Page 5 of Captive Desire

“I couldn’t stay away. I tried to be satisfied with watching from afar, but I can’t do it anymore.”

Watching her bite down on her lip, it’s terrible timing to want to kiss her. If I step too close, she’ll realize how affected I am by her. She’ll see that she’s my weakness, my one and only.

“I want you as much as I wanted you that night, Charity.” Lowering my voice to that of a whisper, her body twitches. “Come with me. Everything will make sense once you see what I’m trying to protect you from.”

With a sigh, she attempts to push me away and this time, I let her.

“It’s not like I have much of a choice here.” Refusing to meet my gaze, she grabs things I missed, shoving them in one of the luggage. Her movements are jerky.

Even if she never forgives me, this is for the best. My child and her safety are what’s important to me. There’s no way in hell I’m going to allow anyone near her.

Charity

I’ve been kidnapped. This is unbelievable.

Today has been a rush of emotions and it’s continuing to get worse and worse.

“This is wrong in so many ways.” Crossing my arms over my chest, I fight the urge to keep my eyes forward. I won’t acknowledge Romeo’s stare. He’s been staring at me ever since I got in this car without putting up a fight.

I really should’ve put up a fight. Who gets kidnapped in broad daylight? I didn’t even bother telling him no. Instead, I just went where he told me to.

“It is.” Hardly helping, he agrees with my words.

“I have a life, Romeo. A job with a boss who will notice something is wrong by tomorrow morning.” He didn’t take my phone. It’s still in my back pocket. If I wanted to cry out for help, I have a way to contact someone.

“You’ll tell her that you need some time off. You shouldn’t be working so hard anyway.” One sneaky glance his way and I can see he’s frowning. “Under my care, you won’t need to work again. All you’ll need to do is be the mother to our child. I’ll take care of everything else.”

Well, doesn’t that just sound like a dream come true? I have to fight the urge to roll my eyes.

“Before today, did you know I’d be at StartBit Tech?” My forehead thumps against the frame when he confirms my suspicions.

It kind of sucks. I mean, I went all that time freaking longing for this man. All this time, he was always hovering in the darkness where I couldn’t see him. Always within my reach without ever knowing.

“I’ve hurt you.” He reaches out and catches himself. Stopping himself from touching my hand, he rests his knuckles against the seat. “It might not mean much, but you’ve plagued my mind every single day, Charity.”

That’s what happens when a person is obsessed. They stalk and prey on their victim.

Hard to play myself in the role when he does look apologetic.

Promising myself to not be so forgiving, I peel my eyes away. I’m too weak to even insult him.

Seconds turn to minutes of silence. Knots slowly start to form in my stomach as I feel the prickly sensation of having eyes on me. If he’d stop staring my way, I wouldn’t be thinking about him. I wouldn’t be watching his hands and how his fingers curl up in his lap. Almost like he’s itching to touch me.

He’s barely touched me at all. For a man who kidnaps women, one who I should perceive as the bad guy, why has he barely made any contact?

Is it because of the driver? The guy up front is too busy taking in the traffic to notice anything at all. He’s no regular guy either. I bet he’s a part of this scheme.

“Stop staring.” Muttering the words under my breath, my legs shift and the small amount of friction is enough to bring attention to this pesky longing forming in the pit of my stomach.

If it were anyone else, anyone but the man who haunts my dreams, I would’ve clawed his eyes out by now.

“No.” Defiant, the rumble of his refusal should fill me with anger.

I need some fresh air. This car is stuffy. Feeling warm, I try to roll down the window, and relief floods my system when the glass slides down.

Call it a moment of weakness on their part. I could scream and beg one of the nearby cars for help.

Romeo has given me plenty of opportunities to disrupt this moment. However, he acts like he knows I won’t put up a fight. He acts like he knows how I feel, how I’m cursed with this longing.

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