Rebecca’s POV
Kaden kissed me tenderly, his lips soft and warm against mine, before he slowly pulled his cock out of my body.
He fell to his side on the mattress, taking a heavy breath, and I collapsed beside him, panting hard. My chest rose and fell as I stared up at the ceiling, my skin still hot and covered in a thin layer of sweat. Before I could move away, Kaden reached out, wrapping his strong arm around my waist and pulling me tight against his side until my head rested on his chest.
I stiffened for barely a second before forcing myself to relax. I rested my head on his skin, listening to the fast beat of his heart. No matter how hard I tried to stay numb, no matter how much I told myself this was just a game—that I had entered this room for one reason, the pin key hanging on that wall—I couldn’t deny what I felt. It had felt incredible. I had genuinely enjoyed being with him, and that realization terrified me more than anything else.
"Are you okay?" Kaden asked softly, his fingers gently running through my hair.
"Mmm-hmm," I hummed, keeping my face buried against his warm skin.
He leaned down and kissed my forehead, letting out a low, heavy sigh. "We are in big trouble, baby."
My stomach tightened. I didn’t answer him at first, staying completely still before lifting my head slightly. "What?"
A small smile appeared on his face, but there was something frighteningly serious beneath it. "I don’t think I can ever let you go now," he added, his voice thick with a sudden, serious weight as his arm tightened around me.
I swallowed hard, my throat dry, and lowered my head again before he could see whatever crossed my face. Hearing those words made my stomach twist in panic. This was dangerous. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Kaden was supposed to be a means to an end tonight. Once he fell asleep, I would take the pin key, open Helen’s locket, retrieve the key hidden inside it, unlock this damn choker around my neck, and get the hell out of here. But lying here in his arms, feeling his warmth, a part of me felt a cold ache in my chest. I wasn’t as excited about escaping as I should have been.
Stop it, Rebecca.
Kaden’s fingers continued moving lazily through my hair. "So..." he murmured, his thumb tracing smooth circles over my hip. "What happens next?"
I took a quiet breath, forcing my voice to sound calm and logical. "Let’s take this slow. And keep it a secret for now."
He let out a loud sigh. I knew immediately that he hated the idea of hiding us. Kaden wasn’t exactly the type of man who enjoyed hiding anything, especially something he wanted. But he didn’t argue. He knew he didn’t really have a choice.
"Secretly," he repeated, clearly displeased.
"For now."
He remained quiet for several seconds before eventually nodding. "For now." He kissed the top of my head. "Do you want to take a bath?"
"No," I lied smoothly. "I’m tired. I just want to sleep. Let’s just sleep."
Kaden shifted slightly, a look of worry crossing his face as his eyes moved briefly toward the clock. "What about Kane? What if he comes back to the room and doesn’t see you?"
A bitter scoff escaped my lips before I could stop it. "Kane?" I shook my head. "Kane isn’t coming back tonight."
Kane had his real mate now. He was probably wrapped around her right now, completely forgetting I even existed. But I didn’t want Kaden to know about the mate bond. It was much better if Kaden thought Kane was just off cheating on me with some random woman. It kept my story clean.
"How do you know?" Kaden pressed, his jaw tightening slightly, probably imagining his brother somewhere with another woman.
"Trust me, he isn’t coming back," I said, looking up into Kaden’s dark eyes. "Can we not talk about Kane right now? I just want to sleep in your arms."
That worked immediately. The tension disappeared from his face, and a small, genuine smile spread across his lips instead. "Okay, baby."
He pulled the blanket over both of our naked bodies, wrapping both arms around me and holding me close against his chest. "Sleep."
Sleeping was the last thing on my mind. The pin key hanging on the metal hook across the room was less than twenty feet away. All I needed was for Kaden to fall asleep so I could make my move.
I lay completely still in his grip, closing my eyes and forcing my muscles to relax. To make it convincing, I even started making soft, tiny snoring sounds, pretending to be totally exhausted from everything we had just done.
Kaden’s chest moved beneath my cheek, and I felt a faint vibration. Was he laughing?
"Cute," he murmured quietly above me.
I wanted to die, but I didn’t break character.
Minutes dragged on like hours. My heart pounded so loudly in my ears that I was terrified he would hear it. I waited and waited, paying close attention to every little shift in his body.
Finally, after almost an hour, Kaden’s hand stopped moving against my back. His body became heavier beneath mine, and his breathing changed, becoming deep, slow, and steady.
This is it, I thought. It’s time.
I waited a little longer, taking no chances, before I slowly opened my eyes. The room was dark, lit only by the faint glow of the moonlight streaming through the window. I turned my head carefully and looked at Kaden’s face. His eyes were closed, and his jaw relaxed.
"Kaden?" I whispered into the quiet room.
Nothing. He was fast asleep.
Moving as quietly as a ghost, I slid his heavy arm off my waist, holding my breath until his hand rested flat on the mattress. He shifted slightly, turning his head into the pillow, and my entire body went rigid. I froze for ten seconds, then twenty, until he settled again.
I lifted myself up, inch by inch, slowly swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. My feet touched the cold floor without making a single sound.
I stood up, my legs feeling weak, but I ignored it. I glanced over my shoulder one more time. Kaden didn’t move; he was completely out.
Relief washed over me, mixed with a sharp spike of fear. My gaze went straight across the room to the metal hook where the keychain hung—and among those keys was the tiny silver pin that would open Helen’s locket. My freedom.
I took one slow, careful step away from the bed. Then another.
I stopped, turning back once more to double-check on him. He was still sleeping heavily, his chest rising and falling rhythmically. I turned back toward the nightstand and the wall, imagining myself returning to my room where Stephanie and I would unlock the locket and I would finally leave. My eyes burned strangely at the thought, but I forced the feeling down and lifted my foot to take another step—
BANG! BANG! BANG!
A massive, loud pounding hit the bedroom door, shaking the entire frame like thunder. I nearly jumped out of my skin, my blood turning instantly to ice.
"Alpha!" a man’s urgent voice thundered from the other side. "Alpha Kaden!"
Fuck.
I spun toward the bed in panic.
Behind me, Kaden shot upright, instantly wide awake. Whatever sleep had softened his features was gone in a heartbeat, his Alpha instincts snapping to attention.
Then his sharp green eyes landed directly on me.
I stood frozen several feet from the bed, caught in the middle of the room.
Fuck.
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