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Now he intended on making good on his promise of breaking me.
Using me.
Owning me.
And I wasn’t certain whether I’d survive.
CHAPTER3
Eden
“As I said. We need to leave. Get your things,” he commanded.
“I’m not going with you.”
“Yes, you are.”
“Why? So I’m forced to marry you?” When he hesitated, I knew I was right. “My God. That’s what this is all about. Money.”
“No, my beautiful creature. I couldn’t care less about your money.”
“Then what? Why?”
“Because I can’t live without you.”
This just couldn’t be happening. Not now. Not when I finally had the life that I’d worked so hard to be able to enjoy, a freedom I’d never known.
No, this was a crazy nightmare I’d awaken from.
But there were no rainbows at the end of this, no chance at breaking free from the tether he’d already placed around my neck. Maybe he had done it the night I’d met him. As protected as I’d been up until three years ago, I had one fallible trait, what my uncle had called toxic curiosity. He’d warned me it would be the death of me one day. That had been during his regular lecture sessions, a time when I was forced to endure penance for whatever he’d considered my wrongdoings.
That had to be the reason I’d fallen headlong into a sadistic relationship with a stranger. But even now, the tingling of desire couldn’t be overridden by even extreme fear.
The game was just beginning, a blood sport that would end in death or worse.
I had to find a way out of the confined space. If I did, I might be able to get away from him.
Fight him. Continue the ruse a little longer.
“What is tonight’s game, Zorro?” My usual defiance was waning, the sickening feeling in my stomach increasing as he moved closer.
Cruz chuckled once again, as if this was game, set, match. The sound was more ominous than usual, predatory. “Do you still believe we are playing roles, my delicious creature?”
“What else could it be?”
I was no fool. We’d played cat and mouse, only the intent had never been for me to win. This was the reality of who and what we were, and he was a treacherous man. I’d caught a glimpse of the handle of his weapon before he’d flicked the light switch, enshrouding my gallery in darkness. There was no doubt about his ultimate intentions.
He took an exaggerated breath, holding it in for several seconds as he walked even closer. The sound of his footsteps chimed in my mind, matching the hard thudding of my heart. “It’s time to cut the pretense. I know who you are,” he said half under his breath. “That should be obvious to you by now. There is no reason to hide any longer. You tried to run from me. You should have known better. There isn’t a place you can hide where I won’t find you.”
How had I allowed this to happen? How had I been so stupid to believe I meant something to him?
His deep baritone sent a trickle of chills coursing down my spine. “Who are you really?” Maybe he was right. There was no sense in hiding behind the curtain of pretense any longer. If I wanted to get out of this alive, I’d need to become more cunning.
“You know exactly who I am, Carmella. And you know the reason I’m here.” When I said nothing, he narrowed his eyes then looked away briefly. “Bastard,” he said under his breath, as if he was thinking about my uncle. What in God’s name had occurred between them? Had my uncle lied to me about what happened to my family, the reason I’d become his ward?
“What are you talking about?”
He inhaled, his chest heaving before he spoke. “Your uncle and I used to be close friends. Do you remember me? I assume you do, which is why you ran.”
