The hot shower I took when I returned to Luca's house wasn't enough to soothe my aching body. My muscles and joints were screaming at me. The webbed skin in between my fingers was rubbed raw by the gloves I had worn Good luck trying to hold a paint brush for the next few days, I told myself.I knew that I wouldn't be able to lift my arms over my head for a week. But, despite the major soreness and discomfort, I felt satisfied. I had done something for myself and it felt rewarding.It was this feeling of accomplishment that drove me to the kitchen for lunch instead of Luca's bed for a nap. I cut up strips of chicken breast and sautéed them in a frying pan, then I moved on to cutting up a head of lettuce for my salad.When I sat down at the countertop after pouring the dressing over the chicken and caesar salad that I had prepared, I heard a door open and turned to see Luca strolling in."Did you make lunch?" He asked, nose in the air.I dropped the fork in my hand back down into the bo

I could see the sky behind the mountains in the distance as it transitioned to darker shades, reminding me of how long I'd been sitting there. I think it's time to stop wallowing in self-pity, I told myself.Deciding I would make dinner, I stood from the couch, catching a glimpse of the pool in the backyard as I did so.A swim would feel so nice right now...Forgoing dinner, I went to retrieve my bikini from my suitcase. I changed and wandered downstairs where Luca had mentioned the pool access was.On the lower level were two empty bedrooms, two accompanying bathrooms, and a large bonus room in between the two bedrooms that boasted a TV the size of a small vehicle. Surrounding the TV was a large sectional sofa and several pieces of sports memorabilia. Hockey sticks, shadow boxes full of jerseys and pucks, and shelves lined with trophies were hung on the wall.Along the far wall was a large window that had a sliding door to get outside into the backyard. I slid the door open to be met

Luca never came back to bed that night.I laid there, staring at the ceiling, until the glow of the early morning began to fill the bedroom. When I went into the kitchen to make my tea, I was shocked to see Luca sitting at the counter with a coffee cup to his lips.I never heard him come back inside."Is everything okay?" I asked.Luca's eyebrows knit together."Yes?" He answered, even though it sounded like more of a question."You left in the middle of the night," I told him, feeling the need to explain my concern."Oh, I went for a run," he said casually, taking another sip of coffee."You left the door open.."Did I?" Luca asked."I may not have shut it well.""You left your clothes strewn all over the floor," I reminded him."I guess I'm not used to living with someone who sees my mess. You didn't have to clean up behind me."Luca's attention returned to his coffee cup."Are you sure everything's okay?" I asked him.He looked up from his mug and smiled slightly."I'm fine."Despi

And yet there I was: jogging through a similar neighborhood, all the while knowing I would return to the biggest house of them all.Before I knew it, I had become lost in my daydreams and also in reality. I stopped running when I realized that I no longer recognized where I was. Feeling a little uneasy, I turned and began to run back the way I had come from.It wasn't long before I came to an intersection that I didn't remember.Did I turn the corner down this road or did I cross the street?As I stood there deliberating on which direction to take, I felt a raindrop fall against my cheek. I wiped it away and sighed, feeling more begin to fall on my shoulders and face. Hearing a car approach, I looked up to see an old, green pickup truck driving along the road intersecting the one I was on.I waved at the driver and the truck began to slow. I smiled as he rolled down his window."Hi," I said awkwardly."I'm a little lost. Could you tell me how to get back to the other side of the pack,

When I went to bed that night, I tossed and turned for hours. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the face of the man who had kidnapped those girls. My mind had captured the image of him standing over me, preparing to strike.It was all I could see.I tried my hardest to glue my eyes closed, to think happy thoughts-but I couldn't. I finally sat up in the bed, feeling defeated.Throwing back the covers, I got out of the bed and opened the bedroom door. I slowly walked downstairs, trying to stay quiet. I stood outside Luca's bedroom for a few moments, hesitating.Taking a deep breath, I put my hand on the door knob and turned it. Once in the bedroom, I could see the outline of Luca's body sleeping in his bed.I closed the door behind me and walked towards the bed quietly. Gingerly, I pulled back the covers and slid into the bed next to Luca.I fought against getting closer to him.With my head against the pillow, I took a few moments to breathe in his scent and immediately felt the anxie