TRAPPED BY HIM

CHAPTER SIX—Yosemite Park

Lucas

I was unarguably going crazy.

The rain fell steadily as I trudged up the path, occasionally casting quick glances over my shoulder to check if Cily was still with me.

It was 7pm and she'd asked to meet up at Yosemite Park. My guess was that she’d made her decision.

A reluctant smile crossed my lips as I saw her plodding behind me, her hair now soaked to the roots, and lying sleek and flat against the sides of her face. She looked funny, but beautiful nonetheless.

Her dress was saturated and soaked. It clung to her body, revealing every line and contour of her slender body.

Cily was beautiful and sexy, with slender curves in all the right places.

Now that I thought about it, I should have made her walk in front of me. It would have been a pleasant view.

“Hurry up.” I yelled out to her as we walked steadily under the rain, looking for the nearest shade from the rain.

She stopped, not minding the rain, and glared at me. Droplets of rain ran down her pale face, as she blinked.

I found her frank stare irritating, despite the fact that I was feeling something else as well.

Something a thousand times more powerful than curiosity or irritation. I wanted her again. Just like back at the office when she was pressed against me, breathing heavily.

What I felt for Cily was anger mingled with chemistry. Electric, fiery chemistry that snapped the air whenever she walked into a room and made my body throb in a response that was entirely s****l.

I hoped for her sake that she had asked to meet her because she was ready to accept my proposal.

She didn’t have any choice either way.

Suddenly she stopped, as though controlled by some invisible string only she could see.

She appeared bewildered, and confused. Thankfully, the rain had reduced to slim softer drops, and it was okay to stand outside, while Cily tried to decide if she wanted to hurt me or kiss me.

It shone clearly in her eyes. Her inner debates and the thoughts swirling in her head. Even though I knew Cily would never admit to it, she was attracted to me.

That was good. I was counting on that attraction to bend her to my will. To know her father’s plans.

She could act all dumb and clueless, but my instincts screamed at me, that she knew.

Cily knew her father’s plans.

“What do you have against my father? He doesn’t even know you exist.” She spat out with disdain dripping from her tone.

It irked me. Her disdain for me irked me, and I intended to change that.

“I’m not the one you should be scared of, Cily.” I searched her eyes, mesmerized by her beautiful doe eyes.

Cily sighed, then threw her hair over her shoulder. Wet and all.

She was shivering, and her teeth were beginning to clack against each other. I itched to wrap my hands around her, but something inside me stopped me.

Standing in the rain in the middle of Yosemite Park had been her idea. I wasn’t obligated to do anything for her, even if every bit of me wanted to do the opposite.

`”So, made a decision yet?”

My heart skipped a bit as she hesitated before answering. I refused to think that she was stupid enough to choose the latter.

“What did my father do to you?” Her question was not what I was expecting.

“Now you care?” I bit back. Her feigned innocence angered me. She was refusing to admit to the fact that she has been conniving with her father all along.

I had to give it to her. Cily was a good actress, but she could not fool me.

“Every time I close my eyes, I remember the cold in your father's eyes as he pulled the trigger.”

I kept my voice calm as I answered her. Telling her this was not part of the plan, but I could not stop talking.

“The rigger? He shot you?” She tilted her head to the side, her hair, now half dry, hung loosely as she bent to one side.

She looked convincingly shocked.

Was she just playing dumb, or did the daughter of the most notorious man in California, have no idea about her father’s status?

“My father would never pull the trigger on anyone.” Her brows furrowed and I could see that she was struggling to process what I’d just said.

Her eyes darted from side to side, avoiding my eyes as though she was searching for a way of escape. But there was none.

“You don’t know him like I do.”

I scoffed. Still convinced that this is all an act. “What is your decision?” I was getting impatient, standing here in the cold.

“Is that all you’re concerned about? Getting back at my innocent father?”

She was testing me. “We both know that I’m concerned about a lot of things” Her lips parted slightly in surprise because I made no effort to mask the need in my voice.

To my surprise, she closed the little distance between us when I half expected her to run away from me.

Her eyes rested on my lips, but only briefly.

It was getting dark out, and even colder. Cily visibly shivered, and rubbed at her arms. The growing bravado she’d been displaying a moment ago was gone, and completely replaced by the sound of her clattering teeth.

“What…what happened…between….us..can..not happen..again.” Cily clattered out.

“Are you sure? I caught you staring at my lips, just now.”

Cily brushed her half damp hair out of her face, her eyes shining with annoyance. “In your dreams.”

What was she trying to prove? I wondered. And to whom?

I already knew everything that I needed to know about her. Everything she did, each time she opened her mouth, it made up figures that pointed to her true nature. She was a liar, a conniving fraud.

Just like her father.

But standing there, shrouded by the cover of darkness, I was fiercely aware of her. Although it was dark, I could see her n*****s pointing at me through the soaked dress she had on.

I’ve never wanted to take something so badly into my mouth.

“You’re shivering.” It wasn’t because I cared about her. No. Far from that.

“Why do you care?” She shot back, in a weak display of strength.

“I don’t have all night. Could have just come to my office on Monday morning.” I said, glancing around. It suddenly occurred to me that this might be some setup or a trap.

“I could have done that.” She replied, holding my cold gaze. “But I could not wait any longer.” Her eyes were teasing, mocking even.

“If you asked nicely, I’d have sent you my address.” I leaned in, but did not touch her.

Cily laughed, throwing her head back as she did. For a split second, I itched to kiss her, feel her lips against mine, and cut off her laughter.

I tried to distract myself by turning my gaze to a couple laughing loudly some feet away from us. There was something in their laughter that gave me goosebumps.

Like a subtle mockery. Maybe I was being paranoid, but I felt only for a while that they were in cohorts with Cily. This was most likely a trap.

“And be trapped in your little man cave with nowhere to run?” She asked, tilting her head to the side. By the half smirk playing on her lips, she was enjoying herself.

“What does that mean?” I clenched my jaw.

Her urge to counter every word I said was becoming belittling, but at the same time dangerously alluring.

What was it about her that stirred me? Who did she think she was?

Cily smiled. She was standing on the rain soaked, her hazel eyes bright and intent on mine. There was no trace of a smile on her face, and her simple straightforward scrutiny disturbed me more than I ever imagined was possible.

“Sir..”

There it was again, that word she used whenever she was trying to prove a point or get on my nerves. With Cily, nothing was ever simple–except scrutiny.

She continued, ignoring the hard glare I shot her.

“The answer to your preposition is no.”

I staggered back, as though I’d been sucker punched.

“What?!!” I exclaimed, my voice piercing through the stillness of Yosemite Park.