Sick Remedies (Pretty Lies, Ugly Truths Duet Book 2) Read online

  I didn’t know how to respond to that. I chose to focus on something he’d just said. “What do you mean by examined?”

  “I mean, I had a physician come in and check you over the minute you got here.”

  “What? Why? There’s nothing wrong with me.”

  “That isn’t why I had her come. Plus, you hurt your knees.”

  I gawked at him, my mask slipping. Is that where that goop came from?

  I’d had a few scratches from falling when I got out of the car. They weren’t serious enough to need a doctor. Who had doctors on house call, anyway?

  He moved to the other side of the king-sized bed and began tossing decorative pillows onto the floor.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Laying down.”

  Wrapping an arm around my knees, I peered over at him through lowered lashes.

  “You’re going to sleep?”

  “Yes.”

  “Here?” A hint of disbelief wrapped my question.

  “Where else would I sleep? This is our bedroom.”

  “Your bedroom,” I corrected.

  He scowled at me. “Go take a shower. Your things are in the closet--.”

  “You got my suitcase? What did you do with my car?”

  “You won’t be using it anytime soon. Its being put into storage. I’ll make sure she’s treated like a rare jewel.”

  “She is a rare jewel, and I know every inch of her exterior. If there’s so much as a new scratch, I’m taking payment out on your ass.”

  “Nova, nothing will happen to your car. Once I’m sure I can trust you not run off, you can have it back.” The smile that accompanied his ultimatum was genial, making his eyes soften.

  It was my turn to scowl, fixing my attention on my toes.

  He laughed quietly. “You can go find something to eat if you’re hungry. Explore the estate if you’d like. If you leave this room and go three doors to the left, I think you’ll appreciate what’s waiting for you inside.”

  He pulled back his side of the comforter and climbed into bed, lying on his back, only covering up part of his lower half.

  I could smell his bodywash—a mix of something warm and spicy—cinnamon and vanilla. I tried not to drool over every solid bump and ridge that made up his abs, choosing to ask a question that had an obvious answer.

  “Aren’t you worried about me running away?”

  “No.” He shut his eyes, his enviously long lashes sweeping downwards.

  “You wouldn’t make it off the estate before the guards stopped you. Furthermore, that would be foolish. You’ve got food, shelter, and safety here.”

  “Guards? Why do you have guards?”

  “Doesn’t matter. Just know that if you’re with me, you’re safe.”

  Safe. He kept making it a point to tell me that. It reminded me of the day we spent on the peak together. He promised I was safe with him even all the way back then.

  Despite the circumstance, I still believed I was. Well, I was safe with him. Not from him.

  “You know I could kill you in your sleep?”

  “You’d never hurt the man you love.”

  What a pompous ass. His eyes remained shut and words ran dry, leaving a fragile silence behind. We had so many things that could have, and needed to be, discussed. But he was merely human, he needed sleep just like the rest of us.

  When his breathing evened out, I spent a good ten minutes discreetly studying his dozing form, making a point not to stare at the mass between his legs. He was such a gorgeous man. A mystery still in so many ways. Shame his personality had to be that of a delinquent.

  You’re one to talk, a voice snarked in the back of my head. I rested my chin on my knees.

  I suppose he was right to some extent about me not hurting him. That wasn’t something I wanted. But was that because I loved him?

  Truthfully, I didn’t know what to make of my feelings for him. I couldn’t put them into words. I was still confused about what was between us. We were a mess, him and I, but there was something quite alluring about that.

  I stared towards the door he’d come through, deciding a shower wasn’t such a bad idea. I slipped off the bed, watching him for any sign of movement. He didn’t stir.

  I moved across the room, wondering where the closet was, he spoke of. When I stepped into the bathroom, I found it. How could I not? The thing had a set of double doors that were wide open. It was the size of some peoples’ bedrooms.

  His bathroom was even bigger, and obscenely high-end.

