I continue to feel shut in.

There’s no escape.

No way out.

I don’t mind being Nate’s prisoner now, but I’d like to go outside every now and again. His terrace and the pool are getting old if you can believe that.

Yes, I’m living in the lap of luxury. But it all means nothing if you don’t have your freedom.

I know Nate is planning something I just don’t know what. And my fear for his safety is increasingly on my mind.

I’m falling for Nate.

There’s no way around that. He’s the man I’ve been dreaming of all these years. And I finally found him.

Or he found me. I haphazardly entered his life again.

All of it will be for naught if he dies at the end of this.

I get the feeling that his boss or whoever he’s been working for is a very dangerous man. I just hope Nate knows what he’s doing.

He seems so in control all the time. I can’t imagine him failing at anything. But I just pray deeply in my heart that he doesn’t fail at this. One wrong move could mean the end of his life, and I fear the end of my life as well.

I’ve been sun tanning all day.

I might’ve caught a bit too much sun. I feel exhausted.

I slip into jeans and a black lace camisole. And then I put on black flip-flops. There’s no use getting dolled up. I’m not going anywhere anyway, as per usual.

I walk out of my room to go find Nate.

Surprise, surprise—James and Titus are here.

They’re always next to Nate. There like the damn rat pack.

I walk into the living room. They’re all there, having drinks and talking in hushed tones.

“Hey guys,” I say.

Upon making my entrance, Nate’s eyes are all over me. They rake over my body, and I feel tremors just from being underneath his gaze.

Every time I see him, this happens. My heart catches in my throat a little bit.

I become a little bit nervous. And my heart sets on fire.

This is desire.

This is passion.

This is everything.

“Hi baby,” Nate says as he gets up to greet me.

He walks over to me and kisses my cheek. As his lips brush against my skin, I feel increasingly heated. There’s no getting away from this, no getting away from him, not ever.

And that thought delights me.

“So what are you guys doing tonight?” I ask as Nate goes to the bar to make me a drink.

“What’ll you have, baby?” he says.

“Um, how about a very dry martini with extra olives?” I smile at him.

A part of me thinks it can be like this all the time. A part of me thinks that we’re gonna survive all the controversy surviving surrounding us. A part of me thinks that we can actually be happy.

And I refuse to let the situation with his boss bring me down. For this one moment, I just want to enjoy Nate.

He shakes up my drink like the consummate bartender. He’s the jack of all trades, that’s for sure. Titus gets up to sit at the bar with me.

And then he answers my question.

“Actually, we’re going out to dinner tonight.”

My eyes light up. Hope enters my heart.

“Is there a chance I can get out of here tonight?” I ask.

Nate looks down like he doesn’t want to look me in the eyes, like he feels bad. And I know the answer before he says it.

“No, Sienna. We have business to attend to. But I’ll be back before you know it,” he says.

“No bother,” I say, taking a sip of my perfectly-made martini. “I got too much sun today anyway. I’m probably just gonna relax and go to bed.”

Nate gives me a mischievous grin.

“You can go to bed, baby, until I get home.”

I know exactly what he means. He means that the moment he gets home, he’ll wake me up and fuck me until dawn. That’s the way it always is with him.

He’s taught me about the ways of love and passion. He’s taught me all I need to know.

And I’ve become chronically addicted to him.

“Okay, then. Have fun tonight,” I say, sitting at the bar with my martini.

It’s gonna be a lonely night without him. But I really need the rest.

I finish my drink and talk to the guys. Of course, they tell me nothing that I really want to know. We talk about superficial things, like the fucking weather and what’s trendy in the city.

And then they leave.

Nate comes over and kisses me hard before going.

“You’ll be okay here, Sienna?” he asks.

I look into his eyes and say sincerely, “Of course.”

“Listen…I know I don’t have to warn you. But don’t try to escape. I have my guys all over the building. There’s no way out for you.”

“Yeah, I know,” I say, wrapping my arms around his chiseled torso.

“All right, I’ll see you later,” he says. “I won’t be long.”

I watch him go.

A devious thought enters my mind the moment I see him leave. When Nate’s away, I’m allowed to play. Actually, I’m going to do the one thing that’s been on my mind since I got here.

I’m gonna make one simple phone call to my mother.

What can it hurt?

She deserves to know that I’m okay. I can’t imagine compounding her grief for one more second.

I’ll just quickly tell her I’m okay and get off.

I go to his large kitchen and make myself a cup of tea. It’ll be the perfect tonic to help me get through this phone call. The entire time I think about what exactly I’m gonna say to my mother.

I pick up the phone from Nate’s office and bring it to my room. He must’ve absentmindedly left the door unlocked, probably never dreaming I’d defy him like this.

I take my cup of Earl Grey back to my room and sit in the modern white chair that looks out over the city.

I dial her number with shaky hands.

I can’t wait to talk to my mother. Even if it is just for a second.

It rings.

“Hello?” she says.

“Mommy?” I say.

With that one word, I hear her break down and start crying.

“Oh my god, Sienna! Are you okay? I’ve been so worried.”

“I’m okay. Listen, I can’t talk long. I just had to let you know that I’m alright—happy, even.”

“Oh Sienna, I’ve been beside myself. You sure you’re okay? Did you see that we had your father’s funeral?”

“Yes mommy, I was actually there. Only you couldn’t see me. That’s all I can say for now. I have to go. But please don’t worry about me.”

“But Sienna—” she says.

I hang up the phone, cutting her off. I can’t take the chance of being on longer.

There’s gotta be a reason Nate hasn’t let me use the phone.

But I figure my call was short enough that nobody can get ahold of my position.

I sink back into the chair and watch the city lights. They look like stars. The view never fails to enchant me.

I sip my tea and think how grateful I am for that moment, to tell my mom that I’m fine.

And then it happens.

About five minutes after I hang up the phone, I hear the door bust in.

Gunfire blazes, and I don’t know which direction they’re coming from. I put my tea down and attempt to hide, but before I can even move from my seat, my own door breaks down.

I can tell from his crazed eyes and portly shape that he is, indeed, Edison Shaw.

“Hi, honey. Probably shouldn’t have made that phone call. I’m your worst nightmare.”

I tremble with fear.

It couldn’t be.

All at once I realize how stupid I was.

All at once, I realize too late that I should’ve trusted Nate. I never should’ve made that phone call.

“Edison?” I say, trying to hide the fear from my voice.

“That’s right, sugar. Because of you, daddy’s little princess is going to die—and so will Nate.”

He laughs maniacally.

I start to cry and tremble with horror. He doesn’t care. One of his guys drags me harshly from my seat. I kick and scream to no avail.

I beg for my life, and I beg for Nate’s life.

Nobody hears me.

Nobody cares.

These guys have found what they wanted—me.

And then they’re gonna find Nate.

I fight the entire way. They take me down the elevator. I wonder where Nate’s guys are, and why they didn’t stop him. What went wrong?

Yes, I shouldn’t have made that phone call. But where were his men?

The man flings me over his shoulder, and as soon as he does, I see the answer to my question.

There are bloodied bodies everywhere.

I’m horrified at the scene.

More blood.

They take me into the underground garage and put me in an Escalade.

I sit in the backseat. They tape my hands together.

I can honestly say I’ve never been so terrified in my entire life. Even the first kidnapping wasn’t so ominous as this.

The man, Edison, smells like whiskey, smoke…and death.

This can’t be my end.