Something flickers across her eyes. For a moment, I think she’s going to argue, to call me out on my bullshit, but instead she gives me a small smile.
“Very well. Until next time.”
She presses her lips to mine one last time, then turns and saunters out of the club. Shade follows a moment later to make sure she leaves the area.
I turn to Silas. “Thank you.”
“I may not like or pretend to understand what is going on with you and Evelynn, but I saw it the moment you kissed Seraphine. She was in pain. Physical pain,” he rasps, shaking his head.
My gut lurches at the thought of her hurting.
“Where did you hide all the fang bangers?” I ask.
Silas smirks. “They are being kept amused and waiting for me.”
I grin and shake my head, clasping a hand on his shoulder. “Then I won’t keep you any longer.”
I make my way to my room. As I enter, I immediately notice it’s empty.
She’s not here.
Panic rises in my chest. I turn and scan the halls, the kitchen. Nothing. I pass the old cell where we originally held her, and the creak of the bed makes me pause. I slowly push open the door. The faint light from the hall highlights her curled up on the bed, her back to the door. Relief floods me.
She’s here. She’s safe.
Before I can take a step forward, she speaks.
“Leave me alone.”
The pain and anger in her tone make me pause only for a second before I move, scooping her up in my arms. She protests, trying to fight me, but Iignore her and don’t let go until we’re in my room. I lay her on the bed, then turn and lock the door before facing her.
“You can’t keep me in here,” she fumes, her eyes ablaze.
I stalk toward her, one slow step at a time.
“Don’t,” she grits, her voice cracking with pain.
I absently rub my chest, as if I can feel the pain I’ve caused her.
“Nothing happened,” I state.
She lets out a cynical laugh. “You had your tongue down her throat, and her hand was on your cock.” She shakes her head. “But you know what? That’s okay. We are not a thing. This—whatever the fuck this is—is not normal.”
“You’re right. We are not just a thing. You are mine,” I bite back, not liking her dismissing this.
“You took me, tortured me, then cared for me. You don’t allow me any freedom. I am your prisoner, and the fact that my deluded brain was making me believe I was falling for you…” She laughs bitterly. “Just when I think you like me too, you shove me away and kiss someone else. I can’t keep doing this back and forth.” She gestures between us. “I mean, hell, a shrink would have a field day with this one.‘So he kidnapped you and tortured you, and now you are in a relationship.” She uses a mocking voice. “You know what, bring backJerry Springer. This is his kind of thing. The only thing we are lacking is a DNA test.” She paces back and forth, ranting. “I mean, it’s been, what, a few weeks? And I’m falling for my captor, who not only could kill me at any point, but he’s a vampire. And not the cute, sparkly kind.”
“Seven weeks, three days, and around fourteen hours,” I interrupt.
She stops pacing and looks at me. “What?”
“That’s how long you’ve been here,” I answer.
She blinks, her brows knitting together. “It can’t be that long. I mean… it can’t be.”
I move to her while she’s distracted enough that she can’t push me away. I take her chin, forcing her gaze to mine.
“If I did not distract Seraphine, she would have tried to kill you,” I tell her.
