by Ella Miles
I hate seeing her in pain and regret my decision immediately.
“Siren?”
Her head snaps to me, and her vision is gone.
“Who hurt you?” I ask again, with more caution in my voice. Now I must know. Because after I get Siren to safety, I’ll hunt this predator down and kill him for ruining such a strong woman.
“Sin,” she whispers. “I won’t answer your question. I choose sin.”
My shoulders fall; I won’t be getting an answer out of her, at least not tonight.
I nod. “I reserve my sin until tomorrow.” I stand to exit. With her memories of a vile man fresh in her mind, she isn’t safe if I’m still here with her.
She hugs her knees to her chest. “Tomorrow is Friday.”
“Yes, tomorrow is Friday.”
“Julian?” she asks, her eyes pleading me to say I’m not bringing her, but I can’t promise her that. I can’t let Julian know I’m saving her until she’s already safe.
“We are going. I’ll decide tomorrow what my sin will be. Whether I sell you or claim you as my own. I expect you in bed within the hour, or you will have more than one punishment. Don’t try to run; I won’t be the only one who hunts you.”
And then I leave, knowing within minutes, Siren will be in my bed next to me, hating me. Her hatred is for the best. Tomorrow I will commit a sin; it just isn’t the sin Siren’s expecting.
19
Siren
I didn’t sleep—not for a single second. I don’t think Zeke slept either, although he never opened his eyes. His body tossed and turned in the bed as much as mine did. There was no snoring, no slow steady-rhythm breathing, no lifeless slumber.
We didn’t sleep.
But we didn’t talk either.
We didn’t share our racing thoughts.
But Zeke didn’t have to ask to know what I was thinking. He knows I’m terrified of Julian; he just doesn’t know why. And he’s not going to know why. Even if I end up going to Julian’s tonight, Zeke is still going to be clueless as to the truth. But tonight could change everything for me—and it terrifies me.
As soon as dawn starts shining in through the bare windows, Zeke jumps out of bed. The room may be beautiful, but there is no way to sleep in, not when there aren’t any curtains to keep the light out.
He doesn’t speak to me as he walks down the hallway to the bathroom. I hear the flick of the water on.
And I carefully climb out of bed. When I hear the shower door open, I know now is my chance.
I need to run.
It’s the only way I can stay safe.
If I start running, I will always be running.
Julian and Zeke will always be chasing me.
But I’d rather run the rest of my life than be ruined forever.
I tiptoe quickly through the house until I get to the back door. I don’t want to run out the front. The front door leads to Julian; the beach and the ocean are to the back.
My plan is to swim out into the ocean and let the current carry me toward the pier where I can steal a boat and get off this island forever.
I open the door carefully, yet it screeches a little. The sliding door is rusty and in need of some WD40. But I can still hear the faint sound of the shower in the distance.
I take a deep breath, and then I run. Stripping my clothes down to my bra and underwear as I go. Down the steps. Across the beach. And into the water.
My safety.
My peaceful place.
My sanctuary.
The waves splash against my face as I sprint further into the water, and the feelings of security consume me. My plan will work. I’ll be safe, at least for tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll deal with the consequences of my decision. I just can’t go to Julian’s. I’d rather die than go back there.
Finally, I’m far enough out into the ocean that I can barely keep my head above the water as I wade. I dive under, feeling the connection to the water. I kick hard…once, twice, three times before I surface again and start breast-stroking down the beach. Each time I take a breath, I feel more alive than the previous. This is where I belong, chasing waves, not running from monsters.
Why didn’t I do this the first night Zeke bought me?
Because as freeing as this feels, I’m also sealing my fate—I’m not really free. This is temporary. I have a lot of work left to do to make this permanent.
I dip back under the water, but this time I don’t move with the wave. I’m jerked back by my ankle.
When I surface, I find myself pulled tightly against Zeke’s shirtless body. I pant heavily, but I don’t know if it’s from the physical exertion or being so close to Zeke’s body.
