Sophie Oak: Siren Enslaved

“Dani!”

She shook her head as best she could with Jimbo Smart’s great-grandmother’s monstrosity of a veil. It had been bedazzled within an inch of its sad little life. Of course, the whole damn dress was that way. She had rhinestones everywhere. She weighed an extra fifty pounds. Finn was running a hand through his dark hair and pulling out his cell. She knew who he was calling, but she couldn’t answer. Her phone, along with her purse and everything else she had brought, was in the bride’s room at the church.

She’d run out on her wedding. She’d run out on her whole freaking future.

“Breathe.”

Dani turned to look at the man driving the car. She hadn’t thought that through, either. She’d just known that Finn was going to catch her, and she couldn’t face him. She was with a complete stranger. Her hands shook, and her breath hitched again.

“Calm down and breathe. Focus on one thing and one thing only. Let the world narrow to a single point.”

It wasn’t a suggestion. The man next to her commanded. His deep voice ran over her like warm, rich chocolate. She took a long, steadying breath, filling her lungs with humid air. She gripped the door but found herself doing exactly as he ordered. She settled her eyes on the air conditioner vent. Four little lines. That was all that mattered. She stared at them.

“Excellent. Now concentrate on slowing your breathing. Flex your hands. Remind yourself that you are in control of your body. It does not control you.”

“I am in control.” The words felt foreign. She hadn’t been in control for a long time, most of her life. Most of her life had been about outside forces controlling her. Her concentration slipped. She panted. What was she going to do?

The car came to an abrupt stop. Dani looked around. They were on the edge of town, just off the highway. Was he going to leave her here?

The man beside her turned in his seat, and Dani got her first good look at him. Holy crap, she’d gotten in the car of some damn movie star. He had to be. He was absolutely perfect. She felt her jaw drop. He had dark brown hair that was pulled back in a low ponytail at the back of his neck. His silvery eyes dominated a face made of strong bones and sharp angles. From what she could see, his body was long and lean. His shoulders were encased in an expensive-looking dress shirt, though he wore no tie, leaving a V of smooth, tanned skin exposed. He looked a little like an angel, but one who had fallen from grace long ago.

He took her hand, sliding it between both of his. Her hand, so cold a moment before, was surrounded by warmth now, and that warmth started creeping up her skin.

“Focus on me, Annie.”

She thought about correcting him, but the panic was threatening again. It had been like this for six months. The panic attacks were getting worse. She’d nearly passed out the night before. Finn had held her and asked her over and over if she was sure she wanted to do this. Damn it. She’d started down that aisle, and he’d been so beautiful standing there. Her groom. Finally she was where she belonged, walking down the aisle toward her love, Finn. Only Finn wasn’t there for her. He never had been, not that way. She’d turned and ran, and now she was in a car with a gorgeous god of a man who might be a serial killer. The way her luck went, he probably was. She would end up chopped up and buried all across east Texas.

“Oh, you are such trouble.” He sighed, those gray eyes rolling, and then he pulled her close. “Luckily, I know how to handle you, little one.” He let go of her hand and twisted in his seat. One hand captured her face, cupping her cheek, and the other went to her waist. He pulled her in, a mountain of tulle between them. “The key is giving you something to focus on.”

She was focused all right. But if his plan was to get her heart rate under control, he was going about it all wrong. She could feel it pound, though not in panic anymore. It was something else, anticipation. Was he going to kiss her? He leaned in. She could see the dark beard beginning to come in all along his jaw. She could smell the mint on his breath and feel the heat of his body. She was completely paralyzed as he pressed his mouth against hers. He moved his soft lips along her mouth gently, as though simply exploring. Dani felt her shoulders relax. This was so nice. This was in another league from Jimbo’s sloppy, halfhearted attempts at kissing before he gave up and just stuck his penis in. This was meltingly sweet. Dani gasped a bit, and her mouth opened.

He took immediate advantage, his strong tongue invading. Dani heard herself groan and let her whole body go soft in his hands. As his tongue danced around hers, she realized she’d never been kissed, not once in her life. She’d been pecked and assaulted by men who didn’t know what they were doing, but this, oh, this was a kiss. This was an overwhelming request for her every sense to come alive for him. His hands didn’t move, but she wanted them on her skin. She wanted to be under him. She wanted this to never, ever end. She didn’t know his name. He didn’t really know hers. It didn’t matter because for the first time in her life, she wanted, really wanted, to spread her legs and let someone in. Not even Finn affected her the way this stranger did. She felt her nipples get hard, begging for his lips to find his way there.

He raised his head in a smooth motion. Dani stared at him. Her skin felt flushed and alive.

“Now, are you more in control, Annie?”

Nope. Not a bit. But he was. As far as Dani could tell, he was completely unaffected by the kiss that had blown her mind and had her body begging for more. She swallowed and nodded her head, turning back in her seat. “Yes. I am feeling much better. Thank you.”

“So polite,” he murmured. His hand found the stick shift again. “I don’t suppose there’s anywhere I can take you, Annie?”

“It’s Dani. Danielle.” Her mind raced, but the panic was gone. “Just drop me off at the diner. It’s called Christa’s Café, just a couple of blocks over.” It was where the bus stopped. Although she didn’t actually have any money for a bus. Maybe she could call from there, and her sister could bring her the purse and bag she’d left at the church. She couldn’t face Finn. She might never be able to face Finn again.

“Hungry, are you?”

“No.”

“Then why should you go there?”

It was none of his business, and yet she answered immediately. “It’s where the bus stops.”

“Ah, you intend to flee for good, then. Well, you’ll have to buy two tickets because I doubt that, um, dress you’re wearing will fit in one. Just buy the whole row, little one.” He put the car in first gear and the sports car purred down the road. He turned onto the highway, away from town.

“Hey, the diner is back that way.”

He nodded. “Yes, you mentioned that.”

The car kept on its path.

“You’re not taking me to the diner, are you?” She found herself settling into the seat, relaxing. Any more time in this car with him meant another moment before she had to face the fact that she no longer had a home to go to, or a future. She knew she was being an idiot. She could hear her sister bitching at her. She didn’t think about anything. She wasn’t careful about selecting her friends. She didn’t fit. She was an embarrassment. Now that she thought about it, maybe she wouldn’t call Val at all.

It was easy to push aside her sister’s constant complaints as he drove. She looked up at the wide Texas sky and something eased inside her. She found herself actually smiling a little. “Where are we going?”

It didn’t matter. Somehow, someway, she knew she would be safe with him. After a lifetime of doing everything that was asked of her and getting very little in return, she felt like she didn’t know what her next day would be like. It was exciting.