Page 9 of The Ties That Bind

He swallowed thickly, Adam’s apple bobbing in an exaggerated gulp. “And that’s a problem because…?”

She pursed her lips at him. “It’s not exactly a sanitary environment down here. I don’t want this to end with me catching scabies of the vagina or something.”

His eyes rolled heavenward, locking the gate behind him. “Books and panties, got it.”

“And notes! Don’t forget my notes!” she shouted as the basement door clicked shut.

****

Alec couldn’t figure out how he’d become the princess’s errand boy. Wasn’tshesupposed to behishostage, not the other way around? It was ridiculous. Embarrassing, frankly. He hated to admit it, but the thought that he might screw up her future, or make her retake Calculus, whichdidsound pretty awful, really gnawed at his gut. Spoiled brat that she could be, he now believed that she was truly innocent in all this.

A sea of BMWs, Mercedes, and Teslas filled the parking lot of Elle’s apartment complex. His ancient Toyota was a dinghy among yachts. He parked in her designated spot and loped quickly to her door, baseball cap pulled low. He clearly didn’t belong here, and he needed to get in and out before he drew too much attention.

That he was even here in the first place was up there in the ranks of truly terrible ideas. What if her father had someone scoping out the place? He dismissed the thought, assuming that the apartment had already been searched and deemed empty. Because what criminal would be stupid enough to show up here, right?

Walking into her place was like entering another world. He felt like he’d gotten to know the kind of person she was pretty well in the short——and fraught—time they’d spent together, but this was her inner sanctum. He wasn’t surprised by the expensive furnishings or elegant knickknacks. The cool cream walls and navy blue couch would look right at home in a fancy design magazine.

The artwork on the wall was something else entirely. Bright colors and bold slashes of paint delivered just so with a confident hand, the pieces were abstract but somehow also perfectly clear. An acid-trip sunset here, a capsized boat destroyed and somehow rebuilt at the same time there. A painting that might have just been arbitrary splotches of colors suddenly reformed into two dogs running in the sand before Alec’s eyes. It was wild.

He couldn’t see a signature on any of the paintings, but he assumed these weren’t random prints from the dollar bin at IKEA. While he knew less than nothing about art, he was pretty confident art like this should be in museums.Or somewhere fun where non-richy rich snobs can enjoy it.

There wasn’t time to play art critic, so Alec strode into the first open door he saw. Elle’s bedroom looked like it was hit by a tsunami. He snorted.And she called my workshop a mess?

Her bed sheets were rumpled (he didn’t let his mind linger too long on what could have happened between those sheets), her laundry basket was overflowing, and books and notebooks were scatteredeverywhere.Did she have a method to this madness?

He carefully picked his way across the room, stopping to read the titles of textbooks. It almost seemed like they were arranged in a vaguely circular set-up, like she would work her way from stack to stack in a clockwise pattern, rotating her way through studying. Or maybe he was projecting. The Calculus book and notes were at roughly the 4:00 position. He snatched them and made his way to her dresser.

The top drawer housed a cornucopia of undergarments and lingerie. Alec only let himself peruse the collection briefly so he wouldn’t fall into total creep territory, thoughtechnicallyshe had asked him to go searching through her unmentionables. He should at least take a moment to make sure he picked a good pair.

The simple pink panties went between the pages of the Calculus textbook (it hadn’t occurred to him to bring a bag), and he was ready to go. He was almost out the door when he noticed another door across from the living room.Just a quick peek, then move your ass.

One entire wall of the second room was covered with shelves full of paint in every color he could possibly imagine … and several he never would’ve known existed. A drop cloth covered the floor, and an easel stood in the center of the room, blank canvas waiting.Elle is the artist.He wondered if her parents knew, or if this was a secret passion. She’d said they expected her to go into medicine—would they be disappointed if she pursued this path instead?

The easel was positioned so she could paint and have a perfect view out the window. Alec stood in front of it, imagining Elle here in her studio—hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, paint-streaked apron on, nibbling her lip like she did when she was deep in thought. Preparing to bring beauty into the world. So unlike her parents.

As if summoning him with his thoughts, the phone rang, “Dad” flashing on the screen. “Ready to play now?” he answered sarcastically.

“This is not a negotiation. You will return Elle to me tonight. If not, say goodbye to your sister.”

There was a rustling sound, and then Caitlin whimpering. “Alec, please!”

“Caitlin!”

“I’m sending you the time and place. Do not test me.” There was a click, and he was gone.

Chapter Six

His plan had failed. He had no deal, no guarantee that his sister’s debt would be forgiven, or if Caitlin would even survive the night. Alec wasn’t cold-blooded enough to raise the stakes by hurting Elle in a desperate attempt to prove to her bastard father he could be just as ruthless as him. He knew he couldn’t be, both because of his own humanity, and his growing feelings for the monster’s daughter.

He stared at the blank phone screen, paralyzed, until a booming roll of thunder jolted him back to his senses. Rain lashed the window, and the sea roiled in the distance. How long had he been standing there? He had to think, to come up with another way…

“Goddammit!” He unleashed a primal yell, nearly knocked the canvas off the easel. He wasn’t smart enough, wasn’t good enough to find a way out of this. And after all he’d put Elle through…

Elle!He looked out at the torrential rain and then raced to his car. If the tide waters rose too high, if the levy broke … he smashed his foot on the accelerator, swerving wildly out of the parking lot. It hadn’t happened in years, but the last time a big storm caught the town off-guard, there had been flooding. The shop’s basement had been half-underwater. And now, his girl was tied up and helpless to escape.

Red lights meant nothing to Alec as he barreled toward the shore. Water rushed in a steady stream first alongside, and then in, the coastal road he travelled. The howling wind buffeting his car did nothing to slow him down, and he nearly skidded through the front door of the shop before breaking to a shrieking halt.

He called out as he burst into the store, splashing through freezing water. “Elle! Elle, I’m coming!” He heard her muffled shouts below and threw himself through the basement doorway.

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