Taken: A Romance Novella by J.C. Valentine

Author:J.C. Valentine [Valentine, J.C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-04-17T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

“What’s your name?” Elise asked, her voice heavy with the need for sleep. For once, she didn’t care about the potential filth of the bed linens or the age of the mattress in which they laid on. She was warm and content resting against her captor’s chest, which had long since returned to its normal breathing pattern.

She was doing her damnedest not to get attached, but she couldn’t deny that she was already counting the beats of his heart and enjoying the sound of it far more than she should.

“As opposed to Manhandler, you mean?” he asked jokingly.

“Yes,” she said with an easy smile.

His fingers trailed lightly down her arm, raising goose bumps. “Marcus. But don’t call me that unless we’re alone.”

Because his partner would flip out? Elise wasn’t about to test that theory. “Okay.”

“What’s yours?”

“As opposed to buttercup?” she asked with a teasing lilt.

“Just for future reference, of course.”

“Elise. My name is Elise.”

“Elise…” Marcus said, trying it out, and Elise experienced a shiver of renewed awareness at the sound of her name rolling off his tongue. “A beautiful name for a beautiful woman.”

“Thank you,” she whispered.

His finger curled beneath her chin, tilting her face up toward his. Those denim blues bore into her, reaching something unnamable deep inside of her. “I like you, Elise. Far more than is advisable.”

Her heart sprinted. “I feel the same about you.” Hope sprung up inside of her. Had she reached that human part of him? Had she managed to secure her release rather than sign her death warrant?

“That doesn’t mean I won’t do what I have to do, though.”

That false sense of hope rushed out of her like air from a balloon. Elise blinked back tears, refusing to show weakness in front of him. Instead, she pulled away, turned over, and drew the blankets up to cover her nakedness. She didn’t want to be any more vulnerable than she already was.

“I’m sorry if I hurt you,” Marcus said, making no attempt to comfort her. “I just want you to understand that it was sex. That’s all it was. It can’t be anything more than that.”

“It’s fine,” Elise lied. “I don’t expect anything from you.”

“Then why are you avoiding me?”

“I’m tired.”

“You’re a liar.”

“Go fuck yourself,” she spat, irritated with his correct assessment of her. She didn’t want to be transparent, especially to him. He didn’t deserve to see that part of her, the part that he’d managed to touch without her permission.

Or maybe she had given him permission without realizing it. Maybe that’s why she was upset now, because she’d allowed him access to a place that she’d wanted to keep locked away. A kidnapping and hostage situation was not, after all, conducive to a love match.

This just proved that Elise was not a one-night stand kind of woman.

No matter. She’d just have to relock that door and, this time, she was going to throw the key far, far away.

Stupid girl.

“I can go if you want,” Marcus offered. “If you need some time alone.

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