Page 10 of Lost Petal

Chapter 5

Petal

I hold my breath as I wait for his response, studying the face of the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. He’s tall, very tall, and broad-shouldered, which makes him appear even more intimidating than his height alone does. Dark hazel eyes are set beneath strong brows that slope downward in a serious expression, matching the black color of his hair, and providing him with an exotic flavor.

His facial features are so symmetrical and perfect that it almost angers me. No one should be this handsome. No one. It’s the kind of beauty that stops you in your tracks, forcing your gaze to lock onto this surreal artistry in a pointless search for imperfections. There are none. Even his strong and defined jaw lacks flaws, curving gracefully around his slender face, clean-shaven and without the hint of a shadow.

He’s wearing a black shirt, the rolled-up sleeves revealing the strength of his arms as he buries his hands inside his black suit pants pockets.

Thin lines cross the right side of his face when he smirks at me.

He promised an honest answer. One question, one honest answer. It should be as simple as that.

That’s why my heart sinks when he deigns me with a reply that doesn’t feel like it even comes close to satisfaction.

“You’re Petal.”

That’s all he says. A self-evident tone laces his words, accompanied by an implicit smile as he lifts his hand to touch my face. I jerk away from his caress, disgust painting a grimace on my face.

Is he fucking serious right now? What kind of answer is that?

“Is that it?” I probe, not nearly sounding as angry as I feel. “You promised me an honest response.”

He nods, the tip of his index finger tracing the outline of my jaw, ignoring my apparent dismay at his gesture. “And that’s what I gave you, Petal.”

I shake my head, freeing myself from his unwanted intrusion.

“That’s not my name,” I argue. “That’s not anybody’s name.”

“Yes. It’s yours. You’re Petal. My Petal.”

The way he enunciates his words sends cold shivers down my spine. It’s frightening and oddly titillating at the same time.

But neither of those emotions wins over the most dominant concern.

“Why are you doing this to me?” I ask with a quavering voice. “Why am I locked here? Why do I not remember anything? Why did you not—”

“Hush,” he cuts me off, placing his index finger on my lips to stop my babbling. “One question we said. Remember?”

“You didn’t keep your promise!” I snap at him, ignoring the finger that tries to prevent me from speaking. “You didn’t answer my question.”

A deep furrow between his eyebrows tells me he’s not amused with my statement.

“Yes, I did,” he growls, removing his finger from my lips. “You’re Petal. That’s all you need to know. That, and the fact that you belong to me.”

He leans in closer, bringing his face so close to mine that I can feel the warmth of his breath when he adds: “You’re mine, Petal. In every sense of the word.”

I swallow dryly, trying to ignore the warm feeling of familiarity his presence emits. How can I feel close to this man? How come his proximity isn’t as uncomfortable as it should be? For all I know, he kidnapped me, possibly drugged me or did God knows what to me before he locked me in this cell.

And yet, I can’t stop reveling in his divine smell. There’s something about it, fresh and masculine, with a hint of... citrus? It seems familiar in a benevolent way. I have to force myself not to lean in even closer, thus giving him the wrong idea about how I really feel. How I should feel.

I should be scared to death. I should be furious at this man. I should cry for help. I should hit him, kick him, try to hurt him and use every attempt—as futile as it might be—to get out of this damn cell. That’s what a normal person would do.

Am I dumb for not attacking him? Is it pathetic of me to not even try for the door?

Maybe.

But I know it wouldn’t work. I wouldn’t get far, either way. Even if I weren’t weakened from whatever he gave me, he’d overpower me easily. He’s not just a man, but a strong man, a man in control of his powers. He looks so calm and confident, not worried in the slightest that I could cause him any trouble, because he knows I can’t, even if I tried.