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What if a man wanted her the way I wanted Sapphire—and he was just as evil and controlling?
She shook her head slightly, her gaze cold. “I refuse to apologize for the things that happened to me. I refuse to be blamed as a victim. Outnumbered with no resources, there was very little I could have done. I don’t judge myself, and neither should you.”
“I never said I judge you. But you had another choice…you just didn’t see it.” I could make any problem go away with the snap of my fingers. If she’d confided in me, perhaps my wallet would be a little heavier right now.
“My offer still stands. I want to be useful in other ways.”
If Dante hadn’t served me for the past decade, I would replace him with her. But I wouldn’t take anything away from him. He not only took care of my home, but he kept my secrets. This strange woman was living with me now, and he never once asked about her. It was none of his business, and he knew it. “If I think of anything, I’ll let you know.”
“I can still do modeling…”
“No.” I turned back to the newspaper and found a new article. The last time she hit the stage, she ignited the world’s obsession. Men couldn’t stop gawking at her, eyeing her like a piece of meat. My muse was special to me, essential to my work. I didn’t want to share her with anyone.
She didn’t ask again. “Are you a rider?”
“In what context?” The corner of my mouth rose in a smile.
“Of horses.”
I looked up to see her eyeing the stables and the beautiful mares that stood in the sectioned-off pasture. They were magnificent beasts, collections rather than resources. “Rarely.”
“Then what do you keep them for?”
“Because I can do whatever I want with my money.” I took another bite of my food.
Her eyes narrowed. “You may own me, but I won’t put up with an asshole.”
“And I won’t put up with someone who questions me.”
“I’m not questioning you. I’m simply asking you a question. It’s how conversations work…unless you’ve never had one before.” She brought the mug to her mouth but didn’t take a drink. “Which wouldn’t surprise me.”
I hid my grin as best I could, making sure my face remained hard and stoic. I admired her no-bullshit attitude and wit. She got herself stuck in shitty situations, but she certainly had the spunk to get out of them. She never gave up, and she retained as much dignity as she could in the process. Even when she was on her knees in front of me, obeying me because she was my property, I couldn’t help but respect her.
There was something about her.
“Why do you have horses?” she repeated.
“I enjoy looking at them. That’s it.”
She stared at the stables and the horses in the grass. “Can I go into the stables and ride them?”
“You can do whatever you want on the property.”
“Really?” she asked in surprise.
“I already said that. Marco is the stables master. Tell him what you want, and he’ll make it happen.”
She finished half her food then occupied her time by staring at the horses. I had a wide variety, from a jet-black mare to an Appaloosa. All of them were unique and beautiful. I didn’t show them at contests or ride them often. But they were nice trophies. They had considerable land to roam, and they were taken care of on a daily basis. “I’ve always loved horses but never had a chance to spend time with them.”
I watched her stare over the land at the wild beasts. There was excitement and vigor in her expression, a kind that made her soft features even more beautiful. The sun hit her face at the right angle, making her eyes shine bright like two jewels.
Instead of reading my paper, I decided to look at her.
* * *
Anastasia was gone, and now I had the place all to myself. There were four different units inside the building, but I’d bought them all just so I wouldn’t have to deal with the hassle of having neighbors. I didn’t want anyone to see me in the hallway or in the stairway. I wanted this building to be completely mine, covered in the tightest security. I didn’t have a lot of enemies, but if I ever did get one, I wanted to be ready.
Nicole had sent me all the paperwork for the sales the past week. We’d managed to get distribution to the European nations, but for America, all the pieces they saw in the show were on preorder.
But those numbers had spiked.
It was the highest sales week of my career.
And I’d been doing this for a long time.
I was the one who created the designs my customers fell in love with, but Muse was the one who sparked my creativity. From her beautiful hips to her tiny waist, she was more perfect than any woman ever painted across a canvas. She elicited desires from deep inside me, brought a new wave of sensuality over my body. I was already a sexual man with a large appetite, but she made me hungrier than I’d ever been.
