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“Freedom. Just like two nights ago.” He lifted a single eyebrow, studying me so intently I knew he could see right through me.
“Yes.” Now I couldn’t lie to him. Why should I need to?
“Your father doesn’t know you arrived in town early. Does he?”
“No. Please don’t tell him. I think that would hurt him terribly.”
“I have no intentions of telling him that I saw you before this morning. And your mother? Is she aware that you’re here?”
I snorted, rolling my eyes. “My mother is on some fancy trip with her new husband. Not only would she likely not take my call, I’m also not certain she would care.” I hated the fact I was being completely truthful. The day I’d turned eighteen, my mother had felt like she had no responsibility for me any longer. Thank God, I’d been making a decent paycheck by modeling by then.
“Christ,” he muttered, dragging me back to reality.
Breathing out, I sensed he wasn’t lying to me about the level of danger. Plus, I could see real concern on his face. Of all the terrible things I’d suspected or read about that he’d done, lying wasn’t one of them. “What business are you in with my father?”
This time his smile was so genuine, his sparkling eyes highlighting the gold and purple flecks encasing his irises. “We own a racetrack outside of New Orleans as well as a team.”
I burst into laughter without thinking but the look in his eyes screamed he was serious. “You’re not kidding.”
“I’m not kidding.” He took a gulp of his drink from the glass. “Hold this. Will you? It’s a little hot out here.”
When he shoved the glass in my direction, I almost dropped it, watching with a twisted feeling of need continuing to build as he stood over me, his looming shadow another reminder of what had occurred between us.
A mortal sin.
I couldn’t help myself, my eyes lingering when they shouldn’t be. Even the way he removed his jacket was alluring, his long arms stretching as he twisted his hips, placing the jacket just so across the back of the chair. He took the time to unbutton his long sleeves, rolling first one cotton cuff past his elbow then the other, exposing the gorgeous ink on his arms. Jesus. He was built like a celestial beast, a true god of all things muscular. It was impossible not to have fleeting visions of his long, thick cock pop into my mind.
A single drop of perspiration trickled down from my hairline and I almost moaned. I’d seen him in jeans and tee shirts before long ago, but he’d bulked up, every muscle perfectly defined, the expensive suits he wore unable to hide his amazing physique.
To distract myself, I took a sip of his drink, coughing almost immediately, beads of the red concoction bubbling past my lips. In a strange and far too intimate act, he immediately sat down, rubbing his thumb across my lips, lifting his heated gaze.
I’d never felt so uncomfortable in my life, shifting back and forth on the chair. It was then I was reminded of the spanking he’d doled out like an evil man on Halloween, chuckling from the dangers lurking in delicious candy bars. I wanted to laugh, the vivid image constantly nagging at me.
I breathed out as I continuously did around him, the sound so ragged I was certain he’d heard it.
“Are you okay?” he asked, the tone gentler than before.
“I’m fine. You can have your stiff drink back.”
He lifted his head, narrowing his eyes at the same time. “There will be rules for you to follow, Delaney. My rules.”
“I’m not a child.” I regretted my words as soon as I’d said them.
“No, you’re a fully grown woman with a dangerous noose wrapped around your neck. In order for my protection services to work, you’ll need to fully understand what we’re dealing with and how the operation is going to be handled.”
“Operation. You make this sound critical.”
“What else would you call it? We’re not talking about some members of the paparazzi chasing you down because you’re some infamous celebrity. This is a monster crawling through the waves of darkness and if he finds you, I might not be able to help. Understood?”
I gave him a short salute and he shook his head.
“I’ve agreed to allow you to stay at your father’s house and I understand you’ll need some additional things while you’re here. I’ll make certain that happens. You can make phone calls, but don’t tell anyone where you are. It’s too risky. You aren’t going out of the house without an escort. For the time being, I’m going to have two of my soldiers alternating in taking shifts guarding your father’s estate. You’ll see one of them walking the grounds, only coming inside if either you or I need anything. If there are any issues, strange phone calls or odd text messages, you will tell me right away. If I think there’s any continued danger, then you will immediately follow my orders, leaving with me in the manner I select. Do I make myself clear?”
He wasn’t telling me something he’d discovered. I was certain of it. But his words were stark and cold, an ugly reminder of everything I’d been through.
When he rose off his chair, I noticed the outline of his weapon. Maybe that scared me more than anything, the horrible realization settling in.
I felt as if I’d been hit by a train. But not because some crazy monster wanted to slice and dice me like a piece of raw meat. My deep fall into the wild abyss was all because I had visions of kissing him all night long. I jerked up from the chair, trying to avoid any additional eye contact.
