe we should have stopped after the first three bottles were gone. It’s a little too late to be worrying about that now, though.

“Sadie, where am I?” I look at her. She just stares at me with her cute little tongue flopped out and her tail wagging. “You’re not going to be overly helpful on this front, are you?” I chuckle before standing.

Woof.She jumps off the bed to stand beside me, and I smile. At least I have her while I’m in a strange house with no recollection of how I got here.

“I wonder if we can get out…” I muse out loud, heading toward the door.

It opens easily, and I wonder again why the heck I’m in a strange place. Moving down the hall, I look around, completely impressed, but feeling out of place in Jonathan’s home.

It’s too extravagant and luxurious for someone like me. I’m not sure I could ever live in a place like this. Though, if I wasn’t alone, then, maybe?

“Good to see you awake and moving around,” Jonathan says from behind me.

I jump, screaming and holding my chest while Sadie starts barking, thinking I’m in some kind of danger.

“Are you a ninja?” I hiss, and the corner of his mouth quirks upward.

“Definitely not,” he says, giving me an adorably handsome smirk.

Bad, Olivia. No swooning over your possible kidnapper.

“Um, not to seem rude or anything, but why am I here?” I ask, then want to slap myself.

How can I possibly be rude for asking why I’m in a strange house with no memory of getting here? I know I definitely didn’t call him because I don’t have his number.

Well, okay, I do. But technically, I’m not supposed to. That would be a gross invasion of his privacy as a customer and all.

He just continues to smile at me. “I don’t think you could ever possibly be rude, sunflower,” he states, leaning against the wall a few feet from me.

He’s doing that thing where he leans on the wall and crosses his arms over his chest while his feet cross at the ankle. It’s freaking sexy.

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