FINDING LOVE IN DARKNESS

a

rning. She had already laid my clothes out

e so early in the morning, but Riley informed me that the men were out taking ca

used to eating, and coffee. After breakfast, Riley insisted on showing me the garden. I trie

d seen through my window the night before. Tall shrubs were concealing what Riley informed me was a ma

ricate cast stone fountain. Riley walks ahead of me and takes a seat on the e

his name

iley asks, her

e one who is keeping me here agai

d all mention of what's really going on here and when it

Riley shifts uncomfortably like she just

. I'm not really sure how I came to the conclusion that these pe

how long it would take for you to figu

d how I have anyth

ey's pocket. She digs it out b

ks a ways down the pathway. I am trailing the tips of my finge

take care of something. I won't

xiety kicking up a notch.

sion. She reaches for my

ouse and escorts me back to my room. She tells me to wai

call me if you need anything. I wish I could stay, but there is something I

Like she said, her name and number are saved in the contacts, along with a ton of unrecognizable names. I scroll down to f

on the plane ride over here. Keeping my phone would be a liability. I

I'm sure she's blown my phone up by now wanting to know how the date with Paul went. Sh

lice about how I went on a date she set up and never came home. They'll probably question poor Paul. The

ve her number memorized. I dial the only other person whose number is branded on

informs me that the call can't be completed as dialed. I try i

n as I send it, it tells me the message can't be delivered. The p

this room. There's zero entertainment, not even a TV. So I decide to lie down even though I'm n

p in the mafia? People with too much money, that's how. I comb through my memories trying to find some type of evidence that connects Freema

in my absence. And then a thought really does dawn on me. What if Huxton already knows where I am and that I am being held hostage? If I was taken for a purpose, because of who Freeman is, then they may have already

h in the sky, streaming through the tops of the tall trees in the b

suddenly awoken by a slight tap on the door. I bolt upright, my heart hammering in my chest. I jerk the cover

. She sounds older and more mature and I realize it must be the same wom

black dress. She's holding out a tray of food that smells amazing. She seems to be assessing my appearance w

d like she understands me and then turns to go back down the stairs. She sort of wobbles when she walks and

bed and rush over to her, just as s

ne and she grips the railing. We slowly make

asiba", which I assume means thank you. She then t

type of vegetable soup, which I finish off easily. I could defi

the time. All the clothes are my size and look expensive. I run my hand along the array of silk, cotton, and linen fabrics. The clothes really a

d think about bringing it to the kitchen. Maybe Riley was right. No one will bother me

eem to be anyone here. I go over to the stainless steel sink, finding it empty. The lady must have already done the dis

. I suppose there's no point during the day. There seems to be hundreds of

ncyclopedia or dictionary written in Russian. There are lots of bo

over that it's a copy of Pride and Prejudice, one of my favorites. I flip

ill keep me entertained until Riley comes back. I sink down in on