His eyes are drawing me in.
I’m trapped in his intense stare.
There’s something equally as haunting as there is enlightening about his eyes.
I want to know everything about him.
But first—his name.
“Please, what’s your name?”
“Nycto,” he replies.
I tilt my head in confusion. “Is that a nickname?”
“My road name.”
Exhaling, I lick my bottom lip. I want to know the man, not some damn persona he portrays. “What’s your real name?” I ask gently.
The light dims from his eyes. I see it, the moment the wall goes back up.
I’ve lost him.
Nycto drops his hand from mine, taking a step back. “That’s not for you to know.” His gruff tone is back.
Anger swarms through me. Dammit, I thought we were making progress. If the bastard wants to shut down, so can I. “Where. Is. My. Sister?” I ask forcefully.
He grunts, turning away from me, walking over to his desk and putting distance between us. “She was sold.”
“What do you mean?” I whisper.
Nycto faces me, his eyes not meeting mine. “That’s all you need to know. She’s gone, Eva.”
Tears flood my eyes, but I blink them away as an overwhelming sense of heaviness weighs on my shoulders. I told her I would always protect her. Ivy’s my baby sister. Sure, she just turned twenty-one, but she’s still so young at heart. She doesn’t comprehend the world like I do. I had to grow up quickly when our parents died. I became the adult. Ivy doesn’t know how to survive, not on her own.
“Why didn’t you take her in? Why me? She needs protecting, not me,” I yell at him.
“She’s not like you, Eva.”
“What the hell does that even mean?” I throw my hands in the air.
Nycto stalks over to me again. My skin prickles in goosebumps at the way he’s watching me. My breathing hitches the closer he gets.
Stupid reactive body.
“You’re not suitable for that life. You’re too… good. Too pure. I couldn’t stand watching you go to them.”
“Them? Who’s them?”
Nycto runs his hands through his hair in frustration. “This is going nowhere. You’re staying here, in this room, until I tell you it’s safe to come out. Your sister’s gone. Grieve. Scream. Deal the fuck with it however you need to. Just get used to the fact your life is here now.”
With a loud groan, I push him hard in the chest. He takes a step back, and I take one forward getting right up in his face. “Tú hijo de puta <You son of a bitch>. You think I can just let my sister go? She is everything to me. Everything! All I have left.”
“Well, now, Chiquita, I’m all you have left. Deal with it!”
He turns, heading for the door. I follow him, my feet stomping like lead weights. “Nycto!” He doesn’t stop. “Nycto, if you keep me here, I will make your life a living hell. This. I. Promise. You.”
He turns back to face me. “I’m already in hell, sweetheart.” With a flick of the handle, he opens the door, moving to exit. I rush forward, but he’s too quick. Nycto slams the door keeping me inside his room. I slam my fists on the door, banging as hard as I can. “Nycto! Nycto! You can’t keep me locked in here forever. You need to get my sister back. Please! Please just get my sister! Nyctooo,” I scream, but it’s of no use. I grapple with the door handle, but the door won’t budge.
The bastard’s locked me inside.
I sniffle, turning, then slide down the door. My eyes glisten as I take in my new prison. I don’t know where I would be right now if Nycto hadn’t taken me, but maybe I would have been with Ivy. Anywhere would have to be better than being locked in here. Even if my captor somehow sets my heart racing and tingles run all over my skin when he’s near.
What’s even with that? Honestly, I have no idea where my mind is.
Why is he keeping me locked up in here? I don’t even know where here is. All I know is it’s a bedroom with no windows. I mean who in their right mind lives in something like this?
I can’t sit around wallowing.
I have to fight.
I need to do something.
So, I stand and go in search. I need to find something to break me out of this room. I head to the desk first, open the drawers, but there’s nothing in them except for some notebooks, pens, a packet of cigarettes, and a fucking line of condom foils. I grimace, throwing them back in the drawer wishing I could disinfect my hands. Sliding the drawer closed, I turn, noticing the other door. My chest squeezes. Surely, it’s not another way out. Luck hasn’t been on my side today, so I doubt it’s going to be with me right now, but there’s no harm in trying.
With quick steps, I make my way over to the door and turn the handle, creaking the door open very slowly. The room is dark, so I search around for a light switch, flicking it on. A dull hue lights the room, and I scrunch up my face.
What the hell is with the lighting in this place?
Is this guy nocturnal or something?
As I take in the room, the basin hits me first. There’s a dark black bowl with copper faucet. I take in the tiles on the floor, black and white diamonds leading to a spacious shower alcove. A black feature wall lines the space where brass fixtures are fitted for the faucets and showerhead. A clear half-screen comes across from the floor to ceiling.
I had no idea what was behind this door, but, of course, a bathroom makes sense.
This room is something Ivy would love—the masculine industrial look.
I move to the edge of the basin staring into the mirror.
I’m a mess.
My hair is knotted. There are mascara lines down my cheeks. Blotches in places they shouldn’t be.
Why Nycto chose me over Ivy astounds me.
A few tears run down my face as I think of my sister and what she may be going through.
She must be so scared.
I wish I were with her.
I want to be there to help her through whatever hell she’s in right now.
All I know is, if I ever get out of here, I’m going to do everything in my power to find her.
Hold on, Ivy. Hold on.
Chapter Five
NYCTO
It’s been a long-ass night. My head’s all over the place. Having that moment with Eva in my room has confused me, though it solidified the fact I did the right thing in bringing her here. She isn’t the rollover-and-do-what-you’re-told kind of woman Andrés normally requests. Honestly, I have no idea how she was picked to be one of his packages. The only thing I can think of is it’s because Eva would go searching and maybe kick up a storm. Generally, the women Andrés sells are loners, women who won’t be missed, women who have no one in their lives. It makes it easy for him that way. Women who are forgotten quickly, therefore, make no waves. He’s all for the quick, easy, and dirty.
With Eva’s tenacity, she wouldn’t stop until she found Ivy. So, if Andrés wanted Ivy so badly, he had to take Eva—a package deal. I’m beginning to see that now. My concern? What’s so intoxicating about Ivy that Andrés would take on someone like Eva to ensure he acquires her? I have no answer, but it’s burning like fire in my mind.