Luke’s house is unlike anything I have ever seen, or even imagined for that matter. It’s an incredible two story beach house sitting just a few hundred feet from its own private beach. There’s an oceanfront living and dining area with a wall of glass overlooking the water, and a chef style kitchen I swear my mother would have lived in. But it’s the master suite that is the real treasure. I spent most of last night sitting on its private balcony that overlooks the ocean.
I even left the French doors that connect to the bedroom wide open when I curled into the bed next to Luke, finding the openness soothing after being restrained and shut away from the outside world for three days. There is something so peace invoking about falling asleep with the smell of the sea in your nose and the sound of the waves in your ears.
“This is my favorite spot.” Luke finally speaks again, tightening his grip on me as he drops his chin to rest on my shoulder.
“I can see why.” I grip the railing in front of me, breathing in the sea air. “And I can see why you couldn’t bear to part with this house. It’s like your own little piece of heaven up here.”
“That’s what my mom used to say.” I can hear the smile in his voice which warms my heart.
I never imagined that this is where I would end up. I thought for sure the moment Luke found out the truth he would never want anything to do with me again. It means so much that not only has he been able to forgive the way I deceived him, he has also managed to give me a small glimmer of peace despite everything else going on.
I know Ryan is out there. I know he’s not going to just let me go. But right now none of that matters. Nothing matters outside of this, outside of Luke and this moment and how he makes me feel.
The breeze whips around us causing a light shiver to run through me. Luke immediately runs his hands down my arms in an effort to warm me.
“It’s getting pretty late.” He observes, straightening his posture behind me. “We should probably head inside.”
“Okay.” I agree, turning away from my amazing view to look up at one that is equally amazing.
Luke catches my gaze and gives me a sweet smile, tucking away a stray strand of hair that blows in front of my face, his hand lingering for a long moment just below my ear.
“Thank you.” He finally speaks, looking at me in a way that causes another shiver to run through me, this one for a completely different reason.
“For what?” I ask, confused by his statement.
“For trusting me.” He says simply. “I know you must be terrified with everything that’s going on. I can only imagine what it must take for you to put your faith in someone else with all you’ve been through. It just means a lot that you believe in me so much.”
“I should be the one thanking you.” I lay my hand lightly against his chest, loving the feeling of his beating heart beneath my palm. “I don’t know where I would be if it wasn’t for you.” I answer truthfully.
“Come on.” He says. “You look exhausted.” He kisses the tip of my nose before taking my hand and leading me back inside the house.
I jump slightly when his cell starts ringing just moments after he slides the door closed behind us. He crosses the living area to where his phone is sitting on the coffee table, his nose curling slightly the moment he catches sight of the screen.
With that one look I know exactly who it is. I suddenly feel winded, like the floor has just dropped out from underneath me. I knew this would happen eventually. It was only a matter of time before Ryan reached out to his brother. I guess I was just hoping I could pretend that things were okay for just a little while longer.
Luke looks down at the screen for a long moment before hitting silence and dropping the phone back onto the table. When he looks back towards me he must see the panic etched across my face because he immediately rushes towards me, both of his hands coming to rest at the sides of my face the moment he reaches me.
“He will not hurt you.” He reassures me, tilting my chin upwards to meet his gaze.
I muster a weak smile and a nod, trying to fight down the fear that slowly creeps into every pore of my body.
“Look at me Sam.” Luke demands when my gaze falls away. “I won’t let him.” He whispers, his words playing lightly across my lips as he lowers his mouth to mine.
I know what he’s doing. He’s trying to distract me, give me something to focus on. And honestly, it works. The moment the contact is made, everything else falls away. My rapid heartbeat is no longer out of fear but out of desire. My skin no longer burns with panic but sizzles beneath the fire of Luke’s touch.
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pull him tighter, begging him to take it all away. The fear, the pain, take it all until there is nothing left but the way he makes me feel.
He deepens the kiss but his touch remains soft against my still swollen lip. His hands drop away from my face and before I can even react, are at the back of my thighs lifting me into his arms. Wrapping my legs around his waist, I tangle my fingers in his dark hair, tugging gently as I savor his taste, his smell, the feeling of his hard body against mine.
I feel each step he takes as he takes it, my body shifting slightly as he climbs the massive staircase leading to the second floor. When he finally deposits me onto his bed, I am already mush; a pool of want and need that only one person can satisfy. I reach for him, pulling him down on top of me.
Wanting no barriers between us, I rip at his clothing and my own; tearing at the fabric until every last piece has fallen away, leaving me bare beneath him.
Running his palm along my stomach, he sucks in a sharp inhale as his eyes travel across my bare torso, my chest, and then finally back to my face. His eyes are glazed, his arousal so clearly displayed that an instant burn comes to life inside of me; a feeling so intense that I feel like I may come apart below him even though he has barely touched me.
Climbing up my body, he settles in between my legs, his mouth finding mine instantly, peppering gentle kisses across my lips.
