Chapter 1339:
Once the medicine had gone in, she recapped the syringe and tossed it in the trash, watching the man’s face for any change.
Relief washed over her as the medication took effect much quicker than she dared hope.
A faint sound from the bed made her lean closer, her heart hammering.
When their eyes finally met, the cold fire in his gaze caught her off guard and stole her breath away.
Without warning, he seized her and dragged her down onto the mattress, his grip unyielding.
Startled, she blurted out, “What are you doing? Let—”
Her words disappeared as he caught her in a fierce, unexpected kiss.
Shock swept over her, eyes wide as Linsey realized no one had ever kissed her before.
Heat and fury crashed together inside her, and she shoved at his chest with everything she had. Instead of releasing her, he crushed her closer, kissing her harder, a strange punishment written in every touch.
Breath ragged, Collin murmured close to her ear, his fingers sliding down her back. “It’s too much… Make it stop. I’ll make it up to you, I swear.”
The blood drained from her cheeks, and her heart pounded so loudly she thought it would burst.
That was the moment clarity dawned—she had gotten it wrong. The signs pointed not to poison, but to something else entirely. He had been drugged. Panic grabbed hold, the realization flooding her as she struggled beneath him.
“Get a grip!” Linsey cried out, her voice shaking as she twisted away.
Against his strength, her efforts barely made a dent, especially now, when the drug stripped away all sense and reason, leaving him impossible to fight off. He seemed lost to everything except the moment, his kisses never faltering, his grip insistent, as if she belonged to him alone.
By the time the struggle ended, tangled sheets covered the chaos left behind. Eventually, Collin slipped into an exhausted slumber. She peeled herself away, jaw clenched, every limb heavy and aching, as if her body had been squeezed dry and left behind.
With no rescue in sight and the door still firmly locked, escape felt like a fading hope. Yet, waiting any longer simply wasn’t an option.
Emotions clashing inside her, she forced herself to search the room. The window, cracked open to the night, offered the only hint of freedom.
When the haze lifted and Collin came to, Linsey’s presence had vanished entirely.
A dull ache throbbed behind his eyes as he pressed a hand to his head, grasping for memories of her face that drifted just out of reach.
The door creaked open, and Lowell entered, surprise brightening his features when he saw Collin awake. “You’re finally up, Mr. Riley!”
His amazement lingered as he still tried to believe the gentle stranger could pull off a recovery so swift.
Lowell’s gaze landed on Collin, who sat up with his upper body exposed, and surprise froze him on the spot. “Mr. Riley, I—”
