Chapter 17

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

—Martin Luther King Jr.

Emily

What I should feel for Talon was all hate and disgust. Or so I'd thought. I wasn't foolish enough to think I could ever look past his darkness or the acts he'd performed from murder to abduction, but the man was confounding in every way. Usually, when I looked into his eyes, there was nothing there but a cold need to murder.

But when he looked into my eyes, it was as if a light switch had gone off. As if he was willing to give all of himself to make our damning situation work.

Of course I was as insane as he was if I truly believed he could be trusted or even consider he had any decency left in him. That simply wasn't possible. He'd committed too many murders, had likely kidnapped dozens of women for his brutal playtime. I was acting as if I knew anything about him other than the dangerous moniker he used and the fact he appreciated hearing me play.

But it was easy to see he was a very bad man.

He'd left me with instructions to finish getting ready and to meet him in the music room. I'd taken my time. Whether or not he would object I didn't care. After the savage sex we'd shared, I'd taken another quick shower to wash off his stench, but not before enjoying the way he feasted on me with his eyes. In return, I did the same.

His body was insanely gorgeous, but it was his cock that made my mouth water. I'd been shocked and angry with myself when my heart had fluttered from seeing the man in all his nakedness. I'd quickly gotten over that, forcing myself to follow the plan I'd put into motion.

Now at least he believed I was attracted to him, hungering for his sex.

While I hated to admit it, there was more than a little truth to it. He was impossible not to find attractive and rugged, even in his dangerous packaging. My skin continued to tingle, his scent covering every inch of my body even after I'd used a scrubby all over, rubbing until a huge portion felt as if it had been abrased.

I had to admit the clothes I'd found waiting for me in the closet and dresser had been incredible. And exactly like some of my attire waiting for me back home or items I'd admired in a fashion magazine.

The few pieces I'd tried on had fit perfectly. That meant he'd been inside my house more than once, touching my things, learning about me. That fueled another fire, one that was all about making certain he knew what he'd done was unacceptable. I didn't care how much he'd spent on me or that he'd provided me with a lavish piano and a beautiful room overlooking the ocean.

I refused to indulge in my passion for the brutal man, hating him even more than I did before because he'd managed to find a slight crack in my armor. It had started the night before when he'd acted like a human being instead of pure evil.

I stormed into the music room to find him dressed in more casual attire, including cream-colored trousers and a bright cobalt blue polo. It was ridiculous that seeing him dressed more casually stole my breath, my nipples aching as they had the entire time I'd been in the overheated shower. I shouldn't give a shit his collar-length hair was tousled, as if he'd forgone a comb, preferring the natural rugged look that had my mouth watering.

Dear God, the sight of his leather moccasin-style loafers instead of the thousand-dollar pair of polished Gucci wingbacks certainly shouldn't have me staring at him, gawking at him. I blamed the sunlight streaming in through the windows, and the fact he had a juice in his hand for my fall from grace.

Ha.

Somehow, even though the room was massive in size, much larger than my father's huge family room, I was able to gather a scent of his aftershave. Nutty and spicy, the hint of leather and cigars mixing with something exotic that I couldn't put my finger on. But I liked it far too much.

I hadn't made a sound, yet he knew I'd walked into the room, turning slowly to face me. His dark eyes were as piercing as they'd been the day before, his nostrils flaring as if gathering a hint of the strawberry shower gel I'd used the second time.

All my planning, my longing to falsely surrender to him failed. I stormed in his direction, planting my hands on my hips.

"You were in my house more than that one night. Weren't you? Admit it? You touched my things. You invaded my privacy. Hell, for all I know you took a souvenir with you. Maybe a dirty thong from the hamper in my bathroom? Did that made you feel more like a man?"

I could instantly tell he was angry by my outburst, his chiseled face now sculpted like granite. He pushed away from the window, his chest rising and falling, surprised that I'd gotten under his skin.

While I stood my ground, when he tossed the glass against the wall, shattering it into a hundred pieces, I was shocked as well as terrified. But the moment he wrapped his hand around my throat, pushing me against another wall, towering over me, all I could think about was being grateful he hadn't forced me to walk through broken glass.

His hold was strangling, the breath ripped from my lungs. But my defiance held, refusing to give him any sense of satisfaction. I was finished with playing the innocent girl. It was time I adopted more of a femme fatale.

"Be careful, little sparrow. I doubt you want to see the monster you claim me to be out in the open."

