Page 4 of Delectable Lies

He slinks closer, and the moonlight glimmers against the object dangling from his gloved grip, and I swallow the nervous energy trapped in the base of my throat.

His wrist twists, spinning the double-edged knife with ease. “Not worried, love. Annoyed might be more fitting.”

I edge back, but my spine greets an algae-covered trunk. “Who are you?”

He advances, enclosing me in. I’m trapped, exposed to him and his motive with nowhere to go.

Three more steps, and he moulds his chest to mine. “I think I’m the hero.” His lips curl to one side. “You think I’m the villain.” His tongue slides across his perfect white teeth, taunting me with how unfazed he seems.

“Which one is it?”

The blade of his knife slides along the curve of my neck, dancing over my skin, but not enough to leave a permanent mark.

“I suppose it’s a matter of perspective.”

I draw in a breath, which I regret when his intoxicating scent penetrates my nose — fresh, masculine, powerful, and downright sinful.

“Creed Aventus.”

His words break through my scent-induced fog. “Huh?”

“The name of my cologne. You seemed to take a good whiff, so I thought I’d tell you why I smell utterly un-fucking-touchable.”

Frustrated by how easily he crawls beneath my skin, I push against his solid chest.

“Now, now. No need to be so aggressive.”

“Says the guy holding me hostage with a knife,” I mutter, not meant for his ears, but our proximity does me no favours.

“Listen, love. This” — he gestures between us with the tip of his knife — “doesn’t need to be difficult. Just give me the USB, and I’ll be on my merry way.”

Confusion settles on my brow line, and I narrow my eyes at him. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“The box you took,” he clarifies. “Something I need is in that box. So, either you give it to me, and I let you keep the rest of the junk in there.” The tip of his knife trails down my throat, over the flimsy material of my tank top, through the valley of my breast, and over the tiny swell of my stomach. Until finally, it meets the waistband of my pyjama bottoms. “Or I take it all.”

His twisted smile peeks out from behind his mask-covered face, unnerving me, but I do my best to remain indifferent.

“How did you—”

“I saw you. I was in the room when you stormed in, Saoirse.”

“Then why didn’t you stop me?”

His knife presses against my lower stomach, the pressure just enough to pierce my skin. “Two reasons. One, I didn’t think you’d jump. And two, if you did, I’d enjoy chasing you.”

I swallow, clenching my stomach muscles beneath his blade.

“Just the USB?” I know I shouldn’t even contemplate handing it over to him, but what choice do I have? If I want to get out of this fucking forest without losing all the answers to a lifetime of questions, much less alive, I need to give him what he wants.

His wicked gaze focuses on my eyes. “What will it be, love?”

Closing my eyes, I suck in a fortifying breath. “Fine, but that’s all you’re getting.”

He steps back, just enough to allow me to reach into my duffle. Once my fingers glide across the mahogany, I pull it out and flip the lid. The nameless guy holds his phone towards the box, shining a light for me to see the contents inside. The faint smell of old worn paper, musk, and dust assaults my nose. My eyes scan the documents, notes, and old photographs as I search for the USB he’s demanding.

“There.” He points to the solid gold Celtic knot keychain I’ve seen a million times. “That’s it.”

“No. That is a family heirloom, not a USB.” I shake my head, realising a little too late that this is why my mother told me to take the box. This keychain has been in my family for generations. They have passed it down to the eldest member of the Ryan family on the day they turn eighteen, which is only a couple of weeks away for me.

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