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The man was a paradox. He was so angry and stern yet when he held me in his arms, it was as if his dangerous world faded away. The fact he was so gorgeous shouldn’t get in the way of what I was thinking, but it did every time. I purposely looked away, almost instantly hearing his heavy footsteps walking closer.
“How did you sleep?” he asked.
“Did you drug me?” The confrontational question held as much bitterness as I could tolerate.
Now he was the one who looked away, his brow furrowed as if somehow my question had hurt his feelings. “No, Whitney. I’m not in the habit of drugging beautiful women. You’d been placed under significant duress. Often the body can’t handle as much as the mind.”
He had no way of knowing the horrors running through my mind, nor would he care. This was just another matter of business to him.
“Where are we?”
“My home in Philadelphia.”
Nodding, I glanced toward the open door, surprised I didn’t see a lock.
Phoenix glanced over his shoulder, his eyes twinkling. “I didn’t lock you in. I may be the man you can’t stand, but I’m no barbarian.”
“Aren’t you terrified I’ll run away?”
“You can certainly try, but I assure you that one or more of my men will stop you.”
Exhaling, I wanted nothing more than to lash out at him. “So, this is a prison.”
“You can call it what you’d like, but I think you’ll find I haven’t built an estate that I love only to have it surrounded by an electric fence.”
“But you have soldiers guarding the place. Men with guns.”
He was amused by my statement. “Yes, that is a requirement in my world.”
“Your world of violence and brutality. What a joyful way to spend your life.”
His green eyes flashed with a hint of frustration. “It’s all I’ve ever known. Not a choice.”
“We all have choices. It’s the ones we choose to make that define us in every way. You chose to lead a life of brutality.”
“And you chose to live your life hiding behind your past.”
“How dare you. You know nothing about me. Not a damn thing.”
When he walked closer, the scent of him took my breath away. “The woman I was lucky enough to spend time with is filled with passion, awakening to her desires. That woman is fearless with a capacity for love unlike any other woman I’ve known. She’s beautiful and wise, honest and caring. She’s the epitome of innocence.”
“That woman is also a fool. That’s not me.” I continued to search his eyes as if I’d find the man who’d peeled away the thick layers. He sighed, the sound filtering over me like a warm blanket.
“I’ve taken the liberty of having a few items of clothing purchased for you. If they’re not to your liking, I’ll certainly be happy to get you anything you need or want.”
“Haven’t you thought of everything.” I kept the crisp edge of my glare for fear of falling under his spell again. I couldn’t allow that to happen. He was too good at creating a magic haze.
“I want your stay as comfortable as possible. You’ll have the freedom of roaming my home and the grounds. I do suggest you don’t try and escape. The consequences will be significant.”
“How long do you plan on keeping me here?”
Phoenix studied me carefully, daring to walk even closer. His intoxicating scent was enough to force the swoon into my stomach all over again. The sharp edges of his jaw set me ablaze, my nipples aching.
Don’t fall for it. Don’t do it. Fight him.
The inner dialog barely did enough to keep me from falling off the ledge, but I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t fall under his spell again.
“That will depend entirely on you, my beauty.”
