Page 77 of Sugar Coated Lies
“Oh my God.” Now my cheeks scorch like molten lava.
I basically shove Daire down the steps and out of the house.
Daire lets me or else he could have used his muscular body to stand his ground.
At his car door, he says, “I like her.”
I roll my eyes. “She’ll stop after a while.”
“It doesn’t bother me.”
“It bothers me.”
“I can tell.” He brushes my flaming cheeks, then slides his fingers under my chin and tilts my head up as he leans down and kisses my lips.
I melt like butter on a hot day and let out a soft moan.
Daire smiles against my lips. “Best sound ever.” He straightens. “I’m a phone call away.”
“I know. Thank you.”
He kisses me one last time, gets in his BMW, and drives away.
When I enter the house, Sadie is at the window.
“Were you watching?” I shouldn’t be shocked.
“You can tell a lot about how a guy interacts with a girl when he thinks no one is watching.”
“And?” I ask, curious.
“The man is in love.” She covers her heart with both hands and releases a deep breath, her expression dreamy. “The way he looks at you… it’s so romantic, protective, and a bit possessive. Like he wants to devour you and cherish you at the same time. I want one just like him.”
“So you approve?” This means everything to me.
“One hundred percent.”
“But he’s…rich.”
As if she knows where my heads at, she says, “Don’t. He is nothing like that douche you escaped. Hell, I didn’t even sniff that guy’s evil with my bloodhound senses. I think it was his friends. They aren’t bad guys and sort of camouflaged his true personality. I mean, they were all snobs, which is why I couldn’t make it work with the one I hooked up with. But what that asshole did to you was sick and twisted. I’m sure it stems from his wealth and ability to get whatever he wants. I love that he didn’t get you, but I hate what you had to do to get free. I don’t know if I could have played the part like you did, pretending to be into his game and be smart enough to lock him up so you could escape.”
“Smart? Hardly,” I scoff. “I was terrified. When he laid out the whip, collar, handcuffs, and mouth gag, and explained what he wanted to do to me, I could see in his eyes, he wasn’t giving me a choice. He said I’d like it and that I owed him for all the time and money he’d spent on me. Things I never asked for. Things I thought he was doing because he liked me.
It got worse when I tried to leave and he blocked my path, saying I was scared and needed to relax. I didn’t want to relax. I wanted to run, especially after he locked the bedroom door.
He claimed he didn’t want anyone to disturb us and stuffed the keycard into his wallet and then put his wallet into a dresser drawer while he joked about me being his prisoner. That’s when I knew I wasn’t going to talk my way out of this. I needed to escape, so I made him think I was into it.
Kissing him and not vomiting was the worst. Stripping him and letting him tear at my dress, ripping the zipper, was just as bad. I kept praying my plan would work. Once I tricked him into letting me handcuff him to the bed, I feared he’d somehow break free and catch me. It was my only chance, though, and I took it. I didn’t even yank up my dress that was down around my waist. I grabbed his wallet from the drawer and ran into the hallway of the suite to unlock the door. The contents spilled out of his wallet as I rummaged for the keycard. Once I found it, I ran as fast as I could, unsure if I could remember the way up to the main deck of the yacht to escape. I didn’t see a single crew member on the way and wasn’t sure if that was good or bad. Would they have helped me or returned me?”
Sadie touches my shoulder, drawing me from the horrible memory. “I didn’t mean to bring the details of that night back to the surface. You were a brave badass. And Daire is nothing like that asshole. I didn’t get that vibe from him at all. The man is smitten with a capital S.”
“Daire is a much better topic.” I can’t keep a smile from forming at the thought of him.
Sadie points to my face. “And that right there tells me you’re just as smitten with him. Everleigh.” She hugs me. “This is huge for you. You don’t let people in. Enjoy this. Let him love you the way you deserve. And…” She pulls away. “Find me his human doppelgänger with his same personality. Does he have a brother?”
“Actually, he does.”
She raises a finger. “Hold that thought. I’m going to get my suitcase and the goodies I brought, then you’re going to tell me all about your week with Daire and about his brother.”
