“Why not?”
“You must have dozens of women you could ask. So I say again. Why me?”
“Because I believe we will have a good time together. Is that such a crime?”
“No, I guess not.”
I get to my feet. “Then I will see you on Tuesday evening.”
I walk around the desk and hold out a hand. She lets me take it. I want to shove her to her knees, ram my stiffening cock straight into her mouth.
“Good day, Ophelia,” I say, leaning forward and allowing myself a single kiss on her cheek. She smells as good as last time. Once more I want to rip her clothes off her, bend her over my desk and fuck her until she can’t stand up any longer.
I open the office door and let her out. Her friend is standing there looking excited. I close the door on the two of them and return to my desk.
I look up at the ceiling and let out a groan. What am I doing?
This is madness.
I told my father I was coming back to the country to collect my bride. He thinks I’m here to marry the woman I’ve been seeing for a considerable period of time.
She has no idea of my plans. She doesn’t know the only way to prevent Michael from taking over the east coast operation is for me to marry her.
I will not let all my years of hard work be for nothing.
I should have told her the truth. She is going to be my bride. Hell, I should have just kidnapped her and forced her to marry me. That would have been the simplest solution.
I shake my head. No, that way she would have kicked and screamed and no one would believe she was my willing wife. They’d have seen this for what it was, a ploy to make sure I get to take over, not Michael.
This way, I can persuade her to do it. Once I’ve seduced her, it shouldn’t be difficult to get her to agree to the wedding. She’s already in my debt. This is simply one additional favor. A short marriage, just long enough to make sure I take over for good. Then we can get divorced and she can go on her merry way.
I get to fuck her multiple times. I get to enjoy her body, maybe even show her a few things she’ll never have seen before. Then we split up and that’s that.
The plan is perfect.
Except I didn’t tell her. I let her believe she’s only coming to the auction and then we’re done.
Next time I see her, I’ll tell her the truth. I won’t keep her in the dark any longer.
How about I keep her for good.
That thought comes unwanted into my mind but once it beds in, it won’t leave. Could I do it? Could I take someone that innocent and keep her? Would I not break her like I do everything good and pure in the world?
Is it possible it could work between us?
I’d have to tell her everything. I couldn’t hope to go the rest of my life without her finding out some things about my real line of work. But if I do that, will she look at me how they all do? Will she be terrified of the monster I really am? Of the killer I’ve been all these years? Will she fear that she might be my next victim?
I open my laptop and get back to work.
None of that shit matters. For now, all I need to focus on is work. I can think about the rest when it comes up. Until then, I won’t think about her at all. I’m a disciplined man. I can manage it.
Only, as it turns out, apparently I can’t.
Nine
Ophelia
“How did it go?” I ask as we climb into the back of Mr. Felici’s car.