by Melody Anne
Taking more energy than she realized, she picked up the spoon, dipped it in the bowl, leaned over, and took a sip of the hot chicken soup.
After the first bite, her taste buds came to life with a vengeance, her eyes widening and her stomach rumbling. Dalton no longer had to force her to eat. She cleaned the tray of food and still wanted more, but her shrunken stomach couldn’t have handled more without heaving.
“Feeling better now?” he asked knowingly.
Yes, she was much better. Energy was returning, and she was able to sit up straighter. It still didn’t mean she was ready to go anywhere with this man.
“I don’t care how I feel, and I know you don’t either,” she told him, her voice coming back along with her temper.
“There you are,” he said with almost a smile. “I like this Elena much better.”
“I don’t care what you like,” she said with a glare.
He laughed at her, making her even more furious.
“I’ll have clothes brought in. Shower and be ready in one hour.”
He turned and left the room.
She thought about refusing. Bathing had been another thing she’d given up. She had hoped if she were disgusting enough, if Leo showed up, he’d be so repulsed he wouldn’t want to touch her.
The reality was she could barely tolerate herself. And it had only been a few days. With a sigh, she rose and moved into the bathroom. She knew when she was finished the clothes would be on the bed. The staff seemed to know the minute the bathroom water came on. They would slip silently in and out of her room.
She didn’t want to be excited, but Elena found she was as she took her time showering and getting dressed. Only thirty minutes had passed, and she was going slowly.
She sat back down in the chair by the window and tried not to continuously glance at the clock. She couldn’t help but wonder where they were going — and how long they would be gone.
When the doorknob started turning again, her breath hitched in anticipation.
Chapter Thirty
Still not up to full energy, Elena took her time moving from the bedroom. Maybe the food strike hadn’t been such a great idea. She was less capable of fighting back now.
She felt odd traveling down the large staircase at Dalton’s side. A couple of the servants looked up, surprise in their eyes, before they quickly averted their gaze. It didn’t appear as if this was a common occurrence.
The boss probably didn’t often walk with people beneath him on the social food chain. She decided it was much easier to look at the ground as they made their way forward.
“The car is ready, Sir.”
She’d never seen this man before. His deep voice surprised her enough to look up. He was looking directly at Dalton, which gave her a moment to study him. He was older than her, maybe late thirties, and had the kindest eyes she’d ever encountered.
Elena found herself wanting to walk up to him, talk to him, have him tell her everything was going to be okay. She had no idea where those thoughts were coming from. It was strange.
“Thank you, Lincoln.”
The man held open the front door, and Dalton held out his hand for her to step through before him. The bright glare of the sun made her squint, but a beaming smile overtook her face when she felt the warm rays on her skin.
It wasn’t the same as sitting behind a window. There was nothing like fresh air, nothing like feeling the sun on her body, the little bit of wind biting into her cheeks, and hearing the sounds of birds tweeting up high.
She stopped too long, so Dalton ushered her forward, and she was reluctant to crawl into the backseat of the awaiting car. She just wanted a few more minutes.
Just as she was about to climb in, a chill ran through her, and she looked over to the edge of the house. Her eyes locked on Leo’s. He was standing there with another man, and if looks could kill, she would be dead right on the spot.
A shiver traveled through her. Dalton didn’t see the interaction take place, and she quickly looked down. She hoped Dalton was taking her far away, never to return. She hoped he was setting her free.
Of course, she didn’t know where she would go. She had nothing: no money, no memories, no idea of what life was like outside of this property. She’d never stepped foot off it.
They got into the car and slowly made their way down a long tree-lined driveway until they approached a set of huge iron gates that began to part as they approached.
Elena had to fight not to look behind her. She wondered what Leo was going to do when she did return. She had no doubt they would be back. Dalton wasn’t going to set her free. She hadn’t earned that right.
If only Elena knew what she could do to gain freedom.
When they were past the gates, Elena let out a relieved breath. She glanced back, making sure Leo wasn’t chasing them down. Of course, she knew he wouldn’t — not when she was with Dalton. What she feared was when she wasn’t with him. What would happen to her then?
They drove down a busy highway, and Elena had no idea where she was. She tried to look for clues. When they entered a freeway, she finally saw a sign. Seattle City Center, next exit.
She’d been taken all the way to the West Coast.
As soon as she had that thought, her mind began to spin. How did she know she was taken? How did she know she’d been transported a long way? Trembles began wracking her body as the car passed the exit and continued to move.
“Where are we going?” she asked, her voice small.
“Somewhere to talk,” he replied.
“Are you going to kill me?”
There was utter silence to this question. She wasn’t afraid. She would just rather know. If she knew a hit was coming, it wouldn’t be such a shock to her system. If she knew she was going to die, she could say her final goodbyes to the voice that kept trying to pop into her head.
She didn’t know who the voice belonged to. She just knew she was someone else; this life hadn’t been the one Elena had chosen.
