Almost.
Then, with a final, growled command, he ended the call. His expression remained unreadable, but the tension in his body told me enough. Someone had pissed him off.
Good.
I held my breath as he strode toward the front doors, his long, deep brown trench coat swaying with each step. Two men flanked him—tall, broad, armed. Bodyguards. Just like I suspected.
The door opened. A rush of cold air slipped inside. He didn’t even glance back before stepping out.
Then came the sound I’d been waiting for.
The deep, guttural roar of his car.
I counted the seconds, pulse drumming in my ears. Ten… fifteen… twenty…
Gone.
I exhaled sharply, my grip loosening on the smooth stone pillar. My legs felt shaky, but I forced myself to move. One cautious step after another, I crept toward the grand staircase, my bare feet soundless against the marble.
The front door loomed ahead.
I knew better than to think escape would be easy. This place was a fortress, trapped between an unforgiving sea and a dense, endless forest. He wasn’t stupid. He wouldn’t keep me here without precautions.
Still, I had to try.
I reached for the handle, fingers grazing the cool metal—
Locked.
Of course.
I swallowed the curse burning in my throat. This wasn’t unexpected. I just needed a new plan.
Think.
I was running on scraps of information. Last night, I’d slept—no, hidden—through dinner just to avoid him. Elena had brought me food, even though I’d pretended to be lost in sleep. This morning, when she’d come to wake me, I’d faked it again. She bought it.
I’d spent hours holed up in my room, trying to figure out my next move.
And now, here I was. Dressed in yet another ridiculous excuse for clothing, creeping around like some pathetic little prisoner.
My fists clenched.
I was a prisoner.
No more playing the terrified captive. If I wanted out of here, I needed to be smart.
And that meant understanding him.
Where did he go when he wasn’t here, making my life hell? What kind of business required those hushed, brutal conversations? Who was afraid of him enough to tremble at the other end of a phone line?
Answers were in this house.
His bedroom. His office.His secrets.
I pivoted on my heel, turning away from the door. My heart pounded as I moved deeper into the mansion, the eerie silence wrapping around me like a second skin.
I needed to be quick.
