Heartless Prince by Brook Wilder

Chapter 10

Leda

 

Hastily I wiped the tears from my cheeks, and told myself to suck it up. No amount of crying was going to get me out of this situation. The only thing I could do was to keep my wits about me and remember that I was stronger than this.

 

I wasn’t a shrinking violet and I was going to remind Valentino of this.

 

So, I started tearing apart the bedroom, looking for any weapon that I could use when he did return. Other than the lingerie and the towels in the bathroom, there was nothing. Everything was either bolted down or tamperproof, which meant he had expected a fight from someone in this room.

 

I could make a strangling device again, but he had disarmed me with just a stare and some words. No, I would be wasting my time going down that route. I still could feel the rapid beating of my heart when he pulled out that knife and slid it through the silk. I thought he was going to use it on me.

 

But more than that, the feeling of his strong body pressed into mine had nearly robbed me of my breath. His cock had pressed against my body, the hard bulge causing my stomach to quiver traitorously. No man had ever pressed himself into my body like that. Sure, men had ground against me, touched me when I didn’t want to be touched and made me feel uncomfortable, but never anything like that.

 

Like he truly did own me.

 

There was a brief moment that I had thought about touching him, just to see if he was as hard as he claimed to be, but then my rational mind had kicked in.

 

He had stolen me, bought me, but he’d never make me want him.

 

Not in a million fucking years.

 

I walked over to the door and placed my hand on the knob, and found that it turned easily in my hand. At least Valentino hadn’t lied about that.

 

I wasn’t locked in, but I also couldn’t keep him out.

 

If he wanted access to me, he could.

 

Whenever he wanted.

 

It would be easy for me to leave this room and try to make my way out of the house to the nearby city or town, where there might be some help. I could be quiet when necessary. And unless he was standing right outside, waiting for me to escape, I was pretty sure I could avoid guards looking for me.

 

After all, I had been doing it all my life. When I had finally understood what my life was, who I was, I had snuck out all the time.

 

Or…

 

Releasing the knob, I glanced over at the balcony, the door still standing open. He probably didn’t think I would be brave enough to find a way to escape via the balcony. That was too bad. Valentino didn’t know what I was capable of.

 

Quickly, I threw back the comforter on the bed and grabbed the top sheet. It wasn’t a long way down, but I didn’t want to jump if I didn’t have to.

 

In no time at all, I tied the top sheet and fitted sheet together into a rudimentary rope, glad that they were cotton rather than silk. The knots were tight.

 

I kicked off the shoes, wishing I had something more durable for when I did reach the ground. I didn’t know what sort of trouble might meet me once I did get to town, but anything had to be better than what I was likely going to suffer at his hands.

 

I would die before I let him touch me again.

 

Grabbing my lifeline, I made my way over to the railing of the balcony, not sure how much time I had. If I was still here when Valentino crossed that threshold, there was no way I was going to make it out alive.

 

There were going to be pieces of me that I would lose, and I wasn’t talking about body parts.

 

Dignity, heart, and soul. He could tear me down until everything I did depended on him.

 

I wasn’t one to depend on anyone. My father had never been there for me, only to tell me what to do that would suit his life. Everything I had, I had built for myself. I had grown a tough skin, put on the face that would hide my true self.

 

I wasn’t going to give up that easily.

 

Looking over the railing, I made certain that I didn’t see any guards on the patio first before tying off the sheet on the heavy chair on the balcony. It was going to slide, I knew that, but hopefully I could get down before it reached the railing and threatened to break the glass.

 

I threw the tied sheet over the railing, watching it snaked down the side of the balcony, and waited for a cry of alarm going up.

 

When there was none, I hiked the chemise high on my hip, glad I put underwear on, and slipped a leg over the side. My heart was hammering in my chest. This was it. I could turn around right now and forget this crazy plan of mine.

 

Or I could shimmy down this sheet to whatever waited for me.

 

The sound of the door opening in the distance caught my attention, and I barely saw Valentino’s surprised expression before I went over the balcony.