Page 44 of Obsession

There was that word again, his lips twitching in recognition. She’d shown such disgust at the idea of calling him ‘sir’ at first, yet now, it fell so easily from her luscious lips. He couldn’t be prouder of how well she’d succumbed, although after repeated escape attempts, he still couldn’t trust her.

“I mean, there’s something out here I want to show you.” Hadn’t he been clear the first time? “It’s okay.” His initially terse tone softened. “It’s nothing to worry about.” Though whether her green eyes conveyed concern was impossible for him to say. Emotion danced in her mesmerizing gaze, though. Of that, he had no doubt.

What are you thinking, little girl? Staring at her, he wondered if she could read the query in his own eyes.

Hadn’t she just concurred with his sentiment that there was more going on between them than only the push and pull of captor and captive?

Is that what she’s thinking about?

His feet stilled at the idea that he was her captor. He’d agreed to take her as a surety from her lying, piece-of-shit father. He’d been happy to strip her of her liberty and clothing—he was far from a good man—but still, he hadn’t identified himself that way. He saw himself as more of a babysitter than a kidnapper, even though he secretly knew the appraisal was generous. Tucker had taken her, all right. He hadn’t given her a choice.

He was her captor.

“Usually, when we come out here, it spells trouble, sir.” Her voice was laced with wariness as she gripped his bicep.

“I know.” His gaze drilled into hers. “But not this time, little girl. This time, I’m hoping for a better outcome.”

Despite his mistrust, he believed something better was a possibility for them if they could both just lean into a little faith. He had to hold on to the belief that she could behave, and he, for his part, had to stop trying to cage her. They could both prosper if they tried.

Striding across the decking, he rounded the cabin and carried her to the wall his bed backed onto. He lowered to one knee, resting her against his thigh as he gestured to the nearby bushes.

“There.” His gaze fell over the perfect purple wildflowers that grew there, and his heart swelled at the sight of them. “These are what I want to share.”

Kneeling there, he couldn’t recall why bringing her to this spot had seemed so important. Of all the things he could have chosen to do with his little girl, the idea of sharing his mother’s favorite flowers shouldn’t have even made the list. It would have been good for them to have talked, or he might have chosen a domestic chore for her. The cabin still needed sweeping, and the thought of putting her to work naked was tantalizing, but in the end, he hadn’t had the heart. He’d seen how far his bondage had pushed her, and he couldn’t keep being that man if he wanted to keep her.

Keep her.

His body straightened at the idea. She wasn’t his to keep, but then, she hadn’t been his in the first place. One thing was for sure, though. Little Ella couldn’t take much more without a reprieve, and much though he enjoyed tormenting her, he had no wish to break her.

So, there they were—out in the open—with her gaze scanning the bushes in the diminishing light.

“Sir?” She clung to him with one hand while the other gripped his mother’s blanket. He was surprised how keen she was to be close to him after everything he’d put her through. Surprised but happy. Perhaps there was something to the spiraling feelings whirling inside of him. Perhaps the opportunity for more than only their existing dynamic was real. His heart pounded at the idea. “I can’t see anything.”

“Over there.” He pointed to the purple petals of the flowers, withdrawing his hand and using it to gently guide her chin in the right direction. “Do you see them?”

“The bushes?” Bewilderment flashed in her eyes. She was apparently oblivious to the incredible display of nature.

“The flowers.” He might have laughed at her ignorance had he not found it so depressing. How could a woman of her age seemingly know so little about the wildlife around her? Tucker found her unfamiliarity difficult to believe.

“Flowers?” She leaned closer to the blooms.

“Yes.” His tone was sardonic as he permitted her to leave her resting place and approach them. She only moved a couple of inches across the grass, her focus fixed on the plant he’d shown her. “The purple flowers.”

The collection of small plum flowers with five outstretched petals and swollen amber stamens were hauntingly gorgeous, much like the young woman before him. Tucker adored them, not only for their rugged natural beauty but also their deadly potential. Like with Ella, he admired the paradox.

Nature could be so exquisite, yet for those who failed to respect it, it could also be lethal. The trick was to learn how to manage wildlife. He knew that when you did, its bounty was more than worth the effort.

The tiny nightshades he admired had bloomed, despite the tough conditions they endured by the gloom of the side of his cabin. Wild and wonderful, they not only reminded him of his mother but also the little girl he’d managed to capture. Ella was like those flowers. She had also found the conditions of his cabin difficult to endure, but she was starting to bloom regardless, right in front of his eyes.

“Oh, yes.” Her tone was excitable as she finally registered what he was referring to. “They’re lovely, sir.” Her right hand reached for one of the violet buds, but lurching for her wrist, he knocked her hand away.

“Don’t touch!”

His pulse hammered faster as he forced space between her and the deadly flowers. The nightshade’s main hazard was the black, almost cherry-like berries that the beautiful flower produced, but technically, all parts of the bloom were poisonous to humans. The last thing he wanted was to cause Ella any real harm.

“What?” Her expression was scornful. “Why not? You brought me out here to show me, but you won’t let me touch!”

“They’re nightshades.” Her puzzled expression revealed that his explanation meant little to her. Of course. He inhaled. Naturally, a woman with zero knowledge of nature wouldn’t have a clue what nightshades were.

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