He continued his silence.
“Thorn, what do you think?”
“What I think doesn’t matter.”
“Yes, it does. I want to know.”
He sighed before he answered. “You know him better than I do…but I think he’s lying about everything. There’s no way he had those papers sitting in his drawer unless he was going to do something with them. If he hadn’t read them, he would have destroyed them and got rid of the evidence. But he probably made copies and gave them to the reporter and kept a copy for himself just in case he needed them. His office is safer than his home, so that would explain why he left them there. He was caught on camera kissing that woman in the club. If that’s not evidence, I don’t know what it is.”
My heart sank further and further. “He signed that NDA and didn’t accept the money I offered. Why would he do that?”
“To throw you off his scent.”
“To what end?” I asked. “He knows I’ll never trust him again.”
“I don’t know. Maybe he wants your expertise to grow the company. When it’s worth billions, he’ll squeeze you out by threatening to go public.”
“But why reveal my past to the reporters to begin with?” I argued.
“Why would the New York Times name him as the source if they weren’t sure it was him?”
Every question I had was met with a dead end. Hunt looked guilty every time—as much as I wanted to believe he was innocent.
“I know this is hard because you love him, but…it’s just how it is.”
Why was this happening to me? Why couldn’t I just fall in love like everyone else? Why couldn’t I fall for the right man? Why couldn’t I love Thorn and have him love me back? That would be the simplest solution.
Thorn eyed me with obvious pity. “People are greedy and evil. They’ll use you until they get what they want. And once they have it, they’ll forget about you. It’s why I’ve never fallen in love. It’s why I’ll never fall in love.”
“Thorn, you know that’s not true.”
“Yes, it is.”
I looked at his hard blue eyes and saw a little softness in them, something only I could see because I knew where to look. “What about us? We’re nothing like that.”
“We’re one of the few, and we’re very lucky that we found each other.”
I hated to imagine my life without him. Thorn was the family I needed when I lost my own. He helped me get through the pain, helped me become the strong woman I was now. He was the only man in my life I could truly rely on. He would take care of me no matter what. I could afford to buy anything in the world, but there was no amount of money that could buy loyalty. “Yeah, you’re right.”
He tapped his fingers against the wood. “I meant what I said. I’m not leaving until you eat all of that.”
I grabbed my fork again and stirred the food around. “I know, Thorn. And thanks for making me eat it.”
“One day, I’ll be as low as you are now. And it’ll be your turn to make me eat.”
I gave a halfhearted smile. “You have yourself a deal.”
He finished his food long before I did and looked out the window as I finished. His jaw was free of hair because he shaved every morning. Sometimes Hunt let his hair grow out, but Thorn never did. He had a distinctive clean look, fair skin with bright eyes. He couldn’t be more different from Hunt. They were both handsome men, just in different shades.
I should let Hunt go, but it was hard for me to walk away. “I guess I want to believe him because of the way he looks at me…”
Thorn turned his gaze on me.
“He just…looks at me like he loves me. Like I’m the only thing in the world that matters. That look has never changed, even now. I know everything that’s happened has contradicted that…but that’s how I feel.”
Thorn bowed his head slightly as he stared at the table instead of me. “I think you see that because you want to see it, Titan. I admire you for wanting to see the good in people when there isn’t. That’s a hard quality to come by. But I don’t think Hunt deserves your doubt.”
* * *
My schedule was packed with meetings, so the only time I was free to work on our presentation was in the evening. I wasn’t going to invite him to my place, and his place was a war zone of reporters.
The office was the only neutral place.
All the lights were on when I stepped onto the floor, so I knew he was already there. My satchel was over my shoulder, and my Bullet was parked out front. When the traffic died down, it was fun to drive in the city. Feeling the powerful engine beneath my fingertips made me feel a little stronger.
I stepped into the conference room and found him sitting there, dressed down in jeans and a black t-shirt. His hair was slightly messy because he’d obviously showered not too long ago. His chin was cleanly shaven, nothing but smooth skin around the hard jaw. His brown eyes were dark like the nighttime sky. Anytime he made a slight move, the fabric of his t-shirt hugged him perfectly. He was six-three of all muscle and man.
I needed to stop looking at him like that.
Hunt shifted his gaze to me, his dark eyes focusing on me like I was the only thing in the world. That intense expression was glued to mine. Now that he was no longer alone, all of his attention had been shifted to me. He didn’t give a verbal greeting, his look saying a lot more than his mouth could.
God, I loved him.
I missed him.
I wished we were naked on this table, his powerful body thrusting into mine and making me his. I wanted to be his wife, to make love on top of the city we would own together. I wanted his come inside me every day, to be satisfied as no other man had ever satisfied me before.
Hunt watched me like he could read my thoughts.
I sat down and pretended it never happened. I acted like he didn’t mean anything to me, like he was no one. Thorn’s words came back to my mind, and I couldn’t ignore them. Hunt was a liar. He was dangerous. I didn’t know the man I thought I loved.
