despite the weak part of her that wanted to obey him and have him take everything away. She wasnât that weak. But she did need his help and he clearly wasnât going to give it to her until she capitulated.
Your trust and your body, donât forget.
Yeah, like sheâd forget that. The sex thing sheâd handle, no problem. It was the trust thing she had difficulties with. Then again, all sheâd had to promise was obey a couple of commands and not hide things from him. That wasnât so much of a big deal, was it?
She shifted again in her seat, keeping her hands clasped together, fighting not to brush her neck, touch the place where his palm had rested against her throat. Fuck, she could still feel the imprint of his fingers there like a burn.
Maybe she should have just snatched her jacket out of his hands, but then that would have given away the fact that he affected her. That he scared her. So sheâd had no choice but to thrust her arms into the sleeves and stand there as his hand slid around her throat. Making her want to scream with terror. And yet â¦
There had been something else behind that mindless terror. A lingering memory of safety. Of the softness of the cashmere coat heâd wrapped her the day heâd come to take her away from the house. No questions, sheâd told him. And he didnât ask any. Only given her his coat, making her feel warm for the first time in her life.
Eva swallowed, trying to untwist her fingers from the blanket.
The silence in the car was deafening, but she didnât want to speak. Didnât know what to say anyway. Perhaps an apology, but then that would mean admitting sheâd been driven by fear and there was no way sheâd admit that to him.
She should be thinking about the man she was going to face. Get herself used to the idea of seeing someone she recognized from that time. Perhaps finally knowing the identity of who had taken her.
The memory of safety and warmth faded abruptly, and she shivered.
No. Perhaps thinking of that was a stupid idea after all.
Beside her Zac shifted, and despite herself, every muscle in her body tensed as if acknowledging a threat.
But he was only leaning forward as the limo slowed, coming to a stop outside a disreputable-looking apartment building. In fact the entire neighborhood was disreputable-looking, now that she got a good view through the window. Graffiti on the buildings and trash in the gutters. Men hanging around in little knots; one group sat on the steps of a nearby apartment building while another stood in front of a liquor store. A crowd of young women wearing far too much makeup and far too little clothes passed, and there was catcalling and shouting going on.
God. It was too close to home for her comfort. These were the kinds of streets she had grown up on. In fact, her father could have been one of those catcalling men, with nothing better to do than drink and sell a little meth to get by. And those men could have been his friends, the ones who drank, took the meth her father sold, and grabbed her in the dark when they thought she was sleeping â¦
âAngel.â Zacâs voice was full of its usual calm and authority. âWeâre here.â
Temple had gotten out and opened the car door for them, the cold air and the stink of the city suddenly permeating the interior.
She didnât want to get out. She didnât want to see the man theyâd come for. She wanted to stay in the safety of her car and get Temple to take her straight back to her apartment, where she could stay in the warmth and never, ever leave.
But she couldnât. Zac was here and she had to prove to him there was nothing wrong. That she wasnât scared. That her fear was not getting bigger and bigger the way he seemed to think.
âIâm ready,â she said, sounding hollow and as far from ready as it was possible to be.
She could feel his gaze on her, amber eyes searching.
Your trust and your body, donât forget.
Yeah, like sheâd forget that. The sex thing sheâd handle, no problem. It was the trust thing she had difficulties with. Then again, all sheâd had to promise was obey a couple of commands and not hide things from him. That wasnât so much of a big deal, was it?
She shifted again in her seat, keeping her hands clasped together, fighting not to brush her neck, touch the place where his palm had rested against her throat. Fuck, she could still feel the imprint of his fingers there like a burn.
Maybe she should have just snatched her jacket out of his hands, but then that would have given away the fact that he affected her. That he scared her. So sheâd had no choice but to thrust her arms into the sleeves and stand there as his hand slid around her throat. Making her want to scream with terror. And yet â¦
There had been something else behind that mindless terror. A lingering memory of safety. Of the softness of the cashmere coat heâd wrapped her the day heâd come to take her away from the house. No questions, sheâd told him. And he didnât ask any. Only given her his coat, making her feel warm for the first time in her life.
Eva swallowed, trying to untwist her fingers from the blanket.
The silence in the car was deafening, but she didnât want to speak. Didnât know what to say anyway. Perhaps an apology, but then that would mean admitting sheâd been driven by fear and there was no way sheâd admit that to him.
She should be thinking about the man she was going to face. Get herself used to the idea of seeing someone she recognized from that time. Perhaps finally knowing the identity of who had taken her.
The memory of safety and warmth faded abruptly, and she shivered.
No. Perhaps thinking of that was a stupid idea after all.
Beside her Zac shifted, and despite herself, every muscle in her body tensed as if acknowledging a threat.
But he was only leaning forward as the limo slowed, coming to a stop outside a disreputable-looking apartment building. In fact the entire neighborhood was disreputable-looking, now that she got a good view through the window. Graffiti on the buildings and trash in the gutters. Men hanging around in little knots; one group sat on the steps of a nearby apartment building while another stood in front of a liquor store. A crowd of young women wearing far too much makeup and far too little clothes passed, and there was catcalling and shouting going on.
God. It was too close to home for her comfort. These were the kinds of streets she had grown up on. In fact, her father could have been one of those catcalling men, with nothing better to do than drink and sell a little meth to get by. And those men could have been his friends, the ones who drank, took the meth her father sold, and grabbed her in the dark when they thought she was sleeping â¦
âAngel.â Zacâs voice was full of its usual calm and authority. âWeâre here.â
Temple had gotten out and opened the car door for them, the cold air and the stink of the city suddenly permeating the interior.
She didnât want to get out. She didnât want to see the man theyâd come for. She wanted to stay in the safety of her car and get Temple to take her straight back to her apartment, where she could stay in the warmth and never, ever leave.
But she couldnât. Zac was here and she had to prove to him there was nothing wrong. That she wasnât scared. That her fear was not getting bigger and bigger the way he seemed to think.
âIâm ready,â she said, sounding hollow and as far from ready as it was possible to be.
She could feel his gaze on her, amber eyes searching.
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