Chapter 30 Seven
CHAPTER THIRTY
SEVEN
As soon as Grace sees her present, her eyes roll to the back of her head, and she passes out.
I honestly can’t blame her. It must be a shock to wake up and realize all you’ve ever known has changed.
I have no doubt she’ll come around eventually—preferably before she’s birthed the first of our children—but if I have to wait longer, I won’t complain.
How could I? I finally have Grace here with me.
She can’t leave, she can’t run. She’s finally, truly mine.
A little voice in the back of my head screams that this isn’t right. Someone will wonder where Grace has gone. Eventually, the police will look into her disappearance. If I’m not careful, they will find her and take her far away from me, forever.
I refuse to let that happen.
My mind travels briefly back to twelve hours ago, remembering how Grace’s body felt in my arms, so pliant and soft with the sedative coursing through her veins.
I had placed her in bed, covering her body so it looked like she was sleeping, then hid Corey’s body in the bathroom.
Just like I thought, a hotel employee arrived shortly after, wanting to make sure everything was okay.
After a glance inside the room and a stern warning about keeping the noise down after midnight, the employee left, satisfied.
It took several hours, but I eventually cleared the room of any incriminating evidence.
The police will eventually find Corey’s body in the bathtub, but by then, it will be too late.
Grace and I are here in Moriton, on the other side of the country, and unless something goes terribly wrong, they will never figure out it was me who killed him.
I take one last look at Grace’s sleeping form, making sure the blanket I placed inside her cage is still wrapped snugly around her. Satisfied, I leave the room, closing and locking the secret door behind me.
I’m keeping Grace in one of the modified basement rooms in the apartment building I own.
It’s not the most secure place in the world, but it’s the best spot I could take Grace on such short notice.
Luckily, I had finished renovating the white room and installing the holding cage just before we went on the work trip, but my living space is still in a state of disrepair.
It will be a few days before it’s worthy of Grace’s eyes, and though I want to get to work right away, there are more important matters at hand.
I take the stairs up to my apartment, heading into the bedroom where I left Grace’s purse.
I grab her phone, scanning through the slew of notifications she’s received in the past twelve hours.
She’s gotten a few messages from coworkers and friends, but the only ones that worry me are from her best friend, Saffron.
Several texts are asking where Grace is and why she hasn’t answered her phone. The very last one she sent says that if Grace doesn’t contact her soon, she’ll report her missing to the police.
Weighing my options, I realize the best course of action would be to text Saffron as Grace. With any luck, I can assuage Saffron’s worries, and all will be as it should once more.
Grace
Hey! Sorry I didn’t text. I’ve been… busy…
I press send and hold my breath, hoping the text sounds enough like Grace so that Saffron will fall for the ruse. Within a few moments, the text bubbles appear, followed by a message from Saffron.
Saf
I’ll forgive you if you give me details. Especially if it has to do with your hot boss.
As I read, my chest squeezes with a foreign emotion. Grace has been telling her friends about me…
Before I lose focus, I type out a quick response to Saffron.
Grace: I’ll tell you all about it later. I’m actually going away with him for the weekend. Out of the country.
Saf
That’s so romantic! I can’t believe you’re leaving the country!
Grace
I know, right!
Satisfied, I’m about to shove the phone back in Grace’s purse when another text comes through, stopping me in my tracks.
Saf
Hey, Grace?
I frown, typing out a response. What could she possibly want now?
Grace
What is it?
Saf
I don’t want to keep you, but I have a super quick question.
Grace
What’s the question?
Saf
What color are my eyes?
I freeze, my pulse skyrocketing. She can’t know. How could she?
Grace
Lol. Why are you asking me that? You think I don’t know what color my best friend’s eyes are?
Saf
No. I don’t. Because I don’t think I’m talking to Grace. She doesn’t have her passport, asshole. She can’t leave the country.
Who are you and what the FUCK have you done with Grace?
I slam the phone onto the ground, crushing it beneath the heel of my boot.
Fuck. Fuck, fuck, FUCK!
I rub a palm over my face, all too aware of the pressure building behind my eyes. What did I think would happen? Of course her best friend would realize it wasn’t actually Grace texting her. Now, she’s going to go to the police and cause an unnecessary scene.
It’s not like I can just kill her, either. Grace would never forgive me if I was the reason any harm came to her friend. It’s the easiest, logical solution, and I can’t take it.
