Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 69310 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69310 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
The moment I heard footsteps on the stairs, I turned to face the door. This was it. I’d get out of here soon. The older lady appeared with a large tray in her hands. She smiled at me as she entered.
“You must be hungry too. Mr. Carver inhaled his, and I had to make him a few more. So, I brought extra for you and a slice of my coconut cake. It’s his favorite.”
Trying to word this carefully and not just blurt it out, I took a steadying breath before I began. “Ellen, I’m not here of my own free will. I’ve been abducted. Hale took my phone. Could you call my friends for me? They can get help.”
Shock, surprise, or even horror didn’t appear on her face at my words. Instead, it was more of a gentle, sympathetic look. “I know that, dear. But I can’t call anyone for you. I’m sorry. You’ll be safe here. Taken care of until you can go.”
I blinked. It was me who was in shock. Not once had I considered this reaction from the woman.
“I’ve brought you an entire bottle of the best merlot in the cellar, and I’ll bring up the towels next before I leave,” she informed me, setting the tray down on the end of the bed, then taking a bottle opener and the wine to uncork it for me.
“I—you,” I stammered with a shake of my head in disbelief. “You know that I’ve been taken against my will?”
Her small smile was sincere. “Yes, of course. I’ve worked for Mr. Carver since the kids were all wee little things.”
Huh, so he did have kids. Not a lie.
“Does he abduct women regularly?” I asked, feeling the hope I’d had dwindling.
She chuckled. “No, this would be the first time that he brought one here at least. I stay outta the family business.”
The family business? The distillery?
“Here,” she said, pouring a glass of wine. “Normally, I’d say to let it breathe, but you need this. Drink up, get some food in you, and then rest. Tomorrow, things will look better. They always do.”
I took the glass from her. Then she turned and left the room.
She had been serious. She was aware of my situation and wasn’t going to help me.
How much did he pay that woman?
Twenty-One
Hale
Scowling as I passed the staircase that led up to the fourth floor, I made my way to the kitchen. Slash was already leading the way. He wasn’t about to let me sleep past seven after I’d been gone so long. Ellen would be here at eight, but, oh, no, he couldn’t wait one more hour for his breakfast. Spoiled dog.
I’d slept so damn hard that I didn’t even wake up when he got in bed with me and took over more than his share of the king-size bed last night. But I’d sure as hell woken up when he stuck his nose in my face and began growling.
I’d checked that the cameras were all on, as well as the alarms, to wake me if my unwanted ward tried escaping and crashed out after Ellen left for the night. The fact that Bay had told Ellen that I had abducted her and wanted Ellen’s help was comical. Maybe she was clueless as to who we were. Harland might not have told her. He was trying to cover his past up with us and his gambling addiction. But we wouldn’t know that since she wasn’t fucking talking.
Slash went directly to his empty bowl and stood in front of it, waiting as if I didn’t know why he had brought me in here so damn early.
“Yeah, yeah,” I grumbled, going to the refrigerator to get his meal.
The alert letting me know there was movement somewhere went off on my phone, and I stopped and pulled it out of the pocket of my sweatpants. Sliding my finger over the screen, I opened the security camera app to see Bay was coming down the stairs.
Where the hell did she think she was going? I didn’t say she could come down here. I hadn’t said much actually. I’d sent her up with Ellen and left it at that.
Slash’s head swung around, and his ears perked up. Forgotten was his hunger as he started off back through the door he’d just led me through. Going to greet his new friend, traitorous canine.
Rolling my eyes, I shoved the phone back into my pocket and continued with his breakfast. The Farmer’s Dog packets that had been specifically made for Slash’s dietary needs were lined up for the day in his drawer inside the refrigerator. Ellen always took them out of the freezer in the evenings for the next day so they had time to thaw. I decided he was having the turkey meal this morning and took it out.