by Penelope Sky
“Opportunity?” I practically gagged the word out. “You consider slavery to be an opportunity?”
He swallowed, his throat shifting in the process. His chin was covered with thick stubble, and it reached down his throat. “I’m one of the most powerful men in the world. I’m richer than most countries. You’re never more safe or more wealthy than you are when you’re with me. You can have anything you could possibly dream of.”
“That’s useless if the one thing I want is freedom.”
“Freedom is overrated,” he said coldly. “You think paying a massive amount in student loans just to get an education is freedom? You think being taxed a ridiculous amount every year while you save lives is freedom? You think living in a country where you’ll always be deemed less qualified than a man is freedom?” He shook his head slightly. “There’s a lot more to life than that, Lovely. I can show you the world. I can show you things you can’t even conceive of in that smart brain of yours. Instead of bitching and complaining all the time, shut up and appreciate what’s right in front of you.”
10
Crewe
Ariel walked into my office in jeans and a gray blouse. She had elegant taste, wearing clothing that made her both respectable and beautiful. Her hair was pulled back into a loose bun and her eye makeup made the blue color of her irises stand out. “Had a change of heart?” She lowered herself into the chair in front of my desk and crossed her legs.
I set down the document I was reading. “Realized I could put her to better use.”
“Really?” She cocked her head, her beautiful face looking ice-cold. “You found a better revenge than handing her over to one of the cruelest men in the world? If so, I’d like to hear what it is.”
Ariel had known me for a long time, so it was difficult to avoid her detection. Her gaze was sharper than a microscope. She could see things far below the surface. She could spot my emotions before I even expressed them.
It was fucking annoying.
“If I keep her on my arm, everyone will know I stole her from Joseph. And I have no problem parading that in front of the goddamn world. He’ll be forced to do nothing—like the coward that he is.”
“Really?” She rested her arms on the armrests. “What about the four million dollars you’re missing?”
“I’ll get it back.”
“How?” she demanded.
I didn’t like being challenged, not even by her. “Don’t you have work to do?”
“Yes, a lot of it.” She straightened in the chair. “But I’m not going to let my boss, the man in charge of everything I’ve worked so hard to grow, go soft on that little fucking whore. Don’t insult me with your excuses. I know exactly what you did, Crewe. So don’t pretend I’m some kind of idiot.”
Her fire always impressed me. Somehow, she intimidated even the most frightening men. In a lot of ways, she reminded me of my new prisoner with her zero tolerance for bullshit. Ariel got work done on a time crunch, never letting anything stand in her way. The fact that she could play a man’s game and succeed always got my attention. When I saw her hold her own against five brutal men, I offered her a job on the spot.
“What the hell were you thinking, Crewe? Joseph spat in our faces when he tried to undercut us, and this is your retaliation? This is how we handle our problems now?”
“Enough.” I raised my hand, effectively silencing her. Ariel was one of the few people who could call me out on my bullshit. But she couldn’t insult me beyond that. “When Bones walked in with that chain and collar, I changed my mind. I knew what he was going to do to her, and I couldn’t go through with it. I’m not going soft, alright? Keeping her as my prisoner will be punishment enough. Joseph will know exactly what I’m doing with her every night. That’ll definitely give him nightmares.”
Ariel pressed her lips tightly together in annoyance, but she didn’t insult me again. “Are you fond of her or something?”
“Absolutely not.” I found her intelligence and wit entertaining, but that was it. She was an entitled brat who thought she could always get her way. She was such an idiot she actually thought she could outsmart me. She was just a pretty face with a curvy body—nothing more.
Ariel narrowed her eyes like she saw something in my expression. “Did you fuck her?”
Lying wasn’t in my nature. I could bend the truth sometimes, but when asked a question outright like that, there was no wiggle room. So I didn’t say anything at all, which was good as an admission of guilt.
She hid her displeasure at the news. “If you wanna screw your prisoner, I couldn’t care less. But don’t let it be anything more than that.”
“It’s not.”
“It obviously is if you changed your mind about Bones. You’re one of the harshest men I’ve ever met. I’ve never seen you reconsider a punishment, no matter how cruel it was. Don’t change. I admire your coldness and don’t want it to disappear.”
“It won’t. You don’t need to worry.”
Ariel finally let it go. “What are you going to do with her, then?”
“I already told you.”
“When she’s not making appearances as your slave.”
“She’ll service me in my free time.” Discussing my sex life with Ariel didn’t bother me. I felt like I was talking to one of the guys, someone who understood my sexual appetite without judgment. She rarely discussed hers, but that was because she didn’t have much time for dating in her line of work. “That’ll be punishment enough.”
“I thought you already slept with her?”
“She seduced me so she could manipulate me into not handing her over to Bones.”
Ariel glared at me.
“And it didn’t work. I changed my mind for my own reasons. The sex had nothing to do with it.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“Yes, if you want to keep your job.”
She rolled her eyes and stood up. “This place would fall apart without me, and you know it.” She walked to the door, carrying herself with grace. She was a beautiful woman, but she blended in with the boys at the same time.
