AllFreeNovel
Share Us
No. No. No! Images rushed into my mind, the same ones I’d had only a day before. Cruz. The man with the beautiful blue eyes from my past. I could still envision the look on his face as he’d studied me all those years ago, the connection just as strong then as it had been from the beginning of this wretched game. I’d dreamt about him afterwards, a stupid teenager thinking he was my future prince. Little had I known he’d become my tormenter.
I’d been led to believe a friend of my uncle’s had killed my mother and father as well as my aunt. Was Cruz the person responsible? If so, this was finishing the man’s need for revenge. But was it? Confusion blasted through my mind. What if the lies had begun years before? What if my uncle hadn’t told me the truth? I tried to put the pieces together but I’d shoved everything from my life before away in a dark place, never to see the light of day again.
Terror raced through me, my mind trying to process how he’d managed to find me.Keep the charade going.“My name is Eden.” Why bother insisting? I tried to keep utter conviction in my tone while my heart was beating so rapidly the thudding noise echoed in my ears. I took a step back, trying to keep as much distance between us. I could scream, but the people on the street would assume it was a part of the ongoing party that never ended in a city that never slept.
He took another two long strides in my direction, coming close enough I gathered a whiff of his aftershave, the exotic scent one that had thrilled me from the beginning.
Now it turned my stomach, knots forming as an imaginary claw wrapped around my throat, preparing to drag me straight to hell. I should have known his presence wasn’t accidental or that our attraction wasn’t real.
He was nothing but a monster.
He laughed and my heart fluttered as it had done so many times before. He’d known exactly how to break down my defenses. Now I was going to pay the ultimate price for three years of freedom.
There was no way out of this but to face the devil.
“Did my uncle send you?” I dared to take a few small backward steps closer to my office. I had a knife hidden in a drawer, my hatred of guns the reason for my choice of weapons. But I knew how to use it and I wouldn’t hesitate if necessary.
“Good girl. Now, you understand. Excellent. To answer your question, your uncle is a pig, a man who deserves to die. That will come later. First, I plan on enjoying my prize. Perhaps I should say all over again.”
“You fucking asshole. Get away from me. I’ll scream.” I took three more steps.
So did he.
“Go ahead, my beautiful little flower. What a pity no one will come to your rescue.”
“Fuck you.”
“You already have. This time, it’s going to be my pleasure to indulge in satisfying my darkest needs. Come to me, Carmella. Or would you prefer to continue the deception? With you, I’ve enjoyed the game. But I’ve grown weary of the lies. Why not be our true selves? Besides, it’s time to begin the next phase of your destiny. But first, I’ll take you to safety.”
Oh, God. Why had this happened? Who was this man? My destiny? The money. Marriage. What bothered me was that I was tingling all over. Not from the horror of what he was suggesting, but the increasing need. I wanted to be with him. I craved his touch.
But I couldn’t allow this to happen.
“This is no game. This is my life, and you aren’t going to take it from me.” I took a chance, bolting into my office, managing to use the few seconds of surprise in my favor. As soon as I slammed and locked the door, I raced toward my desk, my hands shaking as I yanked open the drawer.
The one good thing my uncle had taught me was how to defend myself.
Before I had a chance to wrap my hand around the jeweled handle, Cruz kicked in the door, the sound of wood splintering forcing a sharp yelp from my throat.
“Tsk. Tsk. You’re a very bad girl. I can see I’m going to need to punish you.”
I managed to snag the blade, holding it close then flicking on the single lamp. As the golden glow highlighted his face, I was taken aback by the rage and venom in his eyes. A switch had flipped, the angry beast breaking to the surface. I was no fool.
I’d become the bait, a pawn to be used against my uncle. Why now? Why not years ago? Nothing made any sense. As a rush of adrenaline kicked into my system, I tightened my hold on the knife.
The bastard had no idea what I was capable of. While he’d called me his little flower more than once, as if I was fragile, he couldn’t know I’d trained for months in self-defense.
As Cruz advanced, I moved around the edge of the desk, losing my concentration for a split second at the erotic painting that had started this spiral into darkness. “You’re never going to touch me again.” Poking the devil wasn’t in my best interest, but I refused to give in to the man I’d come to trust.
To desire.
To need like the air filling my lungs.
A sudden flash of sadness swept through me, but it was quickly replaced by fury. How dare this son of a bitch deceive me. Use me.
Seduce me.
He raked his hands through his long, dark waves, the smirk on his face evidence of his vile intentions. “You don’t seem to understand that you’re already mine.”
