We stand in silence as the sun peaks over the horizon beyond the large windows of his office. But I don’t feel the hope a new day should bring. In fact, I feel the exact opposite. Heartbroken, betrayed and utterly, devastatingly alone in this fucked up world.
“I’ll give you my own two choices, Katriona.” His tone is curt and rough. “You can either pay your debt to my rival. Just give the word and I can have your beautiful body and virgin pussy on the auction block by this evening, and you’ll never have to see me again. Donovan will love that, and that will place him in my debt.”
“Donovan,” I repeat. The name sounds familiar. What I’ve read in the news comes back to me about girls going missing and his name as the top suspect. Shit. Sylan is telling the truth. My lips clamp into a fine line. “One,” I hold up a finger, “not a virgin, so this Donovan dude can suck it. Two.” Up goes a second finger. “I’m no worthless piece of ass to anyone. Others might want to throw me away, but I’m not trash. And three, well, I’m listening to what your second option is.” My tone is like a prodding iron, and I immediately regret my decision to let my full dose of sarcasm loose.
He takes my chin in hand and angles my face toward his. “You stay here. With me. But make no mistake. I will collect on my debt as well. The devil you know or the devil you don’t, Kat. Your choice.”
“Do I, Sylan? Do I know you?” My gaze dances between his, looking for something I can hold on to. He rubs his thumb along my jaw and his eyes burn into mine.
“You’re not dead, are you?”
“Point taken.”
“You feel it. This bond between us. I know you do.”
My gaze falls to his moving lips and my tongue slips out to wet mine, pulling his attention there.
I want to tell him yes, that I’ll stay with him. But can I trust him with that knowledge? I don’t know him. I can only go by how he makes me feel. Can I trust the undeniable connection he stirs in me every time his skin connects with mine?
“No,” I say, and just like that the beast he’s been reining in roars to life.
“Liar. You’re gonna have to trust someone sooner or later. Hopefully, before I end up dead trying to save your life.”
I store that piece of information to think about later. “What would you do with me?”
“You will be mine to do with as I please when I want. That’s all you need to know.”
I want to push him for more. I like seeing the fire in his eyes and he did say he doesn’t want to kill me. But, the rational part of my brain takes a moment to speak up; there are other things worse than death.
“So I’ll be your indentured servant? Scrubbing dishes, cleaning floors and maybe polishing that big wooden desk you have? For how long?” My voice is barely above a hoarse whisper now.
His brows hike and I can see a small smile play over his lips. “There will be polishing involved and for as long as I please, Katriona. A million dollars is a lot of money. Before you can riddle me with other questions, let me boil it down to four words for you. I will own you. Plain and simple.”
I snort. “Nothing is ever simple.”
He narrows his eyes on me. “Have it your way. I win either way.”
Sylan crosses behind his desk and pushes a button on the phone.
I don’t realize what I’m doing until I have my hand over his and the words are out of my mouth. “You. I pick you. Okay? You win.”
Bent over said wooden the desk, I shift my weight and wince when a sharp pain shoots up the back of my leg from working eighteen hours in these freaking terrible heels.
No sooner had I groaned am I whisked into a set of strong arms and pulled against a broad muscular chest. I wrap my arms around his neck and relax into his arms.
“You won’t regret your choice, mo chroí.”
“I’m not so sure about that, and I think it’s about time you tell me what that means.”
His wicked grin tells me he enjoys his little teasing, so I don’t push for now.
Sy carries me to a nearby sofa pushed close to large shelves of what appears to be a vast library. I can’t see too well, but I notice a second level and more rows of books.
A well-read mobster. All the movies don’t have it wrong.
Since walking through his doors, I take in the warm, welcoming colors for the first time. Browns and blacks with a few lamps dotted around the room to give off an inviting feel. I wonder if he does this for all his victims before he belts out their fates. I turn his head toward me and study his eyes. Deep down, I can see the fairness and the good man he hides behind the tough mobster exterior. That said, what I’ve read in the newspapers and online versus how gently he’s treated me and the sweet pet name, whatever it means, is confusing when I’m at my best. Right now I have a week’s worth of double shifts weighing on me, and I’m not sure I should trust myself when I’m so easily influenced by a simple thing as being in his arms.
I rest my head on his shoulder. This one room is more opulent than my dingy apartment times one hundred and with more leather than I’ve seen in the last year. Supple and buttery soft against my skin as he forces me to recline into the plush cushions. He takes up a spot on a low table in front of me and picks up one foot then the other, setting my stilettos to the side.
The second his thumbs stroke the length of my arch I sigh before I think better of my actions.
“That’s okay—I don’t need you to do that.” But I want his hands on me and make no move to pull my foot out of his hands. He must have had an insight into my thoughts, because a smirk graces those soft lips and I’m too enthralled in the sheer pleasure of relief on my arches to fight.
“Right now I don’t care what you need. This is about me. I’m going to show you the selfish bastard that I am. Eleven months looking at a photo of a beautiful treasure like you is a damn long time to look and not touch. So shut the fuck up and sit there and enjoy this. I’m only getting started. Once I am satisfied you are no longer in pain, I’m going to mark your entire fucking body and make sure you only remember my touch and never again want to defy me by putting yourself in harm's way. I’ll erase every memory you have of any other man you allowed to touch my property. And I’ll make damn sure you love every fucking minute.”