"Answer my question," I gritted out, now amusing him more than anything. I'd put on makeup and lip gloss, which now felt stupid, but I'd been surprised seeing the amazing variety, the bold colors that had been purchased for me. Whether he'd gone shopping or had ordered in the amazing things didn't matter. I'd been thrilled like some floozy.

Now I was mortified.

But the bastard was attracted to the gloss, rubbing his thumb around my mouth several times, every pass more brutal than the one before. When he shoved the thick digit past my lips, it was all I could do not to bite it off this time. I was that angry, frustrated by the yin and yang of how I felt about him and the wretched situation.

"There's the woman and her rebellion I've coveted."

Coveted? He was a very sick man, more so than I believed.

It had been a couple of days, or so I believed, maybe longer, yet his effect on me was increasing. The entire thing was ridiculous.

"Be very careful what and how you say things to me, Emily. You can ask questions, express concerns, and even dislike your surroundings but never, ever act as if you are owed something. You aren't. I own every inch of you. Your welfare and your life are in my hands. I don't know how to make it clearer that the time we spend together can be enraptured or you can be locked in a real cage for an extended period of time. That is entirely up to you."

He pumped his finger in several more times and I opted not to bite down as I'd wanted.

When the fire burned down in his angry gaze, he removed his finger, patting my cheek with his hand.

"Good girl. I think you're truly starting to understand and embrace the new situation. I will honor your question. Yes, I was inside your home when no one was there twice before the night you remember fondly. It is what I do. Learning the slightest details can be the difference between success and failure. And I assure you that I never lose in business or in pleasure."

"And what did you learn about me?"

He backed away by a couple of steps, his brows furrowing. "That you've been very lonely your entire life. You have friends, musicians you practice with but the heartache from losing your mother has never left, the questions about her death remaining unanswered and it's driven you musically and built a strong sense of hatred."

I wanted to scream he was wrong, but that would be a lie and somehow I sensed he could smell those out like the desire he consumed.

"My turn," I told him.

The amusement crossing his face continued to increase, the light in his eyes returning. "Why not? I do so love your gumption."

Gumption? Who used that word any longer? "You're a highly intelligent and very powerful man, but you have a damaged soul based on how you were brought up. If I had to guess, I'd say your father was brutal, a horrible man who took out his misgivings on his only child. Perhaps that drove your mother away, so you feel the same sense of abandonment that you claim I do. That's one reason you felt compelled to lie to me that someone wanted me dead. How am I doing?"

With every word said I sensed the beast awakening from his lair. There was something damning underneath the surface, a man close to snapping without any recourse but using violence to appease his rage.

The iciness returned for a few seconds and I sensed he was having some issues with controlling himself. Instead of acting insulted at my barbs or retaliating with another by depicting me as the naive girl, he took me by the elbow, leading me toward the grand piano.

"You are correct on many of your observations and I applaud your skills in reading me. However, I have two brothers, both of whom I do not necessarily get along with."

"Anything else?"

"That someone wants you dead. I assure you that I was offered a significant sum of money to put a bullet in that lovely large brain of yours." As if to reiterate the point, he pressed his index finger against my forehead, acting as if he had a weapon in his hand. "Pop. Pop."

The two little words were far more disturbing than I wanted to admit. Almost instantly, I was quivering, the lump I'd had in my throat returning. "Why?"

"Because you're worth a significant amount of money dead to someone who deems themselves an enemy of your father's. Fortunately for you, I realized just how valuable you are and will be. Now, play for me. Make it something light, perhaps even tropical. If you're a good girl, then I will show you around your new home. Afterwards, we'll have a picnic on the beach, enjoying the lovely weather. That should make you very happy."

Was this asshole kidding me? He was going to ply me with food and drink, thinking that I'd simply forget I was his prisoner? He truly underestimated me.

However, I did want to see the island so I sat down without wasting another minute, placing my fingers on the polished ivory keys.

He backed away, returning to the window, peering out as he placed his hand on the glass. The man almost seemed happy and content. I thought murderers only felt that way after slaughtering someone.

Taking a deep breath, I counted to five as I thought about what to play. So many of the pieces I'd memorized were dark and foreboding, because he was right about how I'd felt for far too long. As I began to play, the excessive tension I'd felt began to fade, slipping into the dark abyss that had taken captive of my mind long before.

I was lucky in that I could get lost in the music, the piece a sweeping rendition of the song used for the movie Pearl Harbor. It was still haunting, as was almost every other aspect of my life, but there was a defined passion to the chords I played, a tropical infusion from the Hawaiian Islands where the actual events had occurred.

