Chapter 66

CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX

ASHLEY

I take my time in the shower. It feels like forever since I've been able to wash, even though it's only been one day, and I relish the heat of the water as it flows over my skin. As promised, there are toiletries beside the sink, and I select the one that smells the least like Zain. It's still a man's body wash, but it isn't the one he uses.

Once my fingertips start to wrinkle, I shut off the water and step out. I can't stay up here forever. He'll come looking for me, and I don't trust that he won't drag me down the stairs to have dinner naked if I'm not ready in time, and claim it's to teach me a lesson.

I'm determined not to give him any more ammunition to help him make people believe I am crazy. Even if I am starting to feel that way.

I'm dressed, and pulling my hair into a braid by the time I hear footsteps in the hallway beyond the door. I wait for it to open, but they go past and disappear.

Maybe it isn't Zain, after all. Maybe he really does expect me to go downstairs without forcing him to come to get me. Taking a deep breath, I wrap my fingers around the handle and pull the door open. The hallway beyond is empty.

I'm at the top of the stairs when I hear a familiar voice speak behind me, and my heart sinks.

"Heather told me you were here. She asked if I'd mind canceling, but I had to see this for myself. How the hell did you manage to convince Zain to even give you five minutes of his time?"

I turn slowly, and face the immaculately dressed blonde woman.

"It's nice to see you again, Sondra." My voice displays none of the anxiety that's threatening to escape. This woman made my life at school after Zain's incarceration a living nightmare, and is one of the many reasons I left town as soon as I could.

"Nice isn't the word I'd use. I don't know what you're trying to do, but sniffing around Zain when he's just got out of prison and hasn't had a chance to settle is low, even for you."

"Zain invited me , not the other way around."

"And you just happened to come back to town in time to cross paths with him. Haven't you ruined enough of his life?"

"Ashley? Why are you hanging around up there?" Zain's voice comes from behind me and as I turn, I feel a slight touch on my back and my foot slips off the step.

My heart stops, images of me falling down the stairs and breaking my neck flashing through my mind, but as I throw my arm out, hoping to catch hold of the handrail, I crash into something hard and warm.

An arm snakes around my waist, and I'm set back on my feet. Lips brush against my ear, and the warm breath as he speaks raises the fine hairs on the back of my neck.

"Throwing yourself down the stairs to get away from me is a little dramatic, don't you think? Or were you throwing yourself into my arms? Your visual clues are hard to decipher sometimes."

"I didn't! I … I …" My heart is hammering against my ribs, I can barely catch my breath. My face is pressed against Zain's shoulder, and with every inhale, I take in a lungful of his cologne.

"I must have startled her." Sondra's voice is sticky sweet behind me.

I turn to look up at her, and Zain's arm snakes around my waist.

Sondra moves forward so she can look down at where I'm standing, but all I'm conscious of is the way my back is pressed against Zain's chest, and how his arm is a tight band around my waist. Butterflies take off in my stomach, and I'm not entirely convinced it's because of the fact I almost fell down the stairs.

"I'm so sorry, Ashley. Are you okay? You look positively white." She doesn't even sound convincing.

"I'm fine." I can't hide the tremor from my voice.

I wedge one hand beneath Zain's arm and try to loosen his grip.

"You're holding onto me too tight. I can't breathe."

"You could have broken your neck." There's an odd note to his voice.

I want to turn around and look at him, but I can't move.

"I didn't do it on purpose."

"Are you sure about that?"

And just like that, I'm reminded of what he's trying to do.

Did he tell Sondra to come up and talk to me on purpose?

Was this part of his plan?

Oh my god, is he trying to kill me?

"I'm going to be sick. Please let go of me." He drops his arm, and I immediately run back up the stairs, past Sonda, and through the bedroom to the bathroom.

Standing in front of the sink, I splash cold water onto my face, and suck in a couple of deep breaths. I catch movement out of the corner of my eye, and lift my head to find Zain standing close behind me.

"What was the plan out there?"

I turn. "What do you mean?"

"Trip and fall? Sprain an ankle? Blame Sondra? Sue my parents? Claim I pushed you?"

"What?"

Is he really trying to say I was going to fall down the stairs on purpose?

"You heard me. It'd be an easy out, wouldn't it? How were you going to make it work? Break a leg? Go to hospital, then whisper to the nurses that the big bad ex-con is blackmailing you?"

"No. Sondra?—"

"Sondra pushed you? That's your story?"

Pain spreads down my arm, and my eyes widen at the palm print across his cheek.

His eyes narrow, and he comes toward me.

I've done it now. I've pushed him too far.

The expression on his face is terrifying, and the only thought in my head is that if I don't get out of his path, he's going to kill me. I dart to the side. His arm flashes out and he hauls me back in front of him .

"That was a mistake." The darkness coating his voice is as frightening as the look in his eyes.

"This whole thing is a mistake." I try to twist out of his grip.

"Oh no, Firecracker. There's no escape from me this time."

My back hits the countertop. One arm drops to rest against the edge of the marble, the other lifts and he wraps his fingers around my throat and forces my head up.

"Do you remember what I said to you all those years ago after they read out my sentence?"

My mouth is dry, my heart feels like it's trying to escape through my throat.

I do remember what he said to me. The words are burned into my brain. I spent years waking up screaming after nightmares about them.

"You're going to pay for this, little girl. I don't care how long it takes. The day I get out, you're going to pay for what you've done to me."

His head lowers, one side of his mouth curling upwards. "Time to pay the piper, Ashley."

And then he kisses me.