Beauty in Deception

Mateo barges through the door just as I return to the bedroom.

He looks from me to Evie’s still form on the bed. “What are you doing?”

I clench my jaw, taking a second to tamp down my irritation. “Getting her cleaned up. Did you get their phones?”

“They’re already destroyed, including hers.” He tilts his head toward Evie. “We found a burner phone in the back of the car as well as a tracker under the floorboard.”

“Good.” We don’t want anyone to trace us. I’ll let Warren know who has his daughter in due time. “What about the two-way radios?”

“Same. Destroyed.”

I nod my approval.

Shifting his gaze back to the bed, he says, “She belongs in the basement with the rest of Warren’s goons.”

“She won’t serve us if she catches pneumonia.”

He opens his mouth, no doubt to argue, but I cup his nape and drag him closer. Pressing our foreheads together, I look him in the eyes. “She’s no good to us sick or dead.”

“She’s a Warren,” he grits out. “She’s our enemy. Have you forgotten?”

“I’ll never forget,” I say, my voice soft but earnest, the hatred running shallowly underneath. “You’ve got to keep the bigger picture in mind.”

“She’s a means to an end.”

“Yes. Now get downstairs and make sure Warren’s men are locked up in the cell.”

He gives a tight nod. With a last glance at Evie, he stalks from the room.

I walk to the bed and look at her. For a moment, I hesitate. I should wait until she’s conscious before stripping her naked, but she’s too cold and dirty. I have to disinfect her wounds. It’s better that she doesn’t wake up before I’m done. I don’t have local anesthetic, and stitching her up is going to hurt like a bitch.

Once my mind is made up, I grip the neck of the gown and tear it down the middle to her waist. The pink fabric has a shine to it, or rather, it had a shine before it got soiled with dirt. The dress was fit for a princess. She would’ve been a princess meeting her prince charming tonight if she’d made it to her destination. Instead, she’s stuck here with the monster.

I rip through the skirt and peel the edges away from her body. A pink bra pushes up her breasts and gives her a cleavage. A petticoat with layers of netting covers her legs. Like the dress, it’s torn on the side. The elastic makes it easier to pull it over her hips and down her thighs to free her feet. I take a moment to drink in the sight, to get to know her. I’ll need to know every inch and part of her for my plan to work. The dip of her stomach makes a hollow before it rises to the mound of her sex. Her skin is so pale the faint blue veins running underneath are visible. She’s undeniably stunning, a prize worth fighting for. My body reacts to her. My cock had hardened when I’d pinned her against the wall. Maybe it was the adrenaline of the battle or the high from the chase. Maybe it was the rush of knowing I have Warren’s most valuable possession in my hold. Whatever the reason, my cock stirs now, taking notice of the V between her legs and the triangle of womanly hair that’s visible through her sheer underwear.

Forcing my gaze away from her lace-covered sex, I focus on her face. Her lips are blue. I bet underneath the pale pink varnish, her nails are blue, too. I make quick work of stripping off her panties before turning her on her side and unclasping the bra. The cups fall away. Her breasts spill out, her nipples a light shade of apricot. The cups are padded, designed to make her curves look fuller. Her breasts aren’t small or big, just a normal size that fits her body. I have no preference in terms of size or shape, but I like the way she looks.

I don’t bother with the clip on her necklace. From the look of it, it’s fake. I rip it off and leave it on the nightstand. Her Rolex, which I remove next, is a replica, too. Warren is either stingy or over-cautious about theft. Too bad he didn’t put the same precaution into transporting his daughter. She’s not wearing any rings. I suppose she left her fingers naked to better show off the diamond Nathan would’ve slipped onto her left hand. The only jewelry I leave are her tiny silver stud earrings.

Still high on adrenaline, I strip naked in the dressing room, dump the blood-smeared clothes in the hamper, and leave a pair of clean jeans, a sweater, and a jacket on the chair in the bedroom before going to the bathroom. The tub is almost full. After turning off the water, I set towels on the bench and get soap from the shower. When everything is laid out on the side of the tub, I test the water to make sure it’s not too hot. Then I fetch Evie and carry her to the tub. I climb in cautiously, careful not to slip with her in my arms. Settling with my back against the side opposite the taps, I bend my knees and arrange her between my legs. Like this, I can support her weight on my chest and prevent her from slipping under the water.