Stolen to Love (Stolen 3)

I start to run toward my office but make a sharp left knowing that’s where he’d go first. If he’s even looking. I have no idea what got into him. Not in a million years did I see that coming. I’m going to chalk it up to pent-up frustration he didn’t know how to handle. That’s what it has to be. X hates me and it’s better that way.

There’s no way I can go down this path with him because it will only lead to heartbreak. He thinks he has a dislike towards me now, but if he ever found out who I was he’d loathe me. Xander is a grumpy asshole on his own, but if someone messes with his family he turns into a bear. I swallow, wondering what it would be like to have someone care for me that much.

No matter how this plays out it will end in heartbreak. It’s better we don’t go down this path and I took off before he let it go further. Let’s say he doesn’t find out who I am because I have no plans to leave the island. What if this all goes badly and he wants me gone when it’s over? He could get his brother to find another doctor, but where would that leave me?

Before I realize where I’m headed I’m on the beach. The moon is sitting over the water and the light spreads across the beach. I close my eyes and suck in a deep breath as I try to get my breathing and emotions under control. I reach up and touch my mouth and I’m shocked as flashes of the kiss enter my mind. I never would have guessed X to taste sweet. He kissed me as though he wanted to own me. But even with all the possession and need he poured into the kiss I could tell he was holding something back. I have no idea what it might be, but it’s probably the fact that he doesn’t really like that he’s attracted to me. It’s driving him nuts and this must be what people call “hate fucking.” He probably wants to work me out of his system.

If Elise hadn’t shown up I might have let him take me to the floor on the pantry and have his way with me. The throb between my legs comes back and I can only imagine how good it could have been. I can’t spend my whole life a virgin, and who knows how long my life will be at this point? I’m not sure which would hurt worse, though, falling for X or never having a piece of him. He will break what’s left of my heart since my mom took a part of it with her when she left this earth. Now my asshole father has the rest of it in his hands. I’ve been left in a state of purgatory that I can never move on from.

I reach my hand up to wipe away the tears that always come when I think of my mom. I’m a world away from my father and he’s still controlling my life.

“You don’t want X,” I lie to myself, but it felt so much more believable before he kissed me. I’ve never felt anything as powerful in my life. I swear it was so deep it touched my soul. Things could be so different if I wasn’t his daughter. Then again, I might not be on this island if it wasn’t for him. I’m not sure if I would have taken Kade’s offer with more of a level head and without the threat of my father looming over me. Honestly I think X can tell something is off with me. He doesn’t know what it is but something is telling him I’m wrong. I think that inner voice is what’s making his attraction to me so upsetting.

I think of all the rude things he’s said to me as I head back towards my room. I can’t hide out on the beach forever. If he’s looking for me it won’t take him long to find me even out on the beach. When I think of all the times he was a jerk I smile at how much I enjoyed giving it back to him. Was this our weird way of flirting with one another and today was the breaking point?

I enter the back of the house trying to sneak in without being noticed. Elise looks up from the kitchen counter, giving me a knowing smile. “He’s not in the pantry.” I can tell she’s fighting a laugh.

“Sorry.” I start to move toward the pantry, knowing we left a mess in there. I don’t want her to clean up after me and I work here too. “I’ll clean it up.” I’m not sure what we knocked over but I recall quite a few spills.