Tempted by Deception (Deception Trilogy, #2)

by Rina Kent

When Mom found out, she slapped me, and once, she smeared my face with red pepper powder. It burned so much that I saw stars, but I didn’t cry. Mom and Dad don’t like it when I cry.

Ohmypoorbbyy:(

She stomps toward me and I tighten my hold on the book, waiting for the slap, as usual. No matter how much she hits me, I’ll never get used to it. I hate the pain that comes with it, but most of all, I hate that she doesn’t treat me like most mothers treat their children.

:(

He’s the only person I can call both family and a friend.

Italian, which I do recognize. It’s the only other language I somehow speak besides English.

Oh?

He didn’t kill me. He didn’t put a bullet in my head. So why do I feel like I just signed my death certificate?

“I suppose it doesn’t, but I’ll tell you anyway. It’s Adrian Volkov.” I briefly close my eyes to rein in the pain. Now that I know his name, he’ll never let me go. For some reason, I feel like I’ve signed my fate. First, my death certificate, and now, my fate. Just what more is he going to take from me?

his fingers casually interlaced on the table. They’re lean, masculine, and have veins etched across the surface. And now I’m ogling them. I can’t believe I’m ogling the same fingers that held a gun to my forehead.

#justagirl

He pauses with his glass of wine halfway to his lips. “What do you think I’ll do?” “Fuck me?” “Eventually.”

gagged.

My gaze searches every wall and every surface, but there are no pictures of her. Not a single one. Several awards are displayed on glass shelves, but there’s no trace of her face.

She sleeps completely still and in a straight position. Her feet are parallel and her arms are on either side of her. This woman is still alive but already sleeps like the dead.

What I’m seeing is different from the angelic face she commemorates on Instagram or the characters she fuses herself with when she’s on stage. This is her, uncensored. The real Lia Morelli, who ran from her past yet allows it to continue to haunt her.

Seeing her orgasm is a piece of art, even better than her performance on stage. Her whole body comes alive and she completely lets go. And fuck if that’s not a turn-on.

Her gaze sobers up. “What… Why?” “Because I’m not a rapist, Lenochka.” I brush a stray strand of hair from her eyes. “Sleep. I’ll deal with you in the morning.” She shakes her head. “It’s not rape if I want to.” “You want to? I thought you only wanted to get rid of me.”

“The dinner was, as I said, to get to know you. The kiss was because I wanted to taste your lips. I didn’t touch you when you were drunk, because I need you present when I’m fucking you. As for your first question, I gave you time to let you cope with the fact that I’m coming for you.”

“Do you do something similar to fucking with everyone who witnesses your murders?” “No. I kill them.”

“I hate you.” He nods as if he’s suspected that all along. “Understandable. I’d hate me, too, if I were you.”

Either. Both. I don’t know. I honestly have no clue what’s going on right now.

helppbhhsjjhswh

I’ve always secretly liked the type of man who takes whatever he wants while flipping the world the middle finger. No clue what that says about me as a human being, and in my defense, I’ve been doing just fine hiding that guilty pleasure all these years.

“You didn’t use a condom,” I murmur. His gaze slides to mine and I feel cornered in it. “So?” “STDs. Ever heard of them?” “I haven’t been sexually active for months and I’ve always used condoms, so I’m clean.”

“Why didn’t you use a condom just now?” He pauses. “I forgot.” “You forgot?” “Yes, am I not allowed to?” “No, it just seems that you’re the type who would never forget.” His eyes ease. “Correct.” “So why did you?” “I wish I knew.”

Killing someone is merely a means to an end for me. I don’t take pleasure in the act; however, I’m not repulsed by it either. It’s just a necessity. But that blond fucker? Yeah, I would’ve enjoyed every second of the air leaving his lungs.

Everything about her is soft, even her personality. But being soft doesn’t mean she’s naive. Lia knows when to stand up for herself if need be, but she carefully picks her battles. Like a survivor would.

“You called me a disaster, but this is the true disaster, Lia. You and me.”

I choose this moment of peace to offer her another bit of truth. The lone truth that rattles me to my bones. “You asked when I’d be done. The answer is never. I’ll never be done with you, Lenochka.”

