Sinful princess sinful t.., p.8
Sinful Princess (Sinful Trilogy Book 2), page 8
Just like she said only minutes ago, we don’t really know each other.
We might have a good idea about each other’s bodies and how to make them sing. But we’ve barely scratched the surface of what makes us tick, who we really are under the bravado and confidence we both wear like armour.
“Am I in danger?” she asks timidly.
I don’t want to lie to her, but I also really don’t want to tell her the fucking truth.
“I don’t know the details of what’s happening outside of this cabin. I was on a long-haul flight, and now my friends are. Theo and Toby, they’re in contact with the boss and other players who are involved in this. We have to just do as we’re told and trust they can handle it.”
“You knew about… about all of this?” she asks, nibbling at the edge of her croissant.
“The trafficking ring, yeah. Had no idea you were involved until I saw your face on the screen.”
My stomach turns over as I think back to that moment, and when I turn to Evie, she looks equally as green.
“I was for sale on the internet?” She blanches.
“Not the normal internet, no. Your everyday person wouldn’t have stumbled across you.” She frowns. “The dark web, Vixen.”
“Oh.”
“It’s where all the—”
“I-I know what the dark web is. I’ve seen enough Netflix crime series.” Lifting her breakfast to her mouth once more, she takes a bigger bite. I don’t think she actually tastes it, which is a fucking travesty, because these fresh croissants are the bomb. “I just can’t believe that—” She swallows her words. “How did you find me?”
Her half-eaten croissant hits the plate again as she holds my eyes, begging me for the truth.
“We’ve been tasked to look into this trafficking ring. Well, not me specifically, but you know,” I ramble. “Anyway, Theo is a bit of a nerd and he was doing some digging and came across your listing. Brought it to show me and, well, here we are. He booked me on the first flight out of Vegas so I could get to you.”
Her eyes go all soft, as if I did anything worthy of such a look.
My lips part to continue when a thought slams into me.
Does she think I bought her?
My heart rate increases as I reach for her hand, my thumb brushing each knuckle.
Would it be such a bad thing if she believed that? It’s got to be better than knowing that some sick cunt out there paid for an eighteen-year-old virgin.
Bile sloshes in my stomach, threatening to rush up my throat just thinking about whoever he is having his hands on her.
“Thank you,” she says, breaking me from my turmoil. “For coming for me. For… yeah.”
Shit.
She does think…
“Anything, Vixen.”
“But…” She rips her eyes from mine, and my heart sinks, because I know what’s coming next. “Why did you leave me on Monday? If you’d go to all this, why go MIA on me?”
Lifting my free hand, I rub the back of my neck nervously.
Dipping my head, I look up at her through my lashes. “Because I was a fucking idiot. I’m… I’m not a good person, Evie. I’ve done things. I do things. Things that you don’t need anywhere near your life.”
“Seems like I might just have got myself right in the middle of it,” she says, lacing our fingers together.
“Yeah. And there I was, trying to protect you.”
“You still are.” She smiles shyly. “This place, it’s crazy,” she says, gesturing to the cabin with her free hand. “I’ve never been anywhere like it.”
“It’s pretty flash.”
“Everything in your life is pretty flash, Alex,” she says.
“Get used to it. You’re not going anywhere.”
“I’m just a Lovell kid. This isn’t what my life is like, it’s—”
“It is now.” Tightening my grip on her fingers, I pull her from her stool. Twisting her around, I drag her between my legs and wrap my arm around her waist. “Eat up,” I demand, lifting her croissant to her lips.
“These are really good.”
“I know.”
“So arrogant,” she mumbles around a mouthful.
“I know good pastry when I try it.”
We eat the entire tray of croissants between us. Okay, fine. She has one and a half and I have the other three and a half while I keep her pinned to my body.
“What do you want to do today?” I ask, trailing my lips up her shoulder.
“I didn’t think I was allowed to go anywhere,” she breathes, tilting her head to the side to allow me better access.
“I can think of more than a few things we can do without stepping foot out of this place, Vixen.”
“I’m sure I could be convinced to spend the day with you. You do seem to have a way of making a woman bend to your desires.”
“You’ve no idea,” I mutter, her words hitting a little too close to home.
As she shudders in my hold, her nails lightly digging into my forearm that’s around her middle, all I can hear is Theo’s warning to fix the fact that she’s a virgin.
I know it needs to happen. I can’t risk her still being one and keeping that high price on her head.
But also, I don’t want that to be the reason why we finally take that step together.
11
EVIE
Even though my skin is prickling with desire and my blood is almost at boiling point, I manage to lock down the suggestion that we head up to the bedroom and spend the rest of the day shutting the rest of the world out and drown in each other.
That would have been the easy option.
What I really need is more answers. And even more than that, I need my family.
“Can I talk to Blake?” I ask after a few seconds of silence.
Alex stills behind me, a move that has me on full alert.
He promised me that she and Zay are safe, and I believed him without a second thought. Was that naïve of me?
“Yeah, I’ll set it up. Why don’t you go and relax while I clean up this mess, then I’ll come and join you?”
