The Nerd Who Stole The Quarterback (Astra and Zayne) novel Chapter 162

Chapter 162

ASTRA

VPN

2)

88

65 vouchers

The news continued playing long after I stopped listening. The reporter’s voice faded into meaningless noise. blending with the quiet crackle of the television and the occasional clink of cutlery against ceramic. Neither of us spoke. I couldn’t have swallowed another bite if my life depended on it.

After several long minutes he finished eating, rose without a word, and gathered both plates. He carried them to the sink.

Everything he did was slow and unhurried, as though he had nowhere else to be and keeping me here was the most ordinary thing in the world.

When he finished washing the dishes he dried his hands on a towel, opened one of the kitchen drawers, and pulled something out. He walked back toward me and I stiffened instinctively. He stopped beside the island and placed two things on the countertop: a toothbrush still sealed inside its plastic wrapper, and beside it a brand-new tube of toothpaste.

I stared at them. For several seconds I couldn’t make sense of what I was looking at. Then I looked up at him.

“…What?”

“Brush your teeth.”

I frowned before slowly reaching for the toothbrush. The plastic crackled loudly as I tore it open with trembling fingers. He turned and walked toward the sink and I followed because I didn’t know what else to do.

The mirror above the sink reflected both of us-me, pale, red-eyed, terrified; and him standing several feet behind me, watching.

I squeezed toothpaste onto the brush. Even lifting my hand felt strange, like I was pretending my life was still normal. The mint burned against my tongue. I kept catching his reflection in the mirror. Those silver eyes never left me.

When I finally finished I rinsed the toothbrush and stood there awkwardly, unsure what he expected next. He held out a clean white hand towel. I stared at it, then at him.

“… Thank you.”

The words escaped before I could stop them. Heat rushed into my face immediately. Why had I thanked the man who’d kidnapped me?

He inclined his head ever so slightly. “You’re welcome.”

Something about the politeness of it made my stomach twist. He reached past me, picked up the toothbrush and toothpaste, and placed both inside a small plastic cup on the counter-as though they belonged there, as though I’d be using them again tomorrow. My chest tightened.

He looked toward the staircase. “Come.”

1/4

10:28 Sat, Aug 1

Chapter 162

I didn’t move.

He looked back at me. “Come.”

VPN 88

55 vouchers

My feet followed before my courage could. Neither of us spoke as we climbed the narrow wooden stairs. Every creaking step filled me with a growing sense of dread. No… please… not again.

He stopped outside the attic room. A key appeared in his gloved hand. The lock clicked. He pushed the door open and stepped aside.

“Inside.”

I looked at the room, then back at him. “I’m not going back in there.”

“You don’t have another room.”

His voice remained calm. Matter-of-fact. As though we were discussing where a guest should sleep instead of where a prisoner belonged.

Tears burned behind my eyes. Slowly I walked past him. The moment both feet crossed the threshold I heard the door close and the lock turned.

Click.

The sound echoed through the room. This time I didn’t run to the door. I already knew it wouldn’t open. I stood there for a long moment before my knees finally gave way. I sat on the edge of the narrow bed and wrapped both arms around myself. The room somehow felt even smaller than it had that morning.

My eyes drifted toward the tiny attic window. Beyond the dusty glass there was nothing but endless forest- no voices, no passing cars, no sign that the rest of the world even existed. A sob caught in my throat.

“…Please find me.”

The whisper disappeared into the empty room. I didn’t know who I was praying to anymore. The police. The Ashton family. Zane. Anyone. I just wanted someone to find me.

I stayed curled against the bed for what felt like forever, tears drying stiff against my cheeks until there simply weren’t any left to cry.

Eventually I wiped at my face with the sleeve of my dress and drew in a shaky breath. Crying wasn’t going to open the door. It wasn’t going to get me home. If no one could find me yet, then I had to find a way out.

My gaze slowly swept across the attic again but nothing had changed. Still, I forced myself to search again.

I crouched and looked beneath the bed. Only darkness and splintered floorboards stared back.

Frustration tightened in my chest. “There has to be something…” Anything. A loose floorboard. A hidden key. Something.

My eyes drifted toward the tiny attic window. I dragged the wooden chair beneath it, climbed up carefully, and pressed both palms against the dusty glass.

2/4

10:28 Sat, Aug 1

Chapter 162

VPN 88

55 vouchers

The opening itself was barely wider than my shoulders. Even if I somehow managed to force the swollen frame open, I wasn’t sure I could even squeeze through it. And if I did, the fall would probably kill me.

Hope slipped through my fingers all over again. Slowly I climbed back down. My eyes settled on the door. Solid wood. Old wood. Old wood could break… couldn’t it?

I backed away until my shoulders touched the opposite wall. My heart pounded. If I hit it hard enough…

I took a breath, then ran.

BANG!

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify