Free Stolen Fate by S. Nelson Page A

what I feel for the man who is holding me against my will. Yes, I’m crazily attracted to him, but I can’t trust him. But it’s nothing new; I can’t trust anyone but myself, and even that’s a little sketchy.
    He throws on his pants as quickly as he can, turns toward me to give me one last look and hurries out the door, locking it behind him as usual.
    What the fuck just happened?

{ Chapter 9 }
                 
    The next morning, I’m stunned to see Drayden milling about inside my bathroom, almost as if he’s taking inventory of my essentials. As he makes his way back out to the bedroom, he stops dead when he sees I’m watching him.              
    “What?” he snaps at me, pressing his forefingers along his temple. He’s quite the sight. While he’s dressed in a sharp, dark-grey suit, he looks like a man who didn’t get much sleep the night before. His eyes are red and swollen and he didn’t even bother to shave this morning, only adding to his haggard appearance.
    It doesn’t take a genius to see he indeed has a wicked hangover.
    I can’t help myself—ever the pushy bitch.
    “Something wrong? Do you have a headache, sweetheart ?”
    He looks confused. “Why would you ask me that?”
    “Because of how much you tied one on last night. And while we’re on that subject, don’t ever come into my room drunk again.”
    His movements are so quick he’s near me before I’m able to take my next breath. His face tells me everything in that moment. He has no idea what I’m talking about. He doesn’t remember anything which happened between us. And he probably doesn’t remember anything he said, either.
    It seems like I have the upper hand this time.
    “What are you talking about, Essie? I wasn’t in here last night. Why are you making up stories?” He’s becoming more and more agitated, the blinding headache no help at all, I’m sure.
    “Uh, yes, you were. You mentioned something about an accident and not being able to have kids, then you stripped down naked and tried to fuck me.” I’m trying my hardest to contain the glee I feel because of his ignorance.
    I get up and start to push past him, nature calling and all. But I don’t get very far. He grips me up, like he obviously likes to do, and halts my escape. “Who told you about the accident?” He shakes me. “Tell me right now. I swear to God, Essie, if you don’t stop messing with me…”
    “ You told me. You’re the one who sat in that chair over there and told me there was a lot of damage in the accident, and the doctors told you the chances of you having kids are one in a million.”
    “You’re lying.” He shakes his head, as if it’s going to make everything I just said go away. “You’re a Goddamn liar.”
    “Believe what you want, Drayden; I really don’t care. But if I know anything about you, I know you probably have security cameras all over this huge house of yours, this bedroom being no exception. So why don’t you go and check the footage. You’ll see you came in my room late at night and that I’m telling you the truth.”
    He releases me, takes a moment to compose himself and makes his way back toward the door. Before he yanks on the handle, he leaves me with one more tidbit of information, something I’ve been waiting to hear for some time now. “There are three pregnancy tests in the bathroom. Take all of them. It’s been three weeks. If you are knocked up, something should show up by now. I’ll send someone back around to collect them.” He disappears, leaving me feeling like I’m nothing more than an annoyance. Someone who has to be tolerated and dealt with accordingly.
    Someone who has no value.
    It has all come to this moment. The moment of truth. My life is either going to change or remain the same.
    I’m not quite sure which one I prefer at this point.

{ Chapter 10 }
                 
    I have to be dreaming. Please, someone wake me up from this nightmare.
    No. No.