Hunt and Pray Read Online Free Page B

suddenly stiffened and let go of Drew's hair. Drew looked up and saw a strong arm around the man’s neck, cutting off his air supply. Ezra frantically tried to pull it away to no avail.
    “You’re going to get the fuck out of this room right now and never come back.” The voice coming from behind the suffocating man was definitely Chance’s. “Unless you’d like to explain to my father why you were trying to have sex with the gay prisoner?”
    Ezra’s eyes widened in terror, and he shook his head desperately.
    The arm around his neck went slack, and then he was spun around and pushed toward the door. “I mean it, Ezra! Don’t fucking come back in here. Dad left me in charge of him, and I won’t let you fuck it up.”
    Ezra scowled at him but left without a word, rubbing at the bruises on his neck. Chance turned back to Drew and offered him a hand up, but Drew was still reeling from the abuse he’d suffered. He crouched down, wrapped his arms around his knees, and tried to make himself as small as possible.
    Chance sighed wearily, reached down, and grabbed him under the armpits.
    Drew froze in fear but didn’t cry out. The other man just dumped him back on the bed and then turned toward the door.
    Drew shivered uncontrollably as the bile rose in his throat. He couldn’t stop it. He lunged for the wastebasket, reaching it as his dinner came up all at once. As he heaved, he faintly registered the door closing and the lock engaging. He continued retching until his stomach was empty and he was finally able to take a breath again.
    He shoved the disgusting mess as far away as possible and then dragged himself back onto the bed, pulled back the blankets, and crawled under them, hoping that would stop the shivering.
    He tensed as the door opened again, but it was just Chance coming back in holding a glass of water and a damp cloth. He handed them to Drew and then went back to the door. He watched, his expression unreadable, as Drew washed off his face and then sipped some of the water.
    When he could speak again, he looked at Chance. “Thank you.” He wasn’t sure why he was thanking someone who was holding him hostage, but it felt right.
    Chance just nodded at him, mouth turned down in a frown, before he grabbed the wastebasket and left the room. Drew heard the lock engage again and sighed a little in relief. He was reasonably sure he’d be safe from Ezra as long as Chance was on duty.
    But who was going to keep him safe from Chance when the time came?
    Drew knew he didn’t stand a chance against the soldier. Physical fighting had never been his strong point. He could argue and debate with the best of them, but violence was something he was strongly against in any form.
    He’d like to think when it came right down to it, Chance wouldn’t be able to go through with killing him. But even if that were true, Ezra and Colonel Crackpot would have no such qualms.
    His only chance might be to quickly find somewhere to hide and see if he could wait them out. He had a feeling the men were expert trackers, and Drew had no experience in trying to not be noticed.
    He let himself drift, knowing there was nothing he could do other than hope the morning might bring a few more answers.
     
     
    W HEN Drew woke again, it was to sunshine in his face and the desperate need to pee. He lay there blinking, trying to will himself more awake when the door opened, revealing Chance. The man didn’t look happy.
    “I’m here to take you to the bathroom.” The bruise on his face was more pronounced than the day before, and Drew almost winced in sympathy.
    Instead, he just nodded and got out of bed. He stumbled to the door, noting that there was no gun in Chance’s hand.
    The other man followed his gaze and then smirked at him. “I don’t need a gun to control you.” Their eyes met, and Drew could see nothing but honesty there. He decided not to argue.
    Chance stepped back and gestured at Drew to go through the door and into the hall.