Sinful Illusions

by Morgan James

  Though I had done little in the way of physical activity in the cell, my face and body were streaked with dirt, and I could see the bones of my ribs clearly beneath my skin. I lifted one hand and ran my fingers over the hard ridges. I’d lost a lot of weight—at least ten pounds—more than I’d anticipated. I swallowed hard as my gaze lifted back to my face, to my gaunt cheekbones and dark circles underscoring my eyes.

  Ashamed and angry—both at myself and at Fox—I tore myself away and climbed into the tub. A soft groan escaped my lips as I slipped into the water. It was almost too hot, but it felt so soothing that I wasn’t going to complain. I tipped my head forward and straightened my legs, stretching my sore muscles. I ran my hands over my thighs and down my calves, the soft hairs tickling my palms.

  The door swung open, and I automatically pulled my limbs in under Fox’s scrutiny. “How does it feel?”

  “Good.”

  His lips twitched. “Most women like their water hot enough to scald the skin right off their body, so I figured you were the same.”

  Was he trying to joke with me? I couldn’t tell. Confused, I dropped my gaze back to the clear water swirling around my legs and watched from the corner of my eye as he approached and knelt next to the tub.

  Grabbing a bottle of shampoo from the ledge, he poured some into his palm and began to attack my oily, stringy hair. His fingertips brushed the wound on the back of my head, and I winced. I wasn’t sure how long it’d been, but it was still tender.

  “Sorry.” His apology seemed sincere, though his face remained expressionless. I appreciated it regardless.

  “It’s okay.”

  His gaze flicked to mine for a second before returning to my hair. “Lean back.” I did as he instructed, and he gently rinsed the bubbles from the long strands until it ran clean. “Can you handle the rest?”

  “Yes.” I reached out to take the soap from him, but he tightened his hold on it as he studied me. One black eyebrow arched upward and after a moment, he relented and pressed the bar of soap into my hand. I watched as he pushed away from the tub and headed toward the bedroom. “Fox?”

  Halfway to the door, he halted midstep and glanced over his shoulder at me in silent question.

  I swallowed hard. “Can I… have a razor?”

  He seemed to ponder my request, then gave a brief nod. “I’ll get one.”

  With that he exited the room, and I let out a sigh of relief. He was so intense, always keeping me on edge. Not wanting to waste another minute, I rubbed the bar of soap over my skin, working it into a thick, sudsy lather before rinsing, reveling in how good it felt to be clean again.

  Fox reappeared and passed me a disposable razor. “I’ll be right outside.”

  I couldn’t tell if it was meant as a threat or a reassurance, but I nodded regardless. His dark form moved to the bedroom, and I could see part of him where he perched on the edge of the bed. My gaze dropped to the feminine pink razor in my hands. It still had the plastic protective case on it, so I knew that it had never been used. But why did he have it? It seemed strange for a man like Fox to have pink razors just lying around.

  My breath caught as something occurred to me. Did he have a girlfriend? A wife? I’d never seen a woman around while I’d surveilled the house, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have a woman in his life. I couldn’t be sure why, but my stomach clenched at the thought. Then again, would he have kept me here knowing another woman was in the house? He’d carried me through the house where anyone could see. I seriously doubted even he would do that.

  Which left a second option. He’d purchased it for me. But why? A throat cleared from the region of the bedroom, jerking me from my thoughts. I shaved my legs and under my arms as quickly as I dared, then set the razor aside and pulled the stopper on the drain.

  At the sound, Fox stood and moved toward me. “All done?”

  I nodded, watching while the water made a tiny cyclone on its way down the drain before a large hand moved in front of my face. I slipped my palm into his, and he helped me to my feet, then wrapped a towel around me. He led me to the bedroom, and pressed gently on one shoulder, pushing me down onto the edge of the large mattress.