“Why would you think I’m going to kill you?” he asked, pressing his fingers against her cheek and forcing her to look at him.
“The better question would be, why do you want to be near me?” she responded.
His eyes narrowed as he looked at her as if he was truly considering his answer.
“I don’t know. There’s something about you,” he finally said. Then he released his grip on her, and she went back to staring out the window.
It appeared as if both their questions weren’t going to be answered.
The car finally stopped after driving for well over an hour, and then the back door opened. Dalton stepped out and held out his hand for her. She didn’t hesitate to take it and get out of the car.
When the ocean wind hit her face, Elena couldn’t help the smile that appeared. Closing her eyes for a moment she enjoyed the mixture of heat and wind on her cheeks. Then she opened her eyes and took in the sunset right on the beach as the wind whipped her hair. It was a feeling unlike anything she’d ever experienced before.
Without waiting for permission, she began to move, reaching the edge of the sand. Barely taking time to remove her shoes, she dropped them on the edge of the sand, and then she ran.
Laughter escaped her throat, the sound foreign to her ears as she moved swiftly forward, not stopping until her feet splashed in the ocean. The icy-cold water was a shock, but her laughter didn’t stop nor did she quit moving.
She turned so she was running along the edge of the water, the cold beads splashing up on her pants, making her feel more alive than she’d ever felt.
Elena had no idea how far she’d run when she couldn’t catch her breath anymore, but finally she slowed, bending at the waist. She suddenly turned. No one had tried to stop her.
But there was Dalton, a couple feet away, an odd expression in his eyes as he watched her, like she was a puzzle he couldn’t quite put together.
“I wasn’t running from you,” she told him. Now that her carefree sp
rint was over, she didn’t want to feel any retaliation that would ruin this moment.
“I know,” he said, his voice low, puzzled. “Your face has changed. There’s a . . . a glow about you that is taking my breath away,” he finished.
“I feel . . . free,” she murmured. “Thank you for this.”
Dalton stepped forward into the ankle deep water until he was right in front of her. His arms wrapped around her, and his head was only inches from hers.
“You are stunning,” he gasped.
“I’m nothing special, Dalton,” she told him. She didn’t want another man obsessed with her. The last one still wouldn’t let her go, and his obsession caused her all sorts of pain.
“That’s where you’re wrong, Elena. You’re the type of woman wars begin over. You’re the type of woman a man gets lost in,” he whispered.
“Why? What do you see? I don’t even know who I am,” she said in almost a whimper.
“I do.” The statement was quiet.
“What do you mean?”
He was silent as he gazed into her eyes, and she wanted to know what he was thinking, what was going on behind those dark black lashes.
“I know exactly who you are and where you came from. After my father died, I made sure to find out,” he told her.
Elena nearly stumbled, but his arms were there to catch her. She searched his face to see if he was lying to her, but she couldn’t see any hints of deceit.
“Who am I?” she finally asked.
“I don’t think you really want the answer to that,” he told her.
“Yes, I do!” she yelled as she lifted her fists and pounded on his chest.
“You tell me who’s been hurting you, and I will tell you whatever you want to know,” he said.
An ultimatum. She knew what that was. Her eyes narrowed, and she tried to tug away from him. This was all a lie. He had nothing to tell her. He just wanted answers, and he was willing to say or do anything to get what he wanted.
Suddenly his fist was bunched into the back of her hair as he pulled her body against his so she could no longer punch him or pull away. She glared into his eyes, and he smiled.
“I don’t lose, Elena,” he said as he leaned forward and nipped her bottom lip.
“You better start preparing yourself for a loss now so you’re not devastated by it,” she snapped.
Instead of anger, he threw back his head and laughed. She wanted to claw out his eyes and most likely would have if her arms weren’t trapped between their bodies.
“I think it’s time for me to show you exactly who I am,” he said, fire igniting in his eyes.
“I know who you are,” she told him.
“You have no clue, Elena, no clue at all,” he warned.
“Do you think I’m afraid of you, Dalton? I’ve lived in fear a long time, and I refuse to ever be afraid again,” she said.
“I don’t want you to be afraid,” he told her. “But I do want your respect,” he said, his tone hard and commanding.
“You won’t ever have it,” she warned.
“We will see who comes out the winner.”
Suddenly she was lifted into the air and flopped over his shoulder as he made his way back down the beach she’d enjoyed running along. She pounded her fists against his back, but after several minutes she was exhausted.
He didn’t even breathe heavy as he confidently strode down the shoreline. It took them at least twenty minutes to reach the car, and when he set her back on her feet, she wobbled, her legs slightly numb from being carried caveman style.
When her eyes met Lincoln’s in embarrassment, the man didn’t show the slightest emotion as he held open the back door of the limousine.
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” she told Dalton as she took a step back.
That statement only made him smile.
“Where do you think you’ll go if not with me?” he asked, not seeming concerned.
“I don’t care. Maybe I’ll stay here on the beach,” she stubbornly said.
