His Hollow Heart (Fallen Kingdom Book 1)

Bella

Cal seemed tense when I left him on the dock. Whatever Byron was saying on the other end of the call made his fingers flex around the phone as he clutched it. He can be scary when he’s mad, but when it’s not directed at me, it’s pretty sexy.

As I step off the elevator and make my way down the hall to my room, I unclasp the straps on my shoes and take them off, one at a time. With them dangling in my hand, I pass by Cal’s room, but backstep to his door when I remember his call to Peter. Looking behind me and again, in front of me, I give the doorknob a try.

I’m taken aback when it actually turns. My heart begins galloping in my chest and my palm starts sweating against the glass knob. I look around one more time before giving it a gentle push. The door opens and cautiously, I step inside.

I swear I can feel my pulse around my grip on the knob and I’m fearful to let go. It’s pitch-black inside and actually pretty cold for being a closed space. At least, it’s colder than the rest of the castle.

Chatter begins carrying from outside the room, so I shut the door quickly, latching it without a sound.

With my back against the door, I draw in a deep breath, quickly exhaling and spinning around in a breathless dismay when I hear a key slide into the lock from outside the door. I back away slowly, thinking someone is going to come in.

This is it. I’m caught.

I stand there frozen, waiting for someone to barge in and drag me back to my room before padlocking it shut so I’m not able to leave.

Seconds pass until it’s been a minute and no one has opened the door.

Peter must have been locking it. 

Taking a few steps back, I catch myself unintentionally holding my breath until my lungs feel like filled balloons. I exhale sharply and continue to step backward. It’s completely dark, not even a glimmer of light shining into the room.

I gasp when I bump into the far wall. Reaching behind me, I press my hands to it and realize that it’s not a wall. At least, it doesn’t feel like it. It’s cold—glass, maybe? I turn around, running my hands down it when, at the sound of a threatening hiss, I suddenly jump back.

My heart gallops into my throat as I hurry back toward the door to see if there’s a light switch on the wall.

I should try and get out of here. Bang on the door for Peter to let me out before Cal catches me. In my head, I know that. But, something doesn’t let me.

I’m running my fingers up and down the wall near the door when I come across a switch.

Please be a light switch and not an alarm of some sort.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Cal had this room armed with cameras and sounds.

Holding my breath again, I push up, breathing out a sigh of relief when the light shines into the room. It’s dim and comes from a flood light in the middle of the ceiling, but at least I’m able to see now.

I turn around, and the next thing I know, I’m screaming at the sight in front of me.

My hand claps over my mouth, shutting myself up. If anyone is on this floor, there is no doubt they heard me. Peter will likely be barging into the room any second.

Moisture coats my hand as I keep it in place, taking small steps toward the wall-sized tank, or cage, or whatever the hell it is. All I know is that staring back at me is the biggest snake I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s all black, thick, and it has to be at least seven feet long.

I walk closer, closing the space between me and the caged reptile. My eyes are locked dead with his, or hers, and I feel like it’s warning me off. Practically demanding I leave. But, I don’t.

Instead, I go closer. With my hand out, I press it to the glass. The snake stays still, while I do the same.

Once I’m no longer afraid, I look at the other tanks beside it. There are three, horizontally lined up and running from the floor to the ceiling. Each one is at least ten-foot wide. Inside there are branches, vines, and logs, and it reminds me of a little oasis. There are lights on top, but none of them are turned on, which is odd.

I look closer at the other cages and notice a smaller brown snake. I only see one, but there could be more hiding. In the cage at the end, there’s another brown, but smaller one.

As long as they are in there and I’m out here, we’re okay. Although, the sight of them does make me feel queasy. I’m not deathly afraid, but I’m certainly no friend to reptiles. If snakes can sense fear, that black monster would probably swallow my entire arm.

I had no idea Cal had a liking for snakes. I suppose there’s a lot I don’t know about who he is now.

It wasn’t until this moment that I even realized that the bedroom walls are as black as coal with a black fleur print. Sconces are placed on all the walls around five feet apart. There’s a very dark vibe to the room that slides chills down my spine. A king-size canopy bed sits on top of a black antique-looking rug. It’s dressed perfectly in deep red, silk bedding. I walk closer to the bed, my fingers running along the wooden beams holding up the canopy. Engraved snakes slither down the mahogany wood and meet again at the footboard.

Are there no windows in here? I look around, thinking maybe there is one hidden beneath a curtain, but it’s confirmed, there are none.

How strange. 

Regardless, I still don’t see why Cal would be so persistent on keeping people out of his room. Sure, it’s Gothic and has me questioning if he’s actually a vampire who eats snakes, but really, there’s nothing that screams ‘secretive’ to me. If he were really that adamant about keeping others out, you’d think he’d have a better lock than one made in the early 1900s. Maybe even an alarm system. I suppose he probably doesn’t need all that because most people obey his demands and don’t sneak into rooms like I do.

