Captive Bride - Alta Hensley Page 0,34
know you pity me. I wish you wouldn’t.” Her voice is soft, not angry, not even sad. Just soft.
“I can’t help it,” I admit honestly. “I see your truth and reality, and I see a nightmare. And what I pity is you can’t see it for yourself. You’re a victim and too blinded by that fear you speak of to know it.”
“Papa Rich loves me.”
“Maybe so. I won’t argue that. Although at the same time, why would a man who loves you lock you up in a cold cellar with a complete stranger chained to the wall? How does he know I won’t harm you in retaliation? How does he know if you’ll be all right? Wouldn’t a father be concerned if his daughter is cold at the very least?”
“He’s a strict man.”
Ember keeps her eyes focused straight ahead, but I’m a little surprised she isn’t trying to pull away or give some space between us. Our bodies are pressed snugly together, and though she is tense, she is remaining close. I don’t want to keep pressing her on her father because I could end up pushing her away, so I decide it’s best to change the subject if possible. Although there is another part of me that still wants to shake some sense into this girl. A violent urge to grab her by the throat and strangle her just to teach Richard a lesson. Just to hurt him as he’s trying to hurt me. To make him pay for his lunacy.
If I kill Ember—which would be so easy to do right now—would I destroy the man as I so desperately want to do?
But does she deserve to die?
Is this her fault?
Taking a deep breath and trying not to let the dark thoughts take over, I say, “I’m sorry about the kiss.”
“Sorry?” Ember turns her head to look at me, her beautiful eyes being the only thing I could see.
“You deserve better. Your first kiss should have been so much better. I’m assuming it was your first kiss, right?”
She nods and turns her attention straight ahead. “It was. And it was nothing you should apologize for. I… I liked it,” she confesses as she looks down at her fingers which grip the wool blanket. “Is that bad to admit?”
Christ. This woman is as pure and genuine as an innocent child. It’s hard to see her as a grown woman. Nothing in life has turned her into a broken and shielded person who would never admit or allow herself to be so vulnerable. I have never had a woman state so simply that she liked a kiss from me. That would make her weak and give me the upper hand.
New York dating laws 101. Don’t reveal your true feelings.
“No, it’s not bad to admit.”
“I’ve always fantasized about my first kiss. It was nice.” I see a smile paint her face and her cheeks pinken.
“Your first kiss should not have happened by force,” I say as I reach for a piece of her hair that is hanging in front of her face and tuck it behind her ear. “When you have memories of your first kiss, your father should not be in the picture.”
She shrugs, but her smile fades as she does so. A shiver runs through her and spreads to me. Sitting up against the cold wall isn’t going to keep us warm for long, and I know I have to make a change.
“Let’s lie down,” I say.
She doesn’t resist and lies down in front of me on her side. I position the blankets so they will be on top of us and spoon her from behind. Her frame is so tiny I worry the weight of my arm over her will be too heavy.
“Are you comfortable?” I adjust my body until I’m as close to her as I can get and try not to focus on the fact her body is curved against mine and we fit like a perfect glove.
Nothing about this situation is perfect, and yet, Ember’s body is warm, and I feel a sense of comfort I haven’t felt since being hit over the head by a madman. I also feel this overwhelming need to protect. I like knowing Ember is safe in my arms and no harm can come to her.
I don’t want to let her go.
For Christ’s sake… why don’t I want to let her go?
My eyes dart back to the window. “Ember? Tell me about where we are right now. Where in the town