“Am I hurting you?” He whispers, kissing me again.
“No.” I reassure him, knowing that he is being far gentler than he needs to be. “I’m tougher than I look.” I give him a playful wink, pulling his mouth back down to mine.
He deepens the kiss, his tongue sweeping against mine as he slowly slides inside of me. The feeling of him as he inches deeper and deeper is incredible. This man knows how to make my body feel things I never knew possible.
Every touch is like fire, scarring my skin with the intensity of the burn. Every kiss is like being transported into another realm, one where we are the only two people in existence. Luke demands every part of me and I have no choice but to willingly give it to him.
His mouth never leaves mine as he slides slowly in and out of me, bringing both of our bodies to the brink and then rocking us back down again. He takes his time, making sure I feel every ounce of the pleasure he is fueling through my body.
I tug at his hair, scrap my nails down his sculpted back, grip at his massive biceps as he forces my body higher and higher.
When he pulls back and meets my gaze, his crystal blue eyes burning into mine, I have no choice but to fall apart below him.
Luke holds my sight, refusing to let me look away as I ride out the pleasure surging through me.
He controls my body, forcing it to feel every ounce of him. He controls my mind, clouding everything around me until there is only him. And as I watch him give into his own pleasure, his eyes never leaving mine, I know he also controls my heart.
Mind, body and soul... I am his.
Chapter
Thirty-One
Samantha
How is it possible for me to find happiness knowing there is someone out there looking for me, someone prepared to kill me if, or rather when, they find me?
I know it sounds absurd. Absurd that just thirty-six hours ago I was running for my life and now here I am, snuggled up in the comfort of Luke’s bed feeling like nothing and no one can
touch me here.
Rolling to my side, I stretch my legs out while my arm immediately reaches for Luke. To my disappointment I find nothing more than a mess of blankets next to me. Peeling both eyes open, I blink rapidly into the bright sunlight pouring into the room.
Pushing up onto my elbows, I look around the empty space, letting my happiness really take hold before finally kicking the covers away. Swinging my legs over the side of the massive bed, the moment my feet hit the floor I spot a note on the bedside table, Luke’s handwriting scrawled across the small piece of paper.
I had to head into the office for a little while. You looked so peaceful I couldn’t bear to wake you.
The alarm is armed so make sure not to open any doors or windows.
Help yourself to anything in the house. I’ll be back as quickly as I can.
-Luke
I smile at his thoughtfulness, knowing that it probably took everything in him to leave me here alone. Pushing into a stand, I sit the note back where I found it before heading towards the bathroom. As much as I hate that Luke isn’t here, I know he needs to maintain appearances for my sake.
He didn’t make it to the office at all on Tuesday, not showing a second day would likely raise some red flags, especially where Ryan is concerned. Though I am not entirely convinced that Ryan would even suspect his brother considering he has no idea what has actually transpired between me and Luke over the last few weeks, especially our time in New York.
After showering and helping myself to a glass of orange juice and a banana, I decide it’s time to start figuring out my next move. As much as I would love to just hide out here with Luke for the rest of my life, I know that is not a solution or even a real possibility.
It’s been less than two days since I managed to escape Ryan. It’s only a matter of time before it all catches back up with me and I need to be prepared when it does. Pushing open the French style doors to Luke’s office, the moment I see his computer sitting on the large mahogany desk along the back wall, I start towards it.
Sliding into the high back leather chair, I open the laptop, relieved that it is not password protected. If I had to guess I would say this is the computer Luke has for recreational use and that there is nothing private stored on it.
Double clicking the web browser, I type Sarah Trammell drug overdose into the search engine and click on the first link the search populates. I am hoping that knowing what I know now will somehow help me find something I may have missed before. I know it’s a long shot but at this point it’s all I have to go on.
If I want any hope of taking Ryan down I need proof, so proof is exactly what I am going to try to find.
****
I am so lost in my research that when the door alarm chimes, I look up to find nearly three hours have passed. Unfortunately I am no closer to finding anything that will help me.
My heart kicks up speed for a brief moment when the door alarm continues to chime for several seconds but then I hear the keypad beep and the alarm disable, letting me know it’s Luke. Deciding I could use a break and maybe a second opinion, I push away from the desk and head out of the office.
Sliding my hand along the smooth rail, I make it about three quarters of the way down the slanted staircase before the main foyer comes into full view. The moment it does I freeze, fear paralyzing me on the spot.
“Well, well, well.” Ryan crosses his arms in front of himself, his suit jacket pulling tightly against his broad shoulders as he does.
“Look at what I found.” A pleased smile pulls up the corners of his mouth.
“Ryan.” The name barely escapes my lips.
“Did you really think that I wouldn’t find you?” His tone and demeanor is that of arrogance.
“I...” I start but the words stick in my throat and I can’t seem to make them come out.
