Pretty Hostage Read online Julia Sykes

Categories Genre: Dark, Romance Tags Authors: Julia Sykes Advertisement1

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Sofia didn’t fear me. After I’d abducted her this afternoon, she had every reason to be terrified of me. She was either incredibly naïve, or she understood my protective instincts when it came to her. Probably the former, considering her father had shielded her from most of the ugly truths about our criminal activities.

But I preferred to think that she trusted me implicitly. I’d find out soon enough when she woke up in my home.

I freed her from the ropes that bound her to the chair, unable to stop myself from tracing the pretty indentations the braided pattern had left in her skin. I wished I could see the marks on other parts of her body: around her breasts, between her legs.

I took a breath and struggled to suppress my lust. I wouldn’t be binding Sofia again. Not for a while, at least. Not until she submitted to it willingly. This had been purely for show to intimidate her father into cooperating.

Maybe keeping Sofia would be more of a hardship than I’d like to think. Having her in my home, watching her at all times without handling her as I wished, was going to be torture. I wasn’t certain if I’d be able to survive the constant arousal that she incited within me, especially now that our relationship had taken a darker turn.

Keep her. She’s yours now. Adrián’s words played through my mind. He’d issued an order, but he’d also given me a gift.

Mine.

I’d tried to save her from myself, unwilling to taint her purity with my bloody hands. With a few words, Adrián had given me permission to take what I’d longed for.

I wrapped my arms around her, scooping her up and holding her against my chest. I was cautious not to grip her too hard, cradling my precious possession with aching care.

I barely watched where I was walking as I carried her out of the house and to my waiting car; I couldn’t take my eyes off her angelic face. She appeared relaxed and peaceful in my arms. The hunger I’d always felt for her sharpened, becoming so keen it was almost painful.

Yes, I craved more of this: more of her beauty and light in my ugly, dark world.

I shifted my hold on her, so I could open the passenger door on my bright yellow Ferrari. Usually, I paid more reverence to my flashy vehicles, my hands lingering over the elegant lines of my expensive possessions. Working for Adrián meant I was able to afford all the fast toys I could possibly want, and I wasn’t ashamed of my ostentatious choices. I treated my cars with care, but the Ferrari was far less treasurable than the woman in my arms.

I arranged her body on the black leather seat and buckled her in. When I was certain she was secure, I paused to stare down at her.

Her tight curls were in disarray. They’d always appeared to have a life of their own, falling around her face in voluminous waves. Now, they’d been broken by my fingers and were far more unruly than I’d ever seen them. I decided that I liked the wildness of it. Sofia was always perfectly polished and poised, but this was her more natural state. I felt like a voyeur seeing her like this, which only added another layer to her sexual appeal.

I traced her lush lips with my thumb, imagining them swollen from my kiss and her hair mussed after sex.

That erotic image was enough to make me clench my hand into a fist and withdraw from her on a frustrated growl. I couldn’t use her like that anytime soon. Coaxing out her willing, eager submission would take patience.

I wasn’t a patient man, but I would try. For her, I’d temper my impulse for instant gratification. She might be mine, but I still wanted her to choose to give herself to me. Anything else would be twisted and hollow.

On a deeper level, I knew that violating her while I held her as my captive would blacken what was left of my soul. I might be a monster, but I’d never forgive myself if I were the one to snuff out Sofia’s innocence.

I intended to keep her for myself, just as she was now: vibrant and giving, quick to share her smile.

I would settle for nothing less. From now on, no one would be more determined to protect sweet Sofia than me.

I got into the driver’s seat and started my Ferrari, the car’s snarl echoing my own savage feelings. I took a breath and inhaled her intoxicating, rosy scent. My dick stiffened, and I ground my teeth.

Controlling my impulses when it came to Sofia was going to take every ounce of strength that I possessed.

Chapter 2

Sofia

I let out a grumpy groan and rolled onto my side, tugging the sheets over my head to wrap myself in a little cocoon. My mouth was dry, but lethargy sapped my muscles. I would drag my ass out of bed and get a glass of water in a little while. For now, I wanted to go back to sleep until the effects of last night’s party wore off.


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