Page 19 of Cruel Crypts

He was so beautiful.

But such a massive wanker.

What a waste.

We reached his car, and he lowered me to the ground, leaving me to climb into the passenger seat on shaky legs. The cold hit me all at once as soon as I was away from his body heat, and I rubbed at my arms again, trying to get warm.

The next thing I knew, the engine was on, and a delicious heat was spreading through my body, the seat beneath me turning toasty.

“Thanks,” I whispered into the silent car.

“Don’t speak to me.” Knox’s voice was curt, but it only held a hint of its usual venom. Letting my eyes drift shut, I smiled to myself, feeling the warmth that was filling me from the inside and had nothing to do with the heat of the car.

That warmth abruptly disappeared the second we pulled up outside the Ashcroft house.

“Out.” He spoke without even looking at me.

“Okay.” I unclipped my seat belt. “Are you coming?”

“No.”

“Going back to the party to find a girl to fuck?” Why couldn’t I shut up? It made no difference to me what he did. I should be glad to get rid of him.

“None of your fucking business. Out.” Gunning the engine, he gripped the steering wheel tightly, and I got the message. Exiting the car, I tried to slam the door, but it was a stupid soft-close door, so I couldn’t even do that. I could’ve sworn I saw his lips curve up in amusement as he began to reverse away from the house, but the headlights were blinding me, so I couldn’t be sure.

12

ELENA

“What have you managed to discover?”

Blinking my eyes open, I rubbed my hand across my face, groaning when I saw my mum standing at the foot of the bed with her hands on her hips.

“Mum, it’s too early for this.” I’d barely slept last night, tossing and turning, replaying everything that had happened in my mind.

“It’s never too early. Don’t forget why we’re here, Elena. It’s not to party and sleep late.”

That was unfair. A large part of the reason I’d gone to the party last night was because of her insistence that I needed to investigate Knox. And look where that had led me. Handcuffed to a wall in a room of tombs, and then—

I knew it was my imagination running wild, but I could still taste him on my lips.

“Whatever. I haven’t found anything incriminating yet.”Except that Knox is a sadistic bastard who thinks that tying someone up and locking them in a crypt is a great idea.

“Rich people always have skeletons in their closets. Try harder.”

Or literal skeletons in tombs, in Knox’s case. Sighing, I pushed myself into a seated position, brushing my tangled hair away from my face and tucking it behind my ears. “I’ll do what I can. Haveyoumanaged to find anything?”

My mum’s mouth thinned. “Not yet. I will find something, though. I just need the right opportunity, and I’ve been making nice with Anthony and Maria in the meantime, becoming indispensable. Speaking of, it’s time for Josephine’s breakfast. Try to make yourself useful today, please. Remember why we’re doing this.”

“I know,” I whispered. I knew I’d been blowing hot and cold, caught between wanting to stay away from the person who got under my skin and made my head spin and needing to get closer to him for the sake of my mother’s plan—the plan that I’d agreed with. Even though…even though I was having second thoughts about the whole thing.

My mum turned on her heel and swept out of the room, a dark look on her face, and I fell back against my pillows with a frustrated huff of breath.

What could I do to make it up to her?

Pulling out my phone, I sent a text.

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