Chapter 482
Danica’s expression soured, but she knew he was right and let it go.
Kristine’s brow furrowed as she stared up at the cold, unfamiliar building looming before her.
The moment they had left the Yates’ place, Colton had brought her directly here — somewhere she had never set foot in her life, a place she hadn’t even known existed.
It was practically a fortress. Guards were posted at every corner, and camera lenses tracked her every move from above. The whole thing made her skin crawl, giving her the suffocating feeling of a fly caught in a very expensive, very dangerous spiderweb.
Fear settled over her.
Had Driscoll said something to Colton about their conversation?
With a knot of dread in her stomach, she let the household manager guide her up the stairs, her steps slow and uncertain.
“I’ll be the one taking care of you from here on out, Ms. Green,” the household manager said. She appeared to be in her early forties, with a face that didn’t know how to smile. “If you need something, ask me. Don’t go looking for it yourself.”
Kristine managed a small, shaky nod before finding her voice. “Why did Colton bring me to this place?”
“Not my business to know,” the woman replied flatly.
Kristine stared at her for a moment, then gave a small wave of dismissal.
She waited until the room fell completely silent before she attempted to swing her legs off the bed. The moment she tried to stand, her strength gave out and she slumped to the floor.
She bit her lip to keep from crying out, waiting for the trembling in her legs to stop.
She pulled her phone from her bag. There was no signal, but it had already connected to the house Wi-Fi. She searched for “muscle atrophy,” and her heart sank with every article she read.
Driscoll had told her that if she began treatment right away, she could still recover. But she knew Colton — he would never give her the freedom she needed to get better.
She looked toward the window, her mind already turning over ways to escape.
A car horn sounded from the driveway, making her jump.
She quickly cleared her browser history, making sure there was nothing left for anyone to find, then tucked the phone back into her bag.
She had just zipped it shut when Colton walked in.
He spotted her on the floor and crossed the room immediately, a look of concern on his face, lifting her back onto the bed. “What are you doing down there?” he asked, his voice low.
The sight of him made her stomach turn. She looked away, refusing to meet his eyes.
“I’m taking you out tonight,” Colton announced, seemingly unbothered by her cold silence.
Kristine said nothing and closed her eyes to shut him out.
Colton’s mouth thinned into a hard line. He stood there for a moment before picking up a blanket and tucking it carefully around her, as if she were something delicate and precious.