Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 98075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
The sun set outside, and the absence of light exaggerated how empty and cold the house was. I knew there was someone here, though. Luka’s trust had grown considerably through the week, but not enough to leave me on my own. How long would I have if I tried to escape right now? How long would I have if I found Luka’s room and went inside?
I couldn’t bring myself to read any of the books he’d uploaded to the iPad. My eyes had glazed over at the covers and “A Submissive’s Handbook” mocked me. Without ever discussing it, I understood my role beneath Luka, and although I wanted to be the best at everything, I struggled with this.
I ate dinner alone at the kitchen table, not tasting the food Whitney had prepared. Lightning flashed, bathing the kitchen in bright white for a split second. Outside, thunder rolled and rattled the large window on the back of the house. The clouds gathered, blotting out the moon, and rain fell in torrents against the glass. The sound was deafening.
I waited at the kitchen table for a long while, until my eyelids grew heavy.
What if he didn’t come home?
Logic said I’d return to my life. This would be just a blip in my timeline, one week of madness, and then everything would be back on schedule.
Could I really do it, though? Return to my life like none of this had effected a monumental change in my core? I was naïve, but not stupid. Regardless of what happened, Luka’s imprint would be a lasting one.
When he hadn’t returned by ten o’clock, I shuffled upstairs, brushed my teeth, and prepared for bed, although I left the door to my bedroom open. I hoped he’d let me know when he came home, but the open door would help if he didn’t.
I curled up under the covers and watched the hallway. The winter storm outside raged on, battering the house.
π
“Addison.”
Luka’s deep voice startled me awake. I sat up, disoriented, and spied him in the doorway, backlit by the hallway light.
He’s back. I should have been afraid, not filled with relief.
“Hey,” I said, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “What time is it?”
“Two thirty.”
I blinked against the light, adjusting. Luka wasn’t wearing his work clothes from earlier. He wore a pair of boxers that clung to his lean body, and his hair was messy, as if he’d been sleeping. He must have come home and I’d slept through it. But now he was awake in the middle of the night.
A bright flash lit up my bedroom, followed by an enormous crack of thunder. It was so strong, the room vibrated, and I flinched.
“Get up,” he demanded.
I hesitantly rolled out of bed and shivered when I left the warmth of my covers, tugging at the hem of the tank top I wore over a pair of pajama pants. I padded out to join him in the hallway, confused. He wrapped his fingers around my wrist, and his hot skin against mine was scorching as he pulled me down the hallway, all the way to the door which was ajar at the opposite end.
My heartrate quickened. I’d figured out from the sounds in the morning that this was most likely his room.
The room was dark, so I didn’t get a good look until he snapped off the hallway light. There was another crack of lightning. Gray faux stone covered the accent wall, and jutting out from it was a large, low platform bed. The covers had been cast off to one side.
His warm hand cuffed my wrist and tugged me across the plush carpet to the bed. Rain beat against the window, punctuated by the deep grumble of thunder.
“When did you get home?” I whispered.
“Around midnight.”
“Did everything go okay?” Why did I care?
“Yeah.” He leaned over and pulled down the covers on the side of the bed that had been made, then glanced at me expectantly, waiting for me to climb in. I disliked the breathless feeling his actions gave me and shoved it down, turning to get in bed, only for him to stop me. “Wait.”
He undid the ribbon at the waistband of my pants, and his gaze pinned me in place while the soft fabric slid down my legs. The cool air gave goosebumps to the goosebumps already on my skin. The lighting flickered across his face, exacerbating the sexual, dangerous expression there.
I stepped forward out of the pants pooled at my feet, bringing us chest to chest, and I stared back at him. Beyond the window, there was electricity slashing the sky in jagged bands, but in the space between me and Luka, it crackled with intensity. His eyes flared with desire.
I swallowed a breath as he lifted me up in his arms, putting his hands on my ass. His command was dark and urgent. “Wrap your legs around me.”