Read Illusion (Swept Away Book 1) Online
Authors: J.S. Cooper
Illusion (Swept Away Book 1) (36 page)
“It wasn’t supposed to be like this.” His fingers dug into my skin. “I didn’t count on falling in love with you, Bianca.”
“You didn’t answer my questions. Did you know Steve and were you kidnapped?” I couldn’t allow myself to think about what he’d just said. Love wasn’t a part of Jakob’s equation, no matter how much my heart wanted to believe that what he’d said was true.
“You know the answers,” he said simply, his eyes never leaving mine.
“Is David your brother?” I asked softly, not even allowing myself to breathe as I waited for his answer.
Please say no, please say no, please say no
. The worst possible answer would be that the man I’d loved as “Jakob” was actually my ex-boyfriend’s unbalanced brother Mattias.
“Yes.” He nodded. “Yes, David is my brother.”
It was then that I saw a sudden movement on the ground below us. A group of people were walking down a narrow pathway toward the hotel.
“Help!” I screamed. “Help me!” I yanked my hand from Jakob’s grip and fell backward against the balcony railing. “Help!” I screamed again, desperate for them to hear me.
“Bianca, stop it!”
“Leave me alone!” I screamed, wanting him to know that I wouldn’t be silenced.
“Bianca, we had something special. Please, give me the chance to explain.”
“We had nothing,” I spat out. “It meant nothing. You ruined it all with your lies.” I could feel tears running down my face as my shock made the transition from anger to complete and utter devastation.
“I’m coming over.” Jakob stood on the edge of the balcony, balancing like an acrobat preparing to leap into the void. I stilled, holding my breath as he stood there.
“Get down.” My heart was in my throat as he stood motionless, as relaxed as if he were simply waiting for a cab. “You could fall.”
“So you still care.” He gave me a satisfied smile as he hopped down, back onto his balcony.
“Why didn’t you jump?” I was confused. He could have easily grabbed me if he wanted to. All he had to do was make one small jump. Why hadn’t he?
“Have you ever seen
The Talented Mr. Ripley
, Bianca?”
“The movie with Matt Damon and Jude Law?” I frowned at his randomness. Why was he bringing up movies? That was my thing.
“Yes.” He nodded.
“Yes, a long time ago. Why?”
“I want you to trust me, Bianca. Everything isn’t as it seems.”
“Yeah, you’re not as you seem,
Jakob
.” I paused. “Bradley, right?”
“Yes, my last name is Bradley.” He nodded solemnly. “It’s not a name I carry with pride.”
“I wonder why.” I glared at him. “I assume you hate it as much as you hate your first name.”
“Life is complicated, Bianca. Sometimes we have to make decisions we don’t want to make. It’s just what life brings us.”
“Like when Ripley kills Peter at the end of the movie?”
“Ripley loved Peter.” He sighed. “But he did what he had to do.”
“Are you telling me you have to kill me?”
“I would never harm you.”
“What do you want from me?”
“I want the same thing you want, Bianca.” His face changed and he looked away. “We’ve both come so far.”
“Do you want me to sign away my share of Bradley Corporation? Is that what this is about?” I asked bitterly.
“This is about so much more than that, Bianca.” He stretched his arms up and I could hear the fatigue in his voice.
“What is it about, then?”
“You haven’t been totally truthful with me either, Bianca.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I know about the other letters.”
“What?” I stared at him in shock. “What do you mean?”
“I know the secrets you’re hiding. I know what your father did. I know the truth behind his guilt.”
“My father felt guilty because my mother died and he didn’t put the puzzle pieces together soon enough to get justice for her death.”
“Do you really think that’s the only reason he was upset, Bianca?” His eyes searched mine. “Are you seriously trying to
tell me you didn’t know about the affair?”
“What?” My jaw dropped as I gazed at him, my mind racing. All of a sudden everything I thought I knew was called into question. All of a sudden I remembered the label on the box that had held my father’s papers. All of a sudden Jakob was on my balcony, grabbing my hands and pulling me toward him.
“Don’t try and run away again, Bianca.” His eyes looked dark as he gazed down on me. “It’s not safe here.”
“But aren’t you the one I should be afraid of?” I whispered up at him.
He said nothing, just leaned down to kiss me roughly.
PHOTOGRAPH BY J. S. COOPER
J. S. COOPER is the author of the
New York Times
and
USA Today
bestselling series The Ex Games and The Private Club, as well as many other series and stand-alone novels. Visit
jscooperauthor.com
, or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.
FOR MORE ON THIS AUTHOR:
authors.simonandschuster.com/J-S-Cooper
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also by j. s. cooper
The Ex Games
The Ex Games 2
The Ex Games 3
After the Ex Games
The Private Club
The Private Club 2
The Private Club 3
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2014 by Jaimie Mancham-Case
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First Gallery Books trade paperback edition November 2014
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Interior design by Jaime Putorti
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Cooper, J. S.
Illusion / J. S. Cooper. — First Gallery Books trade paperback edition.
pages cm.
I. Title.
PS3603.O5826365I55 2014
813'.6—dc23 2014020508
ISBN 978-1-4767-9098-5
ISBN 978-1-4767-9103-6 (ebook)