I opened up my folders and set up my tablet.
He still didn’t stop staring at me.
I refused to be affected by it. I refused to acknowledge it. “You want to start from the top?”
He worked his tight jaw, his mouth shifting slightly under the tension. The angry look on his face suggested he didn’t want to be there. He was frustrated with me, angry enough to fill the room. But he was also anxious to run his fingers through my hair, to brush his lips past mine in a long tease before he actually kissed me. His desires filled the room, the need for his hands to grab me, lift me onto the table, and take me the way I wanted to be taken. “Sure.”
* * *
My driver escorted me from the airport to the resort on the coastline. I owned a home just a few miles away, but since the conference was at the hotel, I thought it would be easier to stay at the same place. Making a strong appearance was important right now. I wanted to be seen as often as possible, looking happy and carefree in the beautiful Mediterranean. My image as the weak victim of domestic abuse wouldn’t last long.
I hoped Hunt could change his image as easily. People were far more involved in his story than they were in mine. Most of our associates here knew exactly who his father was. They’d probably even had lunch with him.
I checked in to my room and opened all the drapes. I had a prime view of the blue ocean and the sailboats in the harbor. The sun was bright, and the sea smelled like fresh salt. People were on the beach in their swimsuits, and a lot of women were topless. I had my own pool and a private patio, splurging for the nicest accommodations that were still available.
My phone lit up with a text message. Heard you just arrived.
I stared at Hunt’s name and felt my throat tighten. I missed the way he kissed my neck. He used to smother me with kisses, drag his lips right over my pulse like an animal about to take a bite out of me. How so?
You like to make an entrance. And people like to talk about it.
I
took my private plane in the middle of the night, sleeping through the journey in my luxurious king-size bed. I passed the night in a deep sleep and woke up to the sunshine in France. I was well-rested and ready to go.
I’m at the bar with Bryan Thomas of NICO and Oliver Weston of Optimal Labs. Come down, and I’ll introduce you.
I don’t need you to introduce me. If I wanted to meet someone, I’d walk up to them and shake their hand.
He was probably smiling at my comment. Then let me introduce them to you.
* * *
Miranda Peterson and I stood together at one of the tables. She ran one of the biggest companies in the world, and her software program was installed on nearly all of my computers. She was older than I was, but down-to-earth and funny. Divorced with no kids, she was living the single life, but she seemed to be enjoying it. With black hair pulled into an elegant updo and a skintight dress, she was turning heads even in her late thirties. We’d run into each other at other events in Manhattan, and we always got along. I wouldn’t call her a friend, but she was an associate I looked forward to seeing.
“I’m excited to hear your presentation.” She sipped her martini with perfect posture, her shoulders back and her spine absolutely straight. She was classy and pretty, breaking the stereotype that beautiful women couldn’t be smart too. “Diesel Hunt is a genius. With the two of you combined together, I can only imagine what you have in store.”
“Yes, he is a brilliant man.” When our personal relationship was put to the side, I had nothing but respect for him. He did business honorably, and he possessed the kind of intelligence that made even me feel intimidated.
“I’ve spoken to him a few times but never got to know him. What’s he like?”
“Quiet. He doesn’t say much.”
She glanced at him on the other side of the room as he mingled with other entrepreneurs. “The strong and silent type. I picked up on that. Do you know if he’s seeing someone? Since you see him every day, you must know.”
I almost spat out my drink at the question. “Uh…I don’t know. I don’t think so.”
“I’ll make a pass later. I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity, but he’s always talking to someone.”
A flash of jealousy ripped through me that made me nearly shatter my glass. Her confidence annoyed me, but just a second ago I’d appreciated it. She and Hunt were nearly the same age, so the match was appropriate. She was smart and wealthy, just like I was. Not to mention, she was beautiful. They could spend the next few days enjoying the view from her room while they fucked in front of the window.
I took a big gulp of my drink, needing the alcohol more than ever.
“How are you and Thorn?”
I eyed Hunt, grateful that he was in deep conversation with two other men. His hands rested in the pockets of his slacks, and he wore a polite expression. It was nothing like the look he gave me, the one that was constantly full of intensity. His body looked thick and powerful in his clothes, and I knew he was turning more heads than Miranda’s.
“Titan?”
“Sorry?” I turned back to her, my mouth on my glass again.
“How are you and Thorn?”
“Oh…we’re great. He couldn’t come because he had too much work at the office.”
“That’s too bad. Such a romantic place.” She glanced at Hunt again.
I gripped my glass a little harder. Miranda was perfectly within her rights to be interested in Hunt—a single man. But I couldn’t help but feel the jealousy, which was ridiculous because it was unrealistic to expect any straight woman not to gawk over him.
“He’s moving to the bar.” Miranda stepped away from me, prepared to intercept Hunt. “Wish me luck.”
No.
She approached Hunt when he reached the counter, and she opened with a line that made him laugh.
