"Yeah. I'm sorry that things are crazy." Kaitlyn kept her head against the window, looking out at the passing streetlights and then more empty darkness. Nighttime had crept up on them and the memories of Devon's home and the nightmare ordeal became a blur.
Some of the neighborhoods they passed were lit up, while others seemed to be nearly pitch black, swallowed up in darkness.
"It's not your fault." Carter turned from the road to face her, and as he did, he reached over and pushed her hair back from her face before focusing on the road again. "I'm happy to have you with me tonight." His eyes sparkled with sincerity and his words caused her heart to skip a beat or two.
"Thank you. I'm relieved that you knew what happened." Kaitlyn shifted sides to her head on his arm as she stared into the darkness beyond the windshield.
"I figured Devon was behind you vanishing, yeah." He planted a quick kiss on her head. "Lucky guess, maybe. But I know what he's capable of. Or I think I know, at least."
That statement grabbed her attention and she began to wonder if maybe Devon hadn’t been entirely honest with her about Carter or his intentions.
He pulled into a parking garage and took so many twists and turns she felt lost long before he parked his car. After he turned off the engine, he got out and walked around to her side, opening the door for her.
She took his offered hand, allowing him to assist her from the vehicle. Then she stood, arms wrapped around herself as he grabbed her bag out of the back. When his hand slipped back in hers, she inhaled. He didn’t seem to notice and led her toward a nearly invisible door in a concrete wall.
The warmth of his hand in hers made her heart thud. He didn’t say a word to her as he led her into an elevator, then pushed a button. The doors closed behind them and she inhaled through her nose, hating the confined space and still dazed from her day.
When the doors opened, she nearly bolted out of the tight box, but gasped when she saw the hallway and huge double doors before them.
Carter walked to the doors and keyed in a code. The door opened and he glanced over his shoulder at her, then motioned for her to follow with a nudge of his head. She did so, stunned by his penthouse.
The doors opened to a beautiful indoor-outdoor room with a breathtaking view of the city. The room was large enough to dance in, yet the furniture was so precisely placed she wondered if someone had measured it out. The gray leather couch faced the view, and the gray suede chairs were angled toward the couch.
Sleek lighting illuminated the place beautifully, leaving no shadows but not blinding her either. All around, plants hung, sat in pots and low concrete oblong boxes, and brightened the room in a way she could never have imagined.
If the front room looked this good, she couldn't imagine the rest of the space.
She walked past him, glancing as she made her way to the room on the right, which happened to be the kitchen.
"Would you like a tour or do you wish to explore on your own?" he asked.
"Let me explore," she said, thrilled that he trusted her enough to allow her the option.
"As you wish. I have to make a couple of calls. Make yourself at home.” Carter walked over to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. He twisted off the top and took a long sip, before replacing the cap and heading back through the living space before vanishing from sight.
The cushions and upholstery of the couch, chairs and ottomans all exuded the scent of cedar and vanilla. The air was clean, crisp, and seemed to be refreshed with every breath she took. The place seemed designed to impress without giving up any secrets. The ultra-modern kitchen seemed state of the art and she wondered how much he cooked. She left the kitchen to keep wandering, loving the views of the city at night.
As she wandered, she marveled at the space. The penthouse was like a living, breathing ecosystem. Gorgeously appointed, enormous space, with all the right trimmings, like a tall dining room, a warm den and a home office, each room spilling out onto a balcony and all taking advantage of the light and the city. There was a second cooking space, a small kitchenette and big closets, four bedrooms—each with a mattress as soft as a cloud, a fluffy bath and firm pillows and she even found unexpected spaces, like a glittering bar and wine cellar, a laundry room, a vast workout area and a sauna.
Then her phone rang. She took the device out of her pocket and answered the call while standing near the windows in the living space.
“Hello?”
“Kaitlyn?” Fawn’s scared voice filtered through the phone into her ear. The sick thud of a fist hitting flesh made Kaitlyn wince as Fawn let out a sharp squeal of pain. “Kaitlyn, you need to send them more money. They’re not messing around; they’re going to kill me.”
“Are they going to let you go this time?” Kaitlyn asked, well aware she couldn’t refuse to pay and be responsible for her best friend’s murder.
“I think so – they promised.” Fawn’s trembling voice was little more than a whisper and Kaitlyn tried to think of another way to do things.
“Do you have any savings?” she asked her friend, staring out over the darkness of the city with lights glittering from every building.
“No,” Fawn whispered. “Please don’t give up on me. I don’t want to die.”
“I’m not giving up on you.” Kaitlyn held back a sigh. At this rate, these people would empty her savings in no time, and she still wasn’t convinced they’d let her friend go. “Can you get away from them? Is there any way to escape?”
“Please just pay them. They have a scary knife, guns, and they like hurting me.” Fawn’s sobbing cry nearly tore Kaitlyn’s heart in two.
“Okay, how much?” Kaitlyn winced as she said the words.