  Water from my hair dripped down onto my shoulders and chest, and I used a corner of the towel to wipe the droplets away. I felt better, but now I had nothing else to wear. As if reading my mind, Fox spun on a heel and strode toward a set of wide double doors adjacent to the bathroom. He threw them open, revealing a large walk-in closet. From a drawer built into the wall, he pulled out a bra, followed by a pair of panties. Next came a T-shirt and a pair of soft-looking yoga pants.

  Fox stalked toward me, depositing the articles in my lap.

  “If it doesn’t fit, just set it aside. You’ve lost weight since you’ve been here, so some things might be a bit large.”

  My gaze dropped to the clothes. The tags were still attached, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d bought everything specifically for me. “Thank you,” I managed.

  With a dip of his chin, Fox moved away again, giving me a modicum of privacy while I changed into the clothes. The stretchy material of the pants clung to my curves, but the t-shirt hung limply off my frame. Still, it was better than nothing, and I felt more comfortable with the excess fabric hiding my body from his view. Not that he hadn’t already seen me naked, but I still didn’t know what he wanted from me or why I was here.

  I shot a look his way. “How long have I been here?”

  “Just over two weeks.”

  The knowledge hit me like a sucker punch to the gut. Why hadn’t Daddy come for me? Surely they would still be looking for me. Unless… Memories of Elle’s disappearance came back to me. Her body had never been found, but the authorities were adamant that she was gone. What if Fox had staged a similar scene, making it look like I had suffered a similar fate? With no one actively looking for me, he could keep me for his own nefarious purposes—whatever those might be.

  My heart cracked open, and a shiver worked its way down my spine as my last remaining shred of hope dissipated into thin air.

  Chapter Eight

  Fox

  I watched from the corner of my eye as Eva pulled on her new clothes. Disgust rose in my throat, threatening to choke me. She was much too thin. I wanted to rail at her, to command she stop being so goddamn stubborn and eat, but I knew that if I demanded it, she would only balk and do the complete opposite out of spite.

  Three quick taps came from the door, and I opened it, accepting the tray of food from Rodrigo with a quick dip of my chin. I locked up behind him, then carried the tray to the small nightstand next to the bed. Picking up the plates, I handed one to Eva, then settled myself on the edge of the mattress. She watched me warily but eventually picked up her fork and twirled it in the pile of noodles. I’d requested something packed with carbs that would replace some of the weight she’d lost. As she had every day for the past two weeks, my cook, Carmen, had obliged with a dirty look. She was just as tired of Eva’s untouched food being sent back to the kitchen as I was. This time, though, Eva wouldn’t have the choice to not eat. I’d sit here all goddamn afternoon until she ate every last piece of the homemade pasta.

  Eva waited until I’d taken several bites before scooping up one of her own, apparently deciding that I wasn’t trying to poison her. Silence descended over us as she dug into the food, her appetite voracious. When she was almost finished, I cleared my throat.

  “So.” I stared at the profile of her pretty face—the delicate sweep of her long lashes over her cheeks. The pert little nose that turned up slightly at the tip, a small dusting of freckles dotting the bridge. Those luscious, full lips that I wanted to taste—and that I wanted wrapped around my cock. “Tell me about yourself, angel.”

  Her eyes flew to mine. They widened slightly before narrowing in suspicion. I could practically hear the wheels turning, wondering if I’d used the endearment because it was so close to her name. She searched my eyes for a moment before turning b
ack to the plate in front of her. “Such as?”

  I held back a laugh. Besides what the fuck she’d been doing sneaking around my property in the dead of night? “Who are you?”

  That vivid green gaze darted to mine, resentment flickering deep inside. “Like you don’t already know.”

  Of course I did, but I wanted to hear it from her lips. “You know my name, but I’m at a disadvantage here. What’s your name?”

  Her lips rolled inward in thought before she spoke. “Eva.”

  The abbreviation of her given name pleased me. It was an admission of sorts, and I liked that she was too innocent to think of using an alias. Or perhaps it was as she said—she had a feeling I already knew everything about her and was testing her. “Beautiful. Very fitting.”

  Her eyes flicked to mine, filled with confusion. “Thanks… I think.”

