Power oozed out of him. I could’ve told her I’d been kidnapped, and he would’ve just laughed, saying I was making a joke, and she would’ve believed him. He could’ve said I was sick. I was bipolar. I was off my meds. Anything, and she would’ve believed him.

The door shut behind her.

Kai nodded to his guards, and they all dispersed as well.

I didn’t look. I knew a handful would stand guard outside our door. They would all take their turns, and the rest would either sleep in the other rooms or relax.

For all the badness in him, Kai treated his guards well.

He spoke from behind me. He was close, but I didn’t know how close. I didn’t look to see. “You can have the room on the right.”

I could’ve baited him, said something about not trusting me, not making me sleep with him, but I didn’t. I bit my tongue, and I felt him leave the room. The other bedroom door closed.

I still remained. A full minute, maybe more. My eyes were blinded, with emotion or tears, I didn’t know.

I felt trapped.

And helpless.

And… I wasn’t sure the exact reason for either of those emotions, because under both of them was another one, one I didn’t want to feel at all.

Instead of naming it, I turned for my room.

I stopped short in the doorway. He’d given me the bigger of the two rooms. This was the master suite, with a king-sized bed in the middle of the room and an ensuite bathroom—glass-walled shower, clawfoot bathtub, two sinks.

I turned and found that yes, there was a balcony, but as I moved toward it, my heart sank. Like the one at the house, it was at least thirty floors up.

There was no pool underneath, just the edge of a golf course. Two golf carts drove by down below, and I noticed Kai sitting on his balcony. He watched me, seeming almost curious as to what I would do.

“You’re not worried I’ll climb down?”

He frowned, just slightly. “Why would you, if I’m going to return you to your friend soon?”

He had me there.

The side of his mouth tugged up. “Unless you think, like I do, that your friend is lying to us?”

I straightened, my head rising. I grabbed the railing and my hands curled around it, tightening enough so my knuckles stretched.

“Blade wouldn’t lie.”

Not even a blink. “I would, for the woman I loved. There’s nothing I won’t do to get my sister back.” A glimmer of a smile showed. “So yes, your friend would lie. For you.”

I felt a punch from his words. Good or bad, I didn’t know, but I felt it. I loosened my hold on the railing.

He stood, nodding toward the view. “Climb down, if you want. I’ll just find you again.” Goddamn him. He smirked now. “There’s nowhere you can hide from me. And you know it.” He turned to go inside, but said over his shoulder, “Sleep, Riley. You need some rest. We meet your friend in two hours.”

Two hours.

My arms were suddenly shaking. I smoothed a hand over my stomach, trying to calm myself, but it was pointless.

I had two hours, until what?

Blade wasn’t a liar. I knew him, but Kai was right. Blade might not lie, but he would set a trap. He would choose his words carefully, and I didn’t have a good feeling about whatever was going to happen in two hours.

I just didn’t know what I could do about it.

? ? ?

Two hours later, I hadn’t slept.

How could I?

Something was going to happen, and it was going to be very bad. I felt it in my gut. When I heard Kai open his door across the suite, I sat up in my bed. I felt him coming toward me, literally felt him. There were no sounds. No warning, just a trickle of energy that spread over my body. I stood, crossing to the door just as I knew he was on the other side.

Holding my breath, I could hear my pulse pounding in my eardrums. After a moment I heard his voice. Quiet, a tender whisper. “Riley.”

It wasn’t a question, as if he were wondering if I was asleep and didn’t want to wake me. It was a statement, resigned.

He knew I was standing a few inches from the door as well.

Reaching out, not saying a word, I turned the handle, and there he was. He was suddenly so close. His presence was overwhelming. I felt him sliding inside of me, taking over, and I gulped because my body responded to him, to his closeness.

He had a hold of me, whether I wanted him to or not. I couldn’t deny it any longer.

Biting my lip, and feeling fucking parched, I asked, “It’s time to go?”

I already knew it was. I raked my gaze over him, trying to clear the cloud of possession I felt from him.

He was dressed in black—form-fitting sweatpants and a long-sleeve shirt. His dark hair had been combed back, and those eyes… I tugged my eyes up, away from the way his lips had flattened. If his eyes were normally dark, they were black now, and they were darkening every second I held his gaze.

An emotion flickered there, then disappeared.

“It’s time.” He held out a bag. “Put these clothes on.”

I hadn’t even noticed the bag.

Embarrassment washed over me, and shame.

I needed to get a fucking grip on myself.

“Okay.” I reached for the bag. We were both careful our hands didn’t touch when I took it.

My heart tried to stampede itself out of my chest as I drew back, shutting the door with more oomph than I needed. I almost sagged against it. Almost. I caught myself. He would’ve heard. He would’ve known his effect on me, if he didn’t already.