But this...
I wished I could have it with me.
It was like Isabella’s essence was in it.
When I lifted my gaze, I saw her standing across from me, a smile on her face.
“You do like it,” she said.
“Come with me. Let’s find a good spot for this.”
We went through the whole house, looking for a good spot, but the only room where the painting would be safe was on the first floor.
As I led Isabella down the hallway, we both spotted that the front door was wide open, and no one was guarding it.
Isabella’s lips parted as she glanced at me.
Her way to freedom.
She could make a run for it.
But she didn’t.
Instead, she turned to me and trailed after me into the mostly empty room. I placed the canvas on a table that was in the middle of it.
“It will be safe here,” I said. “No one needs this room.”
“Does that mean I can have another canvas?” Her lips spread into a grin. “This room is huge.”
“Yeah. I’ll bring it to you.”
“Thanks.”
As I watched her, I couldn’t stop thinking about the open door and the look on her face. She’d been torn on what to do, but she’d decided not to go for it.
Why?
I knew she was brave enough to try.
Or maybe she thought she wouldn’t get far.
I wanted to ask her but decided against it.
It would be a shame to ruin this moment.
Chapter 23
I COULDN’T SLEEP, SO I sat up in bed and turned on the lights.
Sebastian had brought me another canvas and some other stuff I might need, which meant I had something to do instead of tossing and turning in bed.
I set everything up on the floor, glad that it wasn’t too cold, so I could still sit down on the carpet in my nightgown.
I didn’t even have any underwear on because, thanks to Sebastian, I’d discovered how much better I felt sleeping without it.
As I picked up one of the brushes, I bit down on my lip.
The front door had been open, and I hadn’t gone for it.
Maybe I should have.
But it was unlikely the guards wouldn’t have caught me, and I wouldn’t have gotten far. It would’ve all been for nothing.
It was better not to think about it.
I got up because my shadow was in the way. As I glanced up at the light to try to find the best angle, my foot got caught on something and I went down with a thud.
I also kicked the painting kit, which made a loud crashing sound. A few paint tubes rolled across the floor.
Shit!
While I was trying to push myself up, the door flew open.
Sebastian ran inside, only wearing his black boxer briefs, his eyes scanning the room for a threat.
“Isabella!” He rushed toward me, but he didn’t see the open tube of paint and he slipped on it.
I gasped as he fell to the floor.
I managed to get to my feet and padded over to him as he groaned.
“Oh, my god. Are you okay?” I asked as I crouched next to him, placing my hand on his arm.
A current of electricity zapped through my arm at the contact.
“Yeah,” he said as our gazes locked, and then we both burst into laughter.
“Boss, are you all right?” someone yelled from the hallway.
“Yeah, go away!” Sebastian shouted as he sat up.
“You got some paint on you,” I said, and hurried to get some wipes.
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I had no idea painting was so dangerous. Are you okay?” Concerned filled his eyes as he looked me up and down.
I nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. I was just having trouble avoiding my shadow and—”
Sebastian eyebrows lifted up.
“Never mind,” I said as I kneeled next to him and pulled out one of the wipes so I could clean the paint off his arm.
His gaze was trained on me as I rubbed his skin, and I kept glancing at his lips.
“You have some paint on you too,” he said softly when I was done.
“Oh.” I looked down at my hands.
He grabbed one of the wipes and pressed it against my thigh. Heat rushed through me, especially because his fingers were pushing my nightgown up.
Next thing I knew, his lips crashed against mine. He didn’t hold back, ravaging my mouth with an overpowering need.
His lips lowered to my neck, and all I could focus on was him. He shoved the things around us away, making space on the floor as he got on top of me.
His mouth devoured mine again as he pushed himself between my spread legs, his erection rubbing against me through his underwear.
I was instantly on fire and wanting more.
He caught my nightgown and yanked it up, sliding it over my head. But instead of tossing it away, he used it to wrap and tie my wrists together above my head.
His lips trailed a path down my body, his hands probing, exploring, and touching.
I writhed as his mouth closed around my hard nipple, sucking and gently biting while his hand kneaded my other breast.
His tongue moved down my body, tickling my belly button. My pussy was already dripping wet when he nuzzled the inside of my thigh.
His fingers stroked my opening, slipping inside. Then his tongue found my throbbing clit and twirled around it as his fingers pushed in and out of me.
I lifted my hips up as his tongue lashed inside me, driving me wild. His tongue and fingers found all the right spots, and soon, my body was flooded with overlapping waves of endless pleasure.
A satisfied moan tore its way out of my throat as he kept working me, pushing me to another climax.
My whole body still throbbed and ached with need when he rose to his feet and pulled down his briefs, exposing his thick length.
He lifted me up until I was on my knees in front of him.
“Open your mouth,” he commanded, and I obeyed.
