like a faithful puppy no matter what happens.
I spot an open book near my bed. I cram my fist in my mouth to stifle a huge yawn. Reading might kill some time and take my mind off things.
I pick the book up and curl up in the armchair.
Have the cushions always been so comfortable? I wonder as I settle down. I pull a thin blanket over my lap, prop the book up, and try to focus on the words.
Chapter Nineteen
My head jerks up and my eyes pop open. Shit! I’d drowsed off. For how long?
I try to get my bearings. But, the room is dark. I wave my arms around to trigger the sensors.
The overhead lamps all flood on at once. I blink through the sudden brightness.
What the hell? They haven’t done that since—
My thoughts come to a dead end as my eyes fall on a lone figure standing in the room.
Stonehart.
He looks furious.
I open my mouth to speak, but his sharp words cut me off.
“Fifteen days, Lilly,” he spits. “You knew I would be gone for fifteen days. You knew to expect me today. You knew—” his jaw grits down and he emphasizes each word, “To. Always. Be. Prepared.”
“Jeremy—”
“ SHUT UP! ” he screams. His eyes burn like black orbs in his skull. I shy back.
He takes a deep breath to compose himself, tugging on the lapels of his jacket. I see an angry vein pulse in his neck.
When he continues to speak, his voice is soft, cold, and deadly.
“You know what is expected of you based on the clauses in our contract,” he says. “Failure to live up to expectation is a cause for punishment , Lilly. And today, you have failed magnificently.”
I start to stir, wanting to stand up and defend myself, to face him head on, but he jabs a finger at me and spits, “Sit, Lilly. Don’t you dare move. You won’t be going anywhere for a long time.”
My breath catches. When he said that… his eyes darted to the collar.
Could he mean …?
Of course he could.
“Oh yes,” he says, a cold smirk twitching his lips up. “You know exactly why.”
I touch the black plastic ring with a trembling hand. He nods.
“Two hours I’ve been home, Lilly,” he says to me, voice soft. “Two hours I waited for you. Two. Fucking. Hours .”
I wince with every word.
“You thought that because I was away, our rules have softened, didn’t you? You thought that, since I was gone, you needn’t worry about your responsibilities. Isn’t that right?”
“Jeremy, I’m sorry,” I start in a rush, “I—”
“ Silence .” His voice is sharp enough to slice a rock in two.
He turns away. “I think we need to go back to where we began, Lilly-flower. I think the separation made you forget exactly who you are. I think—” he twists back, and his eyes shine at me, “—that you need to be left in the dark again.”
Right on cue, all the lights turn off. My heart starts thumping double time in my chest. Cascades of fear ripple down my spine.
I hear Stonehart’s fading footsteps on the floor.
“This time, make no mistake, Lilly. All your earned freedoms are revoked. The collar is back on. I wouldn’t move a foot away from that chair, if I were you. Oh. And one more thing.”
He laughs.
“You should expect a visit from me every night.”
Epilogue
(November 2013. Present day)
Everything is lost. I am plunged back into darkness.
Except this time, Jeremy comes to visit me each night.
The End
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Uncovering You 5 comes out June 20 th , 2014.
Enjoyed this book?
If you enjoyed this book, the best place to let me know is on my Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/ScarlettEdwardsAuthor
I post tons of teasers, book excerpts, pictures, and lots of other fun stuff. We’re building an active community of Uncovering You addicts on there, so come join us! It’s also the best place to correspond directly with me.
Hope to see you there,
Scarlett
I spot an open book near my bed. I cram my fist in my mouth to stifle a huge yawn. Reading might kill some time and take my mind off things.
I pick the book up and curl up in the armchair.
Have the cushions always been so comfortable? I wonder as I settle down. I pull a thin blanket over my lap, prop the book up, and try to focus on the words.
Chapter Nineteen
My head jerks up and my eyes pop open. Shit! I’d drowsed off. For how long?
I try to get my bearings. But, the room is dark. I wave my arms around to trigger the sensors.
The overhead lamps all flood on at once. I blink through the sudden brightness.
What the hell? They haven’t done that since—
My thoughts come to a dead end as my eyes fall on a lone figure standing in the room.
Stonehart.
He looks furious.
I open my mouth to speak, but his sharp words cut me off.
“Fifteen days, Lilly,” he spits. “You knew I would be gone for fifteen days. You knew to expect me today. You knew—” his jaw grits down and he emphasizes each word, “To. Always. Be. Prepared.”
“Jeremy—”
“ SHUT UP! ” he screams. His eyes burn like black orbs in his skull. I shy back.
He takes a deep breath to compose himself, tugging on the lapels of his jacket. I see an angry vein pulse in his neck.
When he continues to speak, his voice is soft, cold, and deadly.
“You know what is expected of you based on the clauses in our contract,” he says. “Failure to live up to expectation is a cause for punishment , Lilly. And today, you have failed magnificently.”
I start to stir, wanting to stand up and defend myself, to face him head on, but he jabs a finger at me and spits, “Sit, Lilly. Don’t you dare move. You won’t be going anywhere for a long time.”
My breath catches. When he said that… his eyes darted to the collar.
Could he mean …?
Of course he could.
“Oh yes,” he says, a cold smirk twitching his lips up. “You know exactly why.”
I touch the black plastic ring with a trembling hand. He nods.
“Two hours I’ve been home, Lilly,” he says to me, voice soft. “Two hours I waited for you. Two. Fucking. Hours .”
I wince with every word.
“You thought that because I was away, our rules have softened, didn’t you? You thought that, since I was gone, you needn’t worry about your responsibilities. Isn’t that right?”
“Jeremy, I’m sorry,” I start in a rush, “I—”
“ Silence .” His voice is sharp enough to slice a rock in two.
He turns away. “I think we need to go back to where we began, Lilly-flower. I think the separation made you forget exactly who you are. I think—” he twists back, and his eyes shine at me, “—that you need to be left in the dark again.”
Right on cue, all the lights turn off. My heart starts thumping double time in my chest. Cascades of fear ripple down my spine.
I hear Stonehart’s fading footsteps on the floor.
“This time, make no mistake, Lilly. All your earned freedoms are revoked. The collar is back on. I wouldn’t move a foot away from that chair, if I were you. Oh. And one more thing.”
He laughs.
“You should expect a visit from me every night.”
Epilogue
(November 2013. Present day)
Everything is lost. I am plunged back into darkness.
Except this time, Jeremy comes to visit me each night.
The End
Mailing List Sign-up
Don’t want to miss the release of the next book? Sign up for my email list and be the first to know about my new books.
Uncovering You 5 comes out June 20 th , 2014.
Enjoyed this book?
If you enjoyed this book, the best place to let me know is on my Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/ScarlettEdwardsAuthor
I post tons of teasers, book excerpts, pictures, and lots of other fun stuff. We’re building an active community of Uncovering You addicts on there, so come join us! It’s also the best place to correspond directly with me.
Hope to see you there,
Scarlett
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