The Billionaire Recluse & The girl who stayed.

Why me?

~ Lexi ~

Everything hurt.

My head. My limbs. Even my thoughts felt heavy, like they were pushing through thick fog.

I forced my eyes open slowly, blinking against the dim light.

I was still in the limo.

For a second, relief hit me—maybe nothing had happened.

Then I turned my head.

Dale.

Tied up.

Completely still.

My stomach dropped.

"Dale..." I whispered, my voice dry and weak.

No response.

That's when I realised—

My hands were bound too.

Tight.

Rough against my skin.

Panic crept in, slow at first, then all at once.

"Hello?" I called out, louder this time. "Is anyone there?!"

My body didn't feel right. Heavy. Sluggish.

Drugged.

The word hit me like a slap.

Oh my God.

I tried to move, but everything felt delayed, like my body wasn't catching up with my brain.

I threw my head back and shouted again, louder, desperate.

"HELLO?!"

The limo came to a sudden stop.

I was thrown forward, crashing into Dale just as he groaned.

"What... what's going on...?" he muttered weakly.

Before I could answer—

The doors were ripped open.

Cold air hit my skin instantly.

Hands grabbed me.

Rough.

Unforgiving.

"Let me go!" I struggled, but it was useless. My strength wasn't there.

Their grip tightened painfully.

"You're hurting me!" I cried out.

"Move," a man snapped coldly.

A blindfold was yanked over my eyes.

Darkness.

Complete.

I stumbled as they dragged me forward, my feet barely keeping up.

The ground changed beneath me—concrete? Stone?

I couldn't tell.

"Please—just tell me what you want!" I begged, my voice shaking.

No answer.

Just silence.

And footsteps.

—

Then suddenly—

I was thrown.

Hard.

Onto something soft.

A bed? A sofa?

I couldn't tell.

The ropes around my wrists were cut.

My blindfold left in place for a moment—