Dark Lies (House of Sin 2)

A large wave crashes against the side, and it whips the boat up so far that I lose my foothold. I slip on the deck, and I’m thrown off as the water whisks me away. The cold water envelops my body and enters my lungs before I know what’s happening. But I refuse to let go without a fight.

I push to the surface, gasping for air. Coughing out loud, I take a few breaths and try to orient myself. The waves crashing into me pull me farther and farther away from the boat. Yet it’s still within my reach if I can just muster up that last bit of energy and use it for swimming back.

Adrenaline pumps through my veins as I force myself to swim toward it, throwing all my weight and strength into each stroke. Every breath I take feels harder as the cold water weighs down on me and makes my muscles contract.

Finally, I manage to grab the tiny ladder on the side of the boat and pull myself up using sheer determination. I grasp the railing and pull myself on board again.

I cough and heave as the water leaves my throat. My body slumps into a pile of cold mush on the deck while the boat swishes against the rugged waters, the wind mercilessly frigid and deadly.

And for a few seconds, I almost wish I had never decided to take this boat and flee. Then I would still be in the comfort of that luxurious house with a warm blanket tucked around me and as much food as I could eat.

I’m too scared to admit that I miss it, even if only a little.

Because I would still be very much alive there.

And right now—on this boat—I’m not so sure I’m going to survive.

But I’m alive for now, staring up at the night’s sky breaking open with rain as I lie here on this deck. And I will not go out until I’ve taken my very last fighting breath.

Because that’s who I am. A warrior. A survivor.

Eli

“How long is this going to take?” I bark at one of my guards as he casually stuffs his backpack with supplies.

He throws me a look, then continues packing as if there’s no rush.

“C’mon,” I growl. “The longer she’s out there, the more chance there is of her getting away.”

“I am well aware, sir,” the guard replies. “We’re going in for the pursuit.”

“What are you waiting for then?” I yell, pointing at the door. “She’s already out there on the water with nothing but a silly boat. I need her safe and sound.”

“Sir, please calm down,” he says.

The calm in his voice only lights the fire blazing inside my heart. “Calm down? I will not calm the fuck down while she is out there, all by herself, during a raging storm! She could die!”

“They know, all right?” Tobias interjects. “And they know what they’re doing.”

His warm hand rests unwelcome on my tense shoulder.

I jerk free from his grip. “Yes, I’m quite aware of my own employees’ qualifications, thank you.”

“You hired them specifically for this purpose,” he says, cocking his head. “So let them do it.”

“If they’d done their job, she wouldn’t have escaped in the first place,” I spit back, eyeing the guard from the sidelines while he puts his backpack on and tells everyone to round up.

“She escaped with a key, no?” Tobias raises his brow as he taps me on the chest. “That means you should have been more careful.”

I swat his finger away. “I don’t need you lecturing me. I know I misjudged her.”

“She did what anyone would do in her position. A caged animal will always try to get out.”

“She’s not an animal,” I say through gritted teeth. I’m tempted to throw a right hook at him, but when my hands clench to fists, all the guards in the hallway look at me like they’re waiting for me to act. Like everyone here is waiting for me to lose my mind. And I refuse to go there.

I shake my head at him. “Never mind.”

I march off before I start throwing punches. I’m that pissed off. Not just at Tobias and the guards but also at myself for believing I could trust her for one second.

How could I just leave that key in my pocket?

Why didn’t I bring it with me into the shower?

Was I that forgetful? Or did I make a conscious choice because I wanted to see what she’d do?

I don’t make mistakes, yet I did with her.

As I slam the door to my study shut, I grunt while pacing around, almost tearing my hair out. I wish I knew why I did what I did, but I have no idea. Maybe I was still lost in thought, lost in emotion, lost in … her.

Because when I lay there in bed with her, all I could think about was how badly I wanted to stay there and how much I enjoyed feeling her luscious curves spoon against mine. My cock was already hard and ready to take her again, and again, and again.