A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 117

“Yes, sir!”

lan’s expression tightened as he spun on his heel and hurried out. He didn’t ask for details–he just ran as fast as he could. Something must have happened to Miss Elissa. He was certain of it.

Marcia’s fingernails dug sharply into her palm. “Mr. Murphy, she’s just not answering her phone right now. There’s no need to-”

Before she could finish, Rowan’s hawk–like eyes flicked over her, cold and lethal, silencing her with a look. Marcia instantly shrank back, biting her tongue.

Frank thought Rowan was blowing things out of proportion. “Rowan, aren’t you overreacting a bit?”

“I’m not just having them search,” Rowan said, his voice pitched low and icy, every word forced through clenched teeth. “I want answers. I want to know exactly who’s been sneaking around under my nose.”

Floor twenty–one.

Elissa was shaking all over, forcing herself to stay calm, but the fear at her core was suffocating. The truth was, she was terrified of Slate–and for good reason.

No girl could go through what she had–barely a teenager, showering, only to have a man suddenly burst in–without being traumatized. She was scared, but there was nothing she could do.

It had happened too many times, only now Slate had gotten smarter. He knew to drug her first.

She could still feel the effects of whatever he’d slipped her; the only way she could keep herself conscious was by biting her tongue until she tasted blood.

“If Rowan comes looking, aren’t you scared? You know what he’s like. Do you really think your grandmother can protect you?”

The truth was, Elissa could barely remember when things had soured between Rowan and her grandmother. It must have been after she was sent back to her

grandmother’s estate. The two of them were family, but you’d never know it–for the past few years, they’d barely spoken, and every encounter ended in a fight. The old woman had no love for the young, and the young had no respect for the old. Just another Murphy family tradition.

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Chapter 117

Slate hesitated at that, but then shrugged it off, reckless as ever. “Even if Rowan wants to come after me, you think he’ll let me off if I let you go now?”

“I won’t tell him.”

He snorted. Slate had been burned by her before–he didn’t believe her for a second. He reached out and slapped her cheek, the softness of her skin sending a fresh surge of heat through him.

He started yanking at Elissa’s clothes, eyes wild as she tried to squirm away. “Elissa, I might not be Rowan, but I’m not that much worse than Frank, am I? If he can have his fun, why can’t I? What, is it such a hardship for you?”

“I’m scared!” Elissa was shaking like a leaf. The moment he pressed in close, her whole body trembled uncontrollably.

Slate scowled. “What the hell are you scared for? Still think you’re some innocent princess?”

“Slate…” Elissa’s eyes were red, her voice barely more than a whisper. “I really am

scared… I–I’ve never been with Frank…”

“What did you say?”

Slate’s eyes lit up, shock and delight mingling on his face.

“You know he’s in love with someone else. That’s why… he never touched me.”

Elissa bit her lip, her voice tinged with bitterness. Her eyes shimmered with tears as she looked up at him. “Slate, could you…”

The way she kept repeating his name made Slate’s bones go soft. “Could I what?”

If this little girl dared ask him to let her go, he’d have her right here and now–he didn’t have patience for games.

But Elissa didn’t ask for that. She just looked at him with pleading eyes and whispered, “Could you… not be so rough?”

Slate hadn’t expected to be her first. That kind of request was easy enough.

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Chapter 118

Chapter 118