I smiled when her back was turned. “No, it wouldn’t fall apart. Finley would replace you.”
She laughed and turned around. “What’s he gonna do? Cook all the problems away?”
I shrugged. “He could cook people. I’ve seen it done before.”
She continued to laugh as she walked out. “I better step up my game. I’m about to be replaced.”
London spent most of her time outside. She walked around the island with her binoculars and explored, watching the wildlife and looking at the indigenous plants that were native to the Shetland Islands. Even on the coldest days, she still went outside for most of the afternoon. Only when it rained did she stay inside the house.
I’d been busy with work, so I didn’t pay much attention to her. Sometimes her abrasive comments annoyed me, her little-know-it-all attitude getting under my skin. Even after being here for a month, she still hadn’t conformed to her new living arrangement. She had this ridiculous notion that she would eventually escape.
I’d expected to break her by now. But it was going to be more of a challenge.
Oh well. I like challenges.
I sat in the living room and read a book while the fire cracked in the hearth. A TV was mounted on the old stone wall, but I hardly ever watched it. TV and film bored me. Telling a story in such a rushed amount of time always diluted its power. But with a book, there was never any end.
London announced her presence with her light footsteps. She sat on the other couch, in a pair of black leggings and a pink sweater. Dunbar brought her clothes on his return trips to the island, and he outfitted her with clothing that clung to her curves perfectly. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and I kept picturing my hand fisting it as I shoved my cock into her mouth. Now that days had passed, I was eager to fuck her again. Without even trying, she had a naturally beautiful face. Her green eyes sparkled like emeral
ds in a treasure chest. Her fair skin reddened easily under my palm. I wondered if her ass would have the same reaction.
I kept the book open on my lap. “Can I help you with something?”
“Am I not allowed to sit here?” she asked like a smartass. “I thought the house was open to me.”
Every time she talked back to me, I wanted to slap her then fuck her senseless. Something about her seriously turned me on. Usually, if anyone ever disobeyed me, they were executed. I needed power and control at all times, and on the rare occasion I didn’t get it, I was livid. But with her, it just made my attraction grow. I wanted to do more than just fuck her. I wanted to spank her then fuck her in the ass. I’d already had her once before, and my cock always hardened at the memory. She wasn’t just good in bed. She was an amazing kisser. “Shut your mouth, or I’ll shove my cock in there and do it for you.” It wasn’t an idle threat. Any excuse to fuck her mouth was a good one.
Her eyes narrowed in a glare, but she didn’t say a word.
I turned back to my book, ignoring her on the other couch despite how hard my cock was. While I was a sexual man, I wasn’t obsessed with women. They came and went, pleasing me and then disappearing. It took a lot to grab my full attention. Since I was thirty-two and it had never happened before, I assumed it would never happen.
But London made me reconsider.
“I never see you drink anything but scotch and coffee.”
I didn’t take my eyes off the page. “Because everything else tastes like shit.”
“Even water?” she asked incredulously.
“Absolute piss.”
“Do you like wine?”
I finally shut my book, knowing this conversation wasn’t going to end. “What’s with the questions, Lovely?”
Her face reddened in annoyance at the nickname, but she didn’t bother correcting me. “I haven’t spoken to anyone in three days. I’m bored and lonely.”
“If you’re lonely, I can fix that.” I gave her a meaningful look, telling her exactly what I could do to make her feel less alone. I wanted a replay of the action we already had, the awesome sex that made me explode.
She rolled her eyes at my offer. “I’ll pass.”
“Seemed to enjoy it last time.”
“I was faking it.”
A laugh escaped my chest. “Yeah, sure…”
“I was,” she repeated.
“Your mouth can lie, but your pussy can’t. I made you come, and you know it.”
Redness tinted her cheeks, the embarrassment shining through. She didn’t deny the claim again, knowing it would just make her look worse.
“And I can do it again…” I drank my scotch, feeling the ice cubes press against my lips.
“No, thanks.” She crossed her arms over her chest and purposely looked at the fire, not making eye contact with me.
I picked up on the hesitance in her voice and her lack of conviction.
Minutes ticked by and neither one of us said anything. I refilled my glass of scotch then poured her a glass. I set it on the coffee table in front of her. “You like scotch?”
“I’m not a big drinker. Maybe wine here and there…” She clung to the new conversation desperately, thankful that awkward talk was officially over.
“Give it a try.”
She didn’t object and took a drink. She didn’t make a sour face or struggle to swallow it. The amber liquid went down her throat and straight to her belly. I pictured pouring the scotch on her stomach and licking it off. She set the glass down again, half empty. “Not bad.”
“Not bad?” I asked with a laugh. “That’s the smoothest scotch you’ll ever taste.”
“Are you a fan?”
“Something like that.” I turned back to the fire, watching the flames dance and pop. Life in Fair Isle was a welcomed break from the rest of the world, of the nonsense and the chatter, and I enjoyed my solitude more than the average person. London was obviously different, but she would get used to it. “What would you be doing if you were home right now?” The question came out of nowhere, my interest in this woman misplaced.
