Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 21 - Chapitre 30

Liora’s PovThe phone kept ringing.Each tone felt like a hammer against my ribs…I held the device to my ear, waiting for his voice. Waiting for the monster to explain why I was locked in a room like a piece of evidence…Pick up. Pick up, you coward.The line went dead.No voicemail. No answer. Just a cold, digital click.I stared at the screen. He didn't even care enough to tell me no.Suddenly, I heard the lock turn.I scrambled to my feet, dropping the phone into my pocket.The heavy doors swung open.It wasn't Darian.It was a woman who looked like she was made of iron and vinegar. Her hair was a tight, grey knot. Her eyes were like two cold coins.Behind her stood the two statue maids from the night before.They were carrying empty plastic bins."I am Mrs. Gable," the woman said. Her voice was sharp. It cut through the quiet. "The head of the household.""You locked me in," I snapped. My heart was still hammering."The West Wing is secure for your safety," she said. She didn't e

The afternoon dragged. I spent most of it staring at the ceiling, waiting for the door to open. In this house, you don't wait for things to happen; you wait for people to let you exist.The lock eventually turned with a heavy thunk.It wasn't Anya. Three people in white coats walked in and they didn't look like the friendly nurses at the community clinic. They looked like they belonged in a high-end tech lab. They were carrying silver cases and tablets."Good afternoon, Liora," the man in the lead said. He didn't offer a name. "We are here for the initial baseline. We need to establish your physical stats before the next phase.""I did the vitals this morning," I said, sitting up. I felt a little defensive, but I tried to keep my voice steady. I didn't want to give them a reason to call Marcus."That was a surface check," the woman said. She was snapping on blue gloves. The sound was sharp. "This is about biology. We need blood work, a full physical, and a nutritional panel."They di

The name Elias was a literal ghost. I spent the afternoon hidden in the library, tucked behind a shelf of dusty law books where the camera couldn't quite see my hands. I searched every database I could find on the guest computer and flipped through the back of every ledger. Nothing….No Elias…. No phone record. My father’s only lead was a dead end, and it felt like the air was being sucked out of the room. Maybe he’s dead…Maybe he never existed. I shoved the journal deep into my waistband and headed back to my room before Marcus could find another reason to loom over me.The silence of my suite was broken the second I stepped inside. Mrs. Gable was there, standing like a short bitch in the center of the room. On the bed, she had laid out a dress that looked like it belonged to a nun…high neck, long sleeves, and a dusty grey color that made me want to gag. "Mr. Volkov expects you for a formal dinner tonight," she said, her voice clipping every word like a pair of shears. "Put this on

The servant appeared looking confused. He was holding my plate of expensive, overpriced sea bass. He looked at the far end of the table, then at me, then at Darian."Move it," I said, my voice sharp. "I’m eating here."The servant scrambled, scurrying to place the dish in front of me before disappearing as fast as he could. He probably didn't want to be in the room if something happened.I picked up my fork and took a bite. It was delicious, but I didn't care. I was too busy feeling the heat radiating off the man next to me.Darian finally turned his head but he didn't look at my face. He looked at the way I was holding my silverware. He looked at the way I chewed. He was observing me like I was a bug under a microscope, his eyes tracking every single movement of my hands.Oh, so we’re playing the observation game now?I see youI knew what he was doing. He was looking for a flaw, He was looking for the waitress or the poor girl so he could feel superior again. I decided to give him a

The air was thick and it felt like the room was shrinking while my hand stayed heavy on Darian’s thigh…I could feel the hard muscle jumping under my palm and his breath was hitting my face in short, jagged bursts. I had him. I knew I had him because his eyes were dark and mask was melting right in front of me.He’s going to kiss me or he’s going to kill me and I don’t care which one happens first.Then, a high-pitched chime sliced through the air. It was a cold, digital sound and it made the hair on my arms stand up. The massive screen on the far wall flickered once and then it exploded into light. A blue glare washed over the table and it turned the red wine into something black and oily.Darian moved away and recoiled like I had burned him with a cigarette. He stood up so fast his chair nearly tipped over and he stepped back into the shadows."Darian."The voice was like stones grinding together. It was deep and it was old and it made my stomach turn into a knot. I looked at the scr