Nathan stepped out of the study and the look I gave him was obvious. Fear
"What, beautiful?"
"There's a portrait of a black rose in your study." I glanced at it, then at him. "What does it mean?"
"It's just a painting, Faye. Might as well fill the space with something, right?" he said, raising a brow at me.
I fell silent, not wanting to talk about it any further. He had said it was a portrait, purely for aesthetics, and I would believe him.
We went up the stairs and he led me to another room, a different one from what I'd been lying in earlier.
"Here. I prepared another room for you. I had you in the other one because you were unconscious and I wanted to monitor you. But this room is decorated with lighter colours. Softer tones for you, I guess."
So that had been his room. I wondered how to tell him I wanted to sleep in his room with him. I liked the darker shades. And I wanted to lie on the bed with his fragrance on it.
"I'll be back at intervals to check on you. But you should get some rest. Good night, Faye," he said as he leaned down and dropped a chaste kiss on the sides of my lips.
My breath whooshed out of me as I felt his lips brush against mine. It was a brief kiss, but I had felt it down to my toes.
Nathan turned and pulled the opposite door open, slipping into his darkroom and shutting me out.
I exhaled deeply, sad that I wouldn't be sleeping on his huge bed with him. I walked into my room, which, true to his words, was beautiful with friendlier colours. It had an open view of the night outside, as there was a fixed glass wall to the left. The bed was at the other end. It wasn't as big as Nathan's, but it was huge—and soft, I thought after I had plopped down on it.
I found a soft satin nightdress laid out on the bed with a pair of frilly panties. I felt hot at the idea that Nathan had picked these intimate pieces of clothing out for me.
But he hadn't left me even once, I thought. That meant someone else had been around, running the errands. I picked the panties and night dress up. It was really short, and I decided there was no reason I couldn't sleep with Nathan in his bed.
After all, he was keen on granting my wishes.
I had a bath in the adjoining bathroom and dressed in the pieces of clothing provided. I left my room and crossed over the huge hallway to his door. Not knocking, I tried the handle, finding it open. I slipped in and shut the door softly behind me. I couldn't tell where my bravery stemmed from, but I was acting on impulse and I never wanted it to end.
I stood there for a bit, observing Nathan in the huge bed. He was lying on his back with an arm thrown over his face. The lights were out, but moonlight filtered in from the open glass wall. I slithered to the edge of the bed. Now that I had gotten to the object of my desires, I didn't know how to proceed. I stood frozen like a deer caught in headlights. He looked approachable, almost warm in the comforts of the huge bed. There was a blanket over him.
I jumped out of my skin at the sound of his voice. "Aren't you going to join me?"
So he'd been awake the entire time I stood here. Nathan dropped his arm from his face and regarded me with lazy eyes. My breath hitched in my throat and my feet only found motion when his hand reached out and guided me over.
I crawled into the bed, going a little way up till I was beside him. He flipped the blanket over us and brought his arms around me, cradling me against his chest. I felt my second shock of the night. He was naked, only clad in boxer briefs—and fully aroused. I could feel his hard length on my backside as we spooned. I wriggled, trying to get closer to him or away from him. I didn't know which, but I was afraid and excited about what I felt against my backside.
He groaned softly. "Sleep, Faye. Or I might very well do something I've wanted to do ever since I undressed you."
I wondered if that was meant to reassure or further frighten me. I decided I wanted him to do it. That was why I had come here, anyway. To trap him, so I wouldn’t have to ever go back.
"But what if I want you to touch me, Nathan?" I whispered.
"You're hurt Faye. You need to rest." He turned me to face him, staring down at me with his brown eyes.
Nathan shocked me again by dropping his head to mine and kissing me. My heart soared.
He leaned over me, cupped my face in his palm as his mouth leisurely explored mine. His lips were warm and firm and it felt so good. He tormented me with soft, lingering kisses, caressing my cheek with his thumb.
I made a noise, something between a moan and a whimper as he deepened the kiss. His tongue slid against mine, ratcheting my desire. The hot, moist kiss triggered a rush of dampness between my thighs. I wanted to throw a leg across his hips and grind against him. I slid my arms around his shoulders and arched against him. I wanted out of my nightdress so I could feel his naked skin against mine.
He grunted softly, and before I knew what he intended, he rolled onto his back, pulling me with him until I lay sprawled across his chest.
Nathan breathed. "Sleep, Faye."
I waited for my heart to calm its erratic beating as my breath came in soft pants. It was only a matter of time until he gave in and I would get what I wanted. I was never going back to that hellhole.
