I feel sick, I feel that I will lose consciousness in a moment. The darkness that surrounds me, all these sounds from outside that are storming echoing in my head, make me panic more and more.
I don't know what's going on, is this madman really going to hand me over to the man who has been waiting for me for eighteen years?
This is some kind of paranoia.
My heart starts beating harder with fear when the island boy opens the trunk and looks at me with a mocking smile on his face. At that moment he looks like a psychopath who is planning a cruel crime on his victim.
I am in great danger.
I tremble with fear as he grabs my arm and forcibly pulls me out of the trunk. I fall to the ground and look at him with frightened eyes, breathing harder and harder.
- Where did your brave attitude go, pretty girl? On the island you were a completely different person. Now you look like a helpless puppy.
- I can say the same about you. On the island you played the lover, now you are a thug. What is your true nature?
A groan escapes my lips as he crouches beside me and grabs my chin, looking into my eyes with a frantic gaze.
- Why, do you miss that island lover? Are you disappointed because I didn't fuck you that night?
His arrogant expression drives me crazy.
But it's true that every person meets at least one psychopath in his life, and his true nature comes out some time later.
- What kind of idiot was I that I became infatuated with you? It's disgusting that I kissed someone so slimy. - I spit out my saliva, feigning disgust, to which he bursts into laughter.
- Well... it seems to me that you still have a weakness for me. Don't girls love deadly handsome guys?
My cheeks are already sore from the pressure of his fingers.
- They love what the eyes see until they get to know the personality.
He lets go of my face and leans over my ear, tickling me with his breath.
- If it weren't for the contract with the boss, you would have already belonged to me that day on the island. You would have been my property.
I look at him with wide-open eyes, unable to believe that he is so bold.
- I am no one's property," I say in a cool tone. - Stop playing coy.
He pinches my cheek, then helps me up from the ground. Only now I look anxiously around, realizing that he has taken me somewhere in the field.
There is not a living soul here.
- Where are we?
- In a pretty romantic place.
The wind whistles in my ears, there is an alarming darkness all around. We are standing in the middle of a street that no one uses at this hour.
If he's not going to kill me, what does he plan to do with me in this place?
I watch him with frightened eyes as he comes closer and puts his arm around me.
- What are you doing?
And that annoying smile appears on his face again.
- What do you mean what? I'm leading the bride-to-be down the aisle.
My heart begins to beat harder with fear as cars come from the opposite direction, which in this darkness look like approaching demons.
- I think you mean the sacrificial altar.
Another girl would have fainted long ago in my place if she saw so many men dressed in suits, who are even killing with their eyes.
They look terrifying!
Fortunately, I'm still holding on. Well, maybe not quite.... since he's the one holding me, firmly embracing me with his arm.
My knees buckle under me as a handsome man, from whom it is not at all apparent that he is already in his forties, steps forward. His face is so stern that for a moment he reminds me of a more mature version of Christian Grey. Maybe he has something wrong with his head, too? After all, no normal guy waits eighteen years for a child he hasn't even seen with his eyes at the time...What if I had been born a boy or with a different orientation? Did he even take that into consideration?
- Miss Argon... it's an honor to finally be able to meet you as agreed.
I'd probably throw up now if he turned out to be the beleaguered type, but well... even though it turns my stomach, in my mind I have to accept that this old man is handsome, and what's funnier is that he doesn't look his age at all. I would have given him at least thirty.
If it weren't for that face and the gang of thugs behind him, I wouldn't have said in my life that he was a mafioso!
I guess I have a weakness for attractive guys, because why exactly do I think about his looks in this situation?
I should treat myself, I should have started already when I became infatuated with this island bandit. Henry was right when he said I had something wrong with my head.
In fact, I do.
- Are you planning to hand me over to that old man now? - I ask in a whisper.
- Today's date is in the contract," he replies in an amused voice. - But don't worry. I was also sold to this guy. You at least are worth millions, while I am worth as much as the cheapest bottle of vodka.
I shift my gaze to him, being surprised by his answer.
- Have you also been sold?
- I will only give you one piece of advice.... don't rebel, or they'll make a monster out of you like they did out of me.
He pushes me slightly, causing me to fall right into the arms of a much older man. I lift my face and, swallowing my saliva hard, look at him with frightened eyes.
- You don't have to be afraid of me, Solar. I've been waiting for you for eighteen years. I will not hurt you. - His voice sounds quite sympathetic.
Oh shit! Is this guy really a gangster?
- And isn't trying to kidnap me, not enough harm? - At this point I'm like a quivering puppy in the hands of a dangerous master.
- I don't intend to kidnap you, but to take you away since you are a repayment for debts.
I will never believe that. It's unrealistic for my parents to raise me for eighteen years to hand me over to a gangster in the future.
- This is a lie. My parents love me very much.
His laugh sounds fantastic.
- Do they love? They have loved money since they were young.
I break out of his embrace and look at him with offended eyes.
- And you? What do you love? Much younger girls?
He puts his hand to his face and hides his smile.
- They didn't care about you out of love, but were afraid that if something happened to you, the contract would be voided, and for them it would be the end.
I immediately think of my father's overprotectiveness. If he could, he would have kept me in a cage all my life. Is this why? He was afraid that if something happened to me, I wouldn't be his bargaining chip and thus he would be finished?
That can't be true... This guy is manipulating me!
- You are lying! No parent will allow this! Do you think you have an idiot in front of you who will believe this crap!!!?
I am shocked when he pulls my cell phone out of my pocket and presses it into my hand.
- So call your daddy. Find out who the liar is.
With a trembling hand, I dial my father's number. I put the phone to my ear, all the while looking the gangster in the eye.
I begin to feel uneasy when he does not answer any call from me. Neither he nor the mother I call next. Even though it's nighttime, they are always on the phone.
Is it possible that this bastard did something to my parents?
- If you hurt them, I swear....
I don't finish this sentence, afraid to shout in his face that I will kill him. After all, he can do it at the snap of a finger.
- I'll do it if you don't come with me in a while. I've had enough of your whining.
Another abnormal asshole.
I close my eyelids, then look over my shoulder and look at the island boy for a moment.
So he too had no choice but to join this man?
Either I think or I see compassion in his eyes. I don't know if it's possible but he is mellowing more and more and not acting like the thug who kidnapped me some time ago and threw me in the trunk of a car.
- I will go with you politely.... - I say quietly as I turn to face the forty-year-old. - But after my death, when we both meet in hell! - I add in a bolder voice, at which he raises an eyebrow, looking at me like an idiot.
I want to run away from there, I try to save myself, but the island bandit grabs my arm, making me run straight into his arms.
- What are you doing? Let me go! - I shout, beating him on the chest.
- Stop acting like a thirteen-year-old. You're only making your situation worse. My boss is furious.
I look at the mafioso with fearful eyes, noticing that he is starting to lose patience.
- The show is over. Luke, throw her in the back seat of my car," the mobster speaks, and I feel the blood drain from my face.
What?
The handsome man from the island grabs me by the shoulders and forcibly leads me to the luxury car, helping me get inside. I move away to a safe distance as the mafioso takes the seat next to me.
- I won't eat you," he says in a bored voice, and chills run through my body.
Okay, now it's starting to occur to me that this young-looking face hides an unimaginable amount of darkness.
Luke sits behind the wheel and corrects the rearview mirror. I lift my face and then for a moment our gazes meet.
He really has a sympathetic look when he looks at me!
Could it be that this boy has two personalities and right now he is the person I met on the island?
Tears run down my cheeks as, with a movement of his lips, he announces one sentence to me:
"I will protect you."
And how can I trust him when he turns into a psychopath in an instant?