AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“How much so?” I was surprised I felt a pang of jealousy.
“Not like that, Maddy. I’ve never crossed that line. But she confided in me, including some things that happened to her. The one man her father had trusted, allowing Leone to be with had been abusive. I allowed myself to get too close, wanting nothing more than to help her. I… made a huge mistake.”
“What happened?” I reached over, taking his hand.
“It was two days before they were to return to Paris when she confessed she was in love with me. I was shocked and in truth, blinded by how much I’d wanted to ease her pain.”
“You didn’t feel the same way.”
Danny leaned his head against the chair. “Did I find her attractive? Absolutely. But I have rules that I always follow.” He laughed and rubbed his jaw. “Well, almost. Anyway, I did what I could to explain why it couldn’t work. I thought she understood. She kissed me on the cheek and said goodbye. What I didn’t know was that she was saying goodbye permanently.”
I sucked in my breath, pressing my hand over my mouth.
“She, um… She jumped off the roof of the hotel that night.”
I squeezed his hand. “I’m so sorry.”
“I blamed myself. I didn’t tell her father that she was having difficulties because she begged me not to. I was a fool to think I could help the situation. I’m no shrink.”
“It sounds like she didn’t just need a shrink, but someone to care about her. That’s what you gave her, Danny. You gave her exactly what she needed.”
“Then it killed her.”
“You can’t do that to yourself. You also can’t save one side of the world and kill the other thinking that will absolve you from responsibility of her death. Leone needed professional help and you did the best you could do. Unfortunately, when people lose the will to live and aren’t just begging for someone to help them, they will find a way to end their life.”
After taking several scattered breaths, he turned in his chair. “Since when did you get so smart?”
“How quickly you forget.”
“I forget nothing,” he said, his voice deepening. “And to that regard,” he said as he removed the champagne from my hand, “I seem to remember that you have a half-dozen infractions that I’ve yet to discipline you for.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
“I’ve done nothing wrong.” Why was it that his commanding voice and promise of providing painful punishment dampened my panties?
He tapped his jaw, wrinkling his brow. “Let me think. Oh, how about heading outside in the middle of a rainstorm only to almost get yourself killed?”
“Oh, that.” I waved my hand as if blowing it off and within a split second I was yanked over his knee, my dress pulled up over my hips. “Not here! Someone will see!”
“As I told you before, the people who work with me are trained to look the other way.” There was no hesitation about yanking my panties down to my knees, exposing my backside.
“You are terrible!” I threw my hand back to cover myself and he snatched it, holding it against the small of my back.
“Oh, I think there are about fifty people who will agree with you. That means nothing right now. I will ensure that you will learn to be a very good girl at all times.”
I wiggled against his crotch, completely aware he was rock hard. “I’ll get you for this.”
He laughed then brought his hand down swiftly, smacking his palm back and forth against my bottom.
“Ouch!” I kicked out, almost managing to roll off his lap.
“Stay in position; I’m not against tying you to the seat.”
“Oh, you wouldn’t.”
He fisted my hair, yanking my head up by a few inches as he lowered his. “Do you want to test me?”