•••
I woke up past noon the following day. I really had needed the rest like Nathan had told me. Walking around the house, I couldn't find Nathan anywhere. Instead, I found a note telling me he'd gone out to handle a few things. I guessed he worked like most people did. I wondered how old Nathan was. He'd looked to be in his late twenties.
I took my bath, putting on one of Nathan's oversized tee shirts, which draped past my knees. I went downstairs and had breakfast. There were enough made meals in the fridge to last a whole week. All I had to do was pop a dish in the microwave. I couldn't believe my luck, where I was and how good I'd gotten it. If he really meant it, I could live here forever. I wouldn't ever leave. I didn't want to leave.
Just then, the doorbell rang, startling me out of my daydream. Nathan wouldn't ring the bell to his own house, I thought. Who could it be?
I hurried out to the huge front door, wondering how I'd explain my presence to whoever was on the opposite side of the door. What if they thought I was breaking and entering? I had no contact information for Nathan, either.
I pulled open the door, scared of what I would find. The shock on my face was inevitable. I was staring at a lean, chic-looking female. It seemed like she had stepped out of one of those magazine catalogues I always saw at the mall. She was fit for a front page cover, though. Certainly better than I ever would be. This woman was gorgeous. She was everything I wasn't.
She also looked naturally beautiful, but I knew she was wearing makeup. I didn't know his type, but she appeared like the type of girl a guy like Nathan would date.
I stared at her, suddenly worried that the queen of the manor was back and now I'd be thrown out back into the streets. I backed up into the house on instinct as she entered, scanning the living room and asking for Nathan.
She was looking down at me with condescending eyes. I obviously wasn't at her level. Maybe like a stick of dirt on her favourite LV shoes.
"He's not here." I responded.
She sank into the nearest armchair and cried. I stared in horror at her, completely baffled. What was happening? Did I miss something?
"If he's not here, then you need to save yourself," she said suddenly, looking me dead in the eye. "Run. Run before he ruins you, too."
Ruin me? What was she talking about? Nathan had saved me, not the other way around.
"What do you mean by that?" I asked, finally finding my voice. "If he's dangerous, then why are you here?"
The crazy girl had just been asking for him a minute ago. Would you find the devil in his own home if he was as bad as you claimed he was?
Instantly, the girl's face switched from the sadness I had seen to rage. I wondered if I should run from her. Who knows? Maybe I had let a psycho into the house.
"I'm here because he's addictive. You can't get rid of him as easily as he would get rid of you."
"You know what I think?" I crossed my arms. "I let a psycho, who's clearly got daddy issues, into this house."
"Nathan is not who you think he is!" She stood up and walked towards me. "And you won't realise that until it's too late, and you're sucked into his hell."
"I don't believe you."
She smiled faintly, heading for the door and only stopping for a moment before turning the handle.
"He's using you, Faye Eastwood. Open your eyes."
I shut the door after the gorgeous lady had gone, sliding to the cold floor as I trembled softly. How had she known my name? I wondered as I sat there, worry creeping up on me. She'd called my name. In full at that. She'd known I was an Eastwood. No one here should know. I'd only told Nathan my first name, Faye. I chewed at my nails as I wildly scavenged through my thoughts, checking to see if I'd said anything about my father. Maybe, I reasoned, I might have mentioned to Nathan about my family when I was still in pain. Said something. He'd have asked me if there was someone close to me, a relative he could contact to come get me. He would have, right? I raised my head as I nodded to myself. Of course. That's the only way he could have known my father's name, too. Maybe he has even checked them out.Only he already promised me I wouldn't have to go back, so that's why I'm still here. But the lady, I thought again. Remembering how she'd said my name in warning brought out the goosebu
I woke up on the cold, bare floor. I opened my eyes and saw that I was still in the dark room. I had been in here long enough that I didn't know the time. If it was still nighttime or morning already. The closet walls were all lined with shelves and huge storage spaces. There was no window in sight. The air conditioning is extremely high. The entire room was far too cold. How long was I asleep for? My head hurt like hell. I could feel my body throbbing. I'd cried for a while until I saw that he really wasn't coming back. I'm well used to sleeping on the cold floor down in the basement back at home. It isn't something I hope to continue with Nathan. I sigh wearily. Everything felt hot and sweaty, it was painful to breathe. I held my face in my hands and closed my eyes tight. There was no way this was happening. I really shouldn't have brought up the girl. I slowly got up from the cool floor and walked towards the doors. Rubbing my arms and trying to get some sort of feeling back in
