Reign of a Billionaire : A Dark Mafia Enemies-to-Lovers Romance

She’d been in the same position for the past two hours, sketching and then discarding. Switching the pencil between her left and right hand, massaging her left wrist every so often. I’d claim she was pathetic for not giving up on the hobby that her sister excelled at, but I realized I was even more so.

Fuck, this was so goddamned stupid.

I shouldn’t be spying on her through the camera, soaking in every expression that passed her face. I moved to close down the feed, but like each time before it, I stopped at the last second.

She started to hum, the tune distant and faint but enough to make my chest shudder. I wanted to march down the hallway and burst into the library, snatch her up, and carry her off to bed. Then I’d own her noises as I drove into her tight, wet heat, listening to her pleas for more. I wanted to torment her and make her pay for making me feel this way.

Clenching my teeth, I finally exited out of the program and shot to my feet. Again, I found myself bursting with restless energy.

Fucking hell.

Maybe bringing her to my island where there was nothing and nobody to distract me from her wasn’t such a good idea after all. The effect of her presence grew more desperate by the hour, and every dark, primal instinct inside of me taunted me. I wanted to take her, bend her over, and claim her. My balls ached, eager to be buried deep inside her.

I jumped to my feet, walked out of the office, and blindly followed the path to the library. I needed to talk to her, hear her soft voice.

My legs brought me to my destination in record time, and I stalked inside, the door to the library slamming into the wall from the force of my urgency. Liana jumped to her feet, her eyes darting around as if expecting someone else here.

“What the fuck, Kingston?” Lightning bolts blazed in her eyes, and her décolletage blotched crimson. My gaze wandered to her breasts. Her next words told me my discretion lacked finesse. “My eyes are up here, zasranets.” Jackass. She really loved cursing at me in Russian. “Or would you like me to dig out your eyeballs?”

I closed the door to preserve the heat in the library and leaned against it, tucking my hands into my pockets.

“Have you done it before?” I asked her casually.

She blinked, her cheeks burning red. “Done what?”

The corner of my lips twitched. Someone’s mind was in the gutter. “Dug out someone’s eyeballs,” I clarified.

She fell silent, her expression darkening before she masked it.

“I have,” she answered, her voice distant and flat. “I’ve stabbed a man in both his eyes and then watched him bleed out for hours.”

The words were like a punch in the gut. Liana had always been the stronger twin, but never psychotic or ruthless.

She sighed, and the heartbreaking sound tugged on the strings of my blackened heart. She wasn’t Louisa, but there was a part of me that craved to protect her and erase all the bad things she’d endured to become this ruthless version of herself.

But then just as quickly, she wiped her expression and narrowed her eyes on me.

“You need to do something about this library,” she grumbled.

“What do you mean?”

“There isn’t a single romance novel to be found.”

My brows furrowed. “There is a whole section with Agatha Christie novels,” I pointed out.

“Yeah, I know.” Someone had made themselves comfortable. “But I wasn’t talking about murder mysteries, was I?”

My molars clenched. There was nothing like going from one extreme to another.

“Why do you want to go back to Perez?” I said instead, focusing on the answers I needed from her.

“None of your business.”

“I’m trying to help you.” She gasped as though insulted and turned her head to stare at the fireplace. “Whatever you’re trying to do, you need resources.”

She glared up at me like a lioness ready to pounce for daring to point out the obvious. I bared my teeth, the sadistic part of me hoping she would. I was so up for a challenge.

“I don’t need anything or anyone. If you want to help, release me and take me back to Brazil.”

“No can do.” Her eyes filled with fire. Some would say we were headed for a disaster. I’d argue whatever this was could be an ingredient for something more. “Unless you know how to pilot a plane or navigate a boat.”

Her shoulders sagged for only a second before optimism filled her features. “I’m sure I can figure it out if you provide me with an operating manual.”

I clenched my fists. Jesus, the woman was willing to kill herself to get back to Brazil. I pinched the bridge of my nose. It was clear she wouldn’t be sharing anything. I could attempt torture, but hurting girls didn’t sit well with me. I suspected this pretty little psycho wouldn’t tell me anything even if I did.

“Sure, I’ll get you the operating manuals for both,” I finally relented. “If you manage to get either of them going, you can leave.”

But first, I’d make sure to remove the ignition cables. Then we’d see how far she made it without the help she so adamantly refused.

Chapter 40Liana

I’d been on this fucking island for a goddamned week.