Third a Kiss (Goddess Isles #3) - Pepper Winters Page 0,53
T-shirt to profess his allegiance and jailbreak us out.
But that was before.
This is now.
My teeth rattled at how dangerous this was. What would Sully do if he found out? What would this guest suffer?
Arching my chin, I said in my snowiest voice, “I suggest you go home, sir. Return to your family. Remember your indulgence here and forget about us.”
“No!” Jewel grabbed his hand. “Please…take me with you now. Take all of us.”
For some reason, the guest kept his attention on me. As if he pitied me the most. As if he believed that Sully had his fingers inside me last night against my consent.
I could see it from his point of view. Of course, I could. I was even grateful for his attempt at rescue, but where I was concerned, he had it all wrong.
I didn’t want my freedom because I’d found it whenever Sully touched me. It might not make sense to anyone else but me and Sully, but I would not jeopardise that. For anyone. Even for my family and friends.
I would see them again. Eventually. Right now, I would be selfish and continue chasing this murky, romantic, sinful path.
“Leave me alone,” I hissed as the man tried to grab me again.
I backpedalled as he stalked me. What did he expect to happen? That he’d scoop me over his shoulder and cart me off the island without Sully stopping him? That he could win against a man who had the power of his genius and a bottomless bank balance behind him?
Jewel moved with us, frustration at being ignored glowing on her pretty cheeks. “I’ll go. Take me instead. If she doesn’t want to go, then that’s her fault.”
I nodded, holding up my palm as the man tried to catch me again. “See? Take her. She’ll be grateful for your help. I’m staying. I want to stay. Don’t you understand? I realise that sounds crazy to you, but I’m not going—”
He launched at me, snatching me into him. He hugged me as if expecting me to break down in the same fashion Jewel had. “It’s okay. I’ve got you. It’s okay. You don’t have to lie anymore.”
I snarled in his ear, “Let me go, you bastard!”
“Not until you admit to yourself that you’re being fucked left, right, and centre by fucking assholes, and you’re so brainwashed that you think you like it.”
“I’m not. You don’t know anything about—”
“You are! How do you know I didn’t fuck you the other night? That Euphoria abomination can turn anyone into anything. How do you know it wasn’t me? I think it was you I was with. We shared a moment, remember? I hugged and kissed you and told you I’d fallen in love with you, and you asked me to help you. You straddled me and said you’d be mine if I ever found you outside of that world.” He crushed me harder to him.
I bit his neck, doing my best to get free. “Let go of me!”
It didn’t stop him from stroking my hair, pressing my body flush with his. “Shush, it’s fine. I’ve got you. I’ve found you. I’ll protect you.”
“Stop!” I roared, my temper reaching its snapping point. “Get the fuck off me!”
He pulled back, his gaze finally showing pinpricks of surprise. “But, I—”
“You know nothing!” I shoved him away, relieved when he let me go.
“But Eleanor—”
“Don’t use my name.”
“Well, don’t be so stupid to think this place is normal. You’re a brainwashed, drugged, and raped victim. I’m offering you a chance at freedom. Are you so fucking broken to refuse it?”
I inhaled through my nose, clenching my fists until my nails dug into my palms. My skin was covered in sweat from fighting off this idiot. My heart raced a gazillion miles a minute.
I needed to find Sully. I needed to fling myself at his feet and tell him if he had cameras or microphones on this island, listening and watching our every move, it wasn’t me who’d told this man my name.
He’d done that.
Sully.
Sully hadn’t been careful while he’d kissed me, touched me, bowed to what I’d asked.
I didn’t want to leave. I fought to stay.
He has to know that. I need to find him.
Now!
“Come on.” He held up his hand. “Or are you too scared to trust—”
“Trust?” My spine braced as I lost control, allowing fury to rampage through my blood. “Trust? How about you trust what I say? I. Don’t. Want. To. Leave. You are mistaken.”