Page 37 of Ever After
The elevator stops at their floor, and we all get out. “I’ll be right back, ladies. I need to run to my room first.”
I walk to the stairwell and run down as quickly as I can. I glance around the lobby for my tail, but he’s nowhere in sight. He’s either waiting at my room, or he’s gone home for the night. I stop at the front desk.
“Excuse me, could you please call me a cab? I’ve had too much to drink, but I think I left my phone at the bar I was at tonight.”
“Not a problem.” She places the call, and when she returns the receiver, she states, “It should be here in a moment. Can I help you with anything else?”
Not unless you can get this damn tail off my ass.“No. Thanks.”
The cab pulls up a few minutes later, and I jump in, keeping my head ducked. I give the driver the address, and we’re off. No tail in sight. I breathe a little easier.
Finley
I stir and push the blankets off me. I’m sweating. Something doesn’t feel right, and I sit up quick, the hairs on the back of my neck pricking. I look around the room for anything familiar. Master isn’t here, and this isn’t my room. I panic and throw my legs off the bed. I look down and touch the soft material on my body. I’m in a pair of shorts and an oversized t-shirt.Master doesn’t put me in clothes. Where are these from? What happened?
I sit and think about what happened tonight. My memories of the night are a little fuzzy. Pictures of the night with the three men flash through my mind. The last encounter plays out a little longer, as he was nice to me and gave me an orgasm. Then there was the other guy who called me by my name and said he was there to help. He had to have been a trick. How would he even know I was there? I’ve never seen him before, and he screams military, not undercover cop.
Light pools under the door, and I step toward it. I turn the knob, and the door creaks open. I pause, listening. I breathe quietly, straining my ears for any noise.
I hear male voices in the hall and sink into myself. I’m on the top floor. There is nowhere for me to run without being caught. I guess Master sold me tonight, after all. I close the door again, quietly, and return to the bed. Instead of crawling under the covers, I kneel on top of them and keep my head bowed. Waiting. I know what I have to do to stay alive—follow orders.
The voices get closer, and I stay frozen. When the door opens, a stream of light flows through, illuminating me. I want to look up so bad, to see who now owns me, but I fear the answer.
“Oh, God, Finley.”
I scrunch my brows. I know that voice; it sounds like Grayson. I look up at him and gasp. This is the same man from tonight, but he doesn’t have on his glasses. He was gentle with me. I study him as he walks closer, and he places his hand on either side of my face, cupping my cheeks.
“Finley, can you hear me?”
“Mr. Biggs?” I ask in confusion.
He shakes his head. “I thought I lost you tonight. No, it’s Grayson.” He pulls me to him for a hug, and I don’t know what to do. Do I cry? Do I laugh? I slowly wrap my arms around his middle and settle on hugging him back. I lay my cheek on his shoulder.
Grayson. It was him tonight, and he didn’t even say anything to me. He gave me an orgasm, touched me without me knowing it was him.He did it because he had to.“How long was I with him?” My voice is muffled as he holds me tighter.
“Two weeks.” He pulls back and searches my eyes.
“That’s it?” It seems as if I was there for a lifetime. The things I’ve done, the treatment I’ve been subjected to. The way I crave Master’s touch. All that only took two weeks? I suddenly feel weak. I always thought I was strong, but I broke in such a short period of time.
“Finley, it’s going to be okay. You’re safe now, sweetheart.”
Sweetheart.
That nickname. My heartrate kicks up, and I try to breathe, but it feels like a weight is on my chest, making it impossible. Tears spring to my eyes, and I blink them away. The name taunts me now. Every time he wanted me to do something, he would call megood girlandsweetheart. I knew if he used those words, he wouldn’t hurt me.
I stare at the wall behind Grayson’s head; I can’t look at him.
“Don’t.” I swallow back a sob. “Don’t use that name. Call me anything but sweetheart.”
He hesitates. He reaches his strong arm for me again but stops before he touches me. When he speaks, he keeps his voice soft. “Finley. Look at me, please.”
I do, and he pushes the hair out of my face. “I’m so sorry about tonight. I had to keep up appearances. He has no idea who I am. I didn’t want to. Not like that, not when you didn’t have a choice.”
“At least you were gentle with me,” I whisper. His brows draw together in question, but I don’t have it in me to relive it. “Please, don’t make me talk about it right now.” The tears slide down my face.
“Shh,” he wipes the water from my cheeks. “We don’t have to talk about it tonight. Why don’t you lay back down and try to get some sleep? We can talk about it when you’re ready to.”
“Will you stay with me?” I whisper. He stills, and I fear I asking him to stay has made him upset.