Bending Steele

Chapter Nineteen

Laying in Adam's plush bed, Abby sighed and fought her droopy eyelids, but JC's constant low lullaby purring at her side wasn't helping. The gigantic feline decided to forgive her earlier indiscretion and jumped back up on the bed for round two after she hung up with a still squealing Jo Jo.

Abby rolled her eyes in the darkness and absently stroked the cat's soft fur. His over reaction to the news of her being basically kidnapped by the billionaire bad boy was epic and still ringing in her ears. There had been no doubt in her mind Jo Jo would know who she was talking about when she said the name. Keeping up with the socialites of New York and anyone famous was an obsession with him which bordered on the need for a twelve step program.

As it was, Abby knew more about the Kardashians then she knew about American history and really, how sad was that? Not to mention the name of that dreadful family was starting to make her twitch and convulse, but Jo Jo made it his personal mission to educate her despite her attempts to run away.

She laughed softly and rolled over looking out the floor to ceiling windows, disturbing JC who grumpily rearranged himself and started kneading her back. Leave it to Adam Steele to own a cat who could give back massages. Thankfully, he must be declawed, otherwise the enthusiasm in which he was working it back there would have left her in shreds.

Such a beautiful view, she thought yawning. It was easy to imagine yourself being a princess in a room such as this. A princess in a floating castle up in the clouds with a charming prince at her side. Well, she may not have the whole fantasy, but the cat was a nice touch. Abby smiled. Jo Jo told her on the phone this was her fairy Godmother moment and she would be an idiot if she didn't take this opportunity to find her happily ever after.

Closing her heavy eyes, Abby snorted. Some people don't get a happy ending and she was one of those unlucky ones. Every time she came close, there was someone there to destroy it and he was never going to stop. A frown marred her face, as she slid into oblivion.

Abby opened the sliding door, her body tensed as the soft click of the release mechanism gave way. When no alarm sounded, she leaned her forehead against the glass and relaxed, blowing out a breath of relief. He hadn't noticed she'd disabled the alarm that morning.

Easing the door open on its freshly greased track, she slipped into the darkened kitchen. Wiping the sliders with vegetable oil had been a stroke of genius and she'd have to remember to do it periodically to keep it moving so smoothly.

Closing the door, she cringed at the slight snick. She stood as still as a statue, her ears straining for any sign she'd been busted. When only the soft hum of the refrigerator met her ears, she relaxed once more.

Slipping off her shoes and socks, she tiptoed across the cool tile of the kitchen carrying them close to her chest. Her eyes roving every shadow, landed on the line up of empty bottles across the kitchen island. I regiment of dead soldiers standing as a testament of her stepfather's alcoholism.

Surely he must have blacked out after drinking all that, Abby thought as she continued sneaking her way out of the kitchen. Pausing at the entryway to the living room, she peeked in. Fear making her heart skip and stutter in her chest. She would make a lousy cat burglar. Appeased when she saw nothing, she continued on her way through the house until she was standing at the top of the stairs, making sure to avoid the squeaky ones.

She made it. Turning, Abby's whole body sagged against the stair bannister when she saw her stepdad's bedroom door was closed.

"You're late."

Abby yelped and jumped at the sound of his deceptively quiet voice. Fear gripped her hard as she turned. Leaning against her own bedroom door stood her stepfather. His face was masked in the shadows, but the star on his chest caught a glimmer of moonlight drifting in from the round window at the end of the hall.