Page 61 of Deserving Maisy
He led her through the room toward a hallway. He had an office of sorts, with a love seat that opened up into a bed.
“I’ll get some sheets and stuff for you. Wait here.” When he returned a minute later, Maisy was standing exactly where he’d left her. She didn’t move as he made up the bed, simply stepped out of his way so he could complete the task. He left once more to grab a shirt and a pair of gym shorts for her, and once again, when he returned, she was still standing where she’d been a moment before.
“Here,” he said, holding out the clothes. “They’ll be big, but more comfortable to sleep in.”
She looked down at the clothes in her hands and nodded.
Stone didn’t like the distant look in her eyes. Even though she was right in front of him, she might as well have been a million miles away. “I’ll get you some water. Drink it. It’ll help flush your system. There’s a bathroom in the hallway if you need it. You can shower when you get up.”
“Okay,” she said softly.
Stone wanted nothing more than to take her hand and bring her down the hall to his room, to his bed. But everything was different now. He didn’t even know this woman. And now that his memories had returned, the reasons why he shouldn’t take her to his bed were even more dire.
His nightmares. How violent he became.
But again, that voice in his head reminded him that he’d slept with Maisy for weeks and not once had he ever hurt her. In fact, he’d slept better than he had in years, since he and Owl had been rescued from that hellhole overseas.
Mentally sighing, Stone backed out of the room. He didn’t know what else to say. So instead of saying something he might regret, he simply closed the door and left Maisy alone.
An hour later, Stone couldn’t stand it any longer. He had to check on her. He hadn’t heard anything from the guest room/office since he’d shut the door earlier.
He knocked softly but didn’t get a response. Worried that something might be wrong, that she could’ve stopped breathing because of a delayed reaction to the drugs, Stone didn’t hesitate to crack open the door.
The curtains in the window were open, and there was plenty of afternoon light coming in to illuminate the room. Maisy was on her side at the very edge of the mattress, curled into a tight ball. She hadn’t gotten under the sheet or blanket, and she was clutching his clothes to her chest, her nose buried in the material. She looked small and vulnerable.
Stone had actually taken two steps into the room toward her before his brain caught up with his heart. He froze, filled with indecision. He wanted to go to her, take her into his arms and tell her that everything would be fine. But he also wanted to rail at her, shake her and force her to confess everything. Explain why she’d betrayed him so badly. Ask if all her pretty words about love and taking care of him were nothing but lies.
He did neither of those things. He simply backed upuntil he was once more in the doorway. Then he shut the door quietly and went back to the sofa. He sat and stared into space. He was exhausted and his head still throbbed. But there was no chance of him being able to sleep. Hopefully tonight when it got dark, he’d be able to catch a few hours of rest. For now, all he could do was sit and run the last few weeks over and over in his head. Trying to understand the motives of the woman he’d married.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow, he’d get answers. He’d decide what to do after he heard what Maisy had to say. Until then…all he could do was obsess over every little thing she’d said and done since he’d first met her.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Maisy felt like she was going to throw up. She was sitting at a table in a conference room at the main lodge of the retreat Jack apparently co-owned. All his friends were there, staring at her expectantly. They wanted information and were waiting for her to give it to them.
She’d slept through the afternoon and night. When she’d woken up this morning to the smell of bacon, her first thought had been pleasure. Paige didn’t make bacon or sausages very often because Jason felt they were too fattening.
But when she opened her eyes and found herself in a room she didn’t recognize, Maisy remembered. She wasn’t in Seattle anymore. Paige wasn’t here. And Jack’s memory had come back.
She knew the moment it happened. When they’d been in the park and that helicopter had flown over.
Now he hated her, and she had no one to blame but herself.
Traveling to New Mexico was a blur. She didn’tremember much of what happened after her brother had forced her to swallow the Valium. She had vague memories of the flight they’d taken, but that was it. She’d met a lot of people the day before, and surprisingly, most had been nice to her. If she’d been in their shoes, she wasn’t sure she would’ve offered as much grace as the men and women of The Refuge had shown her.
Things had been awkward between her and Jack since she woke. She’d showered, they’d eaten, Alaska had come by with some clothes, and as soon as she’d changed, Jack informed her that they’d be going up to the lodge to talk with his friends.
And now here she was.
She still felt a little off…but the fog that had consumed her because of the Valium had cleared. When he’d asked if she was okay this morning, the temptation to tell Jack that she still wasn’t feeling like herself had been strong, but it was time she owned up to her part in what had been done to him. The sooner she told these men what she knew, the sooner she could leave.
Because she had no doubt whatsoever that her brother would come for her. He’d hire whoever it took to find her because without Maisy, he wouldn’t be able to access her trust. And he wouldn’t have any compunction about hurting anyone who stood between him and what he wanted—her money.
She had to leave. As soon as possible. Where, she had no idea, but she’d figure it out. Maybe she’d ask Ry if she could help her change her name and start over somewhere. The other woman had been extremely kind to her the day before, and Maisy vaguely remembered her saying that she was a computer genius and had been able to save all herpictures from her phone, which was probably buried in a landfill somewhere right about now.
“Why did your brother kidnap Stone?” Brick asked.
Maisy mentally shored her shoulders and took a deep breath. The men had been more than patient, making sure she was feeling all right, offering something to drink and asking if she was comfortable. But they had a right to know why their friend had been taken. And Jack needed to know too.
