Saving Him: A Dark Romance (Keep Me Series Book 2), page 1
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 37
CHAPTER 38
CHAPTER 39
CHAPTER 40
CHAPTER 41
CHAPTER 42
CHAPTER 43
CHAPTER 44
EPILOGUE
SAVING HIM
Book 2 of the Keep Me Series
ANGELA SNYDER
COPYRIGHT
___________________________________________
Copyright © 2017 Angela Snyder
Cover Art ~ Addendum Designs
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, copied in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted without written permission from the publisher. You must not circulate this book in any format.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to the retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
___________________________________________
Saving Him is Book 2 in the Keep Me Series and is not intended to be read as a standalone. Please read Keeping Her: Book 1 of the Keep Me Series before reading this book.
The books in the series feature adult content and touch upon some very serious issues and sensitive topics that could be considered as triggers for some readers.
You can find all of my books exclusively on Amazon and free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers: http://amazon.com/author/angelasnyder
Please sign up for my newsletter to be notified of all of my new releases, giveaways, sneak peeks, freebies and more: http://eepurl.com/cNF0o5
SAVING HIM
(KEEP ME SERIES BOOK 2)
___________________________________________
I was kidnapped and sold to a monster.
My abductor told me he would let me go…after he got what he wanted. So I offered him my virginity in exchange for my freedom, but he broke that promise. And now he's decided to keep me.
When my past suddenly collides with my present, it's an all-out war.
How could I have ever guessed that my captor would turn into my protector?
I don't know if we can survive this, but now it's my turn to save him.
**Saving Him is the conclusion of the two-book dark romance Keep Me Series and is not intended to be read as a standalone. It contains adult content for mature readers.**
PLAYLIST
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MISSIO - Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea
Papa Roach - Before I Die
Lorde - Perfect Places
Nothing More - Go to War
Smashing Pumpkins - Disarm
Falling in Reverse - Superhero
I Prevail - Alone
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
___________________________________________
Thank you to my readers and fans that have shown support and love for Adeline and Lucien's story.
Thank you for your kind emails, messages and tweets about how much you enjoyed reading the Keep Me Series. It makes the sacrifices and time spent working on this series all worth it.
Thank you to Barbara M.C. for always showing your love and support, sharing my books with other readers and being an amazing admin in our Facebook group/street team, Book Boyfriends Wanted.
When I needed to come up with a kind and empathetic character to support Adeline along her journey, your name instantly popped into my mind.
I truly appreciate everything you've done for me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
___________________________________________
SAVING HIM
COPYRIGHT
AUTHOR'S NOTE
SAVING HIM
PLAYLIST
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 37
CHAPTER 38
CHAPTER 39
CHAPTER 40
CHAPTER 41
CHAPTER 42
CHAPTER 43
CHAPTER 44
EPILOGUE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CHAPTER 1
LUCIEN
WHILE IN THE midst of going through hours of painstakingly important, albeit boring, data analyses, my cell phone suddenly begins to beep rapidly. Glancing at the screen, I realize alert notifications for Adeline's whereabouts are quickly piling up.
Growling, I pull up the app connected to her watch and stare at my screen in confusion…and anger. Seems my little captive is straying too far away from the mansion, and the protocols I put in place are alarming me of that fact.
"Where are you going, Adeline?" I wonder out loud as I watch her GPS coordinates moving on my screen.
I'd been too absorbed with my work today to even check on her whereabouts, and I curse myself silently in my head as I realize my fuck-up. I let my guard down with her, something I never fucking do, and that clearly was a mistake. And one I won't make ever again.
We've been getting along so well lately. Why would she run? And why now? I think to myself.
I just can't make sense of the limitless questions rolling around in my skull.
Clicking to her data page, my eyes scan her vitals. Based on the data that's showing, her heartbeat is elevated to a level that would suggest extremely rigorous exercise.
Adeline knows she's not allowed to venture outside the perimeter, so either she's blatantly disobeying me…or something else is going on entirely and she's in trouble.
Cursing under my breath, I jerk open the bottom drawer of my desk, remove the false bottom and grab my gun and clip. I'm not willing to take any chances.
