Taken by Lies (Truth or Lies 1)

My eyes flitter, looking deep into his. He might decide one day to rape me, but that isn’t the purpose of him taking me. At least I don’t think it is.

“Or will you sell me when you get bored of me?”

His eyes dilate, and his nostrils flare at my words.

“You. Are. Mine. I won’t sell or share you with anyone.”

That warms my insides. I’d rather be with the monster I know than one I don’t.

“Besides, I wouldn’t get my money’s worth now that you’ve already been touched and broken.”

I shudder. He’s right, but I hate his words. Why isn’t that enough for me to hate him? Why do I still feel like there is more to the story I’m missing—like why me?

I stop eating and turn toward the large window behind me that overlooks the ocean, trying to process what’s happening. Enzo is callous yet considerate. Merciful yet punishing. I have no idea why he took me or what he intends to do with me.

“It scares you, doesn’t it?”

“What?” I ask.

“Being so close to the ocean.”

I nod. There is no point denying it. I’m in one of the most gorgeous, secluded places on a private beach, and I won’t go near the ocean for however long I’m here.

“What happened to you, Kai? What made you so afraid? Of the water above everything?”

I freeze.

“You were afraid of the car. Wounded by the sunlight. But both of those you were willing to face. With time you will stop fearing them. But the ocean you look at like it’s the enemy. You look at it with a hatred you don’t even give me.”

“Jarod, the man you sold me to, you had no contact with him after you sold me? He never told you what happened?”

Enzo looks at me wide-eyed. “No, I had no contact with the man who owned you.”

I nod. Then he won’t be getting the truth from me. He doesn’t deserve to know what happened to me. He doesn’t get to understand my fears. There is nothing that can fix me anyway. And I have a sinking suspicion that the only reason Enzo would try to heal me would be so he could ruin me again himself.

“Kai…” His hand reaches out and touches my wrist. I don’

t know why or what purpose, but everything else falls away but his touch.

It burns.

The heat overwhelms my body, and it feels like fire is flaming my skin. I stare down at the spot wide-eyed, expecting red blobs of fire to be flying from his fingertips to my wrist.

It’s too much.

His touch.

My body.

It’s too damn much.

I step backward, trying to get out of his grasp. Don’t touch me. Let me go, I plead in my brain, but I can’t form the words.

Everything goes dizzy.

Cloudy.

Then black.