Twisting around in his arms, I study his eyes, searching for a lie.
“I promised you that they’re safe, Evie. I wouldn’t lie about that.”
I nod, desperately wanting to believe him, but now the seed of doubt has been planted, I need to see it with my own two eyes.
“Video call so I can see Zay too?” I ask.
“Anything you want. Go and get this sexy body out in the sun,” he says, sliding his hands down to cup my bottom, dragging me tighter into him. “You know, there is no one else for miles,” he whispers, brushing his lips down the column of my neck. “You could lie out there naked and no one would ever know. Other than me, of course.”
“I think you might just like the idea of that a little too much,” I counter when I feel him growing hard against me again.
“I like the idea of you in any form I can get you.” He licks across my collarbone, and a needy whimper escapes my lips. “And don’t deny that you want to watch me in the sun naked too. I saw the way you were checking me out earlier.”
My cheeks heat. “Maybe I was, maybe I wasn’t.”
He chuckles, his ego refusing to believe it could be the latter.
“Now go, before I change my mind and carry you up to the bedroom for the rest of the day instead.”
My thighs clench, the need to continue this line of conversation tempting. But I need to see my family more than I need to lose myself in this dangerous man.
Ripping myself from his body, I saunter toward the open doors, ensuring I put a little extra sass into my steps.
His attention has my skin covered in goosebumps and my nipples trying to break free of my tank. And when I glance back over my shoulder, I find that he’s spun around on his stool and his dark eyes are locked on me.
Heat pools between my legs as I drop my eyes down his body, finding his boxers barely containing his desire.
My mouth runs dry, and I have to force myself to keep moving in the opposite direction.
It really should be illegal to be that tempting.
Think of Blake and Zay, horny bitch.
The moment I round the corner and leave his sight, I’m able to suck in the breath I so desperately need.
At the opposite end of the deck to the swing seat, I find a huge sunbed with cushions already sprawled across it. Seems that Alex already had our plans set for the day.
Crawling onto it, I roll on my back and stare up at the clear blue sky above me.
The sun warms my skin, and I can’t help the contented sigh that falls from my lips.
It’s the Alex effect.
Those silver eyes, his touch, the roughness of his voice… it’s hypnotising, and everything I need to leave my worries at the door. Or at least, most of them.
Closing my eyes, I give myself a few minutes to soak up our peaceful surroundings. I’ve dreamed about this kind of place so many times over the years that I have every intention of making the most of it.
His footsteps against the deck are my first clue that he’s about to join me, quickly followed by the dip of the mattress and then his warm breath rushing over my lips.
“You look hot out here in the sun,” he says before planting a kiss on my lips.
“Mmm, it is pretty warm.”
“Not the kind of hot I mean, but yeah. It’s lush. Here,” he says, forcing me to open my eyes.
His big body blocks the sun so I’m able to see what he’s holding out for me.
“Are they there?” I ask in a rush when I find a tablet with a FaceTime call set up and ready to go.”
“Yep, just hit ca—” His laughter cuts off his words, because I hit that little green button long before he’s told me to.
It only rings twice before it connects and an image of Blake and Zay appears.
“Evie, oh my God,” Blake cries, wrapping her arms around Zay in relief.
“Evie?” he says like he can’t believe I’m actually here.
“Hey, bud. How’s it going?” I say, focusing on him for now.
“It’s good. You should see the house we’re staying in. It’s like a hotel.” To anyone else, he might just look excited. But I know him well enough to recognise the confusion in his eyes.
I hate it. Hate that he’s forced to have his life turned upside down because of all this. Although, I’m not sad that he’s managed to get away from Dad. That man was toxic to a young, innocent mind like Zay’s.
“Is that right?”
“Yeah, it’s even got a gym. And my bedroom is the size of our entire flat.”
Ripping my eyes from the screen, I glance at a blank-faced Alex. I narrow my eyes in silent question.
What have you done?
He shakes his head, a coy smile playing on his lips.
“I’ve still got to go to school tomorrow though,” he pouts. “And Blake says that Josh can’t come to play here. He needs to see it though; he won’t believe it otherwise.”
Blake sighs in exasperation.
“Back to school?” I ask. “Is that—”
“Normal,” Blake cuts me off. “We might not be at home right now because of the gas leak,” My brows lift. Are we seriously pulling the gas leak story? “But life has to continue as normal, right? Just because you’ve been whisked away on a fancy holiday.” She might be smiling, but her eyes show her pain, her confusion, her concern.
“Is it amazing?" Zay asks me. Although we’ve never made him any promises, he’s always talking about going on a holiday. One day, I hope to give him the best holiday to make up for all the shit he’s had to endure.
“It is. We’re in the middle of nowhere,” I say, grateful that I don’t know anything about our location so I don’t have to lie.
He screws his nose up in disgust.
“You mean, there’s nothing to do?”
“Exactly. It’s relaxing.”
He grunts in disapproval. “Is there somewhere to skate?”
“Sorry, bud. Just trees.”
