Desperate Lies Read online

  Phoenix is tied to the bed loosely with rope—rope I can easily pull off. I can fuck her in any position in any place in this room.

  My mind races, thinking about what I can do to scare Liesel.

  I remove my jacket and then roll my sleeves up.

  “Lang—” Phoenix starts, but I throw my hand over her mouth, silencing her.

  She takes the hint and doesn’t speak when I remove my hand.

  Liesel and Waylon, on the other hand, are a non-stop moan-fest. All I hear is moaning and groaning coming from their direction.

  I try to shut them out, but that’s impossible. My fists clench, and my body fills with adrenaline and rage. I actually think it’s going to be easier than I thought to get Liesel to fear me.

  I growl. It’s loud, demanding the attention of everyone in the room as I grab the ropes at Phoenix’s ankles and rip them hard. The ropes break free from the posts at the end of the bed.

  Phoenix gasps, but she’s used to my loud, controlling behavior. I can be as rough as I want, and it won’t bother her. She’ll welcome it.

  Phoenix is wearing black leggings and a long-sleeved black shirt. She has a black mask over her eyes. Strangely, the mask only adds to Phoenix’s outfit—like she should always be wearing a mask.

  Even though I’ve fucked Phoenix plenty of times, it feels strange, almost immoral to do it now.

  She chose you. She came to you. She wants you.

  I glance over at Liesel on top of Waylon. She hasn’t removed any of her clothes, but I know his cock is about to slide between her legs.

  Focus on Phoenix, on fucking her.

  But what if she isn’t the one I crave anymore?

  I grab Phoenix’s legs with all my rage and flip her over until the rope at her arms twists, tightening the bindings.

  She gasps at the sudden movement, at her body twisting in an uncomfortable way. But that’s what this is about—fucking her so forcefully and so painfully that Liesel is terrified of me.

  I climb onto the bed and rip her leggings back until her ass is showing. I slap her ass red.

  She grunts, but when I reach between her legs, I feel how wet she is.

  She likes it.

  She would be the perfect match for me, unlike Liesel, who would be horrified if I touched her like this—untamed and wild.

  I unzip my pants, pull myself out, and roughly enter her from behind. My hand reaches out to grab her face and shove my fingers into her mouth, pulling on her cheek. Her saliva drips down her chin as I pound into her.

  Don’t look at Liesel.

  Focus on fucking Phoenix. Focus on making it blissful for Phoenix; that’s the best way to frighten Liesel. If she sees Phoenix loving how rough I am, Liesel will be mortified.

  I have no doubt what the next challenge is—fucking Liesel. I’m not sure I can handle it. Not after she just fucked Waylon. Not after I just fucked Phoenix. Not like this.

  I want to win.

  I want to protect Liesel.

  How do I do that?

  The bed creaks and breaks beneath us; that’s how hard I’ve been fucking Phoenix. In such a trance that I didn’t notice her sobs, her tears, her pain.

  Phoenix likes the pain, though. I didn’t break her.

  One glance over at the single tear floating in Liesel’s eye tells me I broke her.

  21

  Liesel

  This is all a game.

  A twisted.

  Fucked up.

  Evil game.

  Langston may not realize how dangerous this game is yet, but he will soon.

  I ride Waylon’s cock like I have an unhealthy level of love for him. My body pumps over his harder and faster; my eyes are wild with love and lust. I even let my eyes water a little. I haven’t cried in years, but this—seeing Langston next to me, pretending to hurt his wife while I pretend that fucking Waylon is my favorite thing in the world, makes me insane.

  It pushes me to the edge of spilling my heart. To telling every rotten truth. To stop the lies between Langston and me. But if I did, we’d both be destroyed.

  So I keep pretending. I like Waylon—truly, I do, but I don’t love him. I’m incapable of love.

  Yet, by the way that Langston keeps shooting me dirty glances, it’s clear he believes I love the man whose cock is inside me.

  Mission accomplished.

  That was what I was supposed to do according to my card. Make Langston think I’m in love with Waylon. And I’m sure Langston’s told him to make me afraid of him.

  I don’t really fear Langston any more than I did before we started, but still, I wince at every slap.

  Maybe I’m lying to myself? Maybe I do fear Langston?

  No, I’m just afraid of what will come next. I can’t be with Langston in that way…

  Waylon moans, and I turn my attention back to him. I feel him close to coming. I rock my hips against him, pushing him closer to orgasm.

  “Come with me, baby,” he says.

  I smile at him and stroke his hair like his words are melting my heart.

  I nod. “Together.”

  Then I feel his warm cum inside me at the same time I yell out his name—faking an orgasm, something I’ve perfected over the years.

  Once he’s done shooting cum into my body, I lean forward and kiss him tenderly on the lips.

  “Thank you,” I whisper.

  “My pleasure. I love fucking you here where everyone is watching, knowing that you can have another man’s cock in you, but that you belong to me, no one else.”

  “Yours,” I whisper against his lips.

  I feel Langston’s hot stare on me. I hear his growl and the rough slapping of skin as he fucks Phoenix with everything he has. Every noise bites into me.

  He’s taking out his frustration with me on Phoenix. And instead of feeling pity for the woman, I feel jealousy. I wish I were the one Langston was fucking that hard.

  But my body and mind couldn’t handle it. Langston is too much for me. Maybe that’s why I chose Waylon—he’s safe.

  I continue to kiss Waylon sweetly until our time is up. I’ve already completed my mission, and I’m just trying to focus on anything else except Langston going to town on Phoenix.

  The slapping.

  The kissing.

  The grunting.

  The moaning.

  The smell of hot sex.

  It’s impossible to shut out.

  I sigh into Waylon’s lips.

