Aristotle's Anatomy by Katie Allen

Author:Katie Allen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing
Published: 2014-12-23T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

With each mile marker that ticked by, Daphne’s stomach sank even further. The farther they got from the mountain sanctuary, the more wrong it felt.

Glancing at Ari, she was a little concerned at how hard he was clenching his jaw. It looked as though the tendon in his cheek was going to pop like an over-tightened guitar string.

“You okay?” she asked. He was obviously not okay but she was hoping that talking might loosen up his face a little. Instead of saying anything, though, he just flicked a furious look in her direction before focusing on the highway in front of them.

“I’ll come back,” she said, hating how tiny her voice sounded. “Once I get things settled at home and work and everything. Then I’ll do my best to work with Benjy, although I’m not sure how much progress we’ll make. I’m pretty sure his aphasia is more psychological than anything.”

His silence became even more ferocious.

She bit her lip as a wave of guilt swamped her. “I wish Benjy could’ve come too. I didn’t get to say goodbye. Well, except for yelling it after him as he stormed into the forest.”

That produced a sound. It wasn’t a happy sound, but at least it was something.

“I know it was better that he stayed,” she answered his unspoken protest. “You were right to not let him come. I feel bad enough that bringing me home might expose you. I’d hate to risk both of you being seen.”

The silence on the other side of the car was making her babble.

“I just need a couple of days at the most to check my mail, clean out my office and take care of things at my condo, and then I’ll be back. I promise.” She looked at his rigid profile and bit the inside of her cheek. “If you want me to come back?”

Ari jerked the wheel to the right and slammed on the brakes. The sudden sideways lurch of the car made her grab for the dashboard and suck in a breath so harsh her throat burned.

“What?!” she nearly shrieked. Looking around wildly, expecting but not seeing lab guys bearing guns, she realized they’d stopped on a gravel pull-out that overlooked a rocky, pine-strewn cliff.

When she looked at Ari, ready to demand an explanation for why they’d stopped, he’d already unfastened his seat belt and was lunging toward her. His hands clasped the sides of her head and then his mouth was on hers. She was instantly dizzy, as if his hard, insistent kiss was dragging all the air out of her.

He pulled back and gave her a tiny shake. “You’re ours.” His voice was gruff but his hands were gentle. “You are coming back because you’re ours.”

Staring at him, mouth open and eyes wide, she finally managed to speak.

“I know.”

* * * * *

Daphne turned a circle in her office, her stomach churning with unhappy butterflies. Before the kidnapping, she’d loved her job. She had always been the first one to arrive at the office and the last one to leave.

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