There’s a couple closed doors that I assume are a bathroom and a closet. Beside them is a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf packed full with classic books. I pick a door and turn the knob. It’s the same glass, ancient knob that’s on all the doors on this floor. I pull it open and it’s a closet. A very large one at that. I step inside and flip on the light switch. There’s two tall dressers, and a row of hanging suits, all black. A shoe rack, some shelves with shoe boxes, and…Cal’s memory box. It’s a weathered, wooden box with a metal clasp that’s about the size of a shoe box.

He had that thing when we were at The Webster House. I can’t believe he still has it. Pushing myself up on my tiptoes, I try to reach it, but I need something to stand on; it’s too high up.

My eyes sweep the closet, looking for something to stand on, but all I see that will work is the dresser.

I pull out the bottom drawer to get me a foot higher, then pull myself on top of it. I’m on my knees with my fingers touching the box when I hear something outside of the closet.

Quickly, I jump down and flip the light off in the closet and close the door gently. My heart hammers in my chest as I crouch down in the middle of the hanging suits.

When I hear the door to the room open, I pinch my eyes shut, holding my breath and internally begging for whoever it is to turn and leave, so I can get the hell out of here.

The door closes and I listen to any sound that tells me someone is in the room. My heart begins to steady at the silence, but quickly accelerates when I hear Cal’s voice.

“Did you enter my room?”

A beat of silence.

“The light was on so someone was here. Was it Paulina?”

Another beat of silence.

“Yes, she is well aware that it’s off-limits but someone was here. I forgot to lock up, but I’m not distracted enough to leave the light on.”

I swallow hard, hoping it wasn’t audible on the outside.

Cal raises his voice to a near shout. “I don’t give a shit. Find out who it was. And check on Bella. She had a little too much to drink.”

He obviously doesn’t realize I can hold my liquor. Even if I do feel like I’m about to throw up all over his Brunello suits.

“Who was it? Was it her? Did she wake you up?”

Is he talking to his snakes?

The hairs on my arms shoot up when I see the shadow of his feet outside the closet door. I have no idea what he’ll do if he finds me, and I really don’t want to find out.

I freeze, unable to breathe, let alone think, when the closet door opens.

I’m still hidden, but if he’s looking for me, he will find me.

Cal just stands there, puzzled, as if he’s searching for clues as to who was in his room.

A few moments pass before I hear the sound of his belt buckle. My mouth pools with water when his pants drop to his ankles, along with his boxer briefs.

Being the curious person that I am, I tilt my head slightly to the right, looking around a hung suit, to steal a peek at his own hung package.

Even soft, he’s well-endowed. Thick black hair coats his pubic bone, running down to his smooth cock. Bulging blue veins and a plump silk head. My nipples pucker against my dress at the sight in front of me.

When he unbuttons his shirt at a leisurely pace, I once again find myself holding my breath. I gulp air as he slides off the shirt and is standing before me completely, butt-ass naked.

I don’t even care what this man has done to me since I’ve been here. Part of me wants to dive out of this hiding spot and tackle him to the ground just so he can shove his fingers inside of me again. I’d probably even let him fuck me—maybe. I’m still a little sore down there, but it’s eased up quite a bit.

Cal pulls on a pair of gray sweatpants and I force the ridiculous thoughts away, even if there’s a pool of moisture in my panties.

The light switches off and the door closes. I’m left sitting here, motionless, speechless, and totally fucking stuck.

Cal’s phone rings on the other side of the door, startling me. I creep forward a bit to try and listen to the conversation.

“What the hell do you mean she’s not in her room?”

Busted. 

“Well, find her dammit.”

I need to suck it up and walk out there, admit I screwed up and apologize for being nosey.

Just as I’m about to stand up, I stoop back down when Cal lets out a harrowing scream. Everything inside me comes to a halt—the blood in my veins, my heartbeat, the pent-up air in my lungs.

There’s a loud bang that has my body shooting back into the corner I was tucked in. I hug my knees to my chest as shivers run through my body.

Cal tears open the closet door. I scooch back against the wall again. All I can see are his bare feet as he jerks open a dresser drawer then slams it shut. He walks back out of the closet, shutting the door behind him.

With my hands pressed to the floor beneath me, I notice my fingers sliding under something—an opening of some sort.

I wait a minute, then two, then three. Then the door outside of the closet slams shut and I’m left in complete silence.

On my hands and knees, I crawl to the door. It’s pitch-black and I can’t see a thing, so I reach up and grab the handle, then inch the door open so I can poke my head out.

He’s gone. 

I can’t see a thing, which means he had to have left. Unless, it’s a trick.

I should run for the door, leave unscathed—but I don’t, because I’m an idiot. Instead, I go back into the closet. I have to know what that lip on the floor was.

I flip on the light and push the hanging suits to one side and clear as day, there it is.

A door.

There’s a secret room? Or exit, maybe? I know this castle is old, but I thought those were only in movies.

I don’t know what’s behind that door, but I plan to find out.