Page 60 of Drown in You

The other Devils don’t budge, guarding the door to prevent me from making a run for it.

“Go on.” Damien gives me a sharp slap on the ass, spurring me on deeper into the shadows. “Maybe do some topless maid service around the rest of the house while you’re at it.”

I grind my teeth and leave the kitchen, unsure which Devils I’d rather deal with—the ones at my back, or the one waiting for me in his bedroom.

Even the walls hold their breath while I shuffle through the living room and down the hallway. Far away from the kitchen and the Devils’ eavesdropping ears, the door to Luke’s bedroom waits, silent on the other side.

I knock. Silence. No shuffling feet or shout of acknowledgment.

Maybe the Devils weren’t lying—maybe Luke really did order me here to clean his room. What an asshole.

Gritting my teeth, I turn the knob and shoulder the door open.

Inside, the room is immaculate. Hardly lived in. Dirty clothes tossed in a laundry basket, an organized desk with little more than a laptop, textbooks, notebooks, and a lamp. Hockey gear peeking out of the partly open closet.

What the hell? His room isn’t even messy. Not that I should complain there’s not actually anything he could force me to clean. Even the bed is made, the corner of the blanket and sheet folded neatly to the side as if ready to welcome me in.

Behind me, the door clicks shut. Then locks.

I whip around. A shirtless Luke is holding up a pair of pink handcuffs. My mouth goes dry. He’s wearing those infuriatingly sexy gray sweatpants low on his hips, that deep V plunging into the waistband making my breath catch.

Though I wish I was disgusted by him, wish his antics repulsed me, I can’t help the way my knees turn to jelly. His giant body looms in the shadows of the dark room, the mouthwatering muscle on his bicep tight as he dangles the handcuffs from a finger.

Even in the minimal light, his gray eyes gleam, honing in on me. I am the ant; he is the microscope. He tracks every slight move, every nervous fidget of my hands, every shallow breath that makes my breasts rise and fall beneath my coat.

Whether I want to admit it or not, my stepbrother owns me. He can order the biggest guys on campus to wear masks and kidnap me in the dark, all to bring me to him.

The worst part is that none of this makes me fear him. It only makes me want him more.

“They think I’m your maid now.” I fold my arms. On the opposite wall is a window. He’s on the first floor—I could leap for it, fling it open, and jump out.

But I stay where I am. I don’t want to escape him. As insane as it makes me, I want to stay here with him. Want to find out what Luke Valentine has planned for me.

“Better than them thinking you’re my girlfriend, right?” He saunters forward. “At least for now.”

“I’m not your girlfriend.” My pulse picks up speed.

“You will be.” He cradles my face, and I long to lean in to his touch. To give in and take what I want. “Then you’ll be my wife.”

My spine stiffens. Yeah, my stepbrother is officially delusional. “You barely know me, and even if that was even remotely something I was interested in, our parents are still married. Pretty sure that’s illegal, and if not, at least not socially acceptable.”

“Who gives a fuck what anyone else thinks?” His gray eyes turn stormy. “We’re right for each other. That’s all that matters. Our parents aren’t going to stay together anyway.”

I’ve never even bothered entertaining the idea that our parents might break up. They just got married, and they seem perfectly happy together. But I also don’t know either of them that well. “How are you so sure?”

“They’ve already broken up before. Once Ma finds out about his gambling, what he did with her money, she’ll come to her senses.” The hand cradling my face slides into my hair. “I’ll do anything to have you, Sienna. Anything.”

A sick bubble of hope rises in my chest at the possibility of a future in which our parents aren’t together and Luke and I can be. I shouldn’t be hoping for the demise of a marriage. I’m selfish, screwed up in the head. I wish I could blame Luke for making me this way, but I’ve been fighting my desire for him since we met. And failing miserably.

“Anything? Including letting me go?” That’s what I should want. But no part of me does.

“You remember our deal. I get you for the whole weekend.”

My heart skips. “Your teammates are already suspicious of us.”

He shrugs like this is no big deal. “I’ll tell them you left late. They won’t even know you’re in here. Until you scream, anyway.”

I freeze. “Luke, no one can?—”

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