Page 96 of Dark Desires

ISABELLA

The sun is setting, casting a warm, golden glow over the room.

I’m pacing, the same thing I’ve been doing for the last several hours. I have no idea what time it is. There’s no clock in the room, so the sun and the guard bringing me dinner about two hours ago are the only indication that the day’s nearly over. And Christian hasn’t been back.I can only guess that I’ve been here maybe eight hours.

There’s got to be a way out.

I study the room again, scanning for weaknesses. The door has no obvious gaps to jimmy, and the walls... well, it’s a villa. They’re thick and unforgiving. My gaze lands on a vent high up on the wall. It’s small, but I might be able to fit. The screws holding it in place look manageable if I can just?—

Then I spot a letter opener on the side table.

I grab it and climb onto the chair, trying to be quiet. The vent’s in an awkward spot, and the muscles in my arms burn as I work the screws loose.

One. Two. Three.

My breath catches when I hear footsteps outside, but they pass. I wait a beat, then finish turning the last screw. The grate comes loose in my hand, and I set it down carefully on the chair.

The vent is just wide enough for me to wiggle through even with my growing stomach. It’s cramped, and the air is stale, but it’s freedom. I crawl slowly, trying to make as little noise as possible, my palms pressing against the cool metal.

The vent opens into a dark hallway. I peer through the slats, waiting until the coast is clear before pushing it open. Dropping down, I land softly in a crouch.

I try to focus and listen for any sounds of movement or conversation, anything that might let me know others are near. But it’s quiet.

Too quiet.

I creep through the hallway, my bare feet silent against the marble floors. I keep to the shadows, staying close to the walls. My pulse pounds in my ears as I move, my mind racing. I have no idea where I am, but I can’t stay here. I need to get out, to find help, to?—

I round a corner and freeze.

There, standing no more than five feet from me, is a guard. He looks just as surprised as I feel. His hand goes to his waist, reaching for his weapon.

Shit.

Before the guard has a chance to pull out his gun, I spot a vase on a nearby pedestal. I reach for it, clasping it with both hands. Heyells something in Spanish as I bring it down on his head with all my strength.

The sound of ceramic shattering is loud, the thud of him hitting the ground even louder. I stare for a beat, heart racing as I process what’s just happened. He’s out cold.

The adrenaline is already kicking in, and I know I need to move. Fast.

I kneel beside him, searching his pockets. My hands are shaking, but I keep going. A pistol. I freeze for a moment, staring at the weapon, the cold metal foreign in my grip.

Dad’s always tried to get me to train with guns, but I hate them. However, I know how to fire one. If it comes to that, I know what I’ll need to do.

I tuck the weapon into the waistband of my pants, grimacing at how wrong it feels.

Next, I grab his phone. Jackpot. No password. I swipe up, pulling up Google Maps. My eyes widen as I take in the little blue dot marking my location.

Jamaica? What the actual hell?

I check flight paths to Chicago—a little under four hours away. That’s good.

I pull up messages, ready to send a text to Stephania, but before I can even hit a single button, I hear the unmistakable sounds of people approaching.

I duck into the nearest alcove, pressing myself into the shadows as the sound of heavy boots gets louder. The guards are talking, but I can’t make out the words. My heart thunders in my chest,every nerve screaming at me to stay still. They pass me, too focused on their conversation to notice the unconscious guy on the floor—or me.

When the sounds of their movement fade into the distance, I take a quick breath to steady myself, then hurry along. Before I know it, I end up in a huge courtyard.

The place is stunning—lush greenery, stone pathways, fountains. The sun is setting in its full glory, the sky is a brilliant, creamy orange with brushstrokes of wispy clouds.