I'd forgotten how much I adored the music, the vibrant overture taking a serious amount of adrenaline. It was a long piece, over ten minutes, but it did my aching soul tremendous good. My eyes were closed as I felt every note played, leaning into the beautifully written piece. When I was close to the crescendo, I was breathless, my heart racing as if playing piano was just as intimate as anything a man could do to me.

It was strange to be thinking that way when I had never done that before, but it was the truth. When I was finally finished, my hands were shaking, my fingers remaining on the keys. I had my head down, my eyes still closed but the crackle of electricity between my captor and myself was stronger than ever.

He took an exaggerated and deep breath, and I finally lifted my head, studying his reaction. The sunlight was just so but I could swear there were tears in his eyes. No, that wasn't possible.

"You didn't like it," I said, loathing the fact I wanted his words of encouragement. I needed his praise. What the hell had happened to me? And why did this bastard have such a tremendous effect on my entire personality?

"It was magnificent, a perfect selection."

"Then why the forlorn look?" I figured the more I learned about him, the more opportunities I would have of having him arrested.

Another strange look crossed his face and he glanced out the window. "Someone I cared about loved the movie. It was her favorite."

My God. A juicy snippet of information. He'd lost someone. "You received that scar trying to protect her. Didn't you?"

The slight breakthrough I'd just had was short lived. He didn't react other than to shut down all his emotions, walking closer. "We will be leaving in five minutes on our adventure. Grab a swimsuit. They are in your bottom right-hand drawer."

With that, he walked out of the room.

This time the cold chill coursing down my spine was even icier. I was replacing the woman he'd loved and lost.

I'd noticed a woman in a flurry of activity around the kitchen. He did have staff to help him with some menial chores, like putting together a real picnic basket. The two wicker handles and red gingham material peeking from the two flaps continued to capture my attention. I was more than shocked a man like Talon even knew what a picnic meant.

He'd led me outside into the bright sunshine, even handing me a brand-new pair of sunglasses. They were Saint Laurent, which cost several hundred dollars. As with everything else he'd purchased for me, they fit my face perfectly, the dark lens cutting almost all the glare.

After that, he'd allowed me to take my time walking into the courtyard, the circular aggregate driveway flanked by an absolutely gorgeous centerpiece. There was a massive fountain sculpted out of various materials, the trickling water pooling in an incredible lagoon-style base, the coloration just like that of the Caribbean Ocean. Tropical plants surrounded it, flowers in every color of the rainbow adding a creative flair to the artistry.

I stood in front of it for a few seconds, suddenly wishing I had a penny or two to toss into the well. Even stranger than the beauty of the design was that there were already coins in the water, the bright copper glistening in the shimmer of light.

As if reading my mind all over again, Talon pulled out a handful of change, shifting his arm in my direction. All I could do for a few seconds was stare at the contents in his hand, my heart skipping beats. When I slowly lifted my head, I was torn by the strangeness of the moment, the inability to see his eyes disturbing.

"Go on. You can wish for anything you want."

His deep baritone was softer, more reverent. It was just something else far too confusing about the man but I accepted the gesture, selecting three coins. He laughed when I did as if I was a little glutton.

"A girl can't hedge her bets on a single wish, you know. There is no magic genie on this island."

He continued chuckling. "Perhaps there is, little sparrow. You never know."

I almost laughed although there was nothing lighthearted about the moment. I brought one of the pennies to my lips, wishing that I could turn back the clock. When I flicked it toward the water, it tumbled in the air for what seemed like minutes, not a split second, the light splash allowing me to smile even though I wasn't certain why.

I repeated the gesture, the second time wishing and hoping my father gave a damn about me, enough to at least report to the proper authorities that I was missing. The last was that one day, I'd be able to gain my life back, spending it the way I wanted.

"You killed Tyler. Why?"

"Because he was touching you inappropriately. Because he'd raped two other girls and gotten away with both attacks."

The shock of hearing his frank words forced my mouth open. I lifted my head, frozen for a few seconds. "That can't be true."

"Are you so certain about that? His father is a very important man. He knows people. He uses people. His son was his only child."

My God. I'd always thought that about Tyler. Sadly, I'd never warned my friend. What did that make me? "So you became his judge and jury."

"I had no intention of doing so, Emily. If he hadn't touched you, the bastard would have lived."

"How did you know about him? We didn't know the boys were coming."

"Really? Your girlfriends invited them."