NATHAN I stared hard at Carol. Wondering what I'd do with her. We were in the pack meeting room. And she was standing a few feet in front of me, a stubborn pout on her face as she sulked in the middle of the large study. I leaned forward in the huge chair I was sitting in, just in front of the fireplace. I dropped my forearms on my thighs, stapling my fingers together as I observed her grimly. She'd gone and done it again. "Carol." My voice is barely above a whisper. Nothing. No movement or reply. Just the sound of her laboured breathing. She didn't even twitch. It was like she had turned into stone. "Look at me when I talk to you." Her head snapped up to look at me. For the first time since she arrived in the room. "Now explain yourself." I ordered, sending her a hard look. She straightened out her shoulders and huffed with an incredulous tone, like she couldn't believe I was doing this. "I only went to see what the girl looked like, Nate. Nothing else." I leaned back in
FAYE I moved forward slowly, staring at the TV. The girl was standing behind me, but I no longer felt her as I struggled to breathe.“He’s looking for me.” It’s all I muttered as I stared at the paused screen of the news report.“Who?” the girl questioned from a million miles away as I stumbled and walked in uneven steps across the room, closer to the TV.I reached out my hand as I neared the image that can’t be true, but is. My fingers trembled when I slowly pressed them onto the screen. My breaths fractured and filled the room.If my father was looking for me so publicly, would Nathan still want me with him? And if they found me with him, wouldn't they make me go with my dad, since he was my biological parent?I shook my head. I didn't want to go with him. I didn't want to go back. And I was eighteen already. That meant I could make my own decisions free of parental control or permission. A rush of panic seized me again as I realized I was considering the matter too simply. My
FAYE"The look on your face as you say that. You believe I'd give you back?" Nathan looks at me quizzically, jaw locked and expression cool. I lowered my eyes, not knowing what to say in answer to his question.He strolled towards me in long-legged strides. He bent to pull me up, standing with his arms around me. I gulped as I breathed in his spicy masculine scent, already feeling tongue-tied. He pulled me with him upstairs, bringing us to a standstill in front of one of the full-length mirrors in the closet. He pulled a box out of his slacks and I watched in stunned silence as he pulled out a diamond necklace and held it to my neck. Flipping my hair tenderly to the front as he pulled the necklace round my neck and clasped it. I let out a shaky breath as I fingered the exquisite necklace. It was a solitaire diamond necklace. I only knew what it was because I'd seen it when my step mom had requested it from my dad."It's beautiful." I whispered, turning around to look at him. He w
NATHANI opened my eyes slowly, my eyes immediately getting used to the shadows of the room. Glancing over at the window, I could tell it was almost dawn. Time to get a move on if I would make it back to Manhattan early enough for the pack meeting. I could hear Faye's soft breathing beside me. Heard her heart thudding softly. I couldn't sense her wolf or smell anything that said she was one. Weird. I knew she was latent, but this was truly horrible. I had to wake her wolf.I went to get out of bed, glancing over at her bare skin. The sight of tiny stripes of whip marks on her pale skin made me growl in furious anger. He'd almost ruined all of her skin. I refused to think of what the marks on her skin reminded me of. I got up, my hard on reminding me of the night before. Faye was truly mine now. In every sense. I'd had to be softer than I knew myself to be capable of. That had surprised me. And I hadn't taken my pleasure. Also, something I'd never have done.I walked into the ensuit
FAYE We're back at the glasshouse the next day and I can tell that something is different with Nathan. He seemed less attentive and his face had lost all warmth. He didn't give me any soft smirks, nor did we talk much on our drive back to the house. Something happened while he was out the other day, I could tell. I wanted his attention and his touch badly. I needed some sort of assurance. After I'd seen that picture frame, my whole mind was in turmoil. Nathan didn't wear any ring on his hand, and maybe that meant he wasn't married anymore. Despite that, I realized how little I know about him. The pain I'd felt when I'd seen that picture frame. My chest hurts just remembering it. I love him, and yet I don't know him. In fact, if I thought hard about it, I only knew his name and now, I knew he was married before. I sat up on the bed as Nathan emerged from the bathroom. "There's an award ceremony tomorrow night. It's supposed to be an honorary event." I nodded, listening to wha
FAYE The portrait of the black rose hanging in Nathan's study was not nothing. It was definitely not for mere aesthetics. The black rose was the black saints symbol. I tried to shake off everything, but my head was pounding and I still couldn't breathe properly. The air in here was stifling. I stood up on watery legs, turning to go get some fresh air outside. I heard Lannon ask something, but I ignored his questions as I walked shakily out of the large hall. Immediately I stepped outside, I took In a burst of fresh air, my throats clearing up as I swallowed. I immediately felt better, out in the open area. The number of reporters had reduced. They were probably inside now, making sure they didn't miss any juicy moment. I walked towards the parking lot, wanting the privacy the cars would give by shielding my form. I stood in between a couple of them, not daring to lean against one, before it would start to horn loudly in warning. I breathed in deeply for a few more minute