When I realize I’m not fighting, I push hard against him. He can’t take me back. He can’t take me to Julian.
But as soon as I break free, he grabs my wrist again, pulling me to him harder than ever. His force and our tension bruise my wrist.
“You’re mine, Siren. I get to decide your fate, your future, your present.”
“No,” I pull hard, but his grip doesn’t change. He’s stronger than I will ever be. It doesn’t stop me from fighting with everything that I have. “Let me go.”
“No,” he growls, pulling me up out of the water by my wrist until we are eye to eye.
He’s pissed. Scared. Angry. I’ve never seen him so emotional before.
I stop fighting at his expression.
I’m not even sure I can breathe anymore without his permission.
“You. Are. Mine. You will follow my orders.”
I nod, silently surrendering to him. My plan failed. I give in. And if Zeke didn’t already have my fate planned out, he knows now. He can read on my face what will happen if he sells me to Julian.
“It’s for your own good,” he says so quietly that I’m not sure I even heard him.
I shake my head. Zeke has no idea what he is sentencing me to. He drags me through the water back to the beach. He doesn’t stop. He doesn’t breathe hard. He walks like he’s walking on a treadmill, not dragging my ass through waves and sand.
When we reach the shore, Zeke throws me down harshly onto the sand. I fall, twisting, landing on my back, and my impact covers me in coarse sand. I’m only wearing my bra and panties, and I don’t care what parts of me Zeke can see. This moment is the furthest thing from sexual.
Zeke stands over me, like the god he thinks he is. He may not have physically hurt me yet, but one way or another, I will be injured by the end of the night. Either Zeke will decide he wants me, in which case he will finally use me, or he’ll sell me to Julian. And I’ll get wounded worse than anything Zeke could ever imagine doing to me.
I close my eyes to keep the tears at bay. Running was a mistake. There is no way I was getting off this island, not when Julian owns every boat here. My only chance is Zeke. Him keeping me. He may only have a sliver of a heart, but at least he still has a piece of one. He may try to rape me, abuse me, torture me. But Zeke doesn’t have Julian’s experience. With Zeke, I have a chance at escaping. With Julian, I’ll be dead by the end of the week.
“Don’t sell me,” I whisper.
Zeke doesn’t answer. He doesn’t flinch. He’s not moved by my sobs.
Come—he commands with his body as he walks off. He doesn’t even bother to speak to me.
My head falls as I push myself up off the sand. Running right now would only exhaust me. Zeke would catch me again, and bruise my other wrist. If Zeke is going to sell me to Julian, then I need all of my strength to fight my new enemy.
So I follow Zeke’s command and accept my fate.
The rest of the day sludges by. We don’t talk to each other. We eat in silence. And I spend most of the day in the shower, getting all my tears out and letting warmth sear my body. Once I’m inside Julian’s house again, I’ll be flooded with freezing fear.
I wear the most conservative, unflattering clothes I can find when I do finally get dressed. My baggiest jeans, tennis shoes, and an oversized sweatshir
t. Even though it’s warm outside, I need as many layers of protection as I can get. I wear my hair up in a high ponytail, using one of Zeke’s scrunchies. At the last minute, I spot Zeke’s razor next to the sink. I slip one of the blades out and into my back pocket. It’s not much, but at least it’s a weapon.
Strange how, in the last few days with Zeke, I haven’t searched for a weapon. I haven’t been afraid that Zeke was truly going to hurt me. This just proves how wrong I was. He may not be the one to lay a hand on me, but he’s going to cause my suffering all the same.
Zeke’s reflection pops into the mirror, just after I stash the razor. I stare at him blankly. If he realizes I have the blade in my pocket, he doesn’t say anything.
We both stare, defying each other with our glances, but neither giving in. Any lust I felt for Zeke is long gone. I don’t know why I was attracted to him for a single second. Physically he might be beautiful, but his heart is black. It doesn’t matter how gorgeous he is on the outside, if he’s a monster on the inside.
