Just then, there was a soft knock at the bedroom door.
With a half turn, I looked over my shoulder expecting to see Oksana. The door cracked open. It wasn’t Oksana. It was Ainsley.
Immediately I stood from the bed to face her. Thinking back to her interaction with Dorian, the brief kiss and his touch on her hip, I assumed they were together. This in spite of not seeing a ring on her finger. If they were with each other, it wasn’t as serious as it could have been.
I don’t know why I found it interesting. It should have been the last thing on Earth I cared about. In reality, all I wanted to do was leave, just get the hell out of there. Ainsley closed the door behind her. Looking at her, I had a sensation stab at me.
It felt a lot like jealousy.
I know that’s stupid. It didn’t make any sense. Even though it was only a twinge, it was there and, unmistakable.
She turned and looked at me. Aside from him being gorgeous, I couldn’t figure out why she would be attracted to Dorian. He was controlling, demanding and inflexible – pretty much every quality I couldn’t stand in a man. Even so, if she’d managed to tame a guy like Dorian, she had to be tough as well as beautiful.
Ainsley smiled at me. It wasn’t genuine though. That much was obvious.
“It’s good to see you up and about. I wondered how long it would be…”
I frowned at her. “What do you mean? How long what would be?”
“Oh… the sedatives. You wouldn’t have been able to get the rest you needed without them.”
My entire body flexed, tension tightening every muscle including the ones still wrapping around my brain.
“What! You’ve been drugging me!? No wonder I feel like my head is about to explode!”
Ainsley stopped walking, standing just on the other side of the bed across from me. Smugness came to her lips. “Now, now. Calm down. I wouldn’t exactly say we’ve been drugging you.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “What the hell would you call it then?”
“Precautionary measures. You have nothing to worry about. Dorian has a complete infirmary and surgical center here at the estate. We were only following the advice of the doctor who treated you when you came in the first night.”
“Uh!” I scoffed. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
“It’s obvious Dorian cares about your well-being. That should count for something.”
Shaking my head, I looked away from Ainsley. I suppose she had a point. If nothing else, Dorian did seem interested in doing what he could to protect me.
Turning in her direction, I exhaled, agreeing with her, but not out loud. “Where is he by the way?”
“Dorian? He’s been away on business for days.”
Something wasn’t making sense. “I thought you said he was following the advice of the doctor.”
That smug smile returned to her lips. “Oh, he is. Well, I mean I am.”
“What are you talking about?”
“He put me in charge of you before he left. It was my little assignment.”
I wanted to jump up on the bed, dive towards Ainsley and grab her around the neck. Instead, I just looked at her in disbelief and muttered the first word that came to mind.
“Sickos.”
Not only did my comment not affect her but her smile grew wider. Before she could say anything, I continued, gesturing towards the silk pajamas.
“Where the hell are my clothes? I don’t want to be here anymore. I want to leave. Now.”
Ainsley ignored me. “There is no reason to be upset. Now that you’re feeling better, it’s only a matter of time before Dorian delivers the case and you’re free to go. In the meantime, you should try and relax.”
“I don’t want to relax! I don’t want to be here! Now, I’m asking you again. Where are my clothes?”
Ainsley looked at me and shook her head for pointing in the direction of a walk-in closet. “In there.”
Storming away, I threw open the door to the closet and switched on the light, seeing my clothes hanging at the far end of it.
“I am so outta here…” I mumbled, marching towards the hangers where my clothes were, cleaned and pressed.
They’ll drug me but dry clean my clothes. What the hell?
I dug my fingernails into the flimsy plastic covering the outside of my garments, tearing it away. From behind me, Ainsley cleared her throat.
“Tempest, you need to calm down…”
“No!” I snapped, turning in place and cutting her off. “That’s where you’re wrong, I don’t have to do anything you tell me. As soon as I get dressed, I’m getting the hell out of here.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
Half-listening, I suddenly realized something. “What day is it?”
Ainsley shrugged. “Thursday. Why?”
In the midst of yanking on my jeans, I yelled, “Holy shit! My vacation is over! I have to be at work tonight.”
“I’ve already told you, you won’t be going anywhere. As far as your job situation, you don’t have to worry about it. It’s been taken care of.”
With my fingers on the snaps of my jeans, I froze in place. “What do you mean ‘taken care of’?”
“Just what it sounds like. No one is expecting you there tonight. There’s no reason to be concerned.”
After pulling my t-shirt over my head, I ran my fingers through my hair, shaking them free with a violent motion before walking towards Ainsley. “Get out of my way! I’m not about to be kept prisoner, drugged, and in the dark about what you plan on doing to me.”
I stopped less than a foot away from her, pointing my finger. “I am not an animal!”
Ainsley backed away a bit, showing me her palms. “You’re overreacting.”
“What!”
“You heard me. You need to start being more grateful to us for taking care of you like we have.”
The chick was delusional.
“If your idea of taking care of someone is kidnapping and drugging them, I’d hate to see how you’d treat someone you want to hurt.”
“Believe me,” she said, her tone turning serious. “If Dorian wanted you hurt, you wouldn’t be here right now. I’m not going to tell you again. You’re wasting your time. There’s no way you are leaving the estate.”
My eyes met hers. We stared at each other in silence. I started walking, brushing my body against Ainsley to move her aside. She grabbed my upper arm, squeezing it.
I snapped my head in her direction. “Let go of me. You may be able to keep me here, but if you ever lay a hand on me again, you will regret it.”
She held me for an extra second or so, I guess to make a point. Eventually, she let go. Once she did, she turned and started to walk away, heading in the direction of the bedroom door. On the way, she pointed at the breakfast tray next to my bed, still filled with food I hadn’t eaten.
“You should at least try to get something in your stomach.”
I didn’t respond, just shook my head. For all I knew, my bagel was laced with Valium. Ainsley stopped at the door and wrapped her hand around the knob.
“After all, it’s a long time until dinner.”
“Dinner?”