Free The Betrayed by Jana DeLeon Page A

one of the few luxuries she’d afforded herself in the past year. She felt more relaxed, which was partially due to the hot bath, but probably mostly thanks to the two glasses of wine she’d consumed while soaking. She couldn’t remember a time when she was so stressed that she’d actually gotten out of the tub for a refill, and she hoped to never experience one again.
    Her mind turned to dinner as she stepped into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator to peruse her limited choices. Part of the perks of working at the café had been the free meals. Now that she was gainfully employed outside of the food industry, she was going to have to stock more than sandwich fixings and bagged salad.
    She reached for the cheese and butter, figuring a grilled-cheese sandwich and chips were as good as anything else she had to choose from, and placed them on the counter next to a loaf of bread. As she reached for the skillet, which was hanging on a wall hook, her cell phone rang and she whirled around, her breath caught in her throat.
    Idiot, she chastised herself as she reached for the phone on the kitchen counter, her hour-long soaking completely undone in an instant.
    “It’s Alaina,” her sister said when she answered the phone. “The connection is really bad here. Can you hear me?”
    “Barely. A thunderstorm is moving in. You know what that means.”
    “Unfortunately, I do. Are you at home?”
    “Yes. The contractor and I left at the same time.”
    “Good. I don’t want you there alone.”
    Danae bit her lip. Should she tell Alaina about the moving shadow, unlocked door and everything else she’d encountered that afternoon? Her sister already had plenty to worry about.
    “Is something wrong?” Alaina asked. “I get this feeling something is wrong.”
    Danae shook her head. Her sister must be absolute hell in a courtroom. “It was an eventful afternoon,” she said and went on to explain everything that had happened.
    “I don’t like it,” Alaina said when she’d finished. “Not at all. Are you sure you won’t delay your two weeks until I can return?”
    As tempting as that was, Danae couldn’t agree with her sister’s suggestion. “To what end? Then both of us would potentially be in danger instead of just one. If something is going on in the house, delaying my stay won’t stop it any more than delaying your stay would have stopped things for you.”
    The sound of static rang in Danae’s ears, and for a moment, she thought they’d been disconnected.
    Finally, Alaina sighed and said, “I know you’re right, and I’d be saying the same thing if the situation was reversed. At least promise me that you won’t be at the house alone. If the contractor leaves to buy supplies, go with him.”
    Danae clutched the cell phone. The last thing she wanted to do was get into close proximity to Zach again, and riding in a vehicle with him violated the “close proximity” rule. “If I have any reason for concern, I’ll leave the house when he does.”
    “Since we’re cut from the same cloth, I’m going to assume you’re as hardheaded as I am and won’t bother pushing for more. But please be careful. Be watchful. It took most of my life to find you. I don’t want to lose you again.”
    Danae’s eyes moistened at her sister’s words. In reality, her sister was a stranger, but apparently Alaina felt the same connection she did.
    “I’ll sleep with my eyes open,” Danae said.
    “And don’t be afraid to call Carter if things feel off. He’ll come without question and he won’t mock you if it turns out to be nothing. He’s sorta great that way.”
    Danae smiled, happy her sister and Carter had found each other. Danae had admired Carter Trahan, both physically and mentally, since her arrival in Calais, but she’d known right away that he wasn’t the man for her. He was gorgeous and smart and all white-knighty, but seeing him didn’t give her that little thrill—that spark that she knew she’d feel