“Fuck,” I murmur, closing my eyes as my head begins to throb. “What a mess…”
The only thing that makes me feel better is the knowledge that Saffron would have called the police eventually. I was just hoping for a few days without having to worry about it.
And honestly, there’s a good chance I’ll still have a while before I have to be concerned about the police actively looking for Grace. They’re not the most proactive people, and Saffron will have to make quite a scene to get them to actually do their jobs.
I let out a breath, slightly calmer now that I’ve thought things through.
Pushing thoughts of Saffron and the police from my mind, I move into the kitchen, pulling off the laminated list hanging from the freezer door.
I move my forefinger down the list, debating which of Grace’s favorite meals to prepare for her tonight.
I’ve been taking copious notes on her preferences over the past few weeks—about food and all manner of things—and I printed them off so I can make sure Grace has the easiest possible process settling into her new life.
Hmm. Something sweet and light. Her stomach could be upset from the sedative, and I don’t want my angel to get sick.
With a satisfied nod, I make a mental list of the ingredients I’ll need for the week and head out to pick them up from the store. I keep my eye on the camera feed the entire time I’m gone—no more than twenty minutes—but it feels like an eternity to be so far away from her.
As soon as I’m home, I can breathe easier. Grace sits like such a good girl in her cage, not fighting or screaming or anything that would warrant correction. I smile as I lay out the ingredients on my countertop, hoping she’ll enjoy the dinner I’m preparing.
I kneel in front of the bars, placing the plate carefully onto the ground beside me. Grace’s eyes flick toward the fruit spread, and her tongue darts out, swiping across her lower lip.
“Is my angel hungry?” I ask, plucking a strawberry off the plate. Opening the feeding slot, I slip my hand through, inching the ripe berry toward her lips. “Go on. Take a bite.”
Grace’s mouth tips in a small grin, and my chest constricts at the beauty of it. She leans toward me slowly, her lips parting as she goes to take a bite of the food I’m offering. So sweet. So precious—
“Ow! Fuck!” I rip my hand back, dropping the strawberry in the process. Shock replaces the heady desire flowing through my system as I stare at the trickle of blood running down Grace’s lip.
“You bit me.”
“So it seems.” There’s a manic gleam in her eye as she wipes her mouth with the back of her hand, smearing red across her cheek. The sight of this vicious creature covered in my blood has my cock hardening, and I have to bite my cheek to stifle a groan.
“Such a bad girl.” I reach into my back pocket and pull out a small black controller. “And bad girls get punished.” I press the red button at the top of the device, delivering an electric shock, and Grace jerks back with a pained cry.
Frantic, she reaches up to her neck, her fingers desperately clawing at the shock collar strapped tight to her throat. Smirking, I touch the button twice more, and Grace falls back against the bars, her body convulsing from the electricity coursing through her system.
“Are you ready to behave?” I reach forward to run my bloodied fingers over the bars. “I want you to be good for me, I do. But I can’t deny I get a sick enjoyment out of seeing you this way. So vulnerable and sweet. A little rag doll just for me to play with.”
She lets out a weak groan, shifting her head to the side to look at me. Instead of the hate I expect, her eyes are filled with heated desire, brimming with the same dark obsession staining my own soul.
“Can you get up, angel?”
She bites her lip, nodding. Slowly, she pushes into a sitting position, holding her knees close to her chest as she stares with wide, innocent eyes.
“Get on your knees and turn around. I want to see that pretty wet pussy.”
Swallowing hard, Grace does as I ask, her muscles shuddering as she gets on all fours, baring herself to me. At the sight of her slick center, I groan, clutching the bars tight to keep me from falling apart.
“God, you’re so perfect.” I ache to reach in and touch her. “Who do you belong to, Grace?”
She lifts her head, glaring at me out of the corner of her eye. “No one.”
“Liar, liar.”
I unlock the main door, and Grace’s glare switches to one of fear as I swing the door open.
“W-what are you doing?”
“Don’t fucking move.” I reach out to grip her hip, holding her in place. “Stay just like that for me. I’ll give you a reward if you’re good.”
Grace stays frozen in place while I slip to the corner of the room, grabbing the length of rope from my duffel bag. I crouch at her back once more, reaching out and brushing her soft flesh with the tips of my fingers.