19
Dani’s eyes flew open. Her heart pounded deep in her chest. She squinted to look at her surroundings, taking in the pale blue walls and curtains with tiny, dark blue checks. The duvet cover was a field of wildflowers and the sheets were velvety soft and a pretty shade of blue. It was pure luxury. It took a few moments until she realized this was Ellie’s guest room. She sat up in bed, hugging her arms around herself as she wept with joy. It wasn’t a dream. She was home, free from the beautiful prison Derek Ryan had kept her in for nine days. Every day an eternity.
A soft knock on the door caught Dani’s attention.
“Are you awake?” Ellie cracked the door open.
“Yes, come in.”
Ellie carried a tray with two mugs of what Dani hoped was coffee.
“I thought you might like a slow start toda
