“That’s none of your concern.” The truth was, I didn’t. I hadn’t. Not that I didn’t fuck on occasion. I wasn’t a goddamn monk. I just didn’t bring them to my home. The number one reason being safety. Mine, and theirs. And the second reason being that I didn’t want them here. I’ve never wanted any woman here.
Not even Maria, if I were to be completely honest with myself. I was going to buy her a house here in the states. One we would share as husband and wife. But this house. This was my refuge. I never wanted anyone else to know about this place besides me and my most trusted men.
Not until this woman/child with hair like summer wheat and a body that drove me fucking insane caught me in her innocent gray eyes.
I wanted her here so fucking badly I forbid her to leave the house. I wanted to protect her. I wanted to watch every expression on her face. Wanted to feel the way she made my blood rise when she stood up to me. And how she made it burn when she was underneath me.
Veda was watching me. Waiting for something. “What?” I snapped.
She shook her head. “Nothing.”
Closing the distance between us, I took her jaw in my hand and forced her to meet my eyes. “If you tell me ‘nothing’ one more fucking time tonight—”
“You’ll what?” She stared up at me in challenge.
The corner of my mouth twitched, as did my cock.
“You’re going to come eat dinner with me. I’ll tie you to your fucking chair if I need to, but you’re going to come and sit at the table. With me. And you’re going to eat if I have to force it down your throat.”
Apparently, whatever had been making her so sad was forgotten. A switch had flipped inside of her, and she gripped my arm and rose up on her toes until her face was as close to mine as she could get it. “Then you better get the fucking rope,” she ground out between her teeth.
“I’m warning you, Veda. I’m not in the fucking mood to play tonight.”
She bared her teeth at me. “Who’s playing? I told you I’m not hungry. I don’t want to sit at the table and watch you eat. And I’m not going to willingly go down there just because you fucking demand it.”
Releasing her jaw, I bent forward and threw her over my shoulder. As I went down the stairs with Veda trying her best to get me to release her, I bellowed for Tristan who I knew was standing guard by the front door tonight.
He came in as I reached the main room. “I need something to tie her to her chair.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, he gave me a nod and disappeared back out the door, returning less than a minute later with a handful of silk scarves. I didn’t ask him where he’d gotten them. I didn’t really care.
Between the two of us, we got Veda secured to her chair in the dining room as she threw herself around like a wild thing and cursed me to hell and back. “Thank you,” I told Tristan as I brushed her hair out of her face. Now that she was secured, she’d stopped struggling, glaring at me. “If you think everything is secure, you can go ahead and lock up and take the rest of the night.”
“I’ll check in with Enzo first.”
He left the room without a backward glance. Picking up our plates, I took them into the kitchen and warmed them up in the microwave. The roast would be a little dry, but it was her own fault for refusing to show up to dinner on time.
Setting her plate in front of her, I moved my own meal, so I was sitting directly beside her and could help her eat. Ignoring her death stare, I sat down and unfolded her napkin, placing it in her lap before doing my own. Then I carefully cut off a piece of roast beef and held it up to her mouth.
She turned her head. “I said I’m not hungry.”
I set down her fork. “Fine. Then you can sit here and keep me company while I eat.”
“I hate you,” she hissed.
“Do you, though?” I asked her. “Or do you just hate the fact that I won’t allow you to sulk in your room?”
“You didn’t care before.”
“I care now.” Slicing off a good chunk of meat, I stuck it in my mouth. The microwave hadn’t completely ruined it. Lisa must’ve cooked it slowly all day, for it fell apart on my tongue. “Mmmm.” I closed my eyes for a moment, enjoying my meal despite the company.
Veda watched me as I picked up the bottle of Shiraz in the center of the table and refilled my glass. Holding it over hers, I asked, “Would you like some?”
She shook her head. She seemed to be resigned to sitting there quietly while I ate.
I set the bottle back on the table and continued eating, one hand wandering over to her thigh, unable to stop myself from touching her. Her skin was so fucking soft as I pushed her dress higher with every stroke until the napkin I’d placed there fell to the hardwood floor. She said not a word, even when I brushed her panties with my fingertips. I loved Veda’s legs. They were smooth and firm and shapely, fuller at the thigh, like the sirens of old Hollywood. I loved them even more when they were wrapped around my waist.
My cock thickened as I continued to run my palm up and down her thigh, then letting the tips of my fingers skim around to the inside of her thigh, my very favorite part, where she was so soft and giving, I wanted to sink my teeth into the supple flesh.