The Illusion

Eighteen

Isla's dress. Lili's heels. Nothing in this outfit was something I'd ever buy myself. Apart from my jewellery but to be fair, these were all gifts. I think it was the black that was throwing me off. It wasn't often I wore black. If ever. It just felt a little out of place. I think I'd worn black more in the past month than I ever had. I guess it was kind of growing on me. I was just used to the pastels.

"Freya?" A gentle knock on the door, slowly pushing open. "Are you dressed?"

"Yeah, you're good." I sighed, playing with the light curls I'd put through my hair. Lord knows who exactly was going to be there but if the girls had been right and word had indeed gotten out about me being taken hostage, I had to be perfectly fine. People had to think I was unharmed. And that meant everyone's eyes would be on me which made be stupidly uncomfortable.

"I just came in to bring you do-" I looked at Leo in the mirror. Standing in the doorway of my walk in closet slack jawed. "Turn around."

"What?"

"Rey, I've got to stare at you all night, least you could do is give me a second to breathe." I turned around slowly. I don't think I'd seen Leo in a suit and I'm kind of glad it was now when I was. I'd already had one glass of wine to settle my nerves. He stumbled over his feet like a clumsy baby deer, sinking his hands onto my hips. "This? After this morning? I'm almost 90% sure you're bewitching me."

"I know, you've got to watch me talking to other guys too." He scrunched his face up. "Who knows, maybe I'll find someone to take me home." He turned, pushing me up against the door of one of the units. "Uh oh."

"You're not going home with anyone apart from me. You'll be sleeping in my bed." I blinked. "You really think you could grind on me like that Freya and I was just going to let you get away with it?"

"Maybe."

"Angel, you are beyond lucky that we're moving this at your pace. Pull something like that again and I'll have you bent over whatever surface is closest." Where the hell did that come from? "You leave that room with someone who isn't me to come home, another man touches you tonight, I don't give a fuck who it is, I'll put a bullet through his head right there. No one else gets to touch you."

"Oh, we've gone from protective to possessive huh?" I wrapped my hands around the lapels of his jacket, tugging until his face was close to mine. "Maybe I should give you the same warning, walking around like this." He smirked. "No girl gets to touch you but me."

"Tell them you're sick." His fingers dug into my hips through the dress, moving down to the edge and pressing his fingernails in until I shivered. "Tell them you can't come and I'll rip this dress off with my fucking teeth." I forced my knees to stay upright.

"That'd be a little too easy though wouldn't it?" I leaned up, pressing a dark red kiss against his cheek before tugging him down a little more. "I'll let you know when I'm ready to come home." I pushed back on him, breaking out of his grasp and looking in the mirror one last time. "You like the dress then?"

"Mhm."

"Maybe I should change then."

"Have you always been this irritating or is it just because you're mine now?"

"Yours?" I turned to him, tugging my bag over my shoulder.

"Rey. You look like that. You moved your ass against me after spending 2 hours with my tongue in your mouth this morning." He grabbed my chin between thumb and fore finger, bringing his head down to the nape of my neck before whispering "You're mine Freya." A soft kiss. "And if you think-" Another, moving higher up. His giant hand stretched across my lower back, pushing until I was against his chest, already panting. "I'm going to let another man take what's mine," His teeth grazed the top of my neck and I pressed my lips tight to hold in the weak moan needing to escape. "I dare you to try it. I've always wanted to fuck the brains out of someone on a poker table." Shit. Maybe I should say I'm sick.

"Where-" I cleared my throat, very aware of how croaky it sounded. "Where have you been hiding this new Leo? I didn't think you'd have the nerve to start demanding things."

"I'm not demanding anything. Just catching you up baby. In case you missed the memo. Now you know."

"Now I know." I nodded as he stood up straight. I tidied his suit up. "If I see another girl on you-"

"I'll be sure to bring her over and watch you show her who I belong to Freya. Don't worry. Behave yourself."

"I'll think about it." I smiled sweetly, stepping back into the rest of the room. I looked him up and down slowly, smiling to myself before turning on my heels and walking out of the room before I collapsed.

Apparently, if your body is telling you you're ready to jump back in, it's a good idea to not hide from it. The thoughts about the endless things I wanted Leo to do to me had exploded today and I was past telling myself it was ridiculous. Life goes on after and I sure as hell wasn't going to let Zane be the only person to have ever touched me like that.

No. A few drinks, a good night at the casino with the girls and everyone else and I'll let him bring me home. I'm not going to put any pressure behind it but if it happens, it happens. I'm not stopping it now. Not when Leo's walking around in a suit looking like something created by the book gods themselves.