As had been done to him. She finished the sentence in her head.
“I will expect you to learn what I like. To learn to give it without asking. You will follow my instructions.”
“And if I don’t want to do something you ask of me?” she asked.
He stopped walking, his eyes meeting hers. “My lover’s pleasure is important to me,” he said. “Always remember that.”
It was on the tip of her tongue. To tell him she understood why this was important to him. To tell him she was a virgin. To tell him why. But she didn’t.
Because she didn’t want him to know, not now. She didn’t want to feel vulnerable. She didn’t want to feel disadvantaged. She looked up at Ferro, her eyes locking with his, and she knew, that with him she wouldn’t feel that way.
He looked like a man possessed of a desire, a man held just as captive by this thing between them as she was. A man who was held by her power. By his need for her.
“If I say no?”
“Then nothing happens. After the position I was put in in life, I would never want a lover who didn’t want me. Desire me to the point of distraction. As I desired her.”
And in that moment she felt strong. For the first time, just being her, having a man look at her, made her feel strong. It made her feel like she could give him this, give him the control, and that he would only reward her for it.
One thing was certain, physically, Ferro would never hurt her. And emotionally…he was her enemy. There was no chance at an emotional entanglement.
Perfect.
Her choice was made. For tonight, whatever he asked, her answer would be yes.
She sucked in a breath, her heart pounding, her stomach sick. “I agree to your terms.”
CHAPTER NINE
FERRO CURLED HIS hands into fists to disguise the trembling in his fingers. His desire for Julia was raging out of control, far surpassing anything he’d ever felt before.
He’d confessed all to her. The unvarnished truth of his life. Still she said yes. Still she wanted him.
He found that the wanting was important. He knew that he wanted her, craved her like he couldn’t remember craving anything in life beyond the essentials. Food, water, heat. And now Julia.
“Tell me,” he said, the words rough, “that you want me.”
She looked away, her cheeks turning pink. “I told you already,” she said.
“You’re already failing your directive. I asked you to do what I said. Tell me you want me.”
She met his gaze. “I want you.”
Touching her would be like touching fire. Just the thought made him warm.
He closed the distance between them and pulled her to him, his lips hovering over hers. “I will kiss you now,” he said. “And this is not about restraint. Or seduction. Or control. This is for me. This is not for you, or for anyone else. It’s not for any other reason than that you are a woman, and I am a man, and I want you like I have never wanted anyone or anything in my entire life.”
The admission was shaky, frayed, and he didn’t care. His control could burn in hell. And he would follow. Surely for this, he would follow.
He looked at her mouth, pink and lush, soft. Feminine perfection. He had stopped looking at the women he’d been with at a certain point. Had stopped truly looking at them. He saw past them whenever he could.
But he didn’t want to see past Julia. If he was going to do this, he would embrace it utterly, as utterly as he’d embraced his control. He would let go of it with just as much purpose.
He leaned in, tracing the line of those gorgeous, rose-colored lips with his tongue. Tasting her, savoring her. She shivered beneath his touch, her bottom lip trembling, the artless show of arousal pushing his up higher.
How long had it been since he’d wanted without shame? So long.
He didn’t have to hide behind a fantasy to maintain his arousal. Didn’t have to pretend he was in control, with a woman he wanted, somewhere he wanted to be.
He was the richest man in the world. He was just where he wanted to be, with the woman he wanted. He would savor each taste of her, every glimpse of her skin. The feel of her softness beneath his hands.
He deepened the kiss, delving into the recesses of her mouth, drowning in her. And she returned it. Enthusiastically. Passionately.