He just smiled again before easily lifting her and practically tossing her in the car.
“I want full privacy, Lincoln,” he said before following her in.
And then the door shut. Elena was once again the prey.
Chapter Thirty-One
The car began moving and Elena sat pressed to the door as if that would help her. If Dalton wanted something from her, he could take it. There would be no way for her to stop him.
She wasn’t afraid of the man. She was far more fearful of herself and the reaction she had to him. It was nothing like what she felt for Leo. Once, Leo had been her protector and that had quickly shifted. Now she feared and loathed the guy.
Wouldn’t it be the same with Dalton? Maybe at first she’d feel safe with him, but then he would suddenly become the enemy. She was learning that all men eventually did.
Elena didn’t need to turn to know he was now sitting right next to her, not quite touching, but he was within inches of her body. A tremble began in her knees and slowly trailed out through the rest of her body as she remembered how easily he could make her melt.
Without saying a word, he leaned a little closer, his hot breath warming the side of her neck, making the small trembles increase like an 8.0 earthquake.
“Stop,” she told him, wishing her voice was coming out a heck of a lot firmer instead of so damn husky.
“Why?” he responded, his warm breath caressing her ear and making her tighten her legs together to keep the ache from consuming her.
“I shouldn’t need a reason,” she told him. Though, that wasn’t really true. She wasn’t allowed a voice.
“Do you want me to stop because you’re repulsed by me?” he asked. Before she could say a word, he continued. “Or do you want me to stop because you desire me, and it scares you?”
Her breathing was labored as she tried to form the lie on her lips that might actually make the man give her some breathing room.
When she said nothing, he moved her hair aside as his lips glided down the side of her neck while his hand climbed up the front of her shirt. Never had she felt this tightening when Leo had pawed all over her.
“Tell me to stop because you can’t stand my touch,” he growled as his hand moved up and cupped her breast, his strong fingers squeezing the tender nipple through her bra.
She panted beneath his touch trying to will her mouth to say the words that might make him stop this. But the only sound that came out was a small whimper when he quickly unfastened her bra and his fingers found her bare flesh.
She closed her eyes as she tried to will her body not to respond, but when his hand moved back down her stomach and undid her pants, she had to bite her lip to keep the moan from escaping.
He let go of her long enough to pull her pants down, although she attempted for a single moment to squeeze her legs together. He simply slid his hands down the front of her jeans and found her most tender area, making her legs turn to jelly.
Within a flash he pulled off all her clothes, and she found herself lying on her back along the limo’s leather seat. The contrast of the cool leather against her hot skin only made her senses more heightened.
“I want to plunge inside you more than I want breath right now,” he growled as he lay over her body, still fully clothed.
She wanted that too, but she couldn’t — wouldn’t — admit it to him.
He smiled down at her — a knowing, confident smile — before his lips crashed down on hers like a wave hitting rocks.
Without her being aware, her hands wound behind his head and gripped him, her hips thrusting upward, sounds escaping her throat that she didn’t recognize as her own.
When he broke from her mouth she whimpered, but then his firm, hot lips were traveling down her throat, sucking and nipping hard at the skin, making her squirm beneath him.
When he took one of her ripe nipples into his mouth and sucked hard before gently biting down, she screamed in delight as she felt
pressure continue building. He groaned against her skin before his lips continued their downward motion.
She writhed on the seat, nearly falling to the floor in her uninhibited ecstasy. He roughly spread her thighs wide open and before she could comprehend what he was doing, his mouth latched onto the place she’d rubbed that night so long ago without having a clue what she was doing.
He sucked the tender flesh into his mouth and an explosion of feeling rushed through her, starting between her thighs and sparking out like lightning through the rest of her body. She cried out in euphoria as his tongue caressed the area, making her skin pulse and her body jump.
Then Elena felt as if she were falling through a dark tunnel. Her head was spinning as her limbs dropped, feeling unimaginably heavy. The feeling continued on and on as he flicked out his tongue and made the sensation continue. It was long moments before she felt as if she were back on solid ground again.
She heard the unmistakable sound of a foil packet but she was too dazed to comprehend what that meant.
He climbed back up her body, his clothes still on — or so she thought.
He settled between her thighs and that’s when she felt his thickness against her soaked opening.
“Look at me, Elena,” he demanded. Her droopy eyelids slowly opened and the intensity of his gaze was almost too much for her to behold. “That’s a good girl.”
Her eyes flew open when he pushed forward, filling her with a hard thrust that stretched her opening and immediately made moisture and desire all converse to one specific spot.
Grabbing her hip, he angled her body and then pulled back before slamming forward again, this time harder and deeper. Her mouth widened in a blissful gasp as he continued thrusting in and out of her.
She groaned again, but this time, he captured the sound as he leaned down and took her lips, his tongue sinking into her mouth in a rhythm similar to the pace he kept as he moved in and out of her.
Pressure built and she cried out as she latched on to his thick shoulders.
“Come with me right now, Elena,” he demanded.