Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 66980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
When I get back to the house from university, it’s almost dark out and I know they’re going to lose their minds. I was meant to meet with Kai, but I got sidetracked in the library, and now I’m running late for everything.
I push open the door, and the moment I step inside, I’m practically assaulted by testosterone emanating from not one but three alpha males as they glare at me.
“Sorry I’m late.” It’s all I can offer, and it’s a lot more than they’re owed.
I’m not a child, and they don’t have to worry about me, especially since I’m now armed and ready for anything. But the look on Judah’s face tells me my apology’s not going to work.
I should just turn around and walk back out, but instead, I shut the door behind me and set my bag down near the stairs. They don’t speak, they just stare.
“I was in the library. I needed to finish my assignment and lost track of time, but now I’m here. I’m safe and sound.” I’ve no idea why I’m still talking, it’s not like it’s going to make any difference to them.
“Come,” Judah finally says as he takes my arm and tugs me down the long hallway, passing by his office, until we get to an ominous, wooden door.
I watch as he unlocks it and it swings open, and then we’re moving forward once more. Only now, we’re taking steps down into the darkness. He moves slowly, giving me time to catch up. The other two men are following close behind, and I can feel the anger radiating from all of them.
When we reach the bottom, a switch is flicked, and we’re bathed in a soft yellow glow. There’s a strange, damp smell coming from all around us, and I shiver when an icy chill travels up my spine.
“What is this?” I ask as we come to a stop at the end of a gloomy hallway that’s lined with doors.
I can’t see anything beyond the closed, metal doors, so I can only imagine what goes on down here.
“This is where people who don’t obey us spend some time,” Judah tells me as he pulls one of the heavy steel doors open.
It screeches as it trails across the floor. Inside, the cell is tiny, but it’s enough to house a bed and a bucket that I can only assume is for bodily functions.
When I look at Judah, I realise what he’s trying to tell me without coming right out and saying it. My stomach drops, and my heart leaps into my throat as fear takes over. I thought we were past the hate and anger, but clearly, we’re not.
“You’re not putting me in there,” I bite out, but I’m quickly shoved forward, sent sprawling into the room and locked inside. A small window opens in the secured door, and all I can see are the hazel eyes of my fiancé, looking through the gap. “You fucking bastard!”
“If you can’t learn to obey our rules, then you’ll have to spend some time in here,” he tells me, his voice has an icy chill to it.
“Come on, man, let’s leave her,” Valen says.
There’s tension amongst them. Clearly, all three of them were worried when I was late, but it isn’t as if they didn’t know where I was.
“Do you understand that if something happens to you, it’s on all of us?” Judah speaks once more, his gaze trained back on me.
“You’re a fucking arsehole,” I bite out. “I was in the library.” He slams the small window shut, and everything goes silent. “Don’t you dare leave me in here!”
I’m convinced that screaming isn’t going to work. These places are built to muffle the sound of torture, so my voice won’t do much against the thick concrete walls that surround me.
I don’t know what to do. Anger overwhelms me. Just when I think I’m taking a step forward, making ground with Judah, he pushes me two steps in the other direction, and I’m once more on the back foot.
Frustration and fear courses through me as I sit down on the mattress that creaks beneath me. I can’t lie down, because I’m too fearful of whoever was in this cell before me. So, I sit and wait. Surely, Kai and Valen will talk him out of this insanity.
Judah can’t keep me in here forever. That’s what I tell myself, over and over again, as time passes. but the longer I sit here, the lonelier and more scared I feel.
Sighing, I stand and pace back and forth. The tears I kept at bay, all this time, finally spring free and trickle down my cheeks.
I’m not sure how long I’ve been imprisoned, when suddenly, the door lurches open and standing on the other side is Valen.
“Come,” he calls, and I rush towards him.