  A stained-glass rain shower took up nearly one wall, and a freestanding marble bath rested against the other, just beneath a large window. I went into the closet, spotting my suitcase straight away. It sat amongst a plethora of meticulously organized women’s clothing. Everything looked expensive, and was color coordinated. I didn’t like that.

  I took only from the things I’d brought, grabbing a pair of sweat shorts and a T-shirt along with my essentials. Back in the bathroom, it took me an embarrassing amount of time trying to figure out how to use the shower.

  There was a panel with options that all seemed way too extra. Regulating water temperature, pressure control, which of the four heads to use. I just needed to wash my clamburger with some warm water, everything else was irrelevant.

  I eventually figured it out and took a leisure amount of time within the confines of the cubicle.

  It wasn’t as if I had anywhere to be, and the idea of escape was fleeting. Where would I even go? I had no car, no money, and no sense of where I was at. I could take a life, yes, but that didn’t mean I was cut out to be a criminal.

  I’d been winging it this entire time, doing what I felt was necessary. If not for Dad leaving me his jacked-up Pandora box, I wouldn’t be involved in any of this, my hands would be clean. Rhys’ parting words from earlier floated to the forefront of my mind.

  Why was I so determined to keep this flash-drive safe? It would never benefit me in any way. I wasn’t sure what it did or why everyone was ready to kill for it. I honestly didn’t even want the damn thing.

  With Rhett, though, I wasn’t worried about someone hunting me down for it. No, not Rhett, Rhys. His name was Rhys. Rhys Barron. Rhett Sullivan didn’t exist. Whoever he was, I trusted him when he said he’d keep me safe. I still didn’t know where he fit in the grand scheme of things, but right in that moment all I was concerned about was sharing a bed with him.

  I finished my shower and dressed quickly, wandering back into the bedroom after combing my hair and brushing my teeth. I wasn’t sure what to do with myself. I didn’t have a desire to go exploring this house.

  Emery was more than likely with Callum, who knows what the two of them were doing. I wasn’t sure what the extent of their personal relationship was, and that was the only person I cared to see.

  I went back to the bed and perched my ass on the edge, staring down at my toes.

  Within seconds, my spine prickled with an awareness. I glanced over my shoulder, finding Rhys’ very open eyes trained on me.

  “I thought you were asleep.”

  He continued to stare, his metallic hues traveling over me in a slow perusal, no response coming forth. Again, I felt as if he were searching for something.

  His eyes found mine again, I held his stare for as long as I could, disrupting the rhythm of my heart.

  What is it? What do you see? A small voice asked what I didn’t have the guts to ask out loud. Unable to look at him any longer, I swallowed and tore my gaze away, bringing my knees up to my chest.

  “Stop staring at me,” I muttered.

  “Why?” There was note of teasing in his voice.

  “Because its creepy.”

  “Then why were you staring at me for an hour straight before you got in the shower?”

  My entire face exploded with heat. I thought he’d been sleeping.

  “I wasn’t. Not for an hour.”

  The bed dipped, and then he was at my back, fingers moving strands of my
damp hair to one side of my neck.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Touching you,” he replied casually, bringing his lips to the place my pulse was beginning to jump, igniting the skin beneath them. “I knew you’d be in my bed eventually. I envisioned it over a dozen times.”

  I almost pointed out that I had been in his bed multiple times, just not this one.

  “Are you implying that I’m here willingly? I’m not.”

  He laughed lowly. “Do you believe your own lies? Because I don’t.”

  His hands came around my middle to rest on the top of my thighs, his solid torso pressed against my back. “Tell me to stop at any time, princess.”

  He knew that was unlikely. I loved the feel of any part of him, touching me no matter how sick or wrong it was.

  When he’d put that gun in my mouth, I thought that was it, but some deeper part of me knew he’d never pull the trigger. The debased side that felt nothing but desire as the metal slid along my tongue, flooding my pussy with arousal when he finally put his hands on me.