Zeke turns, and I follow automatically. We both walk slowly through the house. The sunset warms Zeke’s appearance through the windows as we walk. He’s wearing his usual jeans and a T-shirt, but this time he’s added a leather jacket. I also see where he’s carrying a gun in the back of his jeans.
He doesn’t usually carry a gun; at least he doesn’t around me. When I was going through his house, I didn’t even find a gun locker or stash. Apparently, there are things in this house he’s still hiding from me.
If Zeke’s carrying a gun, it means he expects trouble tonight.
I’m not sure if that reassures me or terrifies me more. Julian is Zeke’s business partner. He shouldn’t expect any trouble going over for dinner to sell me to him. But he does. His steps aren’t as purposeful as they usually are, almost like he might falter and change his mind.
We reach the front door.
Please, stay. We don’t have to go. At least let me stay.
I feel his eyes cut back to me, but he doesn’t turn his head full around to look at me. Maybe if he did, he’d choose differently. But he doesn’t. He walks out to the truck, leaving me to follow.
Out of defiance, I leave the front door wide open as I exit. If Zeke notices, he doesn’t care since he doesn’t bother to go back and close it.
He just starts his truck and drives. Julian lives close enough that we could walk, but driving is probably better. I would purposefully walk at such a slow pace, it would take us all night to get there. Unfortunately, Zeke drives like he can’t get to Julian’s fast enough.
After parking the truck, Zeke gives me a look I can’t read, and then we both step out. Now that I’m here, I won’t show fear. I’ll walk in on my own will. And I’ll fight with everything I have.
Zeke knocks once. It’s loud enough to vibrate through the entire house.
I stand next to him proudly. I won’t cower behind him like I did last time I saw Julian.
Of course, Julian isn’t the one to open the door. That would be beneath him, so one of his men does. He nods at Zeke and holds the door for us to enter.
My eyes dart all around. My heart thumps on high alert the second my foot crosses the threshold. I’m ready for whatever Julian is going to do to me.
But I never get to the second step. I feel hands go all over my body as multiple men grab me. My mouth is gagged. My arms are pulled apart in either direction, and my ankles are tied together roughly, reminding me the tiny bruise Zeke caused when he grabbed my wrist was nothing. This is what real pain feels like, what real fear is like. I’d been spoiled living with Zeke these last few days.
The men start dragging my body away. I didn’t even get to fight. I didn’t have time to grab my weapon before I was ambushed.
Zeke doesn’t even realize what happened until the last second, as I’m being dragged away.
His eyes connect with mine to witness my terror. Instantly, I force my pupils to change. You did this. This is your fault. You knew better than to bring me here. Any pain I experience is on you. I hope you can sleep tonight knowing my pain is your fault.
And just before I’m yanked out of his view, his eyes change too. Maybe it’s my own stupid hope imagining the split-second change in his expression. Or maybe it’s real. But I swore he promised me he wouldn’t let anyone hurt me.
When I’m pulled into a dark room with half a dozen men, I realize it doesn’t matter if the look in his eyes was real or not. Zeke won’t be able to keep that promise.
20
Zeke
“Where is he?” I say, as I tear through the house looking for Julian.
One of his servants runs next to me, terrified. He tried to lead me to a sitting room, where he said Mr. Reed would join me in a minute.
I don’t think so. I want to see the man—now.
I march up the stairs and find a locked door at the end of a hallway. A door I’m sure leads to his bedroom.
He better not be naked or fucking a woman right now, or I’ll kill him. Nothing would stop me.
I kick the door down in one swift kick. He’s not naked on the bed, thank god. I march through the room to the bathroom and find Julian spraying some aftershave on his face like nothing is happening—fucking moron.
“What the hell do you think you are doing?” I’m fuming. I thought I could hold back some of my anger, but I can’t. I never agreed to Julian tying up Siren and dragging her to god knows where as soon as I entered his house. I agreed to bring her. I agreed to show her off in front of potential clients—nothing more.
