Read Lost in Silence (The Lost Series Book 1) for Free Online

seated body, appreciating the maleness seeping from every pore of his body. Damn, he was even more gorgeous the second time around. When my eyes reach his face, I hesitate to meet his gaze, afraid of what I meet see. He looks at me with more than curiosity, his own observations of me being made.
    His dark brown hair is unruly and in desperate need of a trim. The urge to run my fingers through his curls is strong, it frightens and excites me at the same time. His jaw is firm and set, covered lightly with a day or two of whiskers, rugged, like he belonged in some expensive clothing ad. In a word he looks, delicious.
    Hudson.
    I move further into the doorway, careful to keep my sweater tucked around me. The years I’ve spent with Erik have left me shredded and insecure. My clothing was nowhere near the shield I longed for to hide what this man stirs inside me. I’m nothing compared to the Adonis before me. I cast my eyes down out of habit and wait for instructions.
    “Are you hungry?” he points to the bag next to him. My stomach growls again. He smiles and slowly pushes the bag toward me. I fight the urge to grab the sandwich and inhale it in one bite.
    Instead, I wait and I order my stomach into silence.
    This man unnerves me. I feel safe in his presence and I can’t figure out why. If he were Erik, I would be a total mess of fear and compliance. I would be cowering in the corner lost to his control and abuse. The thought of Erik makes my stomach sick and kills my hunger.
    My fingers move under the stranger’s watchful eye, a nervous habit of mine. They dance to the chords of music in my head. My favorite song, one I know backwards and forwards on the violin. Whenever I feel nervous or uneasy, thinking of my song put everything right. Erik hated it and he tried breaking me of it but I simply learned to hide it better. I feel safe right now with Hudson, so I don’t try to hide it.
    I can’t help the sad feeling that washes over me. I yearn for my violin. It was my first love, now that I think about it, it was my only love. It never hurt me. It never betrayed me. It never hit me. It never threatened me. It never locked me away in a closet. No, it kept me sane. It kept me believing that one day I’d get to wrap my arms around it and strum it’s beautiful strings again. Hell, right now, I’d be surprised if my hands would be able to hold a violin after the many breaks they’ve been through.
    “Do you play?” he asks his eyes on my fingers. I stop instantly, my eyes go wide and I wait for him to strike. Maybe I was wrong about him? He doesn’t move a muscle. “Guitar?”
    I’m frozen in my spot on the floor. I can’t answer. I don’t know how.
    “Banjo?” he names off other string instrument. “Bass?”
    I want him to stop. I wish he would stop. I can’t answer and if I could, there wasn’t a way to explain it to him. I can’t play anymore because I’m not allowed to.
    “Violin?” the word causes my eyes to fly wildly up to his face and gasp. I quickly remember my conditioning and cast my eyes down again. Cringing away from him, hoping he makes the strike quick. “You play the violin?”
    I remain stoic and still, waiting for my punishment.
    “I’m not going to hit you,” his voice is soft, my heart wrenches. I want to believe him. He leans toward me and I flinch backwards. His eyes widen and he moves back instantly. He isn’t trying to frighten me but my reaction is out of habit. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
    I relax, allowing my shoulders to sag. If he was going to hurt me, he would’ve done so by now. I scoot closer to him, trying to show him some trust. I don’t know why but I have the urge to comfort him.
    “Do you talk?”
    If I had the words, I would’ve given them to him. I wanted to tell him but it’s been too long since I used my words. An overwhelming feeling takes hold of me as I realize I would give this man anything and it frighten me.
    “I’m Hudson. Is your name