Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 107652 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107652 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
We lay there, side by side, not saying a damn thing.
I stayed rigid, heart hammering, staring at shadows.
Why wasn’t he going?
He couldn’t mean to stay here, could he?
“Eh...” I cleared my throat. “Are you not leaving?”
Turning his head, his eyes met mine, etched with weariness.
My heart fluttered and that ache between my legs grew a thousand times worse. Pain daggered my temple as I drowned in his stare—in his wariness and rage, the gratitude and distrust.
“It’s a long walk back to my quarters.” He cleared his throat as if that was a lie. Tearing his gaze from mine, he stared at the same shadows I did. “I’m tired.”
I didn’t speak and silence gathered tighter around us.
The longer we lay side by side, the more we slipped over whatever line had been drawn.
My heart raced faster. My skin prickled. And that damn pressure between my legs made me jumpy and needy and—
“I didn’t mean to come.” His voice was thick with accusation as if it was my fault. “I should stay the hell away from you but...” He swallowed hard. “Somehow, I’m here.”
My heart flung itself against my ribs.
Silence fell again before I murmured, “Did you come because I can somehow ease you?” My cheeks burned at the preposterousness of that. At the inexplicable explanation that something was going on, even as we fought against it.
He growled quietly as if his temper couldn’t be contained. “Yes.”
He scowled at the shadows. “I don’t understand why each time you ask me a question, I’m compelled to answer it.”
“Really?” I rolled onto my side, tucking my hands under the pillow and gazing at him. “You’re compelled?”
Lingering droplets of sweat slowly dried by his hairline, long strands of blue-black rested over his forehead. He didn’t turn to look at me, but he nodded stiffly. “I seem to want to talk to you.” He laughed coldly. “Which is ridiculous.”
“How is it ridiculous?”
“The more I tell you, the more you can use against me.”
“Pretty sure I know quite a few of your secrets these days. What’s one more?”
His eyes snapped to mine. “Is that a threat?”
I swallowed, still rationally afraid of what he could do to me.
But then I forced myself to relax because...if he hadn’t killed me by now. If he hadn’t stopped whatever this was, maybe he was as helpless as me.
“Just a fact.” I held his stare, adding quietly, “Besides, you know more about me than you think too.”
His eyes narrowed on mine before looking away again.
Sudden anxiousness made me blurt, “You don’t have to guard against me, you know. I won’t share—”
“If you know so much about me, why don’t you tell the others?” He went deathly still. “What’s stopping you from telling all those women my weaknesses?”
“Simple.” I shrugged. “They’re not my secrets to tell.”
His eyes shot to mine again.
“And no matter what you think of me,” I added. “I’m not here to hurt or betray you.”
He sucked in a breath as if I’d punched him. He flinched, unable to hide raw, startled shock. His stunned, childlike confusion ripped out my heart and snatched it for his own, even as he sneered and shut everything down. “I don’t believe you. If Marcus demanded you to tell him what I’ve been up to away from his cameras, you’d do it.”
“Marcus?” I wrinkled my nose. “Who’s Marcus?”
“The guy who threw you in here.”
Oh yes, I remembered him now.
“Ah.” I nodded. “He’s definitely a piece of work.”
“So you admit it? You’d tell him everything—”
“I’d tell him to shove his questions where the sun doesn’t shine,” I cut in. “Then I’d demand he let me and all the other girls go.” I smiled. “I would also probably ask Whisper to have some fun and see how he likes being the one in trouble for once.”
He didn’t thaw. “Am I supposed to believe that you wouldn’t trade my life for yours?”
“No.” I fluffed up the pillow a bit more, cradling it under my cheek. “But I do expect you to believe that I’m not like the rest who have betrayed you.”
He bared his teeth at the ceiling. “You’re still determined to convince me that you’re not lying.”
“I’m not lying.”
“So even if they offered you five million dollars to either kill me or fuck me...you’re saying you wouldn’t take it?”
I scowled, insulted. “No, I wouldn’t.”
“Please.” He laughed with a bitter edge. “Why would you turn down such wealth? You expect me to believe you’d choose me over that? A stranger who bound you in menial labour?” He didn’t look at me, almost as if he didn’t want to see me go back on my previous answer.
“You’re not a stranger,” I murmured. “Not anymore.”
His jaw clenched; he didn’t reply.
I studied him where I lay on my side. The longer I stared at his thick black eyelashes, flawless skin, and sheer agony-rage that always clouded him, the more I wanted to tell him who I really was.