And honestly, how could I resist pretending to be someone like her? Unlike my own round face, Catharina’s cheekbones look like they could cut glass. The sleek, black waterfall of her hair is a stark contrast to my own riot of carrot-colored curls. And her body. Fucking hell. A perfect hourglass, the kind of curves my mother always told me I could have if I’d just put down the junk food. Everything about her is designed to lure men in, to strip them down to their most base urges as they walk straight into her trap.
Only now, I’m the one caught in her snare, and I’m still not sure why.
There’s another of those unsettling jolts as the plane lifts off the ground, and a soft gasp escapes me before I’m able to smother it. In yet another surprising twist, Catharina lays a hand over mine, her thumb rubbing soothing circles over my knuckles as she smiles at me. “Shh, little one. It’s all right. Mommy is right here and I’d never let anything happen to my babygirl.”
I can’t help but believe her. After all, why would she go through all this trouble to trick me and kidnap me just to let me die in a fiery crash? And if anyone could keep a plane in the sky just through the sheer force of their will, it’s Catharina Montgomery.
That knowledge settles my jumping stomach a bit, but not quite enough, so I search my brain for another distraction. It doesn’t take me long to find one, considering I have nothing but questions about what the fuck is going on. I start with what I hope is an easy enough question for her. “Who is Uncle Max?”
Catharina’s smile deepens. “I suppose you could say he’s the head of our little family. The island was his idea, you see, and he takes the running of it very seriously.”
“You keep talking about ‘the island’. What island? Where is it? Who else lives there?”
“Curious little thing,” she mutters, but there’s a flash of pride in her eyes when she says it. “You and Natalie will get along well.”
“Who’s Natalie?”
Above us, the seatbelt sign clicks off and Catharina releases my hand to unbuckle hers, and then mine. “Kerry, would you fetch me the milk from the fridge? And the chocolates, as well. My Little one has had quite the morning.”
“Of course, Ms. Montgomery.”
With Kerry dispatched, Catharina gives my hand a firm tug. “Come here, little one. It’s been killing me not to snuggle you after such a harsh punishment.”
Disobeying her is likely to earn me another punishment, so I rise to my feet and step closer. But when she tries to pull me down to sit on her lap, I balk.
“I don’t want to crush you.”
The look she gives me is stern enough to have me shoving my free hand behind me to cover my ass. “Don’t be ridiculous, Alexis. Mommy’s lap was made for sweet Little girls like yourself.”
“But I’m notlittle. I’m like, the complete opposite of little. And you’re…”Perfect. You’re so fucking perfect. Unlike me.
Her mouth curves up in a knowing smirk. “I’m much stronger than I look, which you should have realized by now considering how easily I was able to put you over my knee. But perhaps you need another demonstration.”
“No, no, I believe you!”
To prove my point, I lower myself gently onto her lap, without fully resting my weight on her leg. “See? All good.”
One dark brow raises, but the smirk doesn’t budge. “Do you really think that’s what I meant, Alexis Paige?”
You know what? Fine. If she wants me to sit on her lap and break her fucking legs, then what do I care? At least then she won’t be able to chase me when I finally find a way to escape.
Out of pure spite, I drop down hard onto her lap but to my great annoyance she doesn’t even flinch. If anything, she only smiles wider as she wraps her arms around me, pulling me closer to her.
“There. Isn’t that much better, baby?”
My butt still hurts and I can still taste soap. But to my surprise I actually do feel a little better, snuggling up to her like this.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Because I don’t have an answer to that particular question, I keep silent, closing my eyes and pretending it’s someone else’s arms around me, holding me tightly. Comforting me. Anyone buther.
“Thank you, Kerry. You’re a good girl.”
An emotion I can’t quite place twists in my stomach and I pry open one eyelid to stare up at the perfect little cheerleader beaming down at Catharina. “Thank you, Ms. Montgomery. Anything else I can get for you?”
“A little privacy. I’d like some time alone with my Little girl.”
Kerry’s bottom lip moves into a slight pout, but then her expression clears and she’s all smiles again. “Of course, ma’am.”