  “I love you, baby,” he says.

  I kiss him. I never say the words back because our time is up.

  “You both passed the first round. You have five minutes to collect yourself before we proceed,” the voice says.

  I take off. I need out of the room. I need to breathe without smelling Langston. Need to think without Langston popping into my mind. Touch without Langston’s lips branding into my memory as he kisses me.

  I want to run to the top deck to get some air, but Langston will find me there, and I need some space away from him to make sure I know what I’m doing.

  I dart into one of the bathrooms and lock the door behind me.

  I take deep, hard breaths, filling my lungs with warm oxygen as I grab onto the sink and look at myself in the mirror.

  I’m doing the right thing.

  I’m going to win.

  I have to win.

  22

  Langston

  I really do hate Liesel.

  And yet, I’ve never wanted her more.

  As frustrating as that was, it was also the most erotic moment of my life.

  I’ve spent my entire life needing to fuck Liesel and yet not having her. That was the closest we’ve ever gotten, and it was nowhere near enough.

  Hearing her, smelling her, seeing her, but not being able to touch her, that was my own special kind of hell. One I hope to rectify soon.

  Five minutes.

  That’s how long we have to the next round. I watch Liesel dart out of the room. Immediately, I sprint afte
r her, leaving Phoenix still tied to the bed.

  Of all the ways I’ve imagined Liesel and me fucking for the first time, this isn’t what I’d choose. Minutes after we were both forced to fuck other people in the same room while being watched by strangers isn’t exactly ideal.

  Five minutes isn’t long enough either, but at least it would be our choice.

  I chase Liesel down the hallway.

  She slams a door shut.

  I run after her.

  My pants are still undone as I chase her.

  I grab the doorknob and turn, but it doesn’t open.

  She locked it.

  “Huntress?” I ask through the door.

  I wait for her to answer.

  She doesn’t.

  I press my hand against the door as I feel the seconds ticking by. Our time to choose is ending.

  If we both want to continue the game, we’ll end up fucking each other. It’s what I want, what I need, but I didn’t want it this way.

  But nothing between Liesel and me is ever what I want.

  Five minutes tick by before Liesel opens the door.

  She’s not surprised I’m standing here. She knew.

  She knew I was here. She knew and chose to keep the door shut.

  Her eyes are full of apology.

  I nod.

  “Ready?” I ask.

  “Are you?”

  I have no fucking idea. The woman I’ve wanted all my life is about to agree to fuck me in a wicked game. I have no idea how to feel about that.

  A soft smile spreads on her lips as she reads my thoughts.

  “Me too,” she says, and then she walks past me. Her hips sway extra hard, like she’s trying to seduce me.

  Although, she’s had me under her spell since I was thirteen. She doesn’t need to try to get me to fuck her. All she has to do is say yes.

  I walk down the hallway, redoing my pants even though I know they are probably going to be ripped from my body soon.

  What will it feel like to fuck Liesel? Like a fucking atomic bomb going off.

  Liesel walks back into the room two seconds before I do. The setup is the same, but now Phoenix and Waylon are gone. I should be worried about Phoenix, but I’m not. She told me she came here voluntarily, and she can take care of herself. Plus, I don’t want to think of anything else while I’m with Liesel.

  “Read your cards, and the game starts in five minutes,” the voice says.

  We see the cards with our names on it once again on the table, and exchange glances at each other. After this moment, everything is going to change.

  I pick up my card reluctantly and flip it over.

  Fuck her like you’ve always wanted to. Take no mercy. Make her hate you. Make her fear you. Make her say her safe word.

  I suck in a long breath. Somehow, I knew what was on the card. I knew the card would make her hate me if I were to succeed. The one positive is that Liesel already hates me, so that part wouldn’t change if I complete my challenge.

  I don’t know if I’m going to be able to fuck in her a way that makes her say her safe word, though. She’s been through a lot, me taking her control away and fucking her hard wouldn’t force her to quit.

  Fuck her like you’ve always wanted to.

  That was the first order. So first, I can fuck her how I’ve always wanted to—a loophole.

  First, fuck her like I want to.

  Then, fuck her to make her fear me, to get her to say her safe word.

  I’ll worry about the second part later, but I’ve been dreaming about the first task since I hit puberty.

  Liesel doesn’t look at me. She’s still staring at her card; her lips are moving along with the words. I’ve never wished more that I could read lips.

  Look at me, huntress.

  She doesn’t.

  She drops her card and stares at it on the ground as our time ticks down.

  “You may begin. You have as long as it takes until one of you says your safe word,” the voice says.

  I take a step toward Liesel, and she takes a step back.

  I frown.

  She’s already afraid of me.

  That or her card…?

  I take another step. She takes another step back.

  “I’m not going to hurt you.”

  “Yes, you will, killer.”

  Her words sting, but they are also the truth. I’m always hurting her. Why would she think this would be any different?

  I take another step, and she trembles.

  I may have done too well in the previous round if she’s this afraid of me.

  “Huntress, I won’t hurt you.” I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do. Someday, I’ll have to kill you, but that day isn’t today.

  Another step, and I have her boxed into a corner. There is nowhere for her to go.

  “Trust me,” I whisper.

  I reach out my hand slowly to touch her, and she cringes away.

  It crushes me.

  So instead, I grab her wrist and place it against my heart.

  “I’m scared too.”

  She swallows her pain, trying to lock it inside. Really, I want her to unleash it on me. I deserve to feel her pain as much as I need to feel her pleasure. I’ve fucked up as much as she has. I deserve to die just like she does.

  She 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.”

  23

  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 play
ing, 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.

  I did the right thing.

  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 did the right thing.

  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.