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“And do what?” She raises a brow.

“Well, I’d do some cleaning, maybe take a nap before I have to work tomorrow.”

“You don’t need to clean here, I have that taken care of. You can nap all you like here. And go to work? To the same job that pays you shit and that you hate.”

“I don’t hate it,” I defend.

She gives me a look like she doesn’t believe me.

“Listen, Cove.” She steps forward, placing her hands on my shoulders. “I know all of this is a lot to take in. But I believe if you give it time, you’re going to come to love it here.”

The fucked up fact is... I’m not as upset about this as I should be. I don’t have a grand, amazing life I’d be missing out on or family I’d be losing if these guys never let me go.

Despite how messed up this whole situation is, I’m not afraid. I’m not filled with worry and anxiety about when I’ll get out of this.

What is wrong with me? I should be fighting, kicking, screaming, demanding to be let go. Hell, I should be terrified. Because, hello! I’m being held against my will!

But... I’m not.

Okay, so I’m pissed, but more in a ‘how dare you’ kind of way. Because this is my life they’re messing with. They don’t own me, they can’t control me.

And if they think this is the way to win me over, they’re dead wrong.

Who the fuck thinks stalking and kidnapping is the way to a girl’s heart?

This isn’t some dark romance book. This is real life.

I mean, it could be worse. They could be gross, creepy men wanting to do fucked up things to me.

God, I’m so fucked in the head. So, because they’re hot as sin, it makes it better? I really need to book an appointment with my therapist because I’m really fucking concerned about my mental health right now.

I’m going to plead temporary insanity, or maybe the shock of the situation hasn’t settled in yet. That's it.

I’m sure once reality slams into me, I’ll react the way any sane person would in this situation.

The only thing is... I’m not sane, and I’m not sure if I ever have been.

Shepherd fucked me in my sleep last night, and instead of wanting to chop his dick off and murder him for it, my mind replayed the best sex of my life.

“So that’s it? I just live here now? Are they not afraid that someone’s going to come looking for me? That they might call the cops or something?”

She lets out a laugh as if what I said was the most amusing thing she’s ever heard. “Heavens, no. Sweetie, no one is going to come looking for you.”

“Ouch,” I say, feeling like she punched me in the gut.

Her face softens. “I don’t mean to upset you, but the reality is, no one is calling the cops. And if they did, it wouldn’t do them any good. The Volkov’s own this town and everyone in it.”

“They certainly seem to be rich,” I comment, looking around the room. “But money can’t buy everything.” I raise a brow.

She raises a brow back at me. “It really can,” she counters. “And it’s not just money. The Volkov’s don’t pay anyone off. As I said, they own Stonehead Creek and the surrounding towns.”

“You can’t just own towns.” My brows furrow. “The government does that.”

“Sure.” She pats my shoulder placatingly. “Sure, they do.”

My lips part as the severity of the situation starts to kick in. “Maria, how powerful are the Volkov’s?” I ask, whispering the question. I’m starting to realize these guys aren’t just some rich men using daddy's money to play games.

“Very powerful.” She smiles. And it kind of creeps me out.