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His gaze flickered. ‘I could, it’s true. But forgive me, sweetheart. I don’t know you from a bar of soap and you could have told me anything. A background check from a trusted source was necessary.’
He had a point. Still, she didn’t really understand why that was necessary. Unless he thought she was a journalist or something. Perhaps he didn’t want the media leaking details of his parties everywhere. Then again, those details were already in the public arena so what was he being so cagey about?
Why do you want to know at all?
Oh, she didn’t want to know. What she wanted was to get out of here, get home and then figure out what other options there were as far as getting money for Annabel’s treatment. And as for her obsession, she’d simply have to deal with it. Perhaps she’d find another man who could help her move on. A man who was more in her league.
‘Well,’ Glory said. ‘Now you know. So can I go, please?’
‘Not yet, I think,’ he murmured, gesturing at the couch behind her. ‘Take a seat, Miss Albright.’
An icy current snaked down her spine and she had to fold her arms over her thumping heart. Because why would he want her to do that? Why wasn’t he just letting her go? What did he want from her?
His gaze narrowed. ‘I’m not going to hurt you,’ he said. ‘I just want to talk to you.’
His tone needled her, though why she wasn’t sure. Maybe it was only that he’d picked up on her fear and she didn’t like it. It made her feel even more exposed.
‘I know.’ She tried to keep her voice level. ‘What I don’t know is what on earth could you possibly want to talk to me about.’
Once again, his amber gaze moved over her, more slowly this time. Then the hard expression on his face eased, one corner of his beautiful mouth curving in a slight smile, as if he’d seen something about her that amused him.
‘Well, mainly,’ he said. ‘I’d like to reiterate the dangers of wandering around parties you weren’t invited to and offering your virginity to complete strangers.’
Glory felt her cheeks heat, that smile of his catching on her temper. She didn’t know what was going on with her or why she was suddenly acting out of character and arguing with people she shouldn’t be arguing with, but it had to stop.
Yes, he was overwhelmingly attractive, but he’d frightened her. And now he was looking at her in a way that made her skin feel tight and prickly, and everything in her was telling her that this was one confrontation she didn’t want and she should get away from him and quickly.
Except the rebel in her wouldn’t let her run.
He tilted his head, studying her, dark brows drawing together slightly as if he found her puzzling.
Glory was disturbed to find that she liked that very much, since very few people found her puzzling. Very few people thought much about her at all.
‘How impolite of me,’ he murmured. ‘I know all about you, but you don’t know me, do you?’
‘I kn-know who you are,’ she said, hating how she kept stammering and not understanding why she was still standing here. ‘You’re Castor Xenakis.’
He inclined his head. ‘I am. Pleased to meet you, Miss Albright.’
‘Pleased to meet you too, Mr Xenakis.’
‘Call me Castor.’ He nodded at the couch. ‘Please, sit.’
‘Oh, I think it’s probably time to—’
He gave her a pleasant smile. ‘I’m afraid I’m going to have to insist.’
Glory Albright was very pale, her dark eyes almost black. She was still scared, undoubtedly, which had been his aim, even though he hadn’t much enjoyed doing so. He didn’t like scaring women.
Then again, she had to know what a phenomenally stupid thing it had been to gatecrash one of his parties, and then to add to the stupidity by offering him her virginity. An idea she’d somehow picked up from some ridiculous gossip magazines.
It was ridiculous. It was also a concern.
He cultivated the rumours about himself very carefully, making sure the press knew only what he allowed them know, which was that he was a playboy of the worst kind, notorious for his appetite for women and wild parties. A man with few boundaries and no scruples who’d sell his soul for a good time.
It was a careful front he’d maintained for the past couple of years, which had allowed him to get close to various crime lords and gain access to information that would normally be impossible to get. Information that pertained to human trafficking.
Personally, he didn’t care about his terrible reputation, that had ended up with him being tarred with the same brush as those unsavoury people.
