Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 58532 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 293(@200wpm)___ 234(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58532 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 293(@200wpm)___ 234(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
And after finding out that her fucking family isn’t even looking for her, I simply can’t let her be up there by herself. No matter how stubborn and obstinate she can be, she deserves love and care. She deserves to be a part of our family, even if she doesn’t think she wants to be.
“I think you’re right, Kane,” Kylie agrees. She shifts slightly in Rook’s arms, sitting up to look at me. “When I talked to her yesterday, she tried to act strong, but it was obvious to me she’s scared. And confused. And…I’m sure being locked up isn’t helping her come to any important realizations.”
“I know.” I scrub a hand over my face. “It’s not fair to her. Frankly, the fact that her parents were happy to send her off to an evil bloodsucker who was fully prepared to…” I pause, unable to even say the words to describe the horrible, vile things he planned. “I just can’t be this guy, you know? I’m not this guy. It goes against the reasons we’re on this side of the fight altogether.”
I can feel Blair upstairs. But then again, I can always feel her. The bond is constant, always humming low and steady inside my chest.
Right now, she’s fully awake and pacing and agitated. But she isn’t plotting or scheming on how to escape like she was yesterday. She’s unraveling.
“I don’t want to cage her,” I say, more to myself than anyone else. “Not like this.”
“Okay.” Cal crosses his arms over his chest. “So, what’s the plan, then?”
“Daylight freedom,” I answer, and I hate that I still have to put stipulations on what she can and can’t do. No one deserves that, but fuck, she’s a flight risk. A flight risk that will unknowingly put herself in the worst kind of situation because her whole entire life has revolved around telling her “being chosen” by an elite vampire is a good thing. “Perimeter only. She doesn’t go past the tree line. One of us is always outside with her.”
Rook holds my stare for a beat, then nods once. “Your call,” he says. “But if she runs—”
“She won’t,” I say automatically.
It’s a lie. Even I know it’s a lie. There’s a strong likelihood that Blair will try to run, but I refuse to be the bastard who keeps her locked up in a room twenty-four hours a day.
I head for the stairs before I can overthink it. The second-floor hallway is quiet, and sunlight cuts through the narrow window at the end of it, turning the wooden floor pale gold.
I stop outside the bedroom door.
For a second, I just stand there, listening.
Her footsteps cross the room. Then stop. Then start again. She’s so restless, she’s going to pace holes into the floorboards if I let this insanity continue.
Yeah. I refuse to keep her locked up like this.
The key slides into the lock, and the click sounds louder than it should.
Inside, everything goes still.
I open the door to find Blair standing near the window, her arms folded tightly across her chest. Her hair is loose down her back, and despite her current situation, she looks polished and confident, like she was born knowing how to hold herself upright, no matter the setting.
Her eyes flick to mine.
“I’m unlocking the door.”
Her posture shifts almost imperceptibly. She’s suspicious at first, but then a few quiet moments later, her shoulders soften. “Why?” she asks.
“Because I don’t want to cage you,” I answer honestly. “I just want to keep you safe.”
The words hang between us.
“So…” She pauses, and she tilts her head to the side as she assesses my face. “You’re going to let me out of this room?”
“Yes.”
“I can go anywhere inside and outside?”
“There are boundaries,” I add calmly. “You stay within the cabin perimeter. You don’t cross the tree line. One of us is always outside with you.”
Her lips press into a thin line. “So, you’re not keeping me caged, but you’re not exactly giving me full freedom.”
I shrug. “I wish I could. But I don’t trust the people who would take advantage of that freedom.”
“And you’re not worried about me trying to escape?”
“You won’t.”
Her eyes flash at that. “You’re very confident.”
“Well, I have an unfair advantage when it comes to you,” I say quietly. “And I know you don’t want to stay locked in here.”
“Unfair advantage?” Her pulse jumps at my words, thrumming quickly at her neck. “What does that mean?”
Intention, Blair. I can read your intention. Hell, I am so fucking locked in on you I can tell when you’re awake or asleep or worrying yourself sick about shampoo. I can feel your emotions from miles away.
But I don’t tell her that. In fact, I don’t answer at all.
She stares at me, her pretty blue eyes trying to read my face.
I know she hates the confinement. She hates feeling powerless, but no matter how badly she wants to hate me, she can’t. Most of the time, when I’m not near, her intentions are mixed with her wondering where I am and what I’m doing.