Illicit Captor by Maggie Cole

5

Scarlet

Iset the plate of food on the bed and pace the room.

Da is dead.

How is it possible?

And Caleb's running the clan?

The pit in my stomach grows. My brother has no boundaries. Da at least had some, but Caleb... He hates both Alaina and me. All my brothers do.

We were always just women in the family. It was the reason I ran away. I wanted to be more than that. I didn't want to run the clan like Alaina did, but I wanted my own life instead of only cooking and cleaning for men.

She warned me how horrible it would be if any of my brothers ever got into power. And I know she wanted to change things. She admitted it to me once after she had had too much whiskey. The next day when I talked to her about it, she shushed me, told me never to speak of such matters again.

She was right.

If my father or brothers knew, they would've done something to hurt her. I know that now. But she did want to make changes. I know she did.

And my brothers, knowing they have no loyalty to me, will be worse than Tommy and my da. That doesn't sit well with me.

Did Da have any loyalty to Alaina or me?

Yes, he had to. We're his daughters.

He didn't.

He was my da.

"Ugh," I groan, not any less confused than yesterday. The debate continues.

I wish I could see things black and white the way Aidan does.

He's an O'Connor. He wants me to think certain things.

Maybe he's telling the truth and won't hurt me.

He's just as vicious.

He can't be trusted.

How could Alaina be married to Brody O'Connor and running the O'Connor clan with him?

It's not possible. She loves the O'Learys. She would die for them.

My stomach rumbles, and I pick up a piece of soda bread, nibbling on it. I go to the window and stare out at the sunshine.

Alaina killed Da?

I can't fathom it. I chew more soda bread and grab my tea. I return to the window, loving how the sunlight warms my skin.

Aidan lets me see the sun.

That doesn't mean he's a good person.

He's a monster too.

Is he?

I sip the tea, but it doesn't calm me. I can't stop thinking about how Aidan's an O'Connor. No matter what Da or Tommy have done, I'm still an O'Leary. Aren't I? And Aidan has to be as ruthless as anyone in my family.

There's no way I can trust him now that I know he's an O'Connor. His flirty, overly concerned act is only to trick me.

He could have been honest and told me yesterday when I woke up and asked who he was, but he lied.

What else is he hiding?

I finish the bread, then sit on the bed. I eat some of the egg, finish my tea, and push the plate away. I slide under the covers and contemplate what to do about all this.

I need to escape Aidan.

How?

My sister. She'll help me.

I return to pacing the room, wondering how to contact Alaina. I really am in the middle of nowhere. The cottage is surrounded by a small farm and woods. The only living things here are the chickens.

The door slamming hits my ears, and I return to the window. Aidan appears, walks over to the fire pit, and tosses a trash bag in it. He squirts lighter fluid over it, then strikes a match. He holds it in front of his face, watching it burn until it almost touches his fingers. He finally tosses it onto the burn pile and it bursts into flames.

The smoke moves toward him, and he steps to the side, crosses his arms, and stares at it, deep in thought.

I study him, unsure why I don't feel pure hatred toward him.

I should.

The men in my clan are bad, but so are the O'Connors.

Why would I betray my own clan for his?

Why would Alaina do that?

He's lying. He has to be lying.

Brody was on that message too though.

I put my hand in my hair, tugging at it, and it's as if Aidan can sense my frustration. He turns his head, locking eyes with me, and my core lights up.

Goddamnit! Why do I have to be attracted to him?

I'm not!

He's just a cocky, sexy, rugged man who thinks he can have any woman he wants.

He'd even take me looking as horrible as I do right now.

I step away from the window and move back in front of the mirror, cringing at how the sweatpants and sweatshirt fall against my body. I could be wearing a trash bag. If it wasn't for the drawstring in the pants, I wouldn't be able to keep them up. No matter how much he feeds me, I wonder if I'll ever look like my old self.

It was so long ago.

Was it?

Will the dark circles under my eyes ever fade?

I study myself until I run out of disgust and only numbness remains. I step away from the mirror and return to pondering how I can get ahold of my sister.

She's my only option. Aidan's right about one thing; I'm still physically weak. There's no way I'd survive in the wilderness on my own. I don't even know where we're at, and there's no doubt that Caleb and Tommy are searching for me with the rest of the clansmen.

But my sister's smart. She's fierce and fearless. I know she'll come get me. Once she's here, she'll know what to do.

I pace until it hits me.

His phone. I need his phone.

Once again, the question of how plagues me.

I can't just reach into his pocket and grab it. And Aidan won't just hand it over.

I sigh. I've got to get it.

I pick up my plate, put the teacup on it, then leave my bedroom. I scrape the food into the kitchen trash, then wash the plate and cup. I set it on the rack to dry, and Aidan walks in.

He asks, "Did ya eat?"

