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Sheltered

by Alexa Riley

Blair Rosewood is preparing for her first day at her new job She left her trailer park town to go to college andof herself Now she’s in Charleston, South Carolina surrounded by people withto have to keep up She hasn’t exactly ended up where she wanted, but she’s going to make the best of it

But one night everything changes Suddenly she’s taken fro held captive by a man who is beyond obsessed with her He’s created a paradise for her with no escape, and he won’t allow an inch of space between them

How can he know so much about her? How can he look at her like he owns her? How can his big hands hold her captive yet be so gentle? How can she resist?

Warning: She’s been captured by a beast who refuses to let go of what he wants But this brooding alpha has secrets of his own, and he’ll do everything he can to protect her from them

Prologue

Ryker

He didn’t deserve her I knew that froood for for hiood for me too, but I still had to have her

I’ve done s, but this is probably the worst It’s funny, though, because I haven’t lost a wink of sleep over it And not for one second have I regretted my decision

Even now as I watch her, I knohat’s co I have to put an end to this, and she won’t like it But I swore the first time I laid eyes on her that I’d do whatever it took tothe law, then so be it All I care about is if she’s in my arms in the end

She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s a fighter She’s going to fight ht herself She won’t hat I’ her, but eventually she’ll take it Because she won’t have a choice There will be no other option but me

I look down at her sleeping body and she has no idea what’s about to happen I brush a strand of hair away froo I’ht be the last bit of peace I have for some time The calm before the storm

It’s still dark out, and though I want to stay longer, I can’t I take one last look at her before I turn and walk out of the room

Soon, I think tothis will be the last night I’m ever without her

Chapter 1

Blair

I sip o I’m in a little coffee shop that’s across the street fro today I should feel a little guilty for having a second one since the cost is ht now I don’t even want to think about the calories this thing has in it I’ve convinced myself it’s a small reward, and that hopefully soon I won’t have to think about my bank account It’s part of the reason I took this job to begin with It’s the responsible adult thing to do Even if the job sounds miserable

I push all those thoughts away and remember that today is the first step in the direction ofto build since I was a little girl andI wanted to be when I grew up, so I’ on to it like a lifeline, knowing those words could save rew up

Even at the age of ten I kneanted so any food wasn’t normal I didn’t want to wear clothes that either didn't fit et out no ot called trailer trash, it was a re on e, then I left it all behind

But you can’t always escape your past

I have a drive insidemore I’m not exactly sure what that more is, but ht path If it wasn't for hiuide ive me a future in which I won’t have to worry about wherefrom

I was a little lost at first in college, unsure of what to otten a full acadeht years away froot the letter in the mail Not only was I accepted, but all my tuition was covered I picked up a few Pell Grants to help with the rest, and all I had to do was get on a bus I kneas the opportunity of a lifeti like that away It was et out of the trailer park and live my dreams

It was the happiest day ofet toand too expensive for her to ever try and visit And honestly, I never really wanted her to I love her, but really, what child doesn't love theira parent, and oodbye, I think we both kneas for a lot longer than a few months The last time I called her I had to say my name to her four times for it to finally click who I was This was after I called the trailer park and had her phone line turned back on She was probably shocked to even hear it ring

If she hadn’t inherited the trailer frorandma, who died when I was still little, I think she would have been on the streets by now She wasn't always a terrible h they may have been few and far between, she had them She sure didn’t make it easy to love her

I glance up as the chime over t

he coffee shop door twinkles I watch a man in a suit walk in, which seeh it’s still pretty early I still haven’t gotten used to how nice everyone dresses in this part of Charleston

The guy in the suit glances over to reen eyes It’s only for a moment, but I see hi eye contact with me as he walks over to the counter to order his coffee My own eyes roam down his body, and then I turn away quickly as I realize I’ with me? I have a boyfriend One I love and have been with for years Guilt hits me hard

It’s probably because it’s been forever since I’ve seen Fritz He graduated a year before ht into his career He’s really busy, which I understand, because he’s a Hah Charleston, and he said it’s expected he’ll carry a heavy workload once school is finished I’allery that we’ll get to spend ether

I check ot about thirty minutes before I can walk across the street and start my new job I take another sip ofStreet

It’s hard, though, when I’ about art My degree is in business, but it’sthe back end of things I think it’s , but I tried to show some initiative and read up about the art world over the past feeeks I only had one class e on art history I think otme to work for his company, and I don’t want to disappoint anyone I want to do my best and make him proud of me