He shoved his cock past my lips, his fingers curling in my hair. I struggled to take as much of him as possible without choking, licking and sucking.
My gaze lifted to his.
I loved the reaction on his face and the look of pure bliss in his eyes.
He worked my head up and down his shaft until he exploded in my mouth with a content sigh.
When he pulled out, he bent down and trailed his hand down my stomach. He cupped my pussy, and I spread my legs wider for him as he fondled me.
A sharp slap across my center made me jump, but my desire soared.
“Lie down,” he said, helping me to lower myself back on the floor.
I kept my legs open for him.
“Close your eyes.”
I did, wondering what he was going to do.
A few moments later, something tickled my stomach.
“Don’t open your eyes,” he said.
A brush.
A big and soft one.
He’d taken one of my unused brushes and he was running it over my body, tickling me and teasing me.
His lips left a scorching kiss on my stomach, and then the brush danced over my nipple. Soon, I was lost in the sensations as he showered me with kisses and kept running the brush over the most unexpected places.
He tickled my core, making it impossible for me to stay still. My moans grew louder and louder as his tongue followed the path of the brush.
“Please, Sebastian,” I whispered, unable to take it any longer. “I need you inside me.”
“Shh.” He pressed his finger over my lips as he kept tormenting me.
When I felt the tip of him against my entrance, I bucked my hips. He grasped my thighs, keeping me in place, and then he plunged inside me.
I let out a loud cry as he began to move inside me, his strokes hard, rough, and fast. Our bodies melted together, our grunts and gasps filling the air as he pounded into me.
All I could focus on
was his strong body against mine, and when he kissed me, slamming himself deep inside me, I moaned into his mouth.
Our bodies shuddered as pleasure overcame us at the same time.
We both cried out, and I broke free of the nightgown that was holding my wrists and wrapped my arms tightly around him.
Unwilling to let go.
A voice at the back of my mind was telling me that this was wrong, even if it felt nice.
But I chose to ignore it.
At least for now.
Chapter 24
I WAS SO INSPIRED THAT yet another painting was done.
After I went to wash my hands—Sebastian had told the guards to stand at the other end of the hallway, so I no longer needed to ask to be let out of my room—I heard a commotion from one of the rooms.
Even though I probably wasn’t supposed to go farther than my room, I kept walking.
The guards tensed. I poked my head through the open door of one of the rooms.
Sebastian ran his hand over his face as he paced up and down. A TV on the wall was turned on, and there was an image of a smiling girl with long brown hair and hazel eyes on the screen.
Missing.
It was written under the photo.
“Do you know her?” I asked, and Sebastian looked up at me.
He nodded. “Her name is Amanda. She was with me in one of the foster homes. She was only eight then, but she was also the only person who was kind and nice to me.”
“What happened?”
“I wish I knew. I thought she went to a good home. A family adopted her. I checked them out when I could and everything seemed fine.”
“Can you maybe contact her family then? Maybe they can keep you updated or something.”
He shook his head. “When they found out about me, they forbade me from ever going anywhere near her. They said I was a bad influence, and they were right, so I didn’t try to reach out to her again. She probably doesn’t even remember me, and it was better that I didn’t put her at risk. She should’ve been safe. I don’t understand how this could’ve happened.”
“Do the cops have any information? You have some contacts who might be able to find out, right?”
“They don’t know anything. At least not yet. They’re just searching for her in the area where she was last seen.”
“Let’s hope they find her and that she’s fine.” I placed my hand on his shoulder, and he covered my fingers with his.
“I just hate not knowing anything and not being able to do anything. If I send everyone to look for her, my enemies might notice, and then they’ll try to use her against me. I can’t let that happen.”
“Have you checked her social media? Maybe there’s something that can help. A clue of some kind. Maybe she had a fight with her parents over something and went to a friend.”
His brow creased. “Social media? I haven’t thought about that.”
“Well, she’s not a kid anymore. Now pretty much every teen has a bunch of online accounts, and she might have some too. Unless her parents didn’t want her to have any.”
“I’ll check.” He pulled out his phone and focused on the screen.
His head jerked back.
“What?” I leaned closer so I’d be able to see what he was looking at.
“She has an Instagram account. With a whole lot of pics.”
“You sound surprised.”
“No, I just... Yeah, I guess I still have trouble seeing her as anything other than a sweet kid who shared her last cookie with me.”
He scrolled through the photos.
“There’s nothing here,” he said. “Just a bunch of teen stuff.”
“Wait,” I said before he could close the account. “Let me see.”
He handed me the phone without hesitation.
I opened a few images that contained some text.
“This isn’t just a bunch of teen stuff,” I said.
“What do you mean?”
“I know this poem. It’s Poe.” I furrowed my brow. “And there are more similar poems.”
“What? I don’t get it. I didn’t exactly finish school, and even when I was there, I could barely focus. Poems aren’t my thing.”