  I chuckled. “It was a compliment. A lovely name for a lovely woman.” She hummed a noncommittal response, so I continued. “And what do you do, Eva?”

  Annoyance flickered over her features. “I’m in school.”

  I turned slightly and made myself more comfortable so I could see her better. “What are you studying?”

  “Why?” Her eyes were filled with suspicion, and I shrugged.

  “Why not? You pique my curiosity.”

  She let out another beleaguered breath. “Criminal justice.”

  I fought the smile that tugged at the corners of my lips. “Why criminal justice?”

  She rolled her eyes and returned them to her plate. “Like it would matter to you.”

  It did, actually. I was intensely curious as to why such a beautiful young woman had chosen such a long and difficult career. “Indulge me.”

  Her green eyes blazed. “Accountability. I see the crime run rampant in this city, yet the repeat offenders spend a short amount of time behind bars before they’re back out, doing the same stupid thing all over again.”

  “You don’t believe people will change?” She speared me with a hard look, and I bit back a laugh. She wasn’t wrong. “Very noble of you.” Naïve, but noble. “Isn’t that a bit ironic, considering you were caught trespassing?”

  Those arresting eyes moved to mine and held. “That’s awfully rich, coming from you.”

  I lifted a brow. “What exactly are you implying?” Not that I didn’t already know, but I was curious if she would have the balls to accuse me of what I suspected.

  She half-laughed. “You accuse me of something so petty, yet you’ve done much worse.”

  She was so entertaining. I couldn’t help but toy with her. “Have I?”

  She turned more fully to face me. “I want to know the truth.”

  I didn’t pretend to not understand what she was asking. “You said before that you believed I was involved with your sister. Even if I was responsible for her death, I would never tell you.” I set my plate aside, then turned back to her. “Now—”

  “What do you mean, you won’t tell me?” She demanded. “She was my sister—I deserve to know what happened!”

  I studied Eva, her eyes bright with anger and rightfully so. I would never tell her what had transpired. There was still an innocence to her, and I couldn’t bear to sully that untouched, pure part of her soul. “You already know what happened.”

  “That you killed her?” Her eyes narrowed to slits, and fire crackled in her gaze. “I overheard that. But what I can’t understand is why.”

  Inwardly, I seethed but managed to clamp down on my anger. I stared at her coldly. “I explain my reasons to no one, least of all you.”

  Tears shimmered in her eyes. “I hate you—I hate everything about you. I wanted revenge, I wanted to hurt you the way you—”

  Her words cut off on a soft cry as I fisted one hand in her shirt and dragged her toward me. “I strongly suggest you curb that tongue of yours before it gets you in trouble, angel.”

  “I’ll never give in to you. You’re despicable—”

  Anger burned over my flesh. “Have you ever been punished, Eva?” I allowed my gaze to stray slowly over her body, acute satisfaction filling me at the way she physically recoiled under my scrutiny. “Did anyone even care enough about you to discipline you the way you need? Or were your parents too busy for you? Did they make the nanny do it instead?”

  Her cheeks blazed bright pink, and her chin dropped a fraction as my words hit their mark. “Let me tell you what I know about you.” I took one of her hands in mine, tightening my fingers around hers when she tried to pull away. “You’ve never done a hard day’s work in your life. You’ve been coddled and protected, and your choice of career is your way of biting back at society. You think you’re helping people, but you’re not. You’re full of dreams, Eva. You’re too young and naïve to understand the real world outside the doors of your ivory tower. Wandering onto my property was the worst mistake of your life. Because now you’re going to see firsthand just how awful the real world can be.”

  “You can’t keep me here forever,” she snapped, trying to pull from my grasp. “Someone will come looking for me. They’ll—”

  “They’ll what?”

  She shot me a defiant look. “My father will be looking for me.”

  She still believed that? I cocked a brow as I studied her. “Does he even know you’re here?” She opened her mouth to speak, but I cut her off. “Because I seriously doubt your father is aware that you tried to break onto my property for revenge. And if he does, he’s not a very good father.”