“Not the kind of holiday I had in mind,” he mutters.
“Zay, there are those milkshakes you love in the fridge. Did you want to go and pour us one each? And make them dirty.”
“Dirty?” Alex asks in shock, his voice quiet enough that Zay won’t hear him.
“Make those scoops of ice cream extra big,” I tell Zay while answering Alex’s question.
“I will. Love you, Evie,” he calls as he scrambles from the chair.
My heart clenches. It won’t be long now until he’s too old to say things like that to his big sisters, so I need to make the most of it.
“Love you too, little man,” I say.
Once the door slams behind him, Blake leans closer to the screen, a deep frown forming on her brow.
“Are you okay?” she asks in a rush. “Fuck, Evie.” A sob bubbles from her throat, her eyes filling with tears. “I’ve been so worried about you.”
“You knew I had her safe,” Alex says before I get a word out.
Moving from behind the camera, he comes to sit next to me.
“Well, excuse me for not wanting to believe you,” Blakely snaps. “The last time you saw her, you left her crying outside our building.”
Alex tenses beside me.
“Blake,” I snap, not really wanting him to know that little embarrassing nugget about me.
“Sorry. Fuck, Eve. Is it really true?”
“Depends on what you’ve been told.” I risk a glance at Alex, unsure what line they spun my sister.
“That Dad put you up for sale?” Okay, so the truth then.
“Yeah, so I’ve been told.”
“Jesus. I knew he was a twisted fuck, but that’s… I don’t even know.”
“Be glad you whored yourself out all those years ago, I think it saved you,” I blurt. She didn’t know that tidbit from how her eyes shoot up.
“Jesus,” she mutters, dropping her head into her hands. “Is this actually real?”
“Sadly,” Alex grumbles.
“Where are you?”
My lips part, but he beats me to it again. “Safe. You don’t need to worry about her. Just look after you and Zay.”
“Who made you the boss?” Blake snaps.
I shake my head. Trust her to backchat the mafia. I bet she’d be no different if their boss was sitting in front of her.
“The one who saved your sister’s arse, that’s who.”
“What are you suggesting exactly?” Blake hisses, anger descending.
“Nothing. Just reassuring you that she’s safe.”
“Good. And just know, if you fuck this up, you’ll have me to deal with. And I promise you, I’ll make every enemy you’ve ever faced look like a pussy cat.”
I expect Alex to burst out laughing, but fair play to him, because he manages to keep a straight face as she glares at him through the screen.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he says as if he’s taken the warning seriously. “And while we’re at it. Make sure you behave yourself.”
“I’ve got it covered. Don’t you worry about me.”
“It’s not you I’m worried about,” Alex mutters quietly.
“Anyway,” Blake says, turning her attention back to me. “You’re really okay?”
“Yeah,” I confirm as Alex takes my hand and lifts it to his lips, kissing my knuckles.
Blake rolls her eyes at his over-the-top show.
“For a while, I didn’t think I was going to be, but then this one turned up and, well…”
“I can imagine. When are you coming back?”
“When we know it’s safe. For all of you,” Alex says.
“Are you sure that Zay should be going to school if we’re in danger?” I ask, terrified for him.
“We have everything in place to ensure his safety.”
Reading between the lines of that statement, I blurt, “You can’t send him into Lovell Academy with a freaking security guard.”
“We can and we will. We’re not risking anything right now. If you hear anything from Derek, or any man you think might be involved in this, you tell us, you got it?”
Lifting her fingers to her brow, she salutes him, making me snort. “Yes, sir. And enough about me being good; can you please ensure that my little sister doesn’t return pregnant?”
“Blakely,” I shriek.
“What? I’m not blind, Evie. Is he even wearing any clothes right now?” she asks, leaning forward and peering down as if it’ll allow her a better view.
“He is,” Alex confirms, snatching the tablet from my hands and letting my sister see him. All of him.
“Hot damn. You did good, Sis.”
“Okay, can we please get back to the seriousness of the situation?”
“I think the most serious issue is sitting right next to you.”
“Whore,” I hiss.
“If I knew withholding would get me in your position right now, I might have considered it.”
“Blakely,” I sigh.
“What? This whole situation is stressful as fuck. What’s wrong with focusing on something a little more… pleasurable.”
“As long as you’re not doing that where you are,” Alex warns, making my eyes narrow at him.
Where exactly is my sister right now?
“Jeez, you worry too much. We’re good here. Safe, looked after. Even if I do have to clean a fucking mansion.”
“Here you go,” a familiar voice says before a milkshake appears in front of the camera with more ice cream than I’d have thought possible on the top if I couldn’t see it with my own eyes.
“Oh, wow,” Blakely says, watching as the milkshake runs down the side of the glass, pooling on the table the tablet is sitting on. “Looks like I’ve got more to clean.”
“Oh, stop complaining. Shit could be worse right now,” Alex mutters.
I look between the two of them, wondering how they’ve managed to form some weird sibling relationship already.
“Language,” Zay chastises. “You’ll need to put a pound in the swear jar.”
