Tempted Heir (The Heirs 7)

When I’m untied, my body just drops to the floor, making my muscles ache and spasm. Pins and needles in my arms and hands make it impossible for me to push myself up.

Josh pulls me into a sitting position against the wall, then he gives me a loving smile that makes my stomach churn. “There you go. That’s better, right?”

Not answering him, I glance down at my raw wrists while he walks back to the paper bag. He takes out a bottle of water and a container. Bringing it over to me, he sets it down on the floor. “Eat.”

There’s fruit salad in the container, and the sight of it instantly makes my mouth water. I haven’t eaten anything since the breakfast on Sunday morning.

Cautiously, I reach for the water, knowing it’s more important than food right now. I struggle to uncap the bottle, my fingers numb and my hands shaking too much. I’m scared I’ll drop the water. When I have the bottle open, I drink the fluid as fast as I can.

Josh reaches a hand out to me, and frightened, I drop the bottle and scramble to the side. The remainder of the water spills over the wooden floor, and it has Josh shaking his head at me. “Look what you’ve done.” When his eyes lift to mine, the friendliness that was there a moment ago is nowhere to be seen as it’s replaced with the lifeless expression. “Lick it up. You’re going to need every drop.”

There’s no way I’m doing that.

“Lick it!” he suddenly shouts at me.

I shake my head. “I won’t. I’m not a dog.”

His fist connects with the corner of my mouth, and I feel the skin split as I fall to the side from the force.

Josh takes hold of my jaw, but I yank my face away. It only makes him chuckle as he grabs painfully ahold of me again, forcing me to look at him.

The blood from my split lip follows an uncertain trail to my chin. Josh glances at it then shakes his head. “Look what you made me do. When will you learn?”

My body trembles uncontrollably as fear for this man floods me. I swallow hard and force myself to keep looking at him.

“Stop fighting me, Dash. Things can be so good between us again.” His face turns almost tender, making me feel rattled to my core.

I don’t know which side of him I fear more, the aggressive or the caring. His aggression might lead to my death, but the caring… that might lead to rape. Both possibilities terrify me.

Josh leans closer, and then he takes a deep breath as if he’s smelling me. “Tell me, Dash, what would you do for a bath?”

“N-nothing.” I falter. I hate myself for showing fear in his presence.

He rises to his feet, picking up the container of food. “I guess you’re not that hungry after all. Good, we’ll have your weight under control in no time.”

He walks to the counter and opening the container, he throws the fruit out on the wooden surface.

I push up on my feet, but as he turns, I freeze.

Josh shakes his head at me. “Arms up.”

No. Not again.

I wrap my arms around my waist as I back into the wall.

“Dash,” he growls, the word laced with warning.

Desperate to keep him from tying me up again, I say, “Can we talk? Please? It’s been five years. I don’t understand why you’re doing this to me.”

His eyes narrow on me, and slowly he begins to creep closer. “I’m not doing anything to you. This…” he gestures around the cabin, “is all because you cheated on me. Did you really think I’d just watch you marry Christopher?”

“It’s been five years!” I scream at him.

My outburst makes him lunge at me, and I instantly bring up my arms to protect myself as he begins to hit me. A blow to my ear makes a sharp pain shoot through my head, followed by a low ringing noise.

Before I can recover from the hit, Josh yanks my arms up and ties my wrists again. Seconds later, I’m hoisted back into the air, my ear still ringing while bile pushes up my throat. My body begins to convulse as I lose the little water I managed to drink earlier.

Instead of letting me down, Josh just watches me, leaving me hanging in the vulnerable position.

CHRISTOPHER

It’s been two fucking days. Fifty-three hours.

There are no words to describe how I feel. Not knowing where Dash is and what she’s going through –makes my skin crawl, my body physically aches, my heart feels like it will stop beating at any moment.

The powerlessness is suffocating and relentless.

The worry for Dash is in every breath I take.

Is she still alive?

The thought shreds through me like barbwire, wreaking devastation through every fiber of my being.