I'd never considered that thought. How had they known where we were? I felt betrayed, as sick inside as when he'd been murdered.

"Come on, Emily. Let's forget about the darkness you've experienced. The day is young." He beckoned with his arm, motioning for me to come with him. When I took a couple of awkward steps, he pressed his hand against the small of my back, keeping me walking toward a Jeep. The top was off, the tires meant for off road.

I stopped and stared, both amused and impressed.

"You don't like my choice of chariots, little sparrow?" He tossed the basket into the back, grabbing the beach bag I'd found and stuffed in the closet. I'd even found sunscreen in the bathroom closet as well as colorful beach towels. It was crazy but I'd grabbed two of them, shoving them into the bag along with one of six bathing suits. One piece, two pieces. He'd thought of everything.

If things were different, I'd feel like I was on vacation at a glorious establishment. But I continued to remind myself this was a prison, complete with barbed wire.

After I was inside, he closed the door, lifting his sunglasses and scanning the area surrounding the driveway. Who the hell was he looking for? With exuberance in his step, he crossed in front of the Jeep, jumping onto the driver's seat. He seemed happy, at least content, another change to his demeanor. My head was spinning from not being able to read his mood changes.

But I'd need to, or I'd lose sight of what I was doing.

"How long have you lived here?" I asked as he headed down the driveway.

"Almost seven years. It took almost two full years to have the house, greenhouse, and other buildings built. I also had to hire engineers for the electrical and water supplies, which are state of the art."

I turned in my seat, studying the beauty of the house as he drove further away. It was almost Mediterranean mixed with a beach house, the design comfortable yet artistic, something you'd find on the pages of the Florida Design magazine.

I couldn't deny that it was breathtaking.

"How many people live here?"

"About twenty, including those who tend to the grounds, my housekeeper, and my soldiers. And yes, Emily. They know who you are and will not lift a finger to help you escape. I hope that's something you understand."

"Yes. I was just asking questions."

"Which is perfectly fine. You simply need to understand the ground rules. You will be allowed out of your room and the house, although you will need to be escorted by one of my men when leaving the primary residence. I have a winery, a library full of books, a game room, and of course the conservatory. In addition, I have a media room stocked with various movies, and a satellite system allowing you to find anything you might be looking for. I also have locked rooms and vaults where I keep weapons, cash, and other precious items. You will not ever have access to those."

"Understood."

He threw me a look and I had a feeling he was going to be testing me soon. "I hope you do. There are locations on this island that are dangerous, and venomous creatures that will kill you without thinking. You are not to go outside of the protected area of the premise."

"How will I know where I can and can't go?"

His laugh was soft and far too captivating. "I'm going to show you. Hold on, my sweet sparrow. I wouldn't want you falling out. While I've developed several acres of the land, there are dozens more with rough and dangerous terrain."

I had no doubt he was trying to scare me into not running into the forest. "Where are we? Hawaii?"

"Excellent guess. Why would you believe that over the Caribbean?"

"Because of the avocados. If this isn't Hawaii, then I'd guess off the Mexican coast."

"My little adventurer. Perhaps you are correct."

"But you won't tell me," I chided.

"It's in your best interest not to know."

"So I won't be able to tell the people who rescue me where I'm located."

The charge of electricity was different, but all he did was tighten his grip on the steering wheel. "Tell me, Emily. When you are not playing music, what is your favorite thing to do for fun?"

"Fun? My father didn't believe in having fun. He lost that ability when my mother was taken from us. He was all work, instilling the necessity inside of me."

"What a pity."

"What do you enjoy doing?"

He seemed uncertain how to answer the question. "I used to love flying."

"Are you a pilot?"

"Absolutely. I obtained my pilot's license when I was fifteen, my helicopter license when I was eighteen. I find both come in very handy."

"And the guns you mentioned. Why?"

"Because I have many enemies, sweet Emily. If my location was discovered, there would be scores of them attempting to destroy everything I've built. That will never be allowed. But one day, one or more of them will attack and we must be ready."

"We?" I asked, almost tentatively.

"Yes, my sweet Emily. We. As I said to you before. You belong to me. Not just for a few days or a few weeks but for the rest of your life."

As a smile broke out across his face, the kind of change in a man's expression that shifted from classic indifference to someone who'd fallen madly in love, the icy claws of a hand reached out and grabbed me. This was the very moment when everything I'd ever known, everything I'd wanted to achieve died.

Along with the woman inside.

I only wondered what he thought I'd be reborn as.

Frankenstein.