Tempted by Deception (Deception Trilogy #2) by Rina Kent

I kiss him back, lost in the moment, because it seems that I care, too. Fuck. I more than care.

He pulls away, a small smile grazing his lips. “I’ve missed you, Lenochka.”

And with that, he turns and leaves. I stare at the door after it clicks shut behind him. My mind is bogged down with the realization I had while he was kissing me just now.

I love him.

I fell in love with the devil despite his monstrous nature.

My legs quiver as I slide them down the bed.

No. I must be mistaking lust for love. I need to save myself and my baby from the danger he is.

Whether it’s love or lust doesn’t matter, because Jeremy and I aren’t safe with him.

It takes everything in me to remove my clothes and put on a pair of jeans, a hoodie, and a coat. I stare out the window as I dress. Kolya, Yan, Boris, and Adrian get in the car before it soon speeds away from the mansion.

He took his best guards with him. Good.

After I make sure they’re gone, I barge through the door separating the bedroom from Jeremy’s nursery and wrap him up in thick clothes and a blanket. I fill my backpack with his necessities and a bottle of my milk that I pumped earlier in preparation for this.

I couldn’t possibly have missed out on the opportunity of escaping while the system is being replaced. Usually, Adrian will have every record of my movements at his disposal, but the system change is my only short window of getting out of here unscathed with Jeremy.

It took me a day to come up with this plan. I’ll leave through the back door, from which I’ve seen Ogla bring in the house’s supplies, and then I can take a plane to another state and stay under the radar to raise Jeremy. Since Adrian takes care of all our expenses and I don’t have a lease to worry about, my small fortune from ballet has remained untouched. I’ll use that to give my son a good life.

It’s not the perfect plan, but it’s better than nothing.

I was supposed to execute my plan in the morning after Adrian leaves, since he barely spends time at home nowadays, but fate is on my side tonight.

After strapping the baby carrier around me, I carefully place Jeremy in it and cover him with the blanket.

I make sure to leave my phone on the nightstand since it’s most likely being tracked, then sneak out of the room.

Usually, I’d be wary of the cameras in the hallways, but due to the system change, they’re not working.

I walk silently to the kitchen, watching my surroundings, heart nearly beating out of my chest.

Footsteps sound from around the corner and I flatten my back against the wall, placing a protective hand around Jeremy and slamming the other against my mouth.

The guards aren’t allowed inside unless Adrian calls them in, so only one other person could be in the kitchen this late.

Sure enough, Ogla’s shadow appears as she pauses in the doorway before she heads down the hall.

I wait for her footsteps to disappear, then I slowly head to the kitchen. Once it’s in view, I dash inside, ignoring the thumping of my heart.

Taking a deep breath, I wrap my hand around the doorknob of the door leading outside and turn. I nearly cry with joy when it opens.

The cold November air slaps me in the face, but I couldn’t have felt any warmer. I tighten the blanket around Jeremy and quicken my steps away from the house.

From the times I’ve spied on this place, I already know I’ll find myself at a special fence that requires a code. I punch in the numbers I’ve seen Ogla put in a thousand times and the gate clicks open.

I dash outside, my shoes slapping against the concrete as I run.

A large gulp of air rushes into my lungs when I inhale.

I did it.

I left.

I’m free.

No one will pose a danger to me or my son.

My heart clenches at the thought of what I’ve left behind, but I ignore that sentiment.

In my adrenaline rush, the run from the back of the house to the road wasn’t even that long.

I’m surprised to see a cab soon after I’m out and wave my hand at it. I have enough cash with me for a ride and a plane ticket. I’ll need to withdraw more from my bank, but thankfully, I can do that in any of their branches. I’ll have to be careful about it, and will probably do it in a different place than where I’m residing so Adrian doesn’t track me down.

The cab breezes past me and I realize it’s occupied. I wave my hand at the next car, hoping it’s a cab, too. The vehicle comes to a halt right in front of me, and my heart nearly comes to a halt along with it when the back door opens and my own devil steps out.

Even in the darkness, I can make out his murderous expression. “Going somewhere, Lia?”

As he advances toward me, I know, I just know that I’ve messed up any chance I had at freedom.





32





Lia





It’s over.

Not only did my escape plan fail, but I’ve also lost any sliver of freedom Adrian might have given me.

It was one thing to ask him to let me go, but acting on it is completely another. He’ll make it his mission to tighten the gilded cage around me until I eventually wither and die.

The ride back home is spent in silence. My hand trembles around Jeremy despite my attempts to steady it. I’m thankful he woke up, and I occupied myself by feeding him from the bottle. But he soon goes back to sleep, leaving me in the cruel presence of his father.