Page 22 of Stand: Part One

Releasing the plug, I gently lifted her from the tub, water spilling all over the floor as I carried her from the bathroom.

“You’re getting water everywhere,” she commented as I laid her on the towels.

“So what.” At least water didn’t need to be scrubbed out of the carpet.

I patted her legs dry while she dried her arms, the sight of her naked body laid out before me making me a crazed animal.

Reining it in, I left her to put on some sweatpants, and when I returned, Jaden had managed to drag herself off the towels and back to her side of the bed, having tucked her legs under the covers.

I eyed her disapprovingly but said nothing as I pulled the bed tray from under the bed frame and set it over her lap.

“Uh, can I at least have a shirt?”

I shook my head. “No.”

She scoffed, a scowl forming on her lips. “Why the hell not?”

“Because I said so. You don’t need clothes to eat dinner. And I’ve been deprived long enough.”

She rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her bare chest, glaring at me with the cutest kind of disdain.

Ignoring her irritation, I blazed through her mental barrier and took her face in my hands, kissing her with enough warning to remind her exactly who was still in charge.

But once her fingers wrapped around my wrist, stroking along my arm, I was reminded that while she was finally strong enough for me, she was still currently very fragile.

Releasing her face, I said nothing as I took the plate from the cart brought in and placed it on Jaden’s tray. We ate in silence as I put on the last documentary Jaden had been watching earlier in the day. Something about penguins.

She spent more time staring at the TV than on her own plate, but I knew she wasn’t actually watching. Her gaze was unfocused as she did what she always did when I laid my cards out on the table. She was calculating.

The alleged thieves of her ring should be inconsequential to her, yet here she was, broadcasting her silent turmoil like a fucking beacon.

Over the years, Jaden had crafted a pretty decent poker face, but I was an expert in her body language. And it told me exactly what I had hoped would never be possible.

Kayla was still very much alive.

9

He Knew

I slept like absolute shit. The whole night, I could hear myself screaming at the top of my lungs in my head, absolute terror ripping through my body. I woke up gasping nearly every hour, dreaming of the lie I thought I had so carefully concealed. I should have known better. I should have fucking known.

Shifting slightly to my side, I turned my back to the man who I could only hope was still asleep next to me. Darren was trained to be a light sleeper for a reason. He always had one eye open on the shadows around him. Sometimes I wished those shadows would just come and take me anyway. Maybe I’d be better off with them.

When I pulled my hand behind my pillow, the stupid diamond ring snagged against the pillowcase, making a noise that caused me to freeze. When no movement behind me followed, I gently pulled my hand away. My heart rattled in my chest as I twisted the cursed thing around my finger, its weight suddenly heavier than ever.

There wasn’t a day that went by when I didn’t think of Kayla, hoping like hell she made it out. Wondering if she had ever found Jason. At least I knew she made it as far as Arizona and got some money for the ring. Hopefully, she got a good price for it. Even if she didn’t find Jason, it would be enough to keep her safe and hidden for a while.

But it wouldn’t last much longer.

Darren knew. There was no way he didn’t. Not after my shitty performance of containing my shock and fear of the truth. If there was video footage of Kayla at the shop, then there would be no denying she was alive. And if Darren knew she was alive, he would hunt her down.

The question was, what would he do with her if she was found?

Would he return her to Matt to form a truce?

Would he sell her again to another buyer?

Or would he just kill her?