  “Why do you keep calling me that?” I asked, trying to distract myself from the feel of his lips moving along my neck.

  “That’s not a protest,” he noted, bringing his fingers to the hem of my shorts.

  “Where’s my necklace?” I blurted out, an image of it flashing through my mind.

  I felt his smile against my skin. “I’m having it fixed.”

  “…why?”

  “I found it in the pocket of your shorts.”

  I fought through the haze of lust slowly killing my brain cells and managed to push away from him.

  Sitting on my knees, I turned around, bringing us almost nose to nose.

  “Why?” I demanded to know, my voice firmer.

  Unperturbed by my mood swing, he shifted backward, leaving a cold air pocket in the space he’d just occupied. He watched me with a closed off expression, settling himself against the headboard. “It’s important to you, isn’t it?”

  “That’s not what I’m asking, and you know it. Why did you have it in the first place? Where’d you get it?”

  “Where do you think I got it?”

  “Stop doing that! Just answer the question.”

  He graced me with a deviant grin. “Which one?”

  My god, he was unbelievable. I scooted off the bed, planting my hands on my hips.

  “Do you really have to keep dragging this out? I already know what you want.”

  He tilted his head to the side, narrowing his eyes. “And what would that be?”

  “I’m not doing this with you.” I dropped my arms to my side and turned away. I made it approximately three steps in the direction of the door before I found myself sailing through the air. I landed on the cloud-like mattress with a jolt. When the hell had he moved?

  Rhys appeared above me. He grabbed my legs and shoved them apart, settling himself between my thighs. His arms came down on either side of my face, caging me in.

  My eyes ran down his body, flying back up when I reached the dark patch of hair the missing towel should have been covering.

  “What are--.”

  “Stop talking.”

  The iron and solidity of his tone had me obeying before I could think twice about it.

  “I don’t give a fuck about the flash-drive,” he began. “But the person it belongs to is very determined to get it back. He’s somewhat of a family friend, and certainly not the kind of man you want to piss off.”

  Get it back? “So--.”

  “I’m not done,” he cut me off and placed his palm over my mouth. “I’m responsible for returning it to him. I was there the night your parents died, because your father is the one who stole it. I didn’t have shit to do with your mom blowing a hole in his head.”

  I involuntarily flinched at the cold delivery of his words. It was the first time anyone other than me had spoken of what she’d done. Hearing it from him somehow made it seem even more real. Twice as twisted and tragic.

  I grabbed hold of his wrist and pulled his hand away from my mouth, pushing myself up as far as I could with my elbows.

  “That doesn’t explain how you got my necklace. Or why you decided to sleep with me.”

  A hardness that I had only seen a few times before returned to his eyes, a cruel smile played at the corners of his mouth. “I’ve known who you were for a while now Nova. You were your dad’s dirty little secret.”

  His secret? “I don’t understand.”

  “You shouldn’t try to. Some lies should remain just that, otherwise the truth will destroy you.”

  A lump formed in my throat, I swallowed around it, trying to process what he was saying.

  “I took the necklace because in every photo of you I’d ever seen, you were wearing it.”

  “Huh?” I froze. “When did you see pictures of me?”

  “You’re not listening close enough.” His smile grew, dipping into devilry. “I was always coming for you Nova. Job or not, you were going to be in my bed.”

  Whoa. I wasn’t expecting any of this. My mouth opened and closed, nothing coming out. His words knocked me completely off kilter.

  “Why?” I breathed out.

  “Is the truth that hard for you to see? You really haven’t figured it out?” He brought a hand to my face. Cupping my jaw, he dragged a thumb across my cheek. “Even after I’ve killed to steal you away, and to get you back…” he expelled a stream of air, sinking his teeth into his lower lip. “You haven’t realized how fucking obsessed with you I’ve become?”

  “What?” My voice wavered; a weak laugh dispelled from between lips slightly parted in disbelief.

