Page 25 of Forbidden Pawn

I clench my jaw, trying to maintain control. The feel of her so close, her body pressed against mine, is driving me insane. But I can’t let her win. I don’t trust her, and I don’t trust this game she’s trying to play.

“Why are you trying to seduce me?” I demand, my voice laced with suspicion. There’s something off about this, and I need to figure out what it is. “What could you possibly be up to, Grace?”

She averts her eyes, as if to hide from me, but then shakes her head, feigning innocence.

“I’m just taking a swim,” she says, her tone playful yet evasive. “You were the one who couldn’t leave me alone.”

I narrow my eyes at her, searching her face for any sign of deceit. But all I find is a girl who seems to enjoy the chaos she’s causing. I can’t let my guard down, not with her. Not when every instinct in me is screaming that she’s hiding something.

Her middle graces my hardened length again, and I almost groan with need. Before I know it, my hands are underwater, grabbing her ass and pulling her closer, until her sex is rubbing against my growing erection. She gasps, and her cheeks blossom with fiery red, while her intoxicating lips part as if to invite me.

“Is this what you want, you little slut?” I ask, tightening my grip on her, and she releases a moan that almost makes me lose control. It would be so easy to pull her panties aside and free my hardened length to bury myself inside her tight little body. So easy and so tempting.

“Maybe,” she breathes, fixating me with hazy eyes.

My cock almost explodes with need. I’m baffled, my mind spinning as I try to make sense of her actions. Is she trying something? Or am I just being paranoid?

She’s so fucking beautiful, so irresistible, but what could she possibly be trying to achieve here, other than getting laid? There has to be more to it—with women, there’s always more.

Her body pressed against mine, her legs wrapped around my waist—it’s enough to drive any man insane. I narrow my eyes, searching her face for a hint of her true intentions. But all I see is that bemused look, the way her lips curve, as if she knows exactly what she’s doing to me. Maybe she does. Maybe that’s the whole point. But right now, she is holding more power than I’m ever willing to relinquish. I want to bury myself between those tantalizing legs. I want to devour that tight little body of hers, but only under my terms. I won’t follow her lead, she will have to follow mine.

With a growl of frustration, I push her off me, forcing some distance between us.

“Fine, take your fucking swim,” I snap, my voice harsher than I intended.

She watches me with a mixture of surprise and something else—something that almost looks like disappointment. But I don’t linger to decipher it. I turn away, climbing out of the pool.

I can feel her eyes on me as I walk away, the weight of her gaze burning into my back. She’s getting under my skin, and I can’t let that happen. I won’t let her win this game—whatever it is she’s playing.

Chapter 18

June

I’ve been locked in this damn room for hours. Today’s the day of Ryker’s big meeting—the one he warned me about a couple of days ago. He told me to stay out of sight, threatened me not to make a scene. So here I am, stuck in this room, pacing back and forth like a caged animal.

I sit on the bed, thinking about the other day when I went swimming. The way Ryker looked at me—hungry, torn, suspicious. It’s obvious he wants me. I could feel the telltale sign between his legs. A rather big telltale sign, if I remember correctly. Feeling his enormous erection at my entrance did more to me than I cared to admit in that moment. And the way he grabbed me… so firm, so possessive. No one ever touched me like this.

I wanted him; I want him still. But I was pushing too far in the pool. I could see it in his eyes; he doesn’t trust me. I was too brazen, too willing for a girl who is supposed to be afraid of him.

Am I afraid of him, though? There were moments when his demeanor frightened me, when I could see the dark soul of a criminal in his eyes—a murderer, if you ask me. There’s one death he’s definitely responsible for, even if he doesn’t seem to be aware of it. I must never forget that.

But I have to be more careful. He needs to trust me, and I might destroy everything if I don’t get him to trust me without being too brash. I need to act more carefully, more reserved and demure. I am his prisoner, after all. I remind myself of that every time I get too comfortable, like now, when I can’t even leave this room without his permission. The locked door is proof enough that I’m still nothing more than a pawn to him.

I walk over to the window, scanning the beautiful landscape before me, while my mind wanders back to the way his hand grazed my skin under the water. The heat in his eyes before he pulled away. It hurt when he rejected me, more than I want to admit. I didn’t just want something to happen because I’m trying to get close to him for my plan—no; I wanted it for other reasons. Darker, more confusing reasons.

Ryker is infuriating. Dangerous. But he’s also hot as hell. And I can’t stop thinking about him.

I’ve been trying my best to behave for the past couple of days, trying not to piss him off. I’ve kept my head down, played the part of the obedient captive, hoping he’d circle back to me. Hoping for more kisses, more moments where he lets his guard down.

But there’s been nothing. He was adamant to keep his distance. No more kisses, no more stolen glances. Just silence when we saw each other at all. I spent most of my time in the garden, keeping busy by pulling weeds, while he hides away in his office or sits in the kitchen, his hard eyes always on me, making sure I don’t escape or do anything stupid. We hardly even talked and dinner comprised sandwiches he brought up to my bedroom. He’s obviously trying to punish me for that little stunt at the pool.

I wander over to the door, pressing my ear against it, straining to hear something—anything. Ryker never told me what kind of meeting he’s having, just that I’m supposed to stay out of sight, out of earshot, and definitely out of trouble.

But if he locked me in here, then it has to be something important. Something he doesn’t want me knowing about.

And if it’s important to him, it might be important to my mission.

I close my eyes, trying to catch a sound—voices, footsteps, anything that might give me a clue. But all I get is silence. I don’teven know where they’re having their meeting. In his office? I doubt the room is big enough for that. Downstairs in the open dining area? Is that why he locked me up in here? Frustration bubbles up inside me. He’s keeping me in the dark, literally and figuratively, and it’s driving me crazy.

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