After I woke up, I was rolled in a clean duvet, and the one stained with the evidence of our sexual activities was in the washing machine. I found breakfast on my nightstand. Coffee without sugar, my salt-free toast with bio cheese, and an apple. There were also painkillers with a bottle of water.

He’s a killer, Lia. A fucking killer. I wait for the disgust to invade me at that reminder. I wait to feel nausea at allowing a murderer to touch me so intimately. Yet nothing comes.

“What does what mean?” “Lenochka?” “Bright light.”

“You think I’m a bright light?” “That’s what I said.” “But you think I’m lonely.” “That doesn’t make you gloomy. A rose shines brighter alone than when it’s in a field.” “Is that why you plucked me?” My voice lowers as I stare at the bowl of salad. “Possibly.” “Just so you know, the prettiest roses have the deadliest thorns.”

I go to rehearsal, and when I get home, I find Adrian waiting with either takeout or home-cooked food he brings over.

Then he carries me to the bedroom and fucks me until I fall asleep. Sometimes, he does it on the table, making me straddle his lap as he owns every inch of me. Other times, he grabs me as soon as I step inside, lifts my skirts and fucks me in the entrance.

and we dont get to see this because…????

“Why haven’t you called me back?” I don’t hide the hurt from my voice. I’ve really needed a friend these past couple of weeks and he’s the only one I have.

“Kolya, you bastard! Are you suggesting he hurt Lia?” Yan sounds disapproving. “She did nothing.”

and when her gaze meet mine, panic and something else whirls in the depths of the mesmerizing blue. I hate that look. I want to erase it so that it’s not her first reaction to me.

It’s been more than a month and she still considers me the villain she painted me as that first time. While I didn’t give a fuck about her labels at the beginning, I now want her to let her guard down when around me, without me having to touch her sexually.

Swish. Slap. Swish. Slap.

Their spanking kink is tiresome (tbf, its never been my thing but still)

Will this pull between us ever end? Will there ever be a day where I’ll be in Adrian’s vicinity and not wish to be closer?

“Are you my shrink now?” “Not your shrink, no. I’m merely trying to understand that part of you better.”

Adrian retrieves the ointment and slathers the cool cream on my backside. I wince but soon moan when he rubs it in gently.

I start removing my coat. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” she bites out. “Why not?” “Whether you’re leaving or staying is up to the answer to my question.”

Queen

Lia turns her face away from me while still crying, her body shuddering as she whispers, “I’ll never forgive you for putting me in this position.”

Because tonight, I made irrevocable decisions. Lia isn’t the other woman. She’s the woman.

“Why is he doing this to me, Yan?” “Honestly?” He lifts a shoulder. “No one but him knows.”

“Thank you,” I say. At least Yan isn’t as desensitized as his boss. He raises both hands in the air. “I said nothing. Don’t get me in trouble.” I smile a little

But at that point, I was still praying for the nightmares that have scared me my whole life. I want the nightmare. Someone give me the nightmare.

I never got to show the world my Giselle. She was killed before she was even born. And with her death, all of my dreams and my coping mechanisms perished.

“But I’ll be scarred for life,” I sob, hitting my chest again. “Right here.” “Scars mean you are alive and strong enough to survive.” He kisses the top of my head. “I’ll worship each of your scars until you’re able to face them, Lenochka.”

“Don’t even try to stop me.” My voice is brittle. “I need to do this to get it out of my system.” “Want me to help?” My lips part. “Would you?” “If you’d like.” “Can you bring them all down?” He gives a curt nod and methodically knocks down every hanger, skirt, leotard, tutu, and shoe.

But understand this, I’m never letting you go. I’ll make you watch me with Kristina every night before I fuck you. She’ll have to adopt your child as hers, too, because I will not allow my offspring to be treated as a bastard. So what’s it going to be? A wife or a mistress?”

:o

“About a month.” Since before I found out about the engagement. Adrian ordered for this dress to be made while he was engaged to Kristina. He’s intended to marry me since then. I don’t know what to think about that.

I lean on my crutch, head held high as I step out of the room. If I’m going to sacrifice myself, I’m not doing it with tears in my eyes or like a damsel in distress.