“Probably studying,” she said as she looked into the fire. “By the way, people are going to be looking for me. I’ve never missed a day of class, and I have a lot of friends who will search everywhere to find me. It’s only a matter of time before the police or Joseph track me down.”
I almost felt bad for stomping on her dreams. “Good luck to them.” I drank my scotch, letting the fire move down my throat. I rested the cool glass against my temple, letting the temperature cure the slight migraine that thudded behind my eyes.
She must have picked up on my tone because she released a sigh. “They’re never going to find me, are they?”
“Let’s just say, I’d be shocked if they did.” I was untraceable. And if I wasn’t, most governments were too scared of me to retaliate. It was easier to let my minor crimes slide than risk open warfare.
Her voice trailed away. “It’s been four weeks…I thought Joseph would come for me by now. I guess he’s not going to…”
A part of me wanted to tell her the truth, that I threatened to kill her if he made an attempt to rescue her. But the other part of me wanted to withhold that information and make her lose all hope. She would conform quicker, obey me faster. “You’ll make a home here, Lovely. It won’t be as bad as you think it will.”
“Easy for you to say. How would you feel if I abducted you and forced you to live with me?”
I smiled at the fantasy. “I think it’d be pretty fun, actually.”
She sighed in annoyance. “Do you ever think of anything else besides sex?”
“When I’m around you, no.” I set the glass on the table then moved to her couch. I sat beside her, dangerously close. My arm draped over the cushion, resting against the back of her neck. She immediately took a quick breath at my unexpected hostility. My hand moved to her toned thigh and I gave it a gentle squeeze. My lips moved against her ear and I gave her a warm breath, arousal obvious in the way I cornered her against the arm rest on the couch. I wanted to fuck her right then and there, even if Finley walked inside. “It’s all I ever think about.” I kissed the shell of her ear and slowly moved my kisses down her neck, tasting her skin and sucking it into my mouth. My lips ached for more, feeling on fire every time I touched her. My hand moved up her thigh, and I listened to her breaths quicken as I touched her, feeling her mutual arousal.
She tilted her chin back slightly, and her hand dug into my hair. Quiet pants escaped her lips, her desire bubbling to the surface. Her smell washed over me, flowers and summer.
I lowered her to the couch, climbing on top of her as my mouth moved to hers. I sealed my lips against hers, moving them together with purposeful kisses. Before my tongue delved into her mouth, her tongue entered mine. Her hands moved to my shoulders and then my back, our make out session becoming heavier with every passing second.
My cock pressed against the front of my jeans, eager to be inside that tight pussy. The second the sex was over, I’d have to arrange for London to get the shot so I could come in her as much as I wanted. Coming on her tits would be enough for tonight.
I didn’t break our kiss as I undid the top of my jeans with a single hand. My cock needed to come free. A drop formed on the tip and soaked through my boxers. Her pussy was probably just as wet, desperate to feel my rock-hard length.
But then she stopped the kiss. “No.” She pushed me off her then rolled off the couch, falling to her knees before she stood once again.
My rage immediately came to the surface. No one told me no.
Ever.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I whispered. “Get back here. Now.” If she defied me, I had no problem pinning her on her stomach with her ass in the air.
“No.” She crossed her arms over her chest like she was naked and trying to hide herself from my sight. “I only fucked you to save myself. I’m not doing it again.”
“Sure seemed
like you enjoyed it.”
“Whether I did or didn’t, I don’t want it.” She turned to walk away.
I got to my feet instantly, grabbed her by the neck and threw her on the couch. “There’s nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. I get what I want, so just accept it. But if you fight, I won’t mind. Bigger turn-on anyway.” I yanked on the back of her leggings and pulled them off, revealing her perky ass.
She tried to buck me off. “I don’t need to run or hide. You won’t do it.”
I released a dark laugh. “You don’t know me very well.”
“I do know you.” She continued to fight underneath me. “Maybe you do evil things, but I know you won’t do this. I know if I ask you to stop, you’ll stop. I’m not afraid of you.” She stared at me over her shoulder, looking incredibly sexy with her pants pulled down and her ponytail loose. “Did you hear me, Crewe? I’m not afraid of you. So get off me so I can go to bed.”
I stared her down, my expression hardening. I didn’t move my weight off of her, but I didn’t move forward either. Her words pissed me off and placated me at the exact same time. She was calling my bluff, and I wanted to prove her wrong. But she was right, I didn’t think I could do it. I did a lot of evil things on a daily basis, betrayed people’s confidences and murdered men who deserved it. But no, I’d never forced myself on a woman before, even though I felt entitled to do it now.
She wanted me.
If I stuck my fingers in her pussy, I would be greeted with slick wetness. She couldn’t kiss me like that unless she felt the same attraction. She wanted me.
But she still said no.
My body obeyed her command, and I moved off her, my cock still hard in my unbuttoned jeans.
She pulled her pants up then got off the couch. She moved around to the other side so the furniture was in between us. She didn’t give me a gloating look. She didn’t look relieved either. Her feelings were a mystery, actually. “You know what I think?” she whispered. “You aren’t as evil as you claim. I think you have a heart somewhere in there—buried deep down inside.”