TORMENTED_ Jani Kay - Jani Kay Page 0,48

I tried to piece everything together. My brain was still fuzzy—as if I was still drugged.

My life passed before me. A little girl in pigtails who adored her daddy. Fun years at college. My engagement to Nolan. My mother’s illness. Her death and funeral. Discovering that my father had had a mistress and I had a stepbrother. Meeting Ryder and Jade. Falling for Harrison. Finding out I was becoming an aunt.

Wait. Falling for Harrison?

What the hell was I thinking? Those drugs they gave me were making me delusional.

And where the fuck was Harrison?

He’d freaked out and left me without saying a word. Not even the obligatory “it’s not you it’s me,” or any other explanation.

One day he was in my life and then he’d disappeared.

I sighed. The ache in my heart hurt so much more than the physical aching of my body.

Nolan. Abduction. The man. The slap. They were nothing in comparison.

I tried to move my arms again, but I still couldn’t budge. Something cut into my wrists and held me down.

It took me a long time to convince myself that I should at least try to see where I was. I took a few deep breaths to calm my nerves and slowly opened my eyes, allowing them to adjust to the dark as I stared at the ceiling without moving.

At least I knew where the whirring sound came from. A large bamboo fan was positioned above the bed and I watched, semi hypnotized, as it went around and around and around.

Moving my head slowly, I looked down at my arms. No wonder I couldn’t move. I was strapped to the bed. Panic rose up in my chest, threatening to make me scream. I pushed down the urge as a scream bubbled in my throat.

That would be a bad idea. A very bad idea.

My breath quickened as my heart raced, hammering against my ribs. I wasn’t dead. I was trapped in a fucking nightmare. Held against my will. As for mercy? There was no such fucking thing.

Not for my mother and neither for me.

How long had I been there? Did anyone even know I was gone? A thousand questions ran through my mind.

I gritted my teeth and steeled myself. This wasn’t the time to cry or play victim. If nobody—Daddy, Ryder, Harrison—came to rescue me, I had to figure out a way to free myself. The more the haze lifted from my brain, the more determined I was to get my life back. No man was going to control me or keep me against my will. Not in this fucking lifetime. Not ever.

“Eva, you’re awake.”

Shattering the stillness, Nolan’s voice scared the shit out of me. Where the hell was he?

And even more to the point—where in fuck’s name was I?

The only thing I knew was that we weren’t on the plane any longer.

So where then? How long was the flight?

From the far side of the room, I heard a chair scrape and footsteps fall on a hard floor.

I closed my eyes and pretended to still be asleep, or comatose, or whatever the hell I’d been.

“You can’t fool me. I know you’re awake. Your breathing has changed.”

A hand cupped my face. I tried to ignore it, pretend it wasn’t there, but everything inside me screamed. It felt like it was burning through my skin and into my flesh. As hard as I tried to control my breathing, I failed.

“Just don’t scream. Jones is outside the door. I’m sure you don’t want him in here.” He chuckled softly, as if it was really amusing him.

Jones. The bastard had a name. I was going to kick his fucking balls to a pulp for hitting me.

Oh God, did he undress me? See me naked? What else happened while I was out cold? I’d heard horror stories of strange things happening to women when they were unconscious. And I was tied up. Fuck.

I moved my fingers against my leg until I pinched some kind of smooth fabric against my skin. Who dressed me?

I’d kill every one of these assholes if their dicks came anywhere near me, so help me God.

“Open your eyes, darling. Let me look at you.”

How many fucking times have I told you I’m not your darling? Not anymore. Not ever again.

Fingers squeezed my cheeks. And then lips were on mine. Nolan’s lips. Kissing me.

If only I could slap him. Push him off me.

My eyes flew open and I snorted hard. It didn’t stop him. He held my head tighter, making it impossible