“You didn’t call the police because you knew you couldn’t prove anything.” He continues without skipping a beat. “Choosing to keep who you are a secret over the few hours I may have spent in jail, while a ballsy move, will prove to be your fatal mistake” He tisks, slowly crossing the foyer towards the bottom of the staircase.
“You could have run, saved yourself. Instead you do nothing. You come to my brother and think that he’s going to what; hide you away forever?” He lets out a humorous laugh like he’s never heard something so funny before.
The sound echoes through the open space, bouncing off of the walls around me before dying off as quickly as it started. I hold his gaze, anticipating his next move. I know the moment the decision is made; I can feel the shift in the air and read the look in his eyes.
No more than seconds pass before I spin, knowing I need to run... Now!
“Where do you think you’re going?” I hear the laughter in his voice just moments before his footsteps sound against the staircase behind me.
I know he’s closing in on me, my speed no match for his. I can feel the fear mount with each second that passes but I refuse to turn around and look.
Five stairs from the top...
If I can just get to Luke’s room, I can lock myself inside.
Four... My cellphone is on the nightstand.
Three... I can call for help.
Two... Almost there.
I feel a sudden tug on my left foot just as I reach the last step, the force pulling me off balance causing me to hit the landing on a hard thud. Pain shoots through my elbow, an involuntary cry sounding from my lips.
Within seconds I recover, attempting to get back up. I put my palms flat against the floor and try to push myself upwards but before I can make it even an inch I feel myself being pulled again, Ryan’s grip on my left foot never wavering.
I hit the first two steps down hard, my hip cracking painfully against the edge of the marble as Ryan pulls me. Trying to kick at him with my right foot in an effort to free his grip on my left, my fight only seems to fuel his anger. He manages to snag my right foot just as it connects with his upper thigh, the impact having next to no effect on him.
Pulling at me violently, my head whips backwards from the force. The moment it connects with the stair behind me a vicious ring sounds through my ears. The second hit is even worse, causing black spots to blur my vision.
Trying to keep my head from hitting again, I twist my body trying to take the impact of each step with my shoulder and hip rather than my back and head. This position proves harder to maintain with both of my legs restricted.
I manage to keep my head from hitting for at least a couple of steps before a twist in the staircase causes my body to hit at a different angle, the side of my face the next to connect to the hard surface below me.
I cry out from the impact, immediately feeling the blood flow down my cheek from just below my right eye. Ryan continues to drag me downward; the turn in the staircase making it hard for me to determine which part of my body will be take the brunt of the impact next.
Anticipating each step is almost as painful as the physical damage that follows. By the time we reach the large foyer below, I am convinced that not one part of my body made the trip down unharmed.
The moment I feel the flat surface beneath me I arch my back trying to give myself enough leverage to kick free but Ryan knows it’s coming and is able to maintain his grip on me. I have the will to fight, the courage to stand up to him, unfortunately my small frame is no match for his large muscular one and he easily overpowers me.
“You’re only making this harder on yourself.” He says, his grip on my ankles so tight that I can literally feel the flow of blood to my feet being cut off, a tingling sensation spreading through my toes.
Twisting my legs, Ryan flips me to my stomach. I immediately try to pull myself up but I no more than get my weight up on my arms before Ryan gives my legs a violent tug and my body crashes to the hard floor below me.
“You want to know what I think is the saddest thing of this whole situation?” Ryan taunts, straddling my waist as he settles his weight down on my l
ower back, the pressure making it difficult to breathe normally.
“That you thought Luke would actually protect you.” He laughs. “Did you really think he would choose you over his family?” He pulls my arms behind me, clearly planning to tie my hands together.
“He wouldn’t do this to me.” I spit, continuing to fight against Ryan’s hold on me even though he barely budges.
“Oh but he did do this to you. How do you think I found out you were here?” I can see a large smile stretching across his face out of the corner of my eye.
“How do you think I got the security code for the alarm?” He continues. “Luke was just playing you Samantha. He was breaking down your guard. I’d say he did a pretty good job.”
“Fuck you.” I seethe, arching my back in an effort to push him off of me. “Luke would never do that.” I scream, flailing violently beneath him.
“But he did.” He lets out a spine chilling laugh, leaning forward so close that his lips graze my ear as he does.
The anger and desperation that floods through me over the thought that his words might just be true is overwhelming and before I even realize what I am doing the back of my head cracks loudly against Ryan’s face, knocking him backwards.
His grip goes limp as the shock and pain shoots through him, the impact catching him enough off guard that I am able to use the momentum of the force to free my hands. I try to pull myself away using the strength of my arms, my legs still somewhat restrained under Ryan’s weight, but he recovers too quickly for me to really get anywhere.
Ryan is easily able to reclaim his grip on me within seconds, securing both of my hands behind my back using only one of his.
“You really shouldn’t have done that.” He spits, his free hand wrapping tightly into my hair.
He lifts my head and then with one hard push cracks it against the marble floor, the impact causing the whole room to lose focus. I have no time to recover from the first blow before the second comes.
Beyond Love Lies Deceit Page 17