Saranya Chapter 18
I’d combed every inch of this room. Even went as far as to crawl on my hands and knees along the baseboard, in case there was something there I could use to get these fucking cuffs off.
The bed had been a bust. The mattress rested on rigid slats that were screwed into the frame.
There were no box springs to pry a wire loose from.
Panic swelled inside of me. Jordan should be back any moment.
I couldn’t protect myself fully with my hands secured.
The sound of footsteps had me returning to the bed again, only this time, I refused to pretend to be unconscious. He wouldn’t fall for it anyway. I sat rather than lay. When the door swung open, I noted the surprised look he hastily masked.
“Well, I see you’re awake finally. You should’ve called out. I would’ve joined you sooner,” Jordan said pleasantly.
“Why would I do that?” I asked acidly.
His eyebrows hiked up. “Sari, I know you’re upset, but if you allow me to explain, you’ll see that what I did is for your own good. I’m protecting you.”
“Protecting me? From what?”
“From a terrible mistake. Here, let me sit so that we can talk like civilized adults.” He came and perched his ass on the edge of the bed. I resisted kicking him onto the floor.
“If you wanted to talk, why not call me and ask me to coffee? You say you want this to be civilized. How is drugging me, assaulting my tech, and kidnapping me civilized?”
“It wasn’t the preferred method, but I knew that biker would never let you out of his sight. He’s been preventing you from having contact with people for weeks. He follows you to work. He follows you home. And if you go out on a job, Owen is with you. I had to find a way to separate you from him.”
“By hurting Owen and threatening to shoot him!”
“I wasn’t going to shoot him. I said that so you wouldn’t fight me.”
His tone was so calm and matter-of-fact.
If he believed what he was saying, the motherfucker was nuts.
I knew I could either keep being upset with him or try to act as if I was willing to hear him out and see his point.
God, I hoped I was a good enough actress to pull it off.
I hung my head, so my face was hidden. I used precious seconds to change my expression and flip into a different mindset. Then, I looked up.
“Jordan, I’m here. I want to hear what you have to say. But can you remove these cuffs? They’re hurting my wrists,” I made myself plead. I held out my arms.
Jordan leaned closer to peer at my wrists. They were red, but from all the movement of me crawling. However, he wouldn’t know that. I held back a shudder when he rubbed them gently.
“They do look sore,” he murmured.
“They are. And I’m thirsty. Is there any way I can have a drink of water?”
He considered what I said for about thirty seconds, then he was up on his feet.
“I’ll be back,” was all he said before he left the room. He closed and locked the damn door.
I suppose I’d have to maintain the weak, easily led persona.
Maybe he’d think I wasn’t a threat because of my size.
I contemplated what moves I would make if he freed me.
Jordan returned with a glass in his hand.
It was filled with clear liquid. I had to trust it wasn’t drugged.
Stealthily, I sniffed the contents as I raised it to my mouth.
It smelled fine. I took three large swallows before he removed it.
I smiled as I said, “Thank you. Much better.”
I refused to mention the removal of the cuffs again. As we sat there, with him staring at me, I let fear cross my face.
“You’re the one who left the letter at my clinic, weren’t you?” It had dawned on me as I was waiting earlier.
“Yes, it was me. You didn’t listen,” he scowled.
“I’m scared, Jordan. Please, don’t hurt me.
I didn’t know it was you who left the letter.
You never mentioned liking me. I never pictured myself as the type of woman you’d be interested in.
If I had known, I wouldn’t have let Cowboy turn my head.
God, how I regret that,” I muttered as if talking under my breath.
“Why do you regret it?” Jordan jumped on the pretend slipup.
“I’ve liked you since Dad hired you. However, because I thought I wasn’t your type, I let loneliness lull me into believing Cowboy is the man for me. But I’ve wised up.”
“How?”
“I saw his club brother flog a woman, for nothing more than sneaking into their clubhouse because she liked someone. She was covered in red lash marks when she left. Cowboy isn’t what I thought he was.
He wants to control me. Tell me who I can see and talk to.
You saw how he wouldn’t let me go to work or home without him following me.
He doesn’t trust me. I asked him why he insisted on being my escort.
He said it was to ensure I didn’t stray. ”
Eagerness overtook his expression. Jordan scooted closer. He was holding my hands in his. His thumbs were rubbing over the backs of them. I tolerated his touch. I was tossing anything out that I assumed he’d deem the truth.
“Did he ever hurt you?” he asked curtly.
“If you mean, did he ever hit me? No, but there are other ways to hurt someone.” As I lied, I shifted my gaze away from his, as if ashamed and reluctant to continue.
He squeezed my hands. “Tell me what other ways?” He entreated.
I wiggled my leg and shifted my butt on the mattress. Finally, after several seconds of that, I reluctantly aimed my beseeching expression at him. Jordan was watching me attentively. He smiled.
“Come on, you can tell me anything, Sari,” he coaxed.
“He hung with his club brothers at the clubhouse. He made me stay at his house. He’d be gone all night.
When he came back in the morning, he stank of perfume.
I saw lipstick and bite marks on him when he showered.
The first time, I confronted him about it.
He told me it was none of my business what he did or who he did it with.
He wasn’t about to allow a woman to dictate what he could do.
Then, one night, I snuck over there and caught him with a woman, one of those club sluts.
He was kissing her. The next thing I knew, he carried her off to a room.
They use them for sex.” I faked a sob of mortification and glanced away.
I made my voice tremble, and my tears shimmered. I accomplished it by imagining that Cowboy really did those things and how they would affect me. If he acted that way, I’d never stay with him, and it would break my heart.
“Shh, don’t cry. You don’t ever have to see him. But what about your parents? Preston and Malai seemed to like him the night I stopped by their house, and you were there with him.”
“They pretended to like him, but it was all an act. They told me afterward, when Cowboy wasn’t around.
They were afraid of what he or his club might do if they knew.
Dad and Mom like you so much, Jordan. I know they’ll be thrilled to find out you like me.
You do, don’t you? Like me as more than a friend?
” I asked anxiously. I was on a roll, and the pretending was becoming easier.
“Sari, I began to fall for you the moment I met you. Every time I saw you, it grew. After I covered for you when your dad asked, I knew I had to tell you how I felt. The night I stopped at your parents’ house, I was there to tell you about my feelings.
I intended to ask to speak to you alone.
However, I learned you were seeing that brute.
The way Preston and your mom spoke of him, I was sure they liked him.
After I left, I knew I had to get you away from him, hence the letter I left.
I prayed it would be enough to get you to leave him. ”
“Oh God, if only I’d known. Jordan, these wasted weeks, and you going to this extreme to get me alone could’ve been avoided.
No wonder you were desperate and did what you did.
I feel awful for creating this whole situation.
I was stupid to ever go out with him. We’re not from the same world.
” I sniffed as I pushed tears to run down my cheeks.
As he hugged me, I plotted what I’d do next.