Part of me likes the fact that he's actually worried about me eating. It's a relief after Tommy starved me for so long, yet I remind myself it has to be fake. There's no way this man, my family's archenemy who kidnapped and drugged me, could care about my well-being.

He'd take me to my sister if he cared about me.

Surely he would, especially when she's ordered him to do so.

I freeze.

Alaina gave orders to an O'Connor.

How is this possible?

"What's wrong?" he asks, shaking me out of my thoughts.

I recover and reply, "Nothing. I wish ya would've told me who ya were when I asked yesterday."

His face hardens. He steps closer, until he's standing across the counter from me. "Let's say I told ya when ya first asked me who I was, when ya were lying in bed. Ya were still drugged up, trying to process everything that happened, and a mess from what that monster did to ya. Would that have made ya any calmer, petal?"

My chest tightens. He's right, yet I'm not giving him a pass. I glare harder at him and cross my arms. "So that makes it okay that you're dishonest?"

"I didn't want to scare ya," he states.

He sounds sincere, but I can't trust him. As much as I want to, I can't.

I sarcastically laugh. "Ya want to talk about trusting me and me not lying to ya, but yet ya do the same thing. And while you're calling me out, you're telling me one lie after another. You're such a hypocrite."

His jaw twitches. He crosses his arms. "I've tried to do the best thing for ya."

"Have ya?"

He narrows his eyes. "Ya want to stand there and tell me I've treated ya poorly?"

"Well, ya drugged me, for one."

"When are ya going to let that go, Scarlet?"

"Probably never," I say.

He nods. "Good to know. Regardless, ya can stop talking about it. No need to keep shooting a dead horse. Like I said, I gave ya a choice, and I had to do what I had to do."

"What about the fact my sister wants to see me, and ya just ignore it? Ya won't let me see my family—the only person who actually cares about me and would take care of me."

He claims, "I care about ya."

My butterflies take off, but I continue to glare at him.

He adds, "And I'll take care of ya."

My flutters go nuts, and I scold myself. I put my hand on my hip, demanding, "What do ya want from me, Aidan?"

He stares at me, his lips tightly shut, not answering my question.

I scoff. "Thought so. More silence from the prison guard."

"Don't be so dramatic." His intense stare intensifies.

In need of a distraction, I wipe the little bit of water off the counter, toss the towel in the sink, then walk around the island.

He steps in front of me, declaring, "Ya need to get past who I am."

I look up. "The fact that you're a liar or an O'Connor?"

"I'm not a liar," he says.

I sarcastically laugh again. "Really? That's convenient for ya."

His expression hardens. "You're making this harder than it has to be, petal."

I ignore the tingles racing down my spine. I spout, "Why don't ya tell me what ya actually want from me? Ya could hand me over to my sister, but you're not, so tell me why. My sister, of all people, will protect me."

"She can't."

"Yes, she can."

"She didn't protect ya when your da married ya off to Tommy, did she?"

I reach up and slap him. I don't know where I get the energy, but a loud crack echoes in the room.

His face turns to the side. He sniffs hard, puts his palm on his cheek, and stays frozen for a moment.

My heart beats so hard, a sharp pain runs through it.

He slowly turns his head and scowls at me.

Fear fills me. As much as I hated Tommy, I never lashed out at him. I was too scared, and I don't know why I decided to do that to Aidan. I may not know much about him, but I know he's not someone to be messed with.

I cower, stepping back, and hit the counter.

He steps forward until there's no room between us, warning, "Don't ya ever do that again."

My insides quiver. I don't know what to do. I stare at his chest, afraid to see his anger.

He tilts my chin, and I can't avoid it. A crazed look lights up his dark eyes, and his voice turns so cold I shudder. He asks, "Do ya understand what I just said?"

I nod, unable to say anything, afraid now is the moment I'll see Aidan's wrath.

He's an O'Connor. It'll be worse than Tommy's.

I lean as far back as I can, until my back hurts, making me wince.

He slides his hand behind me, palming my spine, leaning an inch from my face. He warns, "Ya can get over these issues, and it'll be a lot nicer for us while we're here. Or ya can make your time miserable with me. Take your pick, petal."

Tense, fearful on my part, silence builds between us.

His phone rings, snapping us out of it, and it reminds me of what I need to do. He pulls it out of his pocket, continues staring at me, and snarls, "Alaina, we're not having this conversation again. Stop calling." He hangs up, then slides his phone back into his pocket.

I gape at him.

"Are we clear, Scarlet?" he asks.

"Ya could have let me talk to her."

"Why? So ya can tell her how horrible I am so she gets more upset?"

"No! I wouldn't do that!"

He snorts. "Sure ya wouldn't." He steps back, and it hits me how to get his phone. I take several deep breaths, then wrinkle my nose.

"Something wrong?" he asks.

