They tempt me
They show me a world I didn’t know existed
They want to own me
I’m afraid of losing myself to their wicked games
But I’m drawn in further and further until I’m not sure who I am anymore
But someone else is watching
Their anger flickers over me, little flames no one notices
But the fire of revenge grows more powerful each day
They want to destroy meThey might just do it
Chapter One
Lacy
I'd never flown in a small plane before, and flying over the ocean scared the hell out of me, but that’s where I was at the moment—flying over the ocean. I gripped the handles of my white purse a little tighter and tried not to stare out the window of the very, very small plane.
Please don’t let me die, I silently prayed.
There was a valid reason I was on the plane. You see, I was desperate. I needed a job that would pay more than minimum wage. I’d started to think the soup kitchen and homeless shelter didn’t look so bad. Yes, that was just how desperate I was getting.
Then a miracle happened. Not that I believe in miracles, but as I said, I was desperate. It was as though fate had stepped in to help me. That would be a first, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.
The bright yellow paper on the college bulletin board immediately caught my attention. It sounded too good to be true.
Finally, something might actually be going right for me.
Help Wanted:
Young females between the ages of 18-28. No experience necessary. Room and board. $100,000 a year possible. Nice looking. One year required on a private, tropical island.
A phone number was listed, so it must be legit, right? Not a college prank or something. It sounded like the perfect job. Who wouldn't want to spend a year on a tropical island? Fuck, yeah!
I even fit the bill. I’m twenty-one years old, blonde hair, blue eyes, five feet, six inches. I didn't lack dates. Not that I went out that much. At college, I kept my nose buried in the books, so I practically swore off dating, which wasn’t that much of a hardship.
The guys I’d dated in the past bored me to tears—much like college, but what else was I going to do?
As far as dating went, it was all about them getting off and to hell with the woman’s pleasure. Before we had sex, all they wanted to talk about was their fantastic job opportunities after graduating—which should've clued me to how they would be in bed. I wasn't impressed, especially since most of their college was being paid for by daddy.
I had a few scholarships, but my student loans were piling up. I didn’t have a mommy or daddy to bail me out. I'm a late-in-life baby, and my parents don't have the money to help. I'm not sure they would have, anyway.
They want me to make it on my own. It'll make me appreciate my law degree more. So, nope, I didn’t have any help, which was why I needed this job if I wanted to continue my education.
Still, I was pretty sure the ad was a scam, but I thought, what the hell, and called the number, then set up an interview. I passed the first phase.
The second phase was a lot of medical stuff. They wanted to make sure I was disease free. Pap smear, mammogram. That part was a little embarrassing.
I hated my yearly exam. I think I'd rather go to the dentist. The prospect of living on a tropical island and earning that much in a year kept me going.
Taking a year off from college to work wouldn’t be that difficult. By the time I graduated, I would have a hell of a lot less debt. That sounded good to me.
I glanced out the plane's window and spotted an island in the distance, then breathed a sigh of relief. That must be it. My new home. At least for a year. I still wasn’t exactly sure what my duties were. I’d been told I would be taking care of very special clients.
Maid? Kitchen help? Scrubbing toilets? I figured they couldn't get that many people to work on a remote island, and that's why the pay was so good. I’d do almost anything to pay off the loans I'd already accumulated. Plus, the ones I would have by the time I got my law degree.
The plane made a smooth landing. After coming to a stop, the door opened. A moment later, someone brought the steps down. “Here I go,” I muttered as I came to my feet. The warm ocean breeze wrapped around me as I stepped off the plane.
It was a little hot for my business suit: a white pencil skirt with a matching jacket, a pretty yellow blouse, and low, white heels.
Thank goodness for resale stores! As I looked around, I had a feeling I was going to enjoy it here.
A woman with a to-die-for tan greeted me at the bottom of the steps with a big smile. “Welcome to the island. I am Leanni.”
She stepped nearer, placing her hands on my shoulders and kissing me on both cheeks, then surprised me with a soft kiss on my lips. My face must’ve shown my shock, but she only laughed lightly before removing the lei around her neck and placing it around mine.
I only thought I was shocked before. Leanni wasn’t wearing a top. Her hair wasn’t much past her shoulders, so her breasts were bare—full, rounded with taut, dusky nipples. I swallowed past the lump in my throat.
I realized I was staring and quickly dropped my gaze. That's when I noticed the white sarong tied low on her hips and left one leg bare. I didn’t think she was wearing anything beneath it. The wrap was so thin I could make out a dark thatch of curls at the juncture of her legs.
What exactly was I getting into here? Why hadn’t I gone through the contract with a fine-tooth comb? Idiot!
My concern must've shown on my face because she continued.
“Don’t worry. We’re very casual on the island,” she told me.
“I can see that.”
She laughed.