Chapter 24
Blair
Marble is the first thing I see when I open my eyes, a contrast to a room full of wood in every way.
White marble floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, and expensive works of art hanging on the wall. There’s even an ornate fireplace sitting directly across from me.
The entire wall to my right is completely glass, showcasing a breathtaking city view of skyscrapers.
I’m in New York.
I’ve been to this city too many times not to recognize it instantly.
My head throbs and my mouth is dry, and there’s a strange metallic taste in the back of my throat. I work to push myself up to a sitting position. I’m in a cushy king-sized bed, surrounded by a soft, fluffy gold comforter and too many pillows to count.
Where am I?
The last thing I remember is sitting in Holland’s Escalade. He handed me some water to drink, and then everything just went black.
Did I fall asleep?
I swing my legs off the bed, and my eyes continue to take inventory of the room. It’s large and pristine with modern art and glass tables and an impressive chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
Everything is curated and expensive, and it looks exactly like what I’ve been raised around my entire life. It’s the opposite of the cabin. And nothing like Kane’s simple bedroom.
And it feels incredibly unsafe.
“Hello?” I call out. “Holland? Mom? Dad?”
My voice sounds tiny in the open space.
But it doesn’t take long before the door opens, and Damien Snow walks in. He’s wearing a perfect suit, his body showcased with perfect posture, and a perfectly controlled smile on his lips. He’s exactly as I expected he’d be—and somehow as opposite of perfect as opposite can be.
“Hello, Blair,” he greets.
“How did I get here?” I question. “I know Holland picked me up, but I don’t remember anything after that.”
“You fell asleep. He carried you in.”
My eyes go wide. “He carried me in?”
Damien nods, but I don’t miss the way his eyes narrow as he looks me up and down. “You need to take a shower. Get in some fresh clothes. I have everything you need.”
I glance down and quickly realize I’m still covered in dry mud. I’m still wearing Kane’s T-shirt and sweatpants. But I don’t give a shit about my clothes or a shower right now.
“Where are my parents?” I ask. “Holland said they were in New York. Are they staying here with you?”
“They’re fine,” he says smoothly. “They went back to Boston.”
I jerk my head back. “What?”
“They didn’t need to stay,” he replies. “Everything was handled.”
Handled? My head pulses harder.
“Where is Holland?”
“He left.”
I glance around the room again. The marble. The skyline. The art. It’s everything I’ve always known. Everything that’s supposed to mean stability.
And yet, all I feel right now is fear.
“I need to call my mother,” I say.
“No.”
I stare at him. “What do you mean, no?”
“You don’t need to.”
He steps closer to me, his movements slow and controlled. “It’s time for you to take a shower, Blair.” And once his knees bump the edge of the mattress, he reaches out to run his fingers through my hair.
My body recoils before I can stop it.
His eyes narrow slightly, but a faint smile touches his mouth.
“Yeah,” he murmurs. “You were worth the trouble.”
Trouble? My pulse spikes, and fear blossoms in my stomach.
“You’ll be valuable,” he adds.
Valuable? The word echoes in my head, and something cold spreads through my chest.
“Uh… I need to leave, Damien. I really need to talk to my parents. I think we should probably reschedule this trip,” I say, but his answer comes without hesitation.
“No, you don’t need to leave because you belong here. With me. We have lots of things to do together, Blair.” His smile makes my skin crawl. “And I’m sure you have lots of things to tell me, about where you’ve been and who you’ve been with the past few days.”
“I really need to go,” I say and rise to my feet. I move past him to walk toward the door, but when my fingers wrap around the handle, it doesn’t budge.
And not even a second later, he’s behind me and his hand clamps around my arm.
“Don’t.”
“Let go of me.” I twist, but he simply picks me up as if I weigh nothing, carries me back over to the bed, and drops me down unceremoniously. The shock of it all knocks the air from my lungs.
“You’re here now,” he says, adjusting his cuff like nothing just happened. “I paid good money for you.”
The words slam into me. Paid. Good. Money.
“Maybe too much,” he continues coolly. “Considering the trouble you’ve caused.”
Everything inside me starts to shake, and Kane’s voice flashes through my mind. All the things he told me. All the things he warned me about.
“I need to go home,” I say, swallowing against the ball of emotion in my throat. “I need to talk to my mom.”
He looks at me like I’m na?ve. “You don’t need to do anything right now besides take a shower and wash the vile stench of him off your skin.”
Him. He means Kane. I know without a doubt.
“The bathroom is behind that door.” He points across the room. “Everything you need is in there and in the large closet near the fireplace. I’ll be back when you’ve finished, and then we can start the process of checking if you’re still intact.”
“Intact?”
“Your virginity. You smell like you’re still a virgin, but I want to be sure.”
The urge to vomit overwhelms me.
Oh my God. Oh my God. I should’ve never left the cabin. I should’ve never fucking left the cabin!
Without another word, he walks to the door, doing something briefly on his phone, before it unclicks and opens.
He steps into the hallway. The door closes behind him, and the lock clicks firmly in place.
And I sprint into the bathroom and throw up.
I fear that I might not leave this place alive.