The exit door clicked. My head whipped to watch the door slightly open. I waited a few more seconds and the door swung open wider; I held my breath.

This man invoked so much fear and hatred inside of me that I wasn't sure what to do. As soon as I saw his face, I knew who he was, what he wanted, and why I was here in the first place. He was right to have been suspicious, I was dangerous.

"Miss Ford," he nodded and strode towards me. At least seven more people came with him, one being Emily Moross. I wasn't sure what to say to her then, but I knew who she was, but from the look on her face, she wasn't too sure who I was.

"Silas Ledbetter." I felt Jackson stiffen next to me as I said his name. I guess I wasn't the only dangerous one in the room.

"The one and only." He held out his arms, seemingly humbled by my acknowledgement. "Now," he smiled, deceivingly cheerful, "I think it's about time we had a talk." He closed the space between us, slower than I would have thought possible, and sat down at one of the empty chairs. He glanced at Jackson and his whole demeanor changed. He was pretending to be calmer with me. With Jackson, he was firm and... scary, actually. Silas looked back at me and smiled a fake smile again, "Miss Ford," he almost sounded like he was scolding me. "Didn't you know that it's rude to not offer your guests a drink?"

"You're not a guest."

He smirked and leaned forward, so our faces were centimeters apart, "Do you not live here?"

"Also wouldn't say it's living."

He shook his head and "tsked" his tongue against his teeth. "You're so pessimistic, Miss Ford. You have food, water, a place to sleep, and protection. If this isn't home, I'm not sure what is."

I scoffed, "What about being surrounded by people you love?" I said the words with my brother in mind.

"Now, now, Miss Ford." He leaned forward again and whispered in a voice far too deep and husky than I was expecting, "You could have people you love here." He raised his eyebrow slightly and tilted his head. "I wish I could understand what it is about you that drives men wild."

I furrowed my brow, "I don't drive men wild."

He laughed. It wasn't a chuckle, or an evil cackle (like I was expecting, in all honesty), it was a full-blown, I'm-gonna-piss-myself laugh. He truly found my words humorous.

"Oh, Miss Ford. Have you gone blind? Do you not remember the countless men who fawned over you? Do you not remember, well, me?"

What happened next could only be described as horrifying. Not only was the enemy closing in, but he was doing so with his lips. I couldn't fight him or pull away because of half of his fucking army in the room with us.

His lips brushed mine at first, being careful of what I would do if he were to push me any harder. Once that happened, I remembered more things about myself that I wasn't sure I cared to know.

***

"Fuck," I muttered and pulled my finger up to my mouth to suck away the blood forming.

Silas walked in and scolded me, disapprovingly. "What did I tell you about being careful? Have you no regard for your own personal safety and well-being?" He walked over to the kitchen table that I was sitting at and pressed his lips to my finger. "You know," he said, raising an eyebrow, "Every single part of you," he paused to press his lips to the palm of my hand and slowly shower my arm with small kisses, "tastes divine." He finally found my lips and stayed there for a while before moving down to my neck. He pulled me out of the chair and he worked his way down my stomach. "And I do mean every part."

I blushed and watched him move down my body. He glanced up every once in a while to tease me. He made his way to my fully covered crotch and grinned evilly. "Shall we take this elsewhere? I'd hate for the neighbors to get a view of what's mine."

I shifted in his grasp, which I assumed he took as "yes" and walked me into the bedroom. Silas' bed was far too big for just him. Of course, I wasn't foreign to his bed, his touch, or his sex for that matter. But every time I fell apart under him, I felt as if I were betraying my brother. Because every time I fell apart, I fell a little more in love.

***

He was right. I did drive him wild. And I knew I did because I felt the same way about him. His lips felt suddenly too soft and too careful. I intertwined my fingers in his hair and pulled him closer to me, deepening the kiss. Oh my God, I missed him.

He groaned when I pulled a little too hard on his hair and was suddenly more oblivious to the nine other people in the room.

Silas broke first and whispered, "Baby, hold on."

I groaned and pulled away too, already missing his touch. It scared me how much I had missed this man, this man whom I didn't know I was in love with five minutes ago. I was expecting there to be a blood bath or a battle of the sexes or something like that. I wasn't expecting what I found instead.

But there was something always there inside of me, something that I knew was there but didn't think anything of it. I knew since the second I woke up that I was sleeping with the man who put me in this fucking box. I knew that I had doomed myself by falling in love with him and the plan that I created had failed.

I knew why I was here, but Silas did not.

