Only Pretend Read Online Free PDF Page B

I scratched at his wrist. The thick material of his dark jacket protected him from my claws. Letting me go, he stood over me while I struggled for air. He's crazy! He's a dangerous man. I need to be smarter. Stop acting, start thinking.
    Crouching, he cupped my chin until I was forced to look at him. His thumb wiped away tears from my eyes. "Are you actually ready to listen? Just nod for me."
    It was a long moment, us staring at each other in silence. He was calm, like he'd done this many times before. He mentioned other girls, earlier. If he'd done this with others, it would be hard for me to surprise him. I was tired, weak from drugs and confused about what was happening—where I even was.
    If I wanted a chance to get out of this...
    Looking away, I gave a tiny nod.
    "Good girl." He pet my hair, made my hackles rise. Standing tall, he didn't offer to help me up. "That's a start." Stuffing his hands into his trouser pockets, his gaze never slid from me while he spoke. "You wanted to know why I would do this." He gestured around the room. "Bring you here, have you cleaned up. Make you look pretty for the camera, all of that."
    I struggled to stay silent.
    Shrugging to his ears, Leonide's grin revealed porcelain teeth. "The men who buy from me have a weakness for blonde, blue eyed American girls."
    My belly flipped, didn't stop. Blonde? I wasn't blonde, not truly. Of course he wouldn't know that; the Celeste he'd met had been fresh off of a new dye job. As for the rest... "You said buy. You're a slave trafficker, then." Slavery. He kidnapped me to sell me as a slave!
    He was too fast, hand winding in my hair while he knelt over me. Wrenching my head back, he snarled over my surprised scream. "I didn't say you could speak, did I?" Shaking me, he waited till I had quieted down, eyes black ice. "And you went so far as to insult me. I'm no slaver, my dear girl. Understand?"
    No, of course I didn't understand. He'd said it straight out! How could he be anything except a slaver? I'd heard of them on the news, understood they existed in some capacity... just not in a way that threatened my life.
    Or so I had thought.
    Easing his grip, not releasing me, Leonide sighed. "Slavery is a filthy thing. No, what I do is far more pure. I find girls, make them into perfect brides for their future husbands. True, there is money involved, but what matchmaker isn't owed their part for such an effort?"
    My eyeballs throbbed; I'd stopped blinking. Marriage? Yes, this man was truly insane. I was in the hands of a mad man. A handsome, deadly mad man. A dangerous man who thinks I'm a natural blonde. Oh god.
    On the one hand, telling him the truth might change everything. If his clients wanted a certain type of girl, and I didn't foot the bill, well... No. He said it before, stupid girls end up dead. Telling the truth would get me tossed aside. Yet, he'd find out when my roots grew in that I wasn't blonde at all.
    What could I do?
    I'd colored my hair to help me play pretend at being someone else. This wasn't playing anymore. Can I still pretend in this situation? I would have to try.
    Leonide stood, smoothing his jacket and adjusting his tie. I hated how put together he looked, all while I crouched in gaudy red lingerie at his feet. "You understand now. I'm going to make you perfect, Celeste. The perfect bride to be." Oh god, that awful fucking smile. "You'll make me a lot of money. I just know it."
    There were so many things I wanted to ask. Darting a look at the camera, feeling the burn of the cut on my knee, I hesitated. Perhaps he could read my mind; his voice was inquisitive. "Go on. What do you want to ask me."
    Parting my lips, I gathered myself. "Who... who are you going to sell me—or marry me, to?"
    "Ah." Strolling to the camera, he took it off the tripod. "A lot of things influence that. You'd have a different audience if you were a virgin." His casual comment made me blush. "As it is, I'll have to market your... abilities in a different