Desperate Lies, стр. 46

closes her eyes, keeping her hand on my heart.

I let her hold her hand there for as long as it takes. This challenge can last as long as we need. I’m not going to rush our first time. I’m going to let every moment linger. I’m going to memorize every little thing because I don’t know if I’ll ever get this chance again.

I close my eyes too—just feeling her warm hand through my shirt.

My heart aches for more, but also for this moment to last forever.

Once I feel that Liesel is ready for more, I reach my hands out and grab her face, lifting it gently toward mine. I open my eyes, watching her reaction as my lips hover over hers.

I want this kiss more than I want to breathe. And my body craves what comes next more than anything else. I’d trade life itself for a chance with her.

Her eyes open, and for a moment, it feels like old times. We share a direct connection between our hearts, souls, and minds.

I win, her eyes say.

I frown, not understanding.

What did her card say?

It doesn’t matter. She can win the game for all I care; I just want her. That’s me winning.

I lean closer, closing the gap until my lips all but brush against hers.

“Unicorn,” she whispers.

I raise an eyebrow in confusion.

“That concludes the game. Mr. Pearce is the winner,” the voice says.

I stare at Liesel, but she’s no longer looking at me.

I grab her chin, trying to force her to look at me. I don’t understand how she could go through what she did and yet couldn’t endure a simple kiss from me.

Her face has morphed, and she is no longer open to me. I can’t see what she’s thinking or feeling.

Two men enter, grab onto Liesel’s arms, and lead her out of the room.

Suddenly, I’m alone.

I won.

I don’t give a shit about the money.

“I’ll escort you to meet the owners, Mr. Pearce. There you will be able to collect the twenty million dollar prize,” Mr. Reyes says.

I nod. “Lead the way.”

Liesel

It’s over.

I take a deep breath, unsure of my actions.

It had to be done. I didn’t have a choice.

But I know how this ends.

That makes me smile, even though he’s going to hate me even worse than he already does.

The men continue to hold onto my arms as they lead me out of the room and up to the top deck. There is a small dingy boat waiting to take me to shore. They lead me to it and release my arms once I’m inside the small raft-like boat.

“Thank you for playing, Ms. White. You’ll be taken back to shore now,” one of the men says.

I nod.

They continue to stand there until the raft is lowered into the water, and there is no way for me to escape and climb back on board.

“I’m Kyo. We should be back to shore in the next twenty minutes,” he says.

“Thank you, Kyo.”

He starts the engine once we’ve hit the water, and we pull away.

I did the right thing.

Those words continue to play over and over in my head the entire twenty minutes the dingy takes us to shore.

I did the right thing.

I can’t look back at the yacht. I can’t look back, hoping to find Langston. What’s done is done.

I did the right thing.

I had no other choice.

I already know how this ends. He’ll be fine.

The dingy stops back at the dock, and Kyo helps me off.

“Your ride will be here shortly. Can I get you anything else?” Kyo says when we are both standing on the dock.

I shake my head and then walk down the dock to where Maxwell is standing outside of a limo.

“Did you win?” he asks.

“Yea. Yea, I did.”

He smiles. “Good. Now don’t give me a heart attack like that again.”

I smile back.

He helps me into the back of the limo, before heading to the front to drive me.

I lean my head against the headrest and close my eyes, trying to forget everything.

I should be happy. If I’m lucky, I’ll have a few days of freedom.

A child’s squeal jolts my eyes open.

I stare out the window and see two kids playing together with a ball in a nearby park. Phoenix is standing nearby, watching them with a smile on her face.

Kids.

Two beautiful, healthy kids.

Langston wasn’t lying. He’s a father. These are his kids.

I fucked up.

I did the wrong thing.

Langston

“This way,” Mr. Reyes says.

I follow Mr. Reyes out of the game room and down a hallway. He leads me through the ship to a thick, sealed door that has all of the highest tech—facial recognition, thumb scanner, and multiple external-facing cameras.

The door unlocks, and Mr. Reyes holds it open for me. I step inside cautiously, knowing a trap when I see one.

The door locks behind me. I don’t even jump. I knew it was going to happen, and I accept it. I want to meet the owner of this operation. I want to look him in the face and demand answers for what he did to Liesel. I know she didn’t do this willingly the first time. I’m not even sure she did this willingly the second time.

I wish I had a gun, a weapon. I always feel less anxious with a gun on me. But I’m thankful that at least Liesel is off the ship. I don’t feel her presence anymore.

The coward I’m about to meet had to ensure that I met him in this room, the only room on the yacht strong enough to hold me. He knew the only way to get me here was if I won, if I saw all the darkness that he forced Liesel to endure—that alone would motivate me to meet the man behind the voice, behind the darkness.

He’s not the devil. The devil is cunning; he has a plan. This man is just a