Charlie places his finger to my lips, halting my words. “I know, baby. I hate to leave you too.” His lips pull into an arrogant smile as he addresses my father. “Abby and I never had time to celebrate our engagement.” He waggles his brows, and a sour taste floods my mouth as I get what he’s insinuating. “I can check into my room later and head straight to the meeting.” He checks his watch. “There’s enough time.” He smirks, and I detest that look on him.
The bastard chuckles, clamping a meaty hand on Charlie’s shoulder again. “That’s my boy.” He grins, and it’s downright evil. “Work her over good. She needs a hard fuck to keep her in line. Show her who’s boss.”
“I fully intend to.” Charlie grabs hold of my butt, hauling me into him and squeezing my ass cheeks.
I bite back my retort, but as soon as the bastard is out of the room, I shove Charlie away. “Was that necessary?”
“I’m sorry.” He reclaims the distance between us, gently stroking my face. “You know I’d never treat you like that. But this plan only works if your father believes I’m fully committed to doing things the elite way.”
“Is this Parkhurst?” I ask.
He nods. “I’ve never been in this building before. This is where they send family members in need ofmedical intervention.” Disgust appears on his face, and I’m glad to glimpse the real Charlie.
“So those other buildings in the distance are the main compound? That’s where you’ve all been going?”
He nods again but gives nothing else away.
“You never answered me before,” I say, easing out of his hold and walking to the bed. I flop down on the mattress. All the adrenaline has fled my body, leaving me drained. My arms ache as I roll on my side, fighting a yawn.
He lies down beside me, angling his head so we’re facing one another. “I know you need answers, but save them for the ride home because there isn’t enough time to explain it all now. I’ve convinced your father to let me drive you rather than taking the jet, so we can stay a night in a hotel and have some alone time.”
I prop up on my elbows, narrowing my eyes suspiciously. “Why are you doing that?”
He tucks my hair behind one ear, peering deep into my eyes. “To give us enough time to talk everything through. There’s so much you don’t know. So much I couldn’t tell you.”
“But you’re going to now?”
“Yes.” He leans in close, and my eyes pop wide as he brings his mouth closer to mine. At the last second, he veers left, planting a soft kiss on my cheek.
“Okay, but I’m holding you to that. I won’t be kept in the dark any longer.”
“Agreed.” He sits up, stalking into the bathroom.
“What are you doing?” I follow him, watching him peer out the window. The bathroom window doesn’t have bars on it, but that’s because the only way out is via a thirty-foot drop. I’d ruled it out as an escape route early on for that very reason.
“Trying to figure out a way to get this dude out of here before anyone realizes you were escaping.” He inspects the bathroom door next, removing the key and curling my hand around it. “Leave the window unlocked, but lock the door from the outside after I’m gone. That way, if he wakes before I get to him, he can’t get out.”
“But he could make enough noise to draw attention.”
Charlie draws the shower curtain back, removing a length of rope from the inside of his jacket pocket. I arch a brow. “I never leave home without it,” he quips, and I wonder if his humor is an attempt to deflect the truth of that statement.
He ties Wyatt’s hands and feet with the rope and stuffs a handkerchief in his mouth.
“What if he chokes?” I ask, chewing on the inside of my mouth.
“Do you honestly care?” He stands, moving to the sink.
“He’s an idiot ruled by his dick, but that doesn’t mean he deserves to die,” I supply, watching as Charlie clinically washes and dries his hands.
“He can breathe through his nose.” He kisses my brow, before hauling me out into the main room. “And he’ll be gone before you know it.” He holds my face in his palms, looking like he wants to say more. “Get some sleep, and I’ll see you Sunday.”
He blows me a kiss, before pulling the door shut behind him, and I stand rooted to the spot, wondering what the hell Charlie is up to, because there’s zero doubt in my mind that he’s playing some game.
And I’m suspecting I may be the prize.
CHAPTER FOUR
“I expect you to behave yourself and do everything Charles says,” the bastard tells me, digging his nails into my shoulders as we wait on the front steps for Charlie on Sunday afternoon. He’s gone to collect the car he hired for the thirty-hour drive home.
