Chapter Twenty

The next morning, I wake up to yet another figure watching me from the corner. For some reason, though, I’m able to tell that it’s not Zayden. I think it’s in the way they carry themselves. Or maybe it’s because for the better part of two months, I’ve practically eaten, slept, and breathed this man. Only now I’m looking back at that as the problem it is. I was blinded by lust, by infatuation. He was so quiet, so secretive, so dismissive. All the signs were there, every red flag. And I raced past them like it was all green from the start.

Stupid, stupid.

“You’re awake,” Dominic says softly.

“Yep.”

We sit there in silence, knowing neither one of us is going to speak first, before he lets out a sigh and scrubs his hand through his hair.

“For what it’s worth, I’m truly sorry. I didn’t like lying to you.”

“Then you shouldn’t have,” I snap.

“That’s where we are gonna disagree, baby. I did what I thought was best to protect you, and I make no apologies for that.”

“Protect me from what? Zayden?” I ask.

He stays silent as he watches me, seemingly choosing his words carefully before he shakes his head, dismissing whatever thought he has altogether.

“Whatever. We had a good run, but I want to leave. I want to go home, please let me go,” I say, attempting to appeal to his softer side, at least the side I think is soft. I really don’t know what to think of him anymore.

His brows furrow at that. “Baby, you are home.”

“No, I mean my apartment. I haven’t given up my lease yet, remember? I want to go back there and?—”

“I gave up your lease,” he interrupts.

I pause for a moment, not sure I’m hearing him properly.

“Excuse me?”

“I gave it up. Paid the remainder of your lease and told them you wouldn’t be back.”

“Wh-why?” I snap in outrage.

“It’s not safe for you to be out on your own, not right now.”

“You’re fucking unbelievable! Let me guess, you told Mark I quit?” I snark with an eye roll.

But when he doesn’t disagree, my eyes bulge out of my head.

“You’re kidding me,” I deadpan.

“You moved away, urgent family matters,” he says without a hint of remorse.

I jump to my feet, closing the distance between us before I wind my hand back and slap him across the face. He rears back but doesn’t do anything other than that.

“Fuck you!” I hiss. “What? You’re just gonna keep me here? Forever?”

“Not forever,” he says cryptically.

“This is kidnapping, you know that, right? You’re gonna go to jail, you’re gonna?—”

“Christ,” he mutters with a shake of his head. “Will you take a deep breath, please? You’re gonna work yourself into a panic attack.”

“A little hard not to panic when I’m being held against my will with no context!” I laugh hollowly.

He runs his thumb over his fingertips before he looks up at me, his cheek already reddening from my blow.

“If you take a deep breath and calm down, I will explain.”

My breathing is still ragged, but I take several slow breaths before sitting down at the edge of the bed. Dom nods at me once before he speaks.

“There are some people that could be coming for Zayden.”

I blink twice at that before I turn my head to the side.

“And that involves me…how?”

He rolls his lips together before he continues.

“Zayden’s…affection for you won’t go unnoticed by them. If they see him with you, or at least following you, they are going to take an interest in you, and believe me, you don’t want that.”

“I think I’ll take anyone’s interest in me over that psychopath,” I scoff.

Dominic levels me with a serious look as he leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

“Remember how I said that Zayden was bad, but there was worse out there? Well, these men, they might as well be the devil incarnate. They will take you, they will hurt you, and they will kill you.”

A pang of fear runs through me, no matter how hard I try to remain unaffected by his words.

“Why?”

“Because it will hurt Zayden and me.” He grimaces before looking down at the ground.

“Well, what the fuck is wrong with you guys? How do you make enemies like this?”

Dominic shakes his head. “They aren’t our enemies.”

My eyes widen at that before I let out a sarcastic laugh.

“Well, I’d sure as shit hate to see how your enemies treat you.”

He doesn’t respond, clearly not having my dark sense of humor.

“Fine, whatever. How long do I have to stay here?”

“It’s too soon to tell. I’m assessing the situation, and then if you still want to leave me?—”

“I will,” I agree quickly. “Maybe with the chaos of the last forty-eight hours, I wasn’t clear. We aren’t together anymore, Dominic. I don’t like you, and I sure as hell don’t love you. In fact, I fucking hate you.”

I regret the words as soon as they spill from my lips, which is stupid because shouldn’t I hate my lying ex-boyfriend? Shouldn’t I hate the man who has deceived me, imploded my life, and is keeping me prisoner? None of my rationale seems to weigh out the regret I feel at the look on his face. He winces, just slightly, as if he’s been dealt a blow and is trying his best to mask it.

He stares at the furthest wall for several seconds before turning to face me.

“I deserve that and more, but it doesn’t make me love you less.”

My mouth parts on instinct before I can help it, but I’m not even able to overanalyze his words before he continues.

“I came in to tell you that Zayden and I have decided you can’t be stuck in this room. You’re free to roam about the apartment and you’ll be able to leave the apartment soon. Just not yet.”

Well, that will make it a lot easier to break out of this place. If they’re going to let me out of the room, I could just walk out the front doo?—

“Don’t think you’ll be able to just escape out the front door, baby,” Dominic says, literally reading my mind. “I have installed a biometric scanner on the inside of the door, only Zayden and I are able to leave the apartment as we’ve removed the fire escape exit.”

My mouth hangs open at that.

“What if there is a fire?”

“Zayden or I will get you out. One of us will be around at all times for your safety.”

With that, he turns to leave, gripping the doorknob before pausing. His back is still to me as he speaks.

“I’m sorry you got dragged into this. I’m sorry Zayden saw you and decided to latch onto you the way he did. I’m sorry I did the same. I really did try to fight it. I knew Zayden getting involved with you was going to ruin your life. I knew me getting involved would make it even worse. It couldn’t stop me, but I am sorry.”

Before I can respond, he slips out the door, leaving it open for the first time in days. I hear a door shut down the hall and assume he went to either his office or bedroom down there. I’m left sitting on the bed, more than a little confused at the warring feelings inside me. Really, Blake? It’s been two days and already you’re feeling sympathy for your captors?

Stockholm syndrome is setting in, apparently.