My head ached as I sat up and assessed myself. No wounds. I wore the same sweatpants combined with Maddox’s shirt that I fell asleep on the couch with.
“Ms. Kennedy.” A knock on the door had me reaching for my powers, ready for an attack. A woman in old-fashioned black-and-white maid’s attire walked in and looked at me sweetly.
“My lady wishes for you to join her for dinner at five thirty. There are clothes in the closet that should be to your liking. If you need anything, my name is Bridget.” She curtsied and left the room. I didn’t hear the door lock and hopped out of bed with a shaky balance to see if my suspicions were true.
I grasped the handle and it turned with ease. I peeked through the slight opening to find an empty hallway. I debated whether I should make a run for it now or later. While I didn’t see anyone, I had to assume there were eyes on me at all times. Otherwise she went through all the work of capturing me for nothing.
I needed time. I needed to gather my wits to stay sharp, so I returned to the room and closed the door behind me. Instantly, I searched through all the drawers, the large walk-in closet stuffed with clothes, and under the bed. Nothing stood out to me in the form of a microphone or video camera. I looked to the window, half expecting bars but found none. I opened it easily to peek outside. My room was on the third floor, and there were men scattered about the gardens outside looking like secret service men. Curiously, I focused on the plants beneath me, willing them to move toward me and hopefully then I could escape. But they simply swayed in the breeze like I hadn’t told them to grow.
Shoot.
I was willing to bet my David Bowie signed guitar that the Collector used her power on me so I couldn’t use mine.
“OK Hazel, you’ve been kidnapped. Thankfully you’re not in a prison cell. Got that going for you.” I sorted out my options.
“You can’t use your powers, but you are not powerless. You can kick ass, and you are smart as fuck.” Feeling a bit better about my situation, I walked to the bathroom to take a shower. If I was going to get out of here, I needed to use what I had and right now I had running hot water.
After wrapping my hair above my head, I cleaned the feeling of being kidnapped off my skin, then dressed in a black dress with slits on both sides of my thighs. At least I’d look more like an evil queen than a hippie when facing the Collector.
Now, I would wait.
A knock on the door broke me from my meditative state. I didn’t want to go down the rabbit hole of depressing thoughts, including thinking about Maddox.
“Ms. Kennedy, dinner is ready.” The maid greeted me and gestured for me to follow her.
We walked down the hall, and I soaked in every detail. Luxury radiated from every decoration but scattered amongst the beauty were the surveillance cameras, weaved within the beautiful prison. The maid walked me down a set of grand stairs, past an elegant living room, to a dining room large enough for twenty people.
“Here we are, Ms. Kennedy. Please have a seat.” She held out a chair for me next to the head of the table, which was empty like all the other seats. Clicking of heels announced the Collector’s arrival. She was impeccably dressed in a green strapless dress that brought out the stunning elven-like features of her flawless face. A snake in beautiful skin.
“Welcome!” The maid pulled the seat out for her and pushed it closer to the table.
What century did I land in?
“I know the situation between us is a little tense, but I truly do have your best interest at heart. I can protect you and give you the world. Anything you want is yours as long as you are with me.” She smiled, and the sincerity in her eyes had my lips sealed for fear of what may come out of my mouth. I wanted to shove her little speech up her ass.
“I’m one of your biggest fans, you know, for your talent as a musical artist and for your Hero Society work, too. Very courageous of you, using your gifts for good. A nobody, homeless girl just like me. We turned out to be very powerful women. Not many can claim that accomplishment.” She snapped, and two people dressed in suits, with their heads cast down, rushed to us and poured red wine in the crystal glasses near the white-and-gold place settings.
“We are not alike.” I finally spoke and lifted the iced water glass instead of the wine after the servants poured it. I didn’t like wine.
“I beg to differ, but it will probably take some time for you to see the glorious life we can have together. And, for my first present to you, I got you something special. Took a lot of digging on my part to find out this particular detail about your life. I think you will be very pleased. Janice, please bring him in.”
My heart sped up. The only man I’d want to see right now would be Maddox. Together, we could get out of here. I knew in my heart he would come for me.
“Oh, Hazel, I don’t know how to tell you this.” The madwoman patted my hand, then her red-painted nails scraped gently against my skin. I snatched my hand away with a glare aimed at her. Steps grew louder from the hall where I’d been led through before.
“Maddox is dead. I gave him an option to leave you or come live with us. He left. Said he wouldn’t be caged. I killed him on principle. Him leaving would only hurt you more this time around. You’re mine to protect now, including your heart.” She had the gall to lie to me like that, Maddox wouldn’t leave me. He’d stay and fight for me.
“You lie,” I hissed, and abruptly stood, the chair falling to the ground behind me.
“He’s dead, but don’t worry. I have just the thing to cheer you up.” She pointed toward the doorway where Janice entered with a tall man.
Wait… Not just any man… My old foster brother Jarrod.
Chapter Thirty- Four
Hazel
“Jarrod?” I stood frozen at the table, my gaze darting around as if the answers to why he was here blinked in neon lights.