  I stared up at him, my eyes feeling as if they were about to bulge from my head. His revelation elated me as much as it scared and pissed me off. Possessive. Intense. Dominating. Those were words I would associate with him. But obsessed? And with me? How the did that even happen? Did the universe need a good laugh, so it decided to throw two screwed up people together?

  “I’m not sure what to make of any of this.”

  “I know,” he replied coolly.

  “How do I know you’re not still messing with my head?”

  He quirked a perfect brow. “I confess to you, and you think I’m fucking with your head?”

  “Can you blame me?” I reached up and pushed against his chest.

  “You’re right. I should have started with an apology.”

  I shook my head from side to side. “I don’t want to hear your bullshit apology.”

  “Then don’t.” He placed his hand on my chest and pressed down, forcing my back to the bed. “Just feel me.”

  The sly smile he offered was the last thing I saw before he began to move down my body. He wasted no time. His hands and mouth seemed to be everywhere, creating a slow burning fire wherever they touched. My shirt disappeared, leaving my upper half completely nude.

  His lips skimmed down my collar bone to my left breast. He cupped it, firmly, closing his mouth over the hardened nipple. He nipped with his teeth, swirling his tongue over it to soothe the sting.

  I closed my eyes and moaned softly, stroking the top of his silky hair.

  His cock hardened against my thigh, the metal piercing at the tip of it brushed across my skin. The feel of it against me bringing an overwhelming ache to the juncture between my legs.

  It hadn’t been that long, but it’d been far too long without him. Everything other than the two of us melted away. I needed him inside me. “Rh…Rhys,” I breathed, tapping his shoulder.

  “I know what you want. Be patient and I’ll give you every inch of it.” He moved away from my breast, eyes staring up at me as he continued his path to my pussy.

  He glanced down and placed a hand between us, sliding one finger down my throbbing slit. “You’re so goddamn wet, I can practically see my reflection in your juices.”

  He took hold of my calves and pushed my legs up until my knees were bent, settling them over his shoulders.


  He parted my lips with two fingers, and then traced the opening with the flat of his tongue. “Mm, I love the way you taste, baby-girl.”

  Without further preamble, he placed his mouth over my pussy and began to fuck me with his mouth and fingers.

  I lost track of time, breathing heavy with every moan he wrenched from me. I tangled my fingers in his hair, tugging and pulling as the pleasure increased. Looking past the rise and fall of my breasts, seeing his strong, inked arms wrapped around me to keep me in place, and his gorgeous face buried in my pussy…

  My legs started to shake, the tightness in my core snapping like a band.

  “Rhys!” I came calling for him, digging my nails into his shoulders. Drunk on desire, my body hungry for more, I dragged him back up to me.

  “You’re so beautiful,” he intoned, running his hands up my sides, gliding them over my curves. I wrapped my arms around his neck, catching the smug smirk on his face as I brought his mouth down to mine.

  That was the last semblance of control he allowed me to have. His kiss was one meant to stake a claim. He tasted of my sex, the arousal on his lips transferring to mine. The head of him rubbed against my slit, pulsing and hot.

  He broke away without warning and reached between us to line himself up. Keeping my legs over his shoulders, he pinned me down by the throat, and slammed his cock inside me.

  The force of his entry split me in half, the delicious burn causing tears to spring to my eyes. A curse fell from his lips, his grip tightened, breaking off the scream that flew from my mouth.

  “Rhys,” I pleaded, needing him to move.

  Understanding my request, he obliged without comment, pressing me deeper into the mattress. He fucked me hard, drilling into my pussy with a brutality that had me coming all over his dick within minutes.

  He pulled out entirely, removing my legs from his shoulders. Flipped onto my stomach, he grabbed hold of my hips and dragged me backward, positioning me my ass over his thighs, forcing my back to arch. He slipped back inside me with ease, my arousal drenching his cock.

  “Damn,” he groaned. Taking hold of my hair, he wrapped it around his fist, and began to thrust with renewed vigor, hitting a spot deeper inside me as he rode my body.