Read Online A Beautiful Prison by Jenika Snow - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jenika Snow
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He had one arm over his eyes, and she knew if she was going to do this it had to be now. He had said they were in Europe, yet he hadn’t specified what country. He said there were servants, but she hadn’t seen any, and if he made it a point to tell her they would assist her with what she needed, Ruby had to assume they knew of his little buying women hobby, and were just as depraved as he was. That or they were complete morons.
Ruby pushed the sheet off of her body and very slowly moved off of the bed. Gavin stirred slightly, but his breathing was still deep and even from his sleep. She stilled, though, waiting to make sure he stayed asleep, and when she was confident he was she moved until she sat on the edge of the bed. The wood floor was frigid on the bare soles of her feet. Pushing off the bed and standing, she slowly made her way toward the dress that Gavin had taken off her earlier and draped over one of the fancy chairs in the corner. She kept her eyes on him as she slipped it on. Ruby wasn’t about to go outside without any shoes, but aside from the stilettos and a few ballet flats she had nothing else. Walking over to the armoire as silently as she could, she grimaced and stopped when a floorboard creaked beneath her weight. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute, and her palms started to become clammy. She watched Gavin, expecting him to wake at any moment, but he continued to sleep. She breathed out, feeling relief, but far from feeling free just yet.
After she grabbed a pair of designer flats that looked like she might be able to move quickly in them and not break her neck, she walked over to the door, grabbed the handle, and twisted it. Thank God it opened silently. She pulled the heavy wood open only enough for her to slip through, and then closed it once more. The sound of the grandfather clock that was in the foyer ticked down the seconds, but as if a warning bell had gone off it chimed as it struck midnight. Ruby didn’t know if it would even wake Gavin, but she wasn’t about to find out. She tore off down the hallway, the thick, oriental-style runner beneath her feet making her footsteps soundless. Gripping the banister of the stairs, she took them two at a time, but when she got to the last one she tripped over her feet and fell to the hard marble landing. A hiss escaped her as pain exploded in her kneecaps, but she pushed the discomfort away and scrambled up. The massive double doors that promised her escape were only a few feet away, and she limped over to them. Taking hold of the cold, brass handle with one hand and unlocking the three separate locks with her other, she pulled the heavy door open. A gust of wind whipped by her and moved her hair in front of her face, momentarily blocking her vision. The sound of the door upstairs opening and slamming against the wall, and of the hard, heavy footsteps of Gavin coming for her had her already erratic fear increasing tenfold.
She ran down the stone steps, but all that was in front of her was flat, manicured lawn. He would surely see her, especially with the moon full and shining a silvery glow that illuminated everything. She only thought about that for a second before taking off to the left, where there was a forest made up of thin, willowy trees. The trunks were thin, not able to offer much in terms of hiding spots, but it was certainly better than the grassy land that was her other option. She ran as fast and hard as she could, and although she shouldn’t have looked over her shoulder, she needed to see where he was at.
He was moving quickly toward her, still a good distance away, but if she didn’t focus and pick up her pace he would catch her. Her shoes were horrible for running, and with the thick vegetation below her, the almost spidery branches from the trees acting as arms trying to keep her prisoner, Ruby wasn’t gaining as much ground as she would have liked. But for as much crying as she had done since being taken,
He had one arm over his eyes, and she knew if she was going to do this it had to be now. He had said they were in Europe, yet he hadn’t specified what country. He said there were servants, but she hadn’t seen any, and if he made it a point to tell her they would assist her with what she needed, Ruby had to assume they knew of his little buying women hobby, and were just as depraved as he was. That or they were complete morons.
Ruby pushed the sheet off of her body and very slowly moved off of the bed. Gavin stirred slightly, but his breathing was still deep and even from his sleep. She stilled, though, waiting to make sure he stayed asleep, and when she was confident he was she moved until she sat on the edge of the bed. The wood floor was frigid on the bare soles of her feet. Pushing off the bed and standing, she slowly made her way toward the dress that Gavin had taken off her earlier and draped over one of the fancy chairs in the corner. She kept her eyes on him as she slipped it on. Ruby wasn’t about to go outside without any shoes, but aside from the stilettos and a few ballet flats she had nothing else. Walking over to the armoire as silently as she could, she grimaced and stopped when a floorboard creaked beneath her weight. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute, and her palms started to become clammy. She watched Gavin, expecting him to wake at any moment, but he continued to sleep. She breathed out, feeling relief, but far from feeling free just yet.
After she grabbed a pair of designer flats that looked like she might be able to move quickly in them and not break her neck, she walked over to the door, grabbed the handle, and twisted it. Thank God it opened silently. She pulled the heavy wood open only enough for her to slip through, and then closed it once more. The sound of the grandfather clock that was in the foyer ticked down the seconds, but as if a warning bell had gone off it chimed as it struck midnight. Ruby didn’t know if it would even wake Gavin, but she wasn’t about to find out. She tore off down the hallway, the thick, oriental-style runner beneath her feet making her footsteps soundless. Gripping the banister of the stairs, she took them two at a time, but when she got to the last one she tripped over her feet and fell to the hard marble landing. A hiss escaped her as pain exploded in her kneecaps, but she pushed the discomfort away and scrambled up. The massive double doors that promised her escape were only a few feet away, and she limped over to them. Taking hold of the cold, brass handle with one hand and unlocking the three separate locks with her other, she pulled the heavy door open. A gust of wind whipped by her and moved her hair in front of her face, momentarily blocking her vision. The sound of the door upstairs opening and slamming against the wall, and of the hard, heavy footsteps of Gavin coming for her had her already erratic fear increasing tenfold.
She ran down the stone steps, but all that was in front of her was flat, manicured lawn. He would surely see her, especially with the moon full and shining a silvery glow that illuminated everything. She only thought about that for a second before taking off to the left, where there was a forest made up of thin, willowy trees. The trunks were thin, not able to offer much in terms of hiding spots, but it was certainly better than the grassy land that was her other option. She ran as fast and hard as she could, and although she shouldn’t have looked over her shoulder, she needed to see where he was at.
He was moving quickly toward her, still a good distance away, but if she didn’t focus and pick up her pace he would catch her. Her shoes were horrible for running, and with the thick vegetation below her, the almost spidery branches from the trees acting as arms trying to keep her prisoner, Ruby wasn’t gaining as much ground as she would have liked. But for as much crying as she had done since being taken,
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