My head began to ache, and after relieving myself and washing up, I was nervous to go back into the room. I was nervous about dealing with Kai Bennett.

Where had he been today?

I knew the storm from last night was coming again. Kai was back. Kai was the one who would demand my assistance.

I sensed him on the other side of the door. Again there’d been no sound. I didn’t see his shadow, but I knew he was there before he spoke.

“We’re going to sleep. That’s all, Riley.”

A lump formed in my throat.

Again with him being kind. Patient. Calm.

My body leaned toward him, as if he were the shelter for me in this storm.

I gritted my teeth.

I needed to remember he’d killed that man. I needed to remember Cord and their father. Brooke had been scared of him.

But.

Even as I tried to remember all of those things, my body was still drawn forward. I sagged toward the door, wanting to open it and step out. He was seductive without trying to be seductive.

My hand shook as I opened the door, and there he was. My stomach jumped to my sternum. My heart picked up its pace.

He wore only sweatpants, the waistband hanging low. I couldn’t help myself. I took in every single muscle of his chest and stomach. Even his hips were defined. He straightened from where he’d been leaning against the doorframe and his eyes darkened, turning completely black as he looked me over too.

I became self-conscious in only a T-shirt and a pair of boxer briefs I’d found in his closet. I’d changed before crawling in bed after breakfast.

I was wearing his clothes, with no bra.

His gaze settled on my chest. I felt my breasts hardening.

“Tanner told me you didn’t kill the others,” I blurted, needing to think of something else, to change the mood. “Is that true?”

It worked.

Kai’s eyes whipped to mine, and though he didn’t move, I felt him pulling away. A wall slid between us.

His face hardened. “Yes. Your friends are alive. Your Network was notified of their capture, along with yours.”

They already knew. I had notified them, but I held my tongue.

His eyes began to smolder, and a taunting glint showed as he said, “But then again, you already knew that since you’re the one who called them.”

Now I snapped to attention.

How had he known? Had the Hiders told him?

He chided softly, “You think one of my men left that phone by accident?”

Everything in me fell to the floor. Hope. Rebellion. Strength. It was gone now, and I knew what he said was correct. Everything had been thought out, even the bait for me to take.

It was then I realized the real reason they’d taken me. It all clicked in place.

I’d been a fool.

Despair washed over me. “You didn’t take me because you thought Brooke notified me, did you?” It was true. I felt it now, and I saw an arrogant look flare over his face. “You took me because of the 411 Network.”

He’d kidnapped me, knowing I would call them if I had a chance. And I did—exactly what he wanted.

His tone was soft, but it sent chills down my back. “Your friend Blade isn’t the only tech specialist at the top of his game. We have one of our own.” He leaned toward me, his breath an irritating caress on my face as I closed my eyes. I couldn’t move away, but I wouldn’t lean toward him.

He moved closer until I could feel the heat from his body. He was an inch away. I could hear him breathing.

“Your friend does not know where you are, and your cooperation is no longer needed. Your network is looking for Brooke for us, to get you back.”

His hand touched my arm, zapping me with the contact. His arm curled around me, tugging me against him. Sensations seared through my insides. He bent down, his breath now on my neck.

“With or without your help, I will get my sister back, and then you will be released. Until then…” He ducked, swinging me up into his arms.

I gasped, my arms grabbing his neck in panic. But I didn’t need to. He cradled me against his chest as he returned to his bedroom. He moved to the side of the bed I’d been lying on, closest to the balcony, and laid me down.

He stared at me before pulling back, and I couldn’t move.

“I didn’t intend this, if it matters to you. You were supposed to be taken and put in a nice, comfortable room. You were supposed to be given anything you wanted, except your freedom, and your Network would hand-deliver my sister to me for your safety. I wasn’t even planning on talking to you, except to ask about Brooke, but here you are.”

His hand went to my face, his thumb on my bottom lip. He traced it, and I couldn’t suppress a shiver.

It wasn’t a bad shiver. That was the problem. I would never understand my reaction to him.

He stepped back, his hand falling away, and triumph flared in his eyes. “Sleep tonight, Riley. That is all I ask of you.” He moved to the other side of the bed.

I slipped under the covers and felt the bed move as he joined me. The light went off a second after that.

“What happens if I kill you in your sleep?” I asked. “You trust me to sleep here, with you?”

He laughed softly. “No, but for some reason I can’t make myself have the men take you away. So for now, you stay. If you kill me, then you’ll die as well.”