“Right. It’s just... All these poems... They talk about depression and suicide.”
Sebastian’s eyes went wide. “No. Amanda would never—”
“Maybe it’s just something she likes. That’s all. It could be nothing. A lot of kids like dark stuff.” I tried to console him, but it wasn’t really working.
I could see it in his eyes.
I went through the photos again. The last one was a photo of a lake with some numbers. She’d taken more than one photo of that lake over the past few months.
“Um, Sebastian?” I met his gaze. “You might want to check out this lake.”
“Why?”
“Well, look at these numbers. It’s like a date or something. Tomorrow. Midnight.” I wouldn’t even know what date it was today if I hadn’t seen it on the phone.
“You mean midnight, as in a few hours from now?”
“I guess.”
He let out a curse.
After he snatched the phone from me, he furiously tapped the screen.
“We can make it!” he said after a few long minutes. “I found the lake. We can get to it in time.”
“I still hope I’m wrong about this.”
“Doesn’t matter. We need to check it out. Let’s go.” He started for the door.
I blinked. “Wait, you want me to go with you?”
“Yeah. Unless you don’t want to go.”
“I do.” I just hadn’t expected he’d let me.
“Then hurry!” He broke into a run, and I raced after him.
Maybe this was my chance to get away, while Sebastian was distracted, but I couldn’t think about that when Amanda’s life was in danger.
I might not know her, but Sebastian did, and if I could help find her and save her, I’d be happy.
Even if the cost was my freedom.
Chapter 25
AS SOON AS WE REACHED the lake, I jumped out of the car and grabbed a flashlight. Isabella followed me as we tried to see something in the darkness.
“Amanda!” I shouted at the top of my lungs, but all I got for an answer was silence.
The grass crunched under our feet.
A bird chirped here and there.
What if we were too late?
I didn’t even want to think about it. Maybe she wasn’t here at all. My men spread out, looking for her.
Isabella and I got closer to the lake.
“Amanda!” she shouted. “If you’re here, please come out. We just want to make sure you’re safe.”
Something rustled, and we both turned our flashlights in the direction of the sound.
Amanda lifted her hand in front of her eyes as she rose from behind a large bush.
“Who are you?” she asked.
“Amanda!” I dropped the flashlight and raced to her.
My relief was immense as I pulled her into my arms and made sure that she was okay.
“Sebastian? Is that you?” Her surprised eyes lifted to mine.
“Yeah, it’s me.”
She let out a squeal as she wrapped her arms around my neck. “How did you find me?”
“My wife did.”
“You have a wife? Wow.” Her gaze shifted to Isabella as she pulled away from me.
“Is that such a surprise?” The corners of my lips tilted up.
“Um, yeah,” Amanda said.
“Hi, Amanda.” Isabella approached. “I’m Isabella.”
“Hey.” Amanda gave her a shy smile.
“What are you doing here?” I focused on Amanda. “We saw the poems you posted.”
She licked her lips, and then glanced with suspicion at my men, who were getting closer. I waved them away to give us some privacy.
“We brought some company to search for you. Everyone was looking for you,” I added.
Amanda eyed us both for a few moments.
“I just got tired of everything,” she said. “I don’t know what I was trying to do. I guess I posted that stuff and came here to see if there was anyone left who cared about me.”
“There are a lot of people who care about you,” I said. “But maybe they just didn’t understand what you were trying to tell them. Is something going on at home?”
“Mr. and Mrs. Evans don’t love me anymore.”
“I thought you were happy. They chose you, and you chose them.” But if she was calling them by their last name, then something had gone wrong.
“Yeah, but that was before, when they thought they couldn’t have any children.” She pressed her lips into a tight line. “But a miracle happened, and now they only care about their precious little Olivia. She’s everything they ever dreamed about, and they don’t want me around anymore unless they need me to babysit.” Her gaze narrowed at me. “You left and forgot about me too.”
I let out a sigh. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t have a choice. I couldn’t have taken you with me. I didn’t have a place to stay or any money. And later, I found out you were adopted and that you were happy. Your parents and I decided it was for the best that I didn’t visit so you could leave your old life behind.”
“You mean they decided because they were always too good for trash like us.” She crossed her arms. “I tried to ignore my gut feeling about them because they seemed so nice, and I wanted to have my own room and nice clothes, go to a good school, and never have to worry if I’m going to find any food. But it was all a lie. As soon as Olivia was born, I stopped being their daughter.”
“You deserve much better than that, Amanda.”
“I don’t want to go back to them. Please don’t make me go back.” Tears filled the corners of her eyes.
“I won’t. You’re like my little sister. I’ll protect you and find a safe place for you.”
“Can’t I just stay with you?”
I glanced at Isabella.
I wanted nothing more than to make sure Amanda felt safe and loved, but she couldn’t have any of that with me.
Only His: A Dark Arranged Marriage Mafia Romance Page 8
