It was now or never.
My heart pounded in my ears, drowning out the roar of the nearby ocean.
“Madison, what are you doing?” he barked.
My head swiveled sharply in his direction.
His expression darkened as he looked from my face to my hand on the door handle, then back to my face. His lips curled as he lunged toward the passenger side, his right arm stretched out to snatch at mine.
With a terrified scream, I pulled on the handle.
The car door swung open violently.
CHAPTER 18
HAILEY
My consciousness crawled through the darkness.
Warmth surrounded me, carrying the scent of his jacket.
There was the clink of ice cubes hitting glass, then silence.
My eyes flew open.
I blinked several times to adjust to the muted light as I took in the unfamiliar surroundings.
Lush emerald green and bursts of red, yellow, pink, and orange were everywhere.
Large glossy leaves and exotic flowers sharpened into focus. Higher up, I surveyed the massive glass and wrought iron panels which made up the ceiling and walls. The sky was gray and rain pelted the panels, creating a shimmering stream of water which diffused the meager light from the setting sun.
The suit jacket which had been covering me fell from my chest as I sat up on a sofa and swung my legs to the floor, placing a palm on the heavily upholstered cushion to steady myself.
I shifted my stare around the elegant conservatory till an amused chuckle caught my ear.
I jerked my head to the side. Greyson’s back was to me as he stood before a side bar. Visible through the thin linen of his dressshirt was a massive black shape which stretched over his right shoulder blade and down the center of his back.
Holy shit! The man had some serious ink!
I squinted but couldn’t make out what the image was.
He turned to face me, a drink in his hand.
I faced forward so fast it caused a crick in my neck.
Greyson’s deep voice penetrated the gloom. “So you’re finally awake.”
I lifted a hand to rub the sore muscles of my neck. “I’m not your little bird.”
He extended his arm, holding the tumbler filled with amber liquor a few inches from my face.
I ignored it.
He gave the tumbler a small shake, causing the ice to rattle. “Drink.”
I huffed and cast an incredulous look at him before turning my head away, cringing when my still-sore neck protested. “You’re crazy if you think I’m going to drink anything you give me.”
His hand slipped beneath my chin. He turned my head back toward him, then lifted it so my eyes met his hooded look. “It wasn’t a request, Hailey.”