  She shot daggers at me. “Don’t insult my father!”

  “Don’t change the subject. Tell me—your father has no idea you’re here, does he?”

  She was silent so long I thought she wouldn’t answer. Finally, her chest rose and fell before she let out a measured breath. “Regardless, he’ll tear this town apart to find me and bring me home.”

  “He’s welcome to look.” I shrugged. “But he will never find you. And I will never give you over to him.”

  Her stricken face snapped to mine. “Why are you doing this?”

  “Because I can, angel.”

  “Don’t you understand?” Those giant green eyes pleaded up at me, and I felt a tiny twinge of something in my chest. “I’ll do anything—please, just tell me what it is you want. If it’s money, we can get it. My family already lost my sister. They can’t go through that again—I won’t let that happen.”

  Stunned at her passionate declaration, I stared at her for a long moment. “Let me make sure I understand. You’re more concerned for their welfare than your own?”

  “They’re my family.” Her voice was heartbreakingly soft. “They mean everything to me, and I love them. Haven’t you ever loved someone so much that you would do anything for them?”

  Every muscle in my body went rigid, my tone flat. “No.”

  “But—”

  I leaned close. “Men like me aren’t made for love, angel. We’re made for war—for blood and death. We take what we want and use it until there’s nothing left.”

  “Please—”

  “You’re not leaving, and that is final.”

  Moisture glittered in her eyes. “Why? Why are you doing this?”

  “Why do I want to keep you?” I smirked. “Because you intrigue me. Because you owe me for breaking in. Instead of turning you over to the authorities, I’ll exact my own punishment.”

  Her tone turned bitter. “By using me for sex?”

  I lifted one shoulder. “Whatever I deem fit.”

  “I hate you—you—you—monster!”

  “Oh, Eva.” I let out a little laugh. “You have no idea the things I’m capable of. You’d better get comfortable, because you’re not going anywhere.”

  She glared at me but didn’t say a word. I released her and braced my hands on my legs as I started to stand. “Good. Now that that’s settled—”

  Her arm whipped forward in a blur, and the metal glinted in the sunlight spilling through the window as she slashed the fork downward. I
jerked backward, and a ripping sound filled the air as the tines punctured the fabric of my suit and sank into my flesh. More stunned than anything, I stared at the fork, then slowly lifted my gaze to hers. She stared at the fork protruding from my arm, her expression a mixture of surprise and horror, as if she couldn’t quite believe what she’d done. Luckily, with two layers of fabric, the wound didn’t feel too deep.

  Wrapping my fist around the handle, I yanked it free and tossed it onto my plate as I stood, towering over her. She jerked backward, just out of reach, sliding off the bed as she did so. She tumbled to the floor and struggled to her feet before making a mad dash toward the door. But she wasn’t quite fast enough. I shot out with my arm and wrapped one hand around her throat, dragging her to me. She thrashed in my arms, and I pressed her against the wall, lifting her until her toes barely scraped the floor.

  She grabbed at my wrist with both hands in a futile effort to get free, but I held fast. I leaned in, so close that our noses almost touched. “Pull something like that again, and I will spank your ass so hard you won’t be able to sit for a week.”

  Heaving a deep breath, I set her down, keeping her pinned to the wall at her back. Anger and hatred ran rampant over her features, and I drank it in. The wound in my arm throbbed dully, and for almost a full minute we just stared at each other.

  “You refuse to give up.” I shook my head a little as I stared down at her. “You know what that makes you?”

  Victory flashed over her features for a brief moment. “A fighter.”

  “Stupid.” She flinched at my harsh tone as the single word doused her bravado. “The sooner you figure out that you belong to me, the better off we’ll both be.”

  Chapter Nine

  Eva

  Across the table, Fox studied me. “You’ve been quiet.”

  I offered a tight smile before dropping my gaze back to the plate in front of me. My attempt to ignore the conversation went unheeded, and Fox continued. “You don’t have to stay holed up in your room all the time, you know.”