Deep down in my gut I knew she'd try to run first chance she got…even if lately I've been trying to convince myself otherwise.
I leave my office and jog to the front of the house, snapping the clip into the gun and clicking off the safety.
I pass Jackson on the way. He shoots me a bewildered look, and his eyes widen when he sees the gun in my hand. "What happened? Luc, where's Adeline? Wait! Where are you going?"
I ignore his multitude of questions and run out the front door. My bare feet sink into the lush grass as I run. When I reach dirt and gravel, the stones and debris cut into my soles, but I barely register the feeling as a million different scenarios run through my mind.
Did someone betray me? Did she? Did her father and Giovanni finally come for her?
Her father is a powerful man. Even though I've covered my tracks, there are hackers out there that are still better than me and men with more resources…and much more to gain by taking me out.
My phone begins to beep again, but in a different, more urgent pattern this time. The app is indicating that there is no longer a heartbeat detected.
I stop suddenly as the blood flowing through my veins turns to ice, chilling me to the fucking bone. I stumble back, almost falling to my knees.
"No," I whisper, my voice strangled.
Gritting my teeth, I force my feet to move forward. I continue on the path towards where the GPS is s
Up ahead, I see her tennis shoe lying on the ground, a sign that she was possibly struggling to get away from someone. Someone who might have been hurting her. Someone who might have already killed her.
A fear I have never known before is coursing through me at the thought of losing her.
I can't lose her.
She has been the only light in my dark, dark world, and I'm not ready to give her up. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
Shaking off the unwanted and confusing feelings I suddenly realize I have for her, I begin to run towards the dot on the map. I need to find her.
And if she's hurt or dead, I hope whoever is responsible is ready to meet his maker today.
CHAPTER 2
ADELINE
HIS DIRTY FINGERS tear at my clothes, and I scream around the musty rag that Rafael had stuffed into my mouth just moments earlier. No one is going to hear my pleas. No one is coming to save me.
He loosely tied my hands with another scrap of cloth, and I wriggle my wrists back and forth, slowly loosening the material and trying to get enough slack so that I can break free. Tears stream down my cheeks as I realize how foolish I was to believe that I could escape…or trust anyone on this island.
Rafael forces me onto my stomach, and I feel the bile rising up to my throat. I can't vomit without the risk of choking to death, and so I try my hardest to swallow it back down. But the nausea and undiluted fear grow even greater as he jerks my denim capris down my legs in one sweep.
I try to kick out at him, but the denim bunched around my knees restricts my movement, making it almost impossible to defend myself. I push up with my bound hands that are pinned under me, trying to rise, but his strong hand firmly presses me back down, locking me in place against the mattress.
Chewing on the disgusting, filthy rag in my mouth, I finally get it gathered up enough into a ball that I can push my tongue against the material. It flies out of my mouth along with a scream so high pitch and full of fear that it doesn't even sound like a noise that could come from me, let alone a human.
Suddenly, I'm flipped onto my back, and the quick movement makes me dizzy. The scream dies in my throat as Rafael curses at me in Spanish and strikes me across the face. The moment the metallic taste of my blood from the cut on my lip touches my tongue, it spurs me on and only makes me fight harder, scream louder.
"Shut up, bitch!" he yells.
He grasps onto my panties, and his nails rake down my thighs, digging into my skin as he pulls the lacey material down my legs. Then his grubby hands move to his own clothes as he tries to undress himself.
The sound of the zipper going down causes a sob to rip from my throat as the panic sets in as to what's going to happen to me. Struggling hastily with the ratty cloth binding me, I'm finally able to break the stitching, releasing my wrists.
His dick is in one hand as he moves closer to me, trying to pry my legs apart with his other hand. I slam my palms against his chest, straightening my arms and holding him back as best I can, struggling under the overbearing weight of his stocky frame.
"No!" I sob. "Please!"
In a last-ditched effort, I move one of my hands upwards, digging my fingernails into his cheek and dragging down until he's howling in pain and blood covers the side of his face.
He spits something out of his mouth that I don't understand before one of his hands comes down on my throat, squeezing harder and harder until my arms fall limp to my sides and I'm on the edge of consciousness. My body bucks underneath him, but I'm not strong enough to throw him off, and I feel like I'm fading fast.
