Chapter 7

Chapter 7

KYOMI POV

Morning arrived and I shot out of bed like it had caught fire.

I stood near the edge of it, waiting for my brain to grasp the tiny details from the night before. Everything came tumbling down on me like a cold avalanche, hitting me with a force that knocked the air out of my lungs.

I felt a panic attack brewing inside the cold pit inside of my chest as I stared at the empty space on the other side of the bed. It was still crisp; still clean and a telltale that the Monster didn’t make it back to the house at night.

That sent a bit of relief through my system, but all of that was short-lived when I thought back to my brother.

Was he alright? Did he even make it home last night or did he go ahead and do the opposite of all I instructed him to do?

And this man? What was all he had planned for me?

The what ifs rendered me dizzy, and I figured I was not going to get my answers by just standing there and asking myself a bazillion questions.

I stepped into the bathroom and cleaned up real quick. My eyes met my reflection in the mirror. A black dress shirt that was so big it almost reached my lower thighs stared back at me. Shock zapped through me. Not from the clothes. But from the soulless, black eyes that stared back at me.

The look on the stranger in the mirror was one of defeat; like she had totally resigned to fate. I blinked twice and searched inside of me for a bit of fight that could be left.

There was no way I was going to sit back and watch my life be stolen from me like that. I was going to fight; even if it cost me my blood and soul! At least I would die knowing damn well that I fought. And hard!

I whipped the big sleeves around, then giggled a bit at how ridiculous I looked in that big shirt.

I could almost picture the owner in it. So big and broad like it was tailored just for him.

I walked back into the room and noticed that my dirty clothes were long gone from where they were discarded last night, and the tray of dinner as well was gone.

I walked to the door and pulled it open, then almost broke into a happy dance when it fully opened. Somehow I had thought I would be under lock and key for most of my time here!

I skidded out of the bedroom on careful steps, the fear of the unknown making me jumpy and antsy!

I walked like I was walking down the edge of the knife, careful not to trip or trigger whatever deadly weapons and traps that could have been set in this house.

I made out the space.

It was a monstrous three-floor modern house, made of all bricks, mortar, and glass. The interior was a deep shade of grey, that reminded me of those damn eyes.

Grey.

My stomach knotted.

I wound through the corridors and climbed down the carpeted stairs until I arrived on the landing in the lobby.

The front door lay closed and unmoving in front of me, and the promise of freedom was just so loud in my brain. His words played in my mind like a ghostly sound, and I hated how even the simple ghost of him seemed to dissolve my being into nothingness.

But maybe he was bluffing! Maybe there were no land mines planted around the property or all that bullshit he yapped about.

For all I know, all of that spiel could have been a technique to instill fear in me so that I behaved like a little ragdoll he wanted to turn me into.

No. Really! Fuck him!

With that, I bolted.

I yanked the front door open and froze right there.

In front of me stood a bulky man, so big that I was convinced his mama shoved some vitamins up his mouth when he was young to make him THAT big. Either that or he was some forgotten descendant of Goliath.

He had a small man bun at the back of his head, and the suit he wore looked like it might just come undone with a bit of a movement.

His eyes, a deep shade of brown, and a scar that ran down from his left eye to the corner of his lip made him look like what horrors were made of. He took me in with what I could assume was his gentle gaze.

“‘S’there a problem, miss?” He arched a brow, and all hope frizzled into nothing.

“I…” Words fled me right then, and I swallowed.

I shook my head slightly before spinning around and headed back into the house, the door closing behind me with a soft click.

Hot flushes attacked the back of my eyes, tears brewing hard and fast.

I wiped them quickly, then fought the urge to crumble and break down against the floor.

I didn’t need to be told, but there was no making it past that guy at the door. And now I felt stupid for even thinking that I could go against HIS word. But still, it was too early. Too early to give up.

I still had time to map everything, to learn the routines of this place.

If I was going to make it out alive, then I was going to have to be super vigilant.

With a heavy sigh and all the hope charred to nothingness, I made my way to the left side of the house, hoping that’s where I’d find the kitchen.

And sure enough, I found it right there, all marbled, crip, and clean as fuck.

I wondered if the man had cleaners come to keep it as tidy as it was and then leave. Or whether he had a wife who took care of it?

Heck. I felt like a bloody speck of dirt standing in a grey, clean, and sterile kitchen.

My thoughts accompanied me as I rummaged through the cupboards in search of something to eat. I settled for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, afraid that anything heavy was going to upset my stomach.

I was on my umpteenth bite when the sound of the front door opening echoed around the house.

The knee-jerk reaction was for me to hide. And I did just that!

I flew like a damn leaf as I darted behind the cupboard and tried to make myself one with it. The footsteps inched closer and I cursed inwardly.

Of all the bazillion rooms in the house, it had to come in HERE.

The footsteps grew painfully closer, and goosebumps covered my whole body like a second skin. I pinched my eyes closed, swallowed the chunk of half-chewed sandwich that was still in my mouth, and then winced when it went down my pipe painfully.

The footsteps sounded way closer.

I caught the sound of plastics being chunked on the marble island. I perked my ears to hear more, but the loud thump thump of my heart in my chest made it fucking impossible.

And the blood roaring in my veins made me so feverish. I started to hyperventilate, my lungs failing to catch my breath.

I clamped a hand around my mouth, stifling any sound that threatened to come out. I pinched my eyes closed, then stilled when no sound came.

I was about to peak from the corner when a bubbly sound filled the space.

“Seriously, there is no way you could hide those curves behind a cupboard, cupcake.” Redness crept to my face. I removed the hand from my mouth and stared at myself, feeling stupid that I was caught. Just like that.

“Come out now.” The feminine voice called out again. I resigned to my fate.

With careful steps, I stepped out of my hiding place, only to come face to face with one hell of a beautiful woman.

Her long, black straight hair made her look like something from the magazines. Her fair skin, not even a pimple in sight. She wore a pair of black leather pants, a white blouse that was tugged neatly into the pants, and black stiletto heels that added some inches to her height.

“Hey, you.” She beamed at me before walking straight to me, then crushed me against her body.

I felt so tiny!

“Nice to finally meet you. I am Kara.” She said holding me by my shoulders.

“Kyomi.” My voice was clipped when I responded. My mind? It was fucking inflamed! Questions bombarded the corners of my brain. So many questions. Like who the hell was this woman?

And what the hell could that monster want from me when he had such a badass living with him?