Prologue

The moment the world changed colors all seems like a dream now. I always think back to that moment and it always plays back slightly differently in my head. You’d think I’d have remembered every single word and action from that day, but I don’t. Each kiss and each sentence is muddled in my mind and the replay is always unique, however, I will never forget the way that I felt.

“Did you really think I’d let you go, Bianca?” His voice sounded muffled as he whispered in my ear softly through the material that was tied around my eyes and across my ears. “Did you think I’d just give up?” The tip of his tongue trailed from the inside of my ear and down the side of my neck. I shivered in the cool room as I strained to move my hands. The rope was tight around my wrists and I struggled in the bed.

“Why are you doing this, Mattias?” I said as his lips pressed against mine roughly.

“Because you want me to.” He bit down on my lower lip and tugged gently. “And because I want to.” He leaned down closer to me and I breathed in his scent, wallowing in the smell of his cologne. The first time I’d smelled him I’d instinctively been attracted to him. I could still remember being in the back of the dark car with him the night I’d been kidnapped. My eyes felt heavy as I thought about his betrayal. How could Jakob have done this to me? How could I have not known he was Mattias?

“You need to trust me, Bianca.” His voice was monotone as he kissed me again, and I tried to avoid breathing in his smell.

“You said that last time,” I whispered, and my body froze as I smelled him again. This time every nerve in my body tingled with shock as the bold musk of the familiar cologne hit me, sending shock waves through my body. His kiss was searching and demanding; wanting something that had been forbidden to him. I lay there, unmoving, trying not to betray my fear.

“I want to make you mine, Bianca. We can make this work.” His voice deepened and I tried not to cringe as I felt his fingers in my hair. I remained tight-lipped, scared that my voice would give something away.

“No,” I said softly, and he froze, confirming what I already knew. “I know who you are.” This time my voice was stronger.

“That’s why this will be so very enjoyable, Bianca,” he muttered, and kissed my cheek before stepping back. “Let the games begin.”

Chapter One

One Week Earlier

“Bianca, open up!” I could hear Jakob’s voice through the open window. My heart broke at the sound of worry in his tone. At one time, I would have believed that the concern was for me and my well-being. Now I knew better. Now I knew all Jakob cared about was finding out what I knew and scaring me into trusting him. My body shivered as the cool ocean breeze washed over my trembling skin. I held on to the railing of the balcony and said a quick prayer before I prepared to jump to the next one. It was only a couple of yards away, but I just knew that those couple of yards of space were waiting to pull me down like a dead weight. I looked down at the drop between the two balconies and sank to the floor in fear, unable to take the leap.

“Bianca!” Jakob’s voice was louder as I heard a loud crack coming from inside the bathroom. Adrenaline kicked in—I forced myself to my feet and over the rail at last. “Bianca, stop,” he shouted at me as he poked his head out of the bathroom window.

“One, two, three. You got this.” I took a deep breath and jumped. My ankle caught the railing and I screamed as I landed with a thud on the balcony of the next room.

“Bianca, are you okay?” His silky tone almost deceived me as I struggled to get up. I heard him walking onto the balcony I’d just left, and I scrambled to open the sliding door that led to the bedroom. The lights were off and my heart was beating fast as I tried to open the door.

“Open, please, open.” I bit my lower lip as I tugged frantically on the handle.

“Bianca, please, don’t make me come over there.”

“Don’t even think about it!” I shouted as I turned to look at him.

His blue eyes were focused on my face as he stood a mere couple of yards away. “You can’t get in there.” He shook his head. “The door’s locked and the room is vacant.”

“How do you know that?”

“I made sure of that fact when we arrived.” He shrugged. “I didn’t want us to have any distractions.”

“You mean you didn’t want me to find out the truth!” I shouted, anger making me brave. I stared at his profile as he looked at something in the distance. His face looked so familiar, so ruggedly handsome, so much like that of the Jakob I’d come to have feelings for that my heart broke when he turned to look back at me.

“Why are you running from me, Bianca?”

“Do you think I’m crazy?” I shook my head and tightened the bathrobe belt around my waist. “Do you think I’d stay with you after what I heard?”

“What do you think you heard, Bianca?”

“What do I think I heard?” I repeated. “Help me, somebody help me!” I screamed into the night air, hoping a passing stranger or another hotel guest might hear my cries.

“Bianca, calm down.” He grimaced as he stared at me. “Take some deep breaths and stop panicking. Let your common sense control the situation, not your fear.”

“What?” My eyes narrowed as I stared at him, my heart racing fast.

“I was on a deserted island with you, Bianca. I know how your mind works.”