Page 54 of Taming Liberty

She huffs out a breath. “So you don’t buy that shit? Fine, don’t. I don’t blame you. But telling me about your past isn’t going to get me off this island. You aren’t risking anything by doing that, and the fact that you won’t makes me even more scared that you’re going to get bored of me. Because, obviously, this will never turn into love, and you don’t care about me as much as you say you do.”

I shake my head. “I will never let anything bad happen to you while you’re on this island. Please, don’t worry so much.”

“Don’tworry?” Her face scrunches. “Are you serious?”

My mouth hangs open while I try to think of something to say. I want the insulted way I feel to be justified, but I know it’s not.

Of courseshe’s still afraid.Of courseshe thinks I’m going to get bored of her, especially considering the men she’s dealt with in her past.

How will I ever be able to change that?

“Tell me what you want to know,” I say, defeated.

She shifts, her flip-flops pushing aside sand. I try not to be irritated with her when I see the excitement in her eyes.

She’s winning.

“What do you mean?” she asks, feigning innocence.

“Whatever it is you were hoping to pull from Sawyer today, just ask me so we can move on from this.”

She blinks at me, studying me like she’s unsure if she should be honest or not.

“It’s not a trap.”

Another minute goes by with nothing but the serene sound of crashing waves incongruent with the tension between us.

“I have questions about the island,” she says hesitantly. “Like the workings of it.” She nibbles on the inside of her cheek. “I know there’s no actual way to escape, and I would never try again. There’s a part of me that still feels like I need to find out all this stuff anyway. Like if I understood my prison, it would make it less terrifying.”

I study her face, searching for the lie. What she’s saying seems plausible, but I’d never trust it.

Still, this reminds me of handing her over my cell phone and telling her to call for help. I’d only wanted to show her therewasno help. That her efforts were useless. And it did pacify her as I’d intended.

There is no way for a slave to escape this island. Sawyer has exhausted all possibilities, taken every precautionary measure. If she knew him better, she would know how neurotic he is and wouldn’t waste her time even asking about this. Even if someone did make it off the island, he would have all evidence erased. Erased meaning having everyone involved murdered and paying off whoever necessary. He’s terrified of the idea of going to prison and has put measures in place to make sure that never happens.

If Liberty knew and understood this,reallyunderstood this, maybe she would stop. No more lies and no more manipulating me. I’m not hopeful, but I also don’t feel like I have much to lose.

“And what would you like to know about the workings of it?” I ask when she doesn’t go on.

She gulps and lifts her chin like she’s mustering up courage. What does she think I’m going to do?

“When does the ship come? The one that brings women here.”

“Different days and times,” I answer, and because I see where she’s going with this, I continue. “The ship has cameras in the cabin where the girls are kept, so sneaking on board isn’t an option, but even if it was, you wouldn’t wind up at a better place than you left. Two of Sawyer’s men board and meet two more when they reach land at a private dock. Most of the time it’s a dock outside a brothel run by Sawyer’s contacts.”

She nods slowly, the gears churning behind her eyes. “How many guards are at the manor?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. Ten, maybe more. I know that there are tons of cameras monitored at all times. The only reason you weren’t caught when you went to my house was because they watched you punch in the passcode and said you looked like you knew what you were doing. They assumed I gave you permission.”

“How do you get back and forth when you leave?”

“I fly.”

“Right, but from where?”

“I take a boat to another part of the island. There’s a car waiting for me that takes me to an airstrip. There are men and surveillance there as well.”

Her pupils dart around, obviously thinking about something, disappointment written on her face.

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