He wasn't really in love with me too, now, was he? He knew that I knew something that he wanted to know. And the easiest way to get me to tell him what it was, was to fuck me ruthlessly both physically and mentally.

But there was something else that has been here since day one. Something deeper than love, or lust, or whatever fucking relationship that Silas and I had. There was something more pure and beautiful than anything I've ever felt before.

It was hard to pinpoint exactly what it was I was feeling. And it was hard for me to admit that my loyalties lied in about four different places at this point.

"I'm sorry," Silas cleared his throat, "It's just been so long since I've touched you. I missed you."

I smiled. It felt real, but I knew too well that he really didn't miss me that much. We were both faking this relationship. I was pretty sure he didn't know that I was. Maybe he did, I should give him the benefit of the doubt. He's not stupid.

But maybe I wasn't faking. Maybe I actually did love him like I said I did. Though, I never said it to him.

"All of this time, I had been watching you through these monitors. One time I even tried to sneak in here to be with you, but I was stopped before I had a chance to open the door." He caressed my face, "Oh but the wait was worth it, for I got to see you, in the flesh again. And I got to do this." He pressed his lips to mine again, softly, but satisfying nonetheless. He pulled away too quickly. "And every time I do, you make my head spin. It's almost as if, I'm starting to feel something for you. Something I don't think I should be admitting in front of everyone, but I will." He cleared his throat, held my hand in his, and smiled brightly. "Samantha Margaret Ford," he paused for dramatic purposes, which really was quite annoying. "I..."

I held up my hand. "I don't want you to say it."

He frowned, "Why not?"

"Because you're defeating the purpose of why I called you in here."

He smirked, "How silly of me." The dangerous Silas had returned, covering his deception with a smile of pure beauty that knocked the breath out of me. "Please, Miss Ford, continue."

"You experimented on me."

"Guilty."

I pulled my hands out of his grasp, "Why?"

He raised an eyebrow at my audacity to anger him when he had more numbers than I did. "As a threat. Remember this, Miss Ford: I may be in love with you," he smirked, "But I don't fuck around."

"I would disagree."

The smirk faded and I saw a glimpse of the hard man I knew he was, "Don't test me, Miss Ford. You will not like the man whom you see."

I leaned closer, teasing. It was my turn to be the flirt, "I've seen that man when he cuffed me to a bed and made me immobile for a good 12 hours. He was pretty hot." I winked and pulled away from his burning gaze, "But I would have never expected that man to operate on me because I won't admit what he wants me to. You used my brain as leverage. I do something to piss you off, you dig around in my head, turn me against people who want to help and turn me towards people who want to hurt.

"Don't think I'm blind to your tricks, Silas. I know who you are and what you've done. I know what your capable of. You've lost your element of surprise I'm afraid. However, I still have mine, and I'll never reveal it to you now. You've lost."

"That was cute." He stuck out his lower lip, almost pouting then kissed me again.

"Stop it!" I pushed him away. "Im not playing games, Silas. I know what you're doing."

"Please, Miss Ford, inform me."

I stood up and poured myself another glass of bourbon. "You're tricking me."

"How so?"

"Into loving you so I'll tell you why I'm here."

Silas laughed again, a true laugh that shook his whole frame. "No, darling. I'm not tricking you into loving me. Guess again."

"What?"

He smiled, "That feeling is real. Or, maybe not. I did fuck around in your head a bit."

I threw the glass in my had at Silas' head. He ducked just in time. "What the hell was that for?!"

"I'm not playing games."

He walked over to me and grabbed my wrists and pinned them behind me. "That's not the Sam I remember. She loved when we played games. I would tie her up and she would beg me to make her come. Beg."

"I don't beg."

He pressed his lips to mine again. This was getting ridiculous. Maybe he really did love me.

"See? I can make you a fool too."

"A fool! I wasn't making you a fool, Silas! And stop changing the subject."

"I'll make a deal with you," he said, throwing me off guard.

I furrowed my eyebrows, "What kind of deal?"

"Tell me why you're here and I'll give you everything you desire: love, respect, a home... And my last name."

I blinked. "What?" Oh, shit. He did love me.

"No secrets should be between us if we are to wed. So tell me your secrets, and I'll let you go, I'll marry you, and I'll make you truly happy."

How did this conversation come up? Oh, Sam! I'm am evil doctor who operated on the part of your brain that controls every emotion you possess, including love. I know you love me, marry me, oh, and tell me why you're here.

"So, Sam? What will it be? Will you marry me?"