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Sasha cuddled closer to me, so I rested my head on the pillows, staring up at the beautiful evening sky. The stars twinkled through the darkness. As I focused on them, I wondered what Jude was doing. What kind of club supported this lifestyle? How did he know about the men who were after me?
These were questions I should have asked before I agreed to live here. Before I agreed to be his. Why hadn’t he collected the debt yet?
Snuggling deeper into the pillows, I breathed in his inviting scent. I hadn’t stopped thinking about that night in the hotel room. His touch awakened something inside me. Something forbidden that I wanted to explore. An older man with a mysterious side. I needed him to tell me what to do, to keep me safe, and make me his even if he did lure me into a trap that I had no way of turning down.
I focused on the stars, wishing for better days ahead of me. Staying here was a start, but I needed more. I had to figure out how to get my life in order. Being with Jude may have cost me my freedom, but it wouldn’t be forever. Eventually, he would have to let me go. When he did, I had to have a plan. I never wanted to go back to a life on the street, looking over my shoulder and wondering where my next meal came from.
As I ran my fingers through Sasha’s thick coat, I closed my eyes and listened to the wind swaying through the tree branches in the yard. The sound of the rustling fall foliage outside the window must have lulled me to sleep because I remembered images of the horses running through the yard.Am I dreaming?
I wasn’t sure how long I had dozed off, but movement by the bed startled me. I opened my eyes as Jude climbed in next to me wearing nothing but a pair of black boxer briefs.
“I…” I didn’t even know what I wanted to say. I was too distracted. His broad, muscular shoulders, prominent biceps, solid chest, stone-like abs, and tight stomach were all on display before me. My gaze traveled lower, to the bulge straining against his underwear. I shot into a seated position, embarrassed that I had not only fallen asleep in his bed, but he caught me. “I’m sorry. I’ll go.”
He grabbed my wrist and held it against the mattress. “What did I tell you about leaving my side?”
I took a breath, trying to calm my racing heart, but the longer I stared into his eyes, the more conflicted I became. Did I want to stay or did I want to go? And if I chose to go, did I have it in me to ask his permission?
“Well?” His demanding voice manipulated my thoughts, leaving me anxious and confused. I had agreed to his terms when I accepted his deal, but now I wasn’t sure I could go through with it even if my body had other ideas.
“May I go to my room?”
“No.”
Chapter 10
Jude
I waved to my driver as he pulled out of the driveway and headed to the garage to put the car away and retire for the night.
“It was a productive night.” Luke checked his phone. “The cartel will be pleased with the shipment you received for them tonight.”
“They better be.” We walked to the back of the house. “I had to call in a favor to my contact with the feds.”
“It’s good to have friends in those places.”
“Do you want to come in for a drink?” I asked as we approached the patio doors. “It’s not that late.”
“It isn’t?” He glanced at his watch. “It’s almost three.”
“So, then it’s early.” I unlocked the door with my phone. “We should celebrate the money we made tonight.”
“Don’t you have someone in there you can celebrate with?”
“She’s asleep.”
“Wake her up.” Luke smirked. “Then you can celebrate.”
“See you tomorrow.” I nodded before entering the kitchen. “It should be calmer tomorrow night.”
“One can only hope.” Luke headed down the path to his cottage.
I poured myself a drink as I gazed out into the yard. Celebrating with Emmie seemed like a nice idea, but it wasn’t in the cards tonight. She needed to come to me, and I had to be patient.
I finished my vodka then poured another and headed upstairs. Emmie’s door was closed as it had been the last few nights when I came home. I had been busy this week, and it was probably for the best. It gave her a chance to acclimate herself to the house. She was uncertain of her surroundings and having me around all the time might not help the situation.
When I reached my bedroom, the door was ajar. Perhaps I didn’t close it completely when I left and Sasha made her way into the room.That dog.
I downed my second vodka, letting the drink help take the edge off from the chaos of my evening. Luke was right, the drop off of the shipment had gone according to plan, but knowing that any little blip in the plan could have caused a catastrophic outcome always left enormous amounts of adrenaline pumping through my veins. I needed more than alcohol, and normally, I would have sought out a companion for the evening, but that wasn’t an option tonight.