My mouth opens, gaping like a fish out of water as I try to inhale just one tiny breath of oxygen. Dark spots cloud my vision. And just as my eyes begin to flutter closed…I can hear Lucien's voice calling for me. He sounds so far away...
Suddenly, the grip on my neck and the weight on top of me is gone.
And I can breathe again.
I gasp and wheeze, sucking oxygen into my depleted lungs as my eyes snap open.
Lucien has Rafael pinned on the floor as his fists rain blows down upon his face. Each loud smack of his fists makes me shudder, and Rafael's face slowly morphs into something unrecognizable — muscle, tissue and blood.
So much blood.
Rafael tries to talk, but his jaw looks like it's dislocated and his teeth are gone, scattered across the concrete floor.
"Don't you fucking dare speak!" Lucien roars like a wild animal as he wraps his hands around Rafael's throat. He chokes him brutally until the snap of his neck echoes through the small cottage.
All I can do is stare in shock and awe as Lucien stands up, pulls a gun out of his waistband and fires round after round into Rafael.
My entire body jolts with each shot as bullet after bullet rips through my attacker.
Only once the clip is spent does Lucien finally stop shooting. He stands there, panting with harsh, unsteady breaths, watching the blood pooling around Rafael's dead body.
Lucien doesn't even look human anymore. He looks feral, like some kind of wild beast, his chest heaving and his back bowed. He's disheveled with a desolate look in his eye that I've never seen before.
A thrill of terror runs through me…but it doesn't last long. I'm not afraid of him even though I should be.
Lucien saved me from a brutal, unforgiving fate. He protected me. He killed for me.
CHAPTER 3
LUCIEN
I STARE DOWN at Adeline curled up in a ball on the dirty mattress. She looks so small and vulnerable in that moment, and I instantly have flashbacks from my fucked-up childhood. I squeeze my eyes shut and force the thoughts from my mind. Now is not the time to reminisce about things I cannot change. I need to stay focused. I need to stay in the present.
Jackson comes running in just then, taking in the situation quickly. "I heard gunshots," he says in alarm. "I-I thought…"
He doesn't finish his sentence, but he doesn't have to. He clearly thought one of us was wounded…or maybe even dead…and I watch the panic subside on his face when he sees Rafael's dead body on the floor.
I tuck the gun into my waistband and spot Adeline's bracelet lying on the floor beside my foot. It must have fallen off during the struggle which is why the app showed her as having no heartbeat. I scoop it up and place it in my pocket with the intent on seeing what I can salvage and fix later.
Slowly, I approach Adeline, who looks like a scared, little, lost girl at the moment, and it makes that black hole where my heart should be ache with a pain I've never experienced before.
Her eyes dart to the dead body on the floor and then back to me. When I reach for her, I expect her to fight me, push me away. She knows I'm a killer now, willing to do anything to keep her safe and to keep her here with me. And I expect her hatred for what I've done right in front of her eyes.
I expect all of those things. What I don't expect is when she climbs off the bed and stumbles into my open arms, clinging to me like I'm her only lifeline, and sobbing against my chest.
"Lucien, Lucien, Lucien," she cries, repeating my name over and over again like it's a benediction on her lips as she weeps.
Slowly, I snake my arms around her and hold her tightly against me. My nose presses into the top of her head, and I inhale her coconut scent. I want to tell her so much in that moment.
Thank god I made it in time.
Thank god you're okay.
I'm so glad you're alive.
And I don't know why, but just the thought of losing you hurts so fucking much…like a thousand knives piercing my skin all at once.
But I tell her none of those things. Instead, I reach down and scoop her into my arms.
And then I carry her home.
CHAPTER 4
LUCIEN
I PACE THE floor several feet away as Jackson hovers over Adeline on the couch in the living room, assessing the damage that was done. Watching his fingers trailing over her perfect, delicate skin is making me insane with jealousy.
I don't even want to think about what the gardener did to her. The thought makes me rage with an anger I never knew before and makes me want to burn the entire world and everyone in it to the fucking ground.
