Page 58 of Stolen Temptation

“I wanted string lights. I wanted to fall in love for once in my sad, pathetic life, and to dance with that person under string lights like in one of those stupid rom-coms, okay?”

Her sorrowful expression and heartfelt words affect me in ways I’m completely unprepared for.

I knew her life with the De Lucas would be sad, just not…thistragic? By the sound of it, those fuckers kept her in a cage for most of her life and deprived her of the ability to do even simple things like test out different bakeries or take a walk on a stormy night.

What. The. Fuck.

She snorts. “Forgetlove. I’d settle for having sex with someone I’m attracted to. And I was finally going to have the opportunity to do some of those things. I was running away from Leo into the big, wide world…and managed to crash right into my next jailer. I’ll probably die without ever tasting weird donuts or comparing cupcakes or even having sex.”

The reality of Kiara’s life hits me like a steam train.

I’m beyond taken aback by the decibel of Kiara’s distress, and I’ve fully descended into guilt territory. I can’t believe this is happening. I’m in the middle of a mission, and my target is managing to fill me with remorse for causing her pain and fear.

For the love of god, don’t let any of my friends show up right now.

How would I face them like this, when I’m acting like a damn amateur?

When I look at Kiara, I see all the damage I’ve done, and regret flares again. The cut on her forehead, the scrapes on her hands and wrists…

Unable to stand it any longer, I bolt to my feet.

“Come with me.”

She holds her elbows, crossing her arms over her chest. “…Where?”

I feel like shit, and I sure as hell don’t want anyone to notice the way I’m softening around her, so…

A moment later, the plan is still only half formed in my mind.

Tilting my head in the direction of the medical unit, I nod at her. “Let’s get you patched up.”

Chapter 16

Kiara

With the string lights woven through these towering hedges, the labyrinth appears completely different at night. It’s like we’re lost in a secret fairy world or something.

It’s all I can do to focus on the little lights, counting the bulbs as I follow Rory in silence to who knows where aftercompletely and totally exposing myself back there. What the hell wasthat?

The past few days obviously rank among the worst of my life, but are things really so upside down that I’m spilling my tragic life story to my kidnapper? I had an entire emotional breakdown back there.

In my haste, I almost revealed both my real identity and my secret.

The terrible,awfulthing that he can never know.

My shoulders twitch in the evening chill.

Where is he taking me?Rory said he wanted to get me patched up. Does that mean we’re headed back to…?

Almost as soon as I figure out we’re headed back to the Gallaghers’ underground mini-hospital, the ramp that leads down and around to the entrance appears before us.

Instead of the warm lighting I remember from this morning, there is only darkness behind the sliding glass doors. It’sdisorienting, but not enough to distract me from watching Rory stick his hand in a bush.

I hear the electronic beep of buttons, and then the doors to the medical unit slide open, lights flipping on automatically.

Why does it seem like we’re the only ones here?

Alarm bells chime in my head. Rory steps inside, but I don’t follow, remembering that this is the same man who stabbed me with a tranquilizer to drag me to this compound in the first place.