Descent (Black Heart Romance)

“Not that.” I shake my head, marveling at how he could possibly not know what I was referring to. He just casually mentioned raping me last night, and the man thinks I’m in awe about him hiring a chef to make breakfast?

His confusion is so sincere, though, I decide not to bother along that tack. It’s odd, but he’s odd, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. “All right. Full disclosure, Chef Ryan probably thinks I’m a ho now. He overheard me talking to Charity about the date she was fixing me up on and I was all, ‘I’m totally not his girlfriend,’ but now that I’m your captive or whatever, he’s just… he’s not going to believe me.”

“It doesn’t matter,” he states.

“You don’t care if he thinks your girlfriend is a trifling ho-bag and you’re being made a fool of?”

“No,” he says simply. “Unless there’s a reason to, perhaps a business merger or something of that nature, I never concern myself with what other people think of me.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t care,” he answers simply. Opening the refrigerator, he takes out a pitcher and grabs a spotless glass from the cupboard. “Hollis is on his way to keep an eye on you today. It won’t always be like that, but this is obviously new and I can’t trust you yet.”

I think it’s funny that he’s the one who thinks he can’t trust me.

He places the crystal glass of orange juice down in front of me. As a matter of habit, I thank him.

I feel a pinch of annoyance immediately after the fact, but it’s not as if I can reel the words back in.

He smiles faintly without looking at me as he grabs a second glass and pours a glass for himself. It’s not nearly as full as mine. It’s as if he’s used to pouring alcohol, so he measures it out the same way. “So polite.”

“Yes, well, some of us are taught to have manners.” It’s a stupid snipe, but I’m mad at him about so many things and I just want to lash out about something.

He deflects my blow easily, turning back to look at me as he takes a slow sip of orange juice. “I know. That’s why you’re so easy to take advantage of.”

My spine stiffens at the barbed comment and my chest seems to contract the tiniest bit.

Before I can summon a response, Calvin says, “Let’s not do this, hm? We can jab at each other all day, but I’ll win, and that certainly won’t endear me to you.”

“You think anything can at this point?” I ask in mild disbelief.

“I do.”

I shake my head. “You’re insane.”

“Perhaps.” He doesn’t seem all that concerned as he throws back the juice like it’s whiskey, then sets the empty glass on the counter. He turns his wrist just slightly and checks his watch. “I have to leave now, unfortunately. I’ll be home for dinner.” Looking back at me with a knowing smile, he adds, “Try not to miss me too much.”

Yeah, right.

I watch as he approaches the hall leading to the gallery and the elevator.

Is he really going to leave me here alone before Hollis shows up?

I think he is.

My heart rate picks up a little, and my mind starts to race.

I could run.

Of course I could run, but my ability to run or not isn’t what keeps me trapped here. Yes, he had that file folder in his office, but even if he left the whole packet out on the desk instead of locked away, I’m sure he has copies. He said Arson had a copy of all of it, and I haven’t known him to be a liar.

“Hallie.”

His voice startles me. I already thought of him as gone, so I look back over my shoulder with a look I hope isn’t too guilty. “Yeah?”

His lips tug up and a touch of real fondness glints in his eyes. “I’m happy you’re here.”

It’s the most absurd thing in the world to feel a pinch of guilt that I was contemplating escape just a moment before he said that, but I remind myself my feelings are appropriate; his are not.

I don’t know how the hell I’ll get away from this lunatic. I can’t run, so I have to find another way. I need to make him tired of me fast.

An idea occurs to me. A fun one, but as the same time the very notion of doing it horrifies me.

My smile comes much easier as I offer one back. “Thank you,” I say, almost sweetly.

He should find that suspicious. The look he gives me tells me perhaps he does, but he doesn’t have time to stay and investigate.

Chapter Twenty Seven

Hallie

It has been a long day. A fun day. Much more fun than I expected.

I kneel on the floor of Calvin’s formerly spotless living room trying not to feel too nervous. I know he’s on his way home because Hollis told me, but Chef Ryan isn’t here yet. I was sort of hoping he would be in case Calvin walks in and gets legitimately angry.