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Martin and I certainly didn’t have a transparent connection between us either. I didn’t think he wanted that. I didn’t know that I did either, not with him being so possessive. I didn’t know if I could ever trust a guy again.
Daniel lifted my sister’s hand. “Did you show her the ring?”
“Holy shit!” I exclaimed, totally caught off guard. Plus, the diamond was huge. “That’s so big, it’s blinding me.”
“He wanted to give me a bigger one.” Rachel took his hand and kissed it. “But I told him we should save his signing bonus to put a down payment on an apartment.”
“That’s wise.” I studied my sister and tilted my head, trying to figure out how she went from serial hookups to seeming all grown up. Had love done that?
“I don’t want to be a burden to you anymore, Addy.” Rachel swung her gaze back to me. “I want you to live for yourself for a change.”
“Speaking of.” Barry pushed back his chair and pointed to me with the empty plate in his hand. “Can I talk to you, alone, in the kitchen?”
“Sure.” I stood and grabbed my plate, following him. Inside the kitchen, he set his plate on the counter and took mine. “What is it?”
“I want to ask what the fuck you were doing with Martin Skellin last night, but I think I know. And I don’t want to know the details.” His nostrils flared. “I just want you to put an end to it.”
“Why?” I put my hands on my hips. “Not that there’s anything to end, or that it’s any of your business.”
“Shut up, Addy.” His brown eyes flaring, he grabbed me by the upper arms, hauled me into him, and kissed me.
His lips to mine were a revelation, firm to soft perfection that conducted an insane amount of heat. The emotion the connection unleased was a powerful crescendo, a monstrous wave gathering momentum as it headed toward the shore.
Fisting my hands in his shirt, I wanted that wave, wanted it to crash over me. I parted my mouth at his urging. I wanted him.
But then he was gone, ripped away. His lips. Hands. Arms. Everything.
Gasping, I opened my eyes to see Dimitri hauling Barry across the room. He had one of Barry’s massive arms, and Arturo had the other. I took a step toward them, but the bodyguard shook his head at me.
“What the fuck?” Barry twisted, trying to break free from their hold.
“My dear.” Martin entered the kitchen and gave me a cool look. “Did you forget there are cameras everywhere?” In a suit with a blood-red tie, he was fully composed, and I felt the dynamic in the room shift.
I did forget the cameras.
“You belong to me.” He came closer, and I forced my feet to stay where they were planted. “You agreed, but since you seem to have forgotten a great deal today, I’m forced to remind you of the rules.”
“What rules?” I glanced at Barry.
“You don’t have to do anything he says, Addy.” His brown eyes blazing, again my friend struggled, trying to break free.
Arturo reared back and punched Barry in the gut without warning. He doubled over, but Dimitri jerked him upright by his hair.
“Those rules.” Martin gestured. “And if you don’t want me to remind you again, I would keep your gaze on me where it belongs.”
“So, if I don’t do what you say, you hurt my friends.”
Martin wrinkled his nose. He never liked to admit publicly that he hurt anyone. “We discussed friends last night. He’s irrelevant. Your sister is irrelevant. Only you matter to me. Take him away, Arturo.”
“Right, Boss.”
“The rule is you belong to me.”
Martin stepped closer, blocking my view of anything but him. All views except his had been blocked for a long time—I just hadn’t seen it until now, and now was too late.
“You agreed to my claim. I told you then there would be no going back. But because you still have the potential to please me, I will remind you again.”
He stroked his hand down my cheek while I stood ramrod straight, trying not to flinch or cry.
