The Dark Forest: A Collection Of Erotic Fairytales(148)

His driver’s license. Terrible photo and all.

Adam Gothel.

“Adam?” she breathed his name in disbelief.

“Yes?”

“You kissed me.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

He shrugged. “I just wanted to know what it felt like to kiss a princess. ”

“For the last time, I am not a princess.” She touched her lips as he settled into the chair across from her, his ribs expanding and settling back in a deep breath.

“You’re the modern equivalent, whether you want to admit it or not. Sinclair is the king of his little kingdom, and you are the long-awaited heir.” He took a drink, and smiled. “Although, I guess if the empire does fall, you’ll be a pauper like the rest of us, like your mother was.”

“My mother…” She traced the picture in front of her, her mind still full of gaps and holes. His knowledge about her life was overwhelming, and as she looked around at the filing cabinets, aware of the millions of pages that were lurking inside them—all she felt were questions. About herself, her mother, her real history. “What else do you know? Have you really read everything in here?”

“Most of it, or at least I skimmed it when my father or I found it. You can ask me anything, I don’t care anymore.” His lips twitched as he watched the pained distress on her face. “I did tell you I’d ruin your life, didn’t I?”

“You just ended the fairytale, how can you ruin something that wasn’t real?”

Adam laughed low and nodded. “I guess that’s true. Go on, ask away. I promise I’ll tell you anything I know.”

“I don’t even know where to start.” She reached for one of the papers on the table. “Where is Dr. Haisch?”

“Dead. About eight years ago now, I broke into his house while he was in the hospital and took all the files and journals he’d kept from his time with your father. It answered a lot of questions.”

“Are you going to kill my father?”

“I think I’ve done worse than kill him, don’t you?”

“How?” She caught his eyes as he glanced up at her.

“I’ve taken you from him, haven’t I?” Adam gave that strange, lopsided smile, and then leapt out of his seat as a long beep emanated from his computer. Shaking the mouse, his screens came to life and he cursed under his breath as he pulled out the office chair.

“What is it?”

“I made a mistake somewhere. Fuck, what did I do?” His hands flew over the keyboard, and she watched as windows opened and closed on the screen. For a few minutes he muttered under his breath, the clatter of the keys the only noise besides the hum of the computer. “DAMMIT!”

The shout made her jump, and then he started to laugh quietly. A quality of madness to it that made her nervous. “What happened?”

“You. You happened. I let you distract me, I let you inside my head, and sent the last email to your father unencrypted.” He grabbed one of the monitors and turned it so she could see the framework of surveillance cameras, and in the bottom left square were two figures. “And now the wolves are at the door, princess. Looks like you’re getting out early.”

Part of her was relieved. Rescue, escape, freedom. No more locked room, no more violence, but a smaller part, the part that hummed at the base of her spine when she thought of his hands on her, felt regret. A twisted sense of losing something. “Where are they?”

“At the double doors—which are locked by the way.” Adam sighed and turned around in the chair, rubbing his face before he pushed his hands into his dark hair. He was so beautiful, so damaged, so corrupted by everything her father had done. He had let it destroy him, had let it eat him alive until he was barely human anymore, and she couldn’t suppress the pity as he raised those tawny brown eyes to her. “I feel like I should apologize, but I’m not even a little sorry that I took you, princess, and I told you I wouldn’t lie to you.”

She ignored his comment, a sense of urgency rising in her. “I have more questions.”

“You better ask them fast, or you’re going to need to make an appointment at the penitentiary.” He was too calm now, too accepting, and it made her angry.

“But I don’t even know what to ask, I don’t even know what pieces are missing!” The metallic bang of a door swinging into the concrete wall made her turn fast towards the doorway. Adam stood and moved to lean against the filing cabinets on the back wall. His chest bare, all that carved muscle on display as he crossed his arms and waited. Like a defiant criminal waiting for the hangman.

“Just don’t let him lie to you again, Rebecca. Don’t let him empty you out and turn you into the little doll he wants. You deserve the truth, don’t let him strip it away from you again.” She turned to meet his eyes, his blank, angelic expression, and then she heard a familiar voice.

“REBECCA!” It was a shout of relief from her father’s head of security, the man she called Uncle Will, and he had a gun in his hands. “We’re here, we’ve got you. Quick, get away from him.”

Her father appeared next to him, slightly wide-eyed, but relief passed over his face as soon as he saw her. “You’re okay. You’re alive,” his voice was warm and soft, the confident tones of a CEO reassuring reporters, but when he took a step towards her, she pulled back.