I narrow my eyes at him. The last time he promised me something, he went back on his word. So why the hell should I trust him now? My entire body is tense as I wait for him to open the doors, expecting the worst.
But when I slowly open my eyes and take in the room that lies before me, I gasp in surprise. "Oh!"
My feet are moving before my brain can even stop me, and I turn, doing a complete circle in the middle of a gigantic library. It's two stories tall with a staircase on the right of the room leading up to the top floor. There's a fireplace in the corner with a white baby grand piano situated in front of it. And books, gazillions of books, books about animals, fantasy books, sci-fi, romance, every book by every author, even some of my favorites, imaginable litter the beautiful, hand-carved wooden shelves.
Tears fill my eyes as I go to the long shelf to my left. My gaze skims the titles, and I instantly begin pulling out book after book, stacking them in my arms. I'm like a kid in a candy store right now, and I feel the sudden urge of happiness and belonging. Libraries have always been like sacred havens to me.
Lucien's chuckle behind me breaks my spell. I slowly put the stack of books down on a nearby table and turn to look at him. He looks happy as if I've made him happy somehow. But why?
"M-may I take some books back to my room?" I ask, crossing my fingers that he'll grant me this one small respite.
He stares at me for a long moment before he answers. "You may read in here, if you'd like. I'll come collect you later when it's time for you to go back to your room."
His words shock me, and I'm so caught off-guard by the generous offer that I can't help myself when I run to him and wrap my arms around him in a hug. "Thank you!" I exclaim against his chest.
I feel his body stiffen under my grip. And when I realize what I've just done, I quickly release my hold on him and take a few steps back. A blush creeps up along my neck and face as I mutter, "Sorry."
He clears his throat before mumbling, "Enjoy your time in here." And then he leaves, leaving me completely alone in this beautiful library.
I stare at the door long after he leaves. I don't know what came over me just a few moments ago. The solitary confinement has definitely done a number on me. I was so thankful for a few hours in the library that I…huggedmy captor?
Shaking my head, I push my reaction to the library aside and go back to the stack of books I picked out. Lucien has given me a great gift, and I don't intend to waste a second of it.
But as I pick up the first book, all I can seem to think about is the grin on his face at making me happy and how good it made me feel to see him finally smile.
CHAPTER 28
LUCIEN
I EXPECT HER to run.
I study her for hours on the video feed. And to my shock and utter surprise, Adeline stays in the library, cuddled up on a leather chaise lounge with a navy blue throw…reading…and eating. I had Maria fix her some hot tea, a sandwich and some homemade cookies. Adeline practically devoured them in between turning pages, and I couldn't be happier that her hunger strike is clearly over.
Her love for books is obvious, but I honestly thought her need to escape would trump everything else.
Evidently, she's come to the conclusion that she's not leaving here. Not easily, at least. And the sooner she understands that and comes to terms with that fact, the sooner we can continue on with what we had started weeks ago.
I would give anything to feel her under me again, her body opening up to me like a beautiful flower and responding to my touch so fervently. Just being in the same room as her drives me insane. A part of me wants to force her down to the ground and just take what's rightfully mine that I bought and paid for. But another, much bigger part of me wants her willing and compliant. I just want her to want me the same way I want her.
However, I'm not an idiot. I know she will never like me that way. She will never see me for anything other than what I clearly am --- her captor.
The pad of my thumb skims across the screen over her pretty face, and I'd do almost anything right now to be able to touch her for real.
When I drop back in my chair and realize I don't have the compulsion to clean my thumbprint from the screen, I feel like a different person. I feel…almost normal.
Adeline makes me want to be a better person, someone who can make her happy. When I think back to the look on her face and her emerald orbs glistening with tears by just letting herread, the black, tarry muscle in my chest began to beat through the everlasting darkness again.
Sighing contentedly, I think back to what Jackson said to me. Adeline needs some sort of freedom, even if I'm not willing to let her go. He's completely right. I can't keep locking her up like some sort of Disney princess in my fucked-up fairytale.
Turning my attention back to the project I've been working on, I just need to make a few more final touches until it's ready.
And then Adeline will have some of the freedom that I know she's been craving.
* * * * * * *
IT'S LATE WHEN I finally call it a night. I check the camera feed in the library and see that Adeline is still resting comfortably and reading on the leather chaise.
Jax certainly wasn't kidding when he said she loves books. She's utterly infatuated with them, it appears.
