“Cruz,” a low, smooth voice answered.
“This muthafucka hit first and I want blood. Now,” Nyce said.
“That’s gonna cost you.”
“You know I don’t give a fuck about the cost,” Nyce bit out. “Make it fucking happen.”
A pause and then the person replied, “I’m on it.”
Click.
Nyce continued to drive, eyes locked onto the road. I looked at him again. Really looked this time. And for the first time since he kidnapped me, I didn’t just see my captor. I saw the man underneath it all. But before I could even process what the hell that meant, the car swerved onto a long, winding road. Trees crowded in on both sides, and there were no other cars. There was just surrounding darkness.
“Where are we now?” I asked, sitting up straighter. A few minutes later, we pulled up to a massive cabin in the woods.
Nyce killed the engine and turned to me. “You wanna ask questions? You only get one, so make it count.”
My heart thudded as I stared at him, eyes wide and hands trembling. “Am I gonna die?” I whispered.
His eyes didn’t soften, but his voice did. “Not right now.” He hauled out the duffle bag. “Come on.”
As I followed Nyce inside, my heart thudded so hard I could barely hear the steps under my slides. The wraparound deck was wide, and the door creaked open to a space that shocked me. Compared to the outside, the inside was luxurious. Wood and glass, dark and modern, not flashy. It looked like the kind of place rich people bought to “unplug.”
The further we walked inside, the stronger the smell of cedar and leather became. There were thick rugs, plush couches,sleek countertops, fur throws, and floor-to-ceiling windows that framed nothing but darkness and trees. It was beautiful.
I continued following Nyce into the living room, where he dropped the duffle bag by the door. I sat on a couch with my arms folded, eyes on him as he moved like a man possessed. He snatched his collared shirt off, buttons flying everywhere, then stalked straight to the bar cart like he couldn’t get the liquor in his system fast enough.
He didn’t say a word as he poured up a double shot of amber liquid and knocked it back like water. Then, he did it again and again.
I cleared my throat. “Are you gonna tell me what the hell that was?” He didn’t answer, just stared into his glass. “Nyce, you dragged me from a warzone. At least talk.”
He finally looked at me, eyes dark and empty. “Somebody tried to kill me,” he said. “And I assume they wanted you too. They failed.”
I scoffed. “That’s it? That’s the whole explanation?”
His gaze burned. “What you wanna hear, Princess? You’re still breathing, right?”
I stood up. “You’re an asshole.”
He shrugged, unfazed. We stared at each other. The tension was thick enough to slice through. I didn’t back down. Neither did he. Nyce turned his back to me, grabbed the bottle off the bar again, and poured himself another drink.
I crossed my arms, my chest tight. “So we’re not gonna talk about that kiss?”
He took a slow sip, then another before putting the glass back down. He turned around and walked over to where I sat. Each step felt like thunder against the floor. Then he crouched down in front of me, his eyes level with mine. His voice dropped so low it barely registered above a whisper, but the chill in it cut through me sharply.
“I will take your heart. I will take your soul out of your body as though I were God.” His head tilted just slightly as his eyes dropped to my mouth briefly.
My breath caught as he stood up like he didn’t just say what he said, and walked back to snatch his drink off the bar. My eyes followed his every movement out of the room. After a few moments, I heard running water, which I assumed was the shower. And I just sat there frozen.
I should have been terrified. I should have run. I should have cried or screamed or done anything except sit there, legs pressed tight together, breath shaky, and skin flushed as heat rushed through me. But I wasn’t scared at that moment. I was turned on. Badly. My heart was pounding, my pussy was throbbing in ways I couldn’t explain, and it made me hate myself just a little bit for liking it.
