One wants her forever. The other wants to kill her.
Nineteen-year-old, Elle King, wants more than anything to escape the life that was chosen for her. Excited to leave the world of ballet behind and go to college in California with her boyfriend, E...
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Elle nibbled on a piece of toast, though she couldn't stomach it. She didn't want to eat and hadn't slept at all, the room too unfamiliar for her to settle. The thought of not getting out of here alive made her weep, even though her eyes were red raw from crying.
She never believed anything like this would happen to her. Her Dad, the chief of police, often spoke about his job and the terrible crimes that happened to people. She was aware of how awful the world was, but she'd admittedly been in her own bubble, thinking she was untouchable. How stupid she was.
It felt like she was dreaming—nothing felt real. Not being locked in this room or the food on the tray her captor had made her. Not the navy dress he'd picked out for her to wear. It felt unreal because it shouldn't be happening. She shouldn't be here.
She wondered if anybody knew she was missing yet. Paul had been the only person who knew she'd left. But what if he was mad at her for not returning to the party? What if he thought she skipped out on him without a proper goodbye? And Stan. He'd been acting so weird. Had he tried to contact her at all? He must have done it by now. They were meant to be on a plane to California.
A lump gathered in her throat, her body trembling with shock. Hope was the only thing she had. Hope that her Dad will find her quickly. He had to find her. But what would happen in the meantime?
She knew Nathan wanted her. She could see it in his eyes every time he looked at her. Something hid behind those blue eyes of his. A need that made her tense up even now. But he was waiting, drawing it out, for what? Not that she wanted to be touched by him, her body used for whatever depraved desires he had. She just didn't understand it.
In need of a distraction, Elle walked over to the wardrobe. Pulling open the doors, she saw a range of female clothing inside. Dresses, jeans, and T-shirts. Some were brand new with tags on them, others older and not in her size. Not wanting to dwell on who they had belonged to, she went to close the doors when something white caught her eye. Pulling it out, her stomach dropped at the leotard hanging on one of the hangers and a brand-new pair of silk ballet pumps.
Her stomach clenched. Was this it? Was this the reason she was here? Had they watched her dance and decided they wanted their own private show?
Pushing back tears, Elle swallowed her pain as she slammed the wardrobe shut. Going over to the other door in the room, she cracked it open, revealing a small room with just a toilet and sink inside. She couldn't help but notice the pink flowered tiles in here. It seemed such an odd choice considering the rest of the house was masculine. Had a woman lived here? Where was she now?
Elle spotted a window in the corner. Without a moment's thought, she ran to it, hoping to escape. This window opened but didn't go any further than a gap, thanks to the metal bars on the outside, like the ones on the window in the bedroom. Breathing out heavily through her nose, Elle tried to calm down. She would find a way out of here. She would never stop searching for it.