Apparently, my rage isn’t afraid of ruining everything by throwing a punch at this man. I do it anyway.
The crack of his jaw is music to my ears.
But one punch isn’t enough. I grab his shoulders and shove him into the closet door behind him. His head bounces off the door as his eyes see stars.
I snarl. The man may be the leader of a criminal organization, but he can’t fight for shit. He hasn’t defended himself. He hasn’t tried to throw a punch. He hasn’t even reached for a gun.
He starts sliding to the floor, but I grab his shirt collar and hold him eye to eye with me. His feet dangle on the floor.
“What. Did. You. Do?” I growl. I’m not letting him go until I get some answers. And depending on his answers, I still might not free him.
He spits blood out to the right as he cracks his neck and takes his time answering me. I’ll give him credit—he’s not cowering in front of me like I’d expect an inexperienced man to.
“Put me down, and I’ll tell you,” Julian says, adjusting his jaw side to side.
I place him on his feet, but don’t let go of the collar of his pristine white shirt. Somehow I managed not to get a drop of blood on it. I’ll change that quickly if he doesn’t start talking.
“I needed to make sure your pet was secure while we had dinner,” Julian says.
I shake my head. “She’s obedient to me. You didn’t need to tie her up in order for her to behave herself.”
“But then you might be distracted, and I need you on your game in order to convince these men to place a big shipment. Getting the deal with Oscar means nothing if we can’t sell the women for a high price.”
“You had no right to touch her. She’s mine. I’m the one who has been slowly breaking her in. I’m the one who paid millions of dollars to enjoy her, not you.”
“And I’m the one who cuts your paychecks so you could afford to buy her in the first place.”
I raise my eyebrows. “You paid me thirty million dollars? Hmm…because my bank account says you’ve paid me far less. I guess I earned that money long before I ran into you.”
“You wouldn’t be alive without me. You owe me.”
I don’t argue. “Where is she?”
“She’s safe—locked up in a room in the basement with a dozen guards watching over her. They are under strict instructions to only tie her up and protect her with their lives. I know how much she’s worth to you. I won’t
let any harm come to her. But my offer still stands, I’ll buy her from you. Name your price. From your reaction, I can tell the sex alone must be worth every penny.”
I growl again.
He smirks.
I’m still gripping his shirt.
But his eyes hold no fear. He’s in control. He’s the boss, not me. I’ve never been the boss, even when I worked for a good man, my life still wasn’t my own.
I could probably ask for sixty million, and Julian would pay it. He has the money. And he wants to take something from me, even if he pays for it.
But I’d never sell Siren. Even though she thinks differently—Julian will never touch her.
“Siren isn’t for sale. She’s mine,” my voice is throaty and low, deeper than a crack of thunder.
“We’ll see. I’m guessing you’ll be begging me to buy her soon.”
Julian’s eyes glance down at where I’m still gripping him. “Now our guests will be arriving shortly. It’s time to go make some money.”
I release him, hating this. I want Siren with me, not locked up somewhere. When I get her home, I’m going to pay for her being locked up. I’ll have to sleep with one eye open because Siren will certainly try something. This is definitely worthy of her cutting off my dick.
Julian wipes the blood from his mouth. The bruising won’t set in until tomorrow, so his guests will never know I hit him. Then he grabs his suit jacket and puts it on before I follow him downstairs to the dining room. His other guests have already arrived.
“Welcome, everyone. Sorry for the delay,” Julian says, walking up to the first man.
“So glad you could make it, Mr. Palmer,” Julian says.
“I would never miss a dinner of yours, Mr. Reed,” he answers.
“This is my right-hand man, Zeke,” Julian says.
I shake the man’s hand sternly, even though I’d rather rip it off. I can see his dark heart without knowing anything about him.
Julian introduces me to a short, balding man and his wife next—a Mr. and Mrs. Gibson. Bile rises in my throat, realizing a woman is involved in buying other women. Somehow it seems worse that she would betray her own sex.