I question, "Do ya think ya could shower?"

His eyes turn to slits. "I already did this morning."

"Ya stink like a bonfire." I put my hand over my nose, feigning that it's making me feel ill.

He studies me, then claims, "I burnt the trash. I don't smell that bad, do I?" He sniffs his pit, then arches his eyebrows.

"It reminds me of Tommy," I lie. Tommy smelled of tobacco and Aidan just reeks of bonfire.

He freezes.

I add, "Sorry. Ya-ya can stay smelly if ya want."

He shakes his head. "I'll take another shower if I'm that repulsive."

"Ya are. Sorry," I add again, offering a small smile.

He moves to the bathroom, then glances at me. "You're welcome to join me if ya want."

My adrenaline kicks in. I smirk. "Thanks for the offer, but no."

"Suit yourself." He goes inside the bathroom and shuts the door. I pray he doesn't lock it, and I'm relieved when I hear the shower turn on. I wait for a moment, then I step inside.

He sticks his head between the curtain and the wall. "Did ya decide to join me?"

My flutters ignite again and heat fills my cheeks. I smirk. "No, thanks, prison guard. I have to wee."

He pulls the curtain back a bit more, revealing his perfect pecs. "Ya sure about that, lass?"

"Positive," I say. But part of me wants to remove my oversized sweats and step in next to him.

Amusement fills his expression. "Ya sure you're here just to wee?"

I scoff. "Yep. Unfortunately, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do."

"The offer is still open if ya want to jump in." He gives me one of his heated, arrogant looks.

How can he still look at me like that when he knows I'm aware he's an O'Connor and I'm an O'Leary?

I just slapped him.

He should be hurting me right now. That's what Tommy would be doing.

I don't understand it. It's all confusing. I sweetly coo, "Could ya please focus on your shower so I can go to the loo?"

He chuckles, then shuts the shower curtain. I watch his silhouette add shampoo to his hair through the flimsy curtain. I quickly reach for his pants, grab the phone, and slide it into my pocket. I pretend to go to the bathroom, flush the toilet, then wash my hands.

I shut the bathroom door, go into the bedroom, and lock the door behind me. My heart races and my hands shake. I pull out his phone, swipe the screen, and a security feature pops up.

Crap! What's his code?

I start punching in random numbers, but nothing works. It only takes a few minutes before he pounds on the door, ordering, "Scarlet, open this door."

"I'm getting changed," I lie.

"Ya have two seconds. I know ya took my phone."

I call out, "I don't know what you're talking about." I try a couple more codes, and then the phone locks.

"Jesus," I mutter.

There's a loud bang, and his foot comes through the door.

I shriek and back up to the bed. My knees hit the mattress, and I fall onto it.

He comes charging at me, cages his naked body over mine, and seethes, "Give me my phone. Now."

My chest brushes his hard pecs. Our breaths merge, and his eyes glow like an animal ready to tear its prey apart. I glance at his lips, then meet his leer, swallowing hard.

"Now," he demands.

With a shaking hand, I hold it out.

He rips it from me and glances at it. "Great, ya locked it."

My voice cracks as I confess, "I want to talk to my sister."

"If ya think stealing my phone will get ya what ya want, you're wrong."

"Please," I beg in a whisper.

He doesn't move, but his erection hardens against my stomach.

Time seems to stand still with the only sound coming from our breaths and the blood pounding between my ears.

I slide my hand onto his cheek, unable to stop myself. I manage to get out, "Aidan, please—"

"I guess I have to worry about ya more than I thought."

A new fear rises within me. I ask, "What do ya mean?"

He glances at my lips, stating, "There's no more privacy. I'm removing the bathroom door too."

"What? No! Aidan!"

"Ya want to slap me? Steal my phone? Trick me into showering?"

"Ya did smell," I argue.

"Did I?"

"Yea."

"Like Tommy?" he snarls.

I cringe, staying quiet under his angry scowl.

His disgust morphs into something so tempting I hold my breath. He asks, "Or maybe ya wanted me naked? On top of ya like this."

I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.

He threatens, "I'm going to warn ya one last time, petal. Don't lie to me. Don't slap me. Don't try to trick me. Stop pushing me."

"Pushing ya?" I whisper, my mouth watering. I glance at his lips, wanting him to press them down on mine.

He brushes them against mine and declares, "Last warning." He lifts his body off mine, stands before me, and doesn't say a word, breathing like a dragon ready to roar with fire.

Unable to stop myself, I drag my eyes up and down his large frame several times, taking in every inch of Aidan O'Connor.

He's nothing like my disgusting, aged husband.

Still, Aidan's a man women run from, and for different reasons than why they try to avoid Tommy.

Women don't run because they aren't attracted to him.

They run because they know he'll ruin them.

And I'm officially screwed.

There's nowhere for me to run and escape him.