I took another drink, almost running on empty. My feet started to hurt in my heels, and I was hit with an unexpected wave of heat. How would I get through this trip if they were hooking up every night? How would I be able to swallow the devastation of knowing some other woman was enjoying him?
When I’d enjoyed him for so long.
Hunt pivoted his body against the counter and focused on Miranda while her back was turned to me.
I shouldn’t stare, but I couldn’t help it.
Hunt’s eyes shifted slightly to me just an inch from her face. His gaze remained glued there during the conversation; it was painfully obvious he was staring at me and not her. She probably couldn’t tell the difference because we were in the same line of sight.
My pulse quickened. My mouth went dry.
He didn’t blink. He said very little to her, giving a slight nod here and there.
All of his focus was on me.
Finally, the conversation ended. Hunt got his drink, and Miranda walked back toward me. She still wore a smile and an elegant posture, so it seemed like she got the answer she wanted.
Maybe she did.
“How’d it go?” My eyes glanced at Hunt’s back.
She set down her drink with a sigh. “Said he’s seeing someone.”
My eyes darted to her face. “He did?”
“Yeah. Said it’s pretty serious. Why am I not surprised? A man like that doesn’t stay on the market long.”
“Yeah…” When my eyes turned back to him, I was greeted with that intense gaze. He stood there alone where anyone could watch him, but he didn’t seem to care about getting caught looking straight at me. He drank his Old Fashioned as he looked at me, those dark eyes complementing the liquid sitting in his glass. He kept drinking and drinking as he kept watching and watching.
I was the first one to break eye contact because I couldn’t handle it anymore.
He won.
* * *
After midnight, someone knocked on the door.
I knew who it was. I’d have to be completely clueless not to figure it out. And I also knew exactly what would happen if I opened the door. Touches would turn to kisses. Words would turn to moans. Clothes would drop, and he would be plunged deep inside me for the rest of the night.
It was smart to ignore it, to pretend I was asleep and hadn’t heard it. Watching him blow off another beautiful woman for me made my thighs squeeze together tightly. It tricked my heart into believing him, believing that he really loved me from head to toe.
I wished he loved me.
I could stand in a room with all my peers with the most amazing man on my arm. I wouldn’t have to lie about my feelings. Every time I looked at him, I knew he would already be looking at me with that possessive gaze. I could be in love for all the world to see.
But he betrayed me. I had to keep reminding myself of that.
But the doubt, lust, and love crept in.
He knocked again.
Don’t open that door, Titan.
Just ignore it.
Hunt didn’t knock again, but his message popped up on my phone. Baby.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes at the same time, like I’d actually heard him say the word. Like the sound left his lips and landed on my ear because we were right next to each other.
I sat on the edge of the bed and squeezed my thighs together as I pictured the kiss he would give me if I opened the door.
I’m not going anywhere.
Fuck.
He tapped his knuckles against the door for a third time.
My legs automatically brought me to my feet, and I walked to the door, still wearing my stilettos even though I’d been in my room for nearly an hour. I’d finished up drinks with a few associates then slipped away before Hunt could realize I was gone.
I moved to the door and pressed my forehead against it, knowing he was just on the other side. If I held my breath, I could hear his presence on the other side of the door. I could hear him shift slightly, hear his breath of frustration. Even if I hadn’t been able to hear him, I could feel him. Like a magnetic field was just on the other side, I could fe
el the pull through a solid object—because Hunt was the most powerful solid object in the building.
My hand moved to the doorknob.
“Open it,” he whispered into the crack. “Or I will.”
I finally turned the knob and cracked the door open, just enough to see his face. I planned to tell him to leave, that I was tired and needed to rest. But when I saw those brooding brown eyes, I couldn’t think of anything coherent to say.
He pushed the door open and stepped inside, immediately crowding me backward.
I should stand my ground and order him to leave. I had the power if I wanted it. Even when I felt like he was in control, I could always take it back. All I had to do was straighten my spine and harden my resolve.
But that didn’t happen.
He crowded me farther into the room, forcing me to move back as he took up all the space. He was in the same suit he wore in the bar, black with a black tie. He looked like a million bucks. All he was missing was a big red bow, and he would be the best Christmas present. “Hunt—”
“You may not be mine. But I’m still yours.”
Just like that, the air was taken from my lungs. All the power I’d attained through years of ruthlessness disappeared. It evaporated into thin air like it never existed in the first place. He stripped away my power.
His hand moved to my cheek and slowly slid into my hair. His callused fingertips brushed across my skin as they secured a place in my strands. He pressed his face close to mine and tilted my gaze to meet his. His warm breath fell on my skin, his breath heavy with whiskey. I recognized it because it was practically water to me. I’d recognize it anywhere.
He pressed his forehead to mine and closed his eyes, his other hand getting a firm grip on my hip. It slowly slid to my waist where he clutched me harder through the silk fabric of my dress. “I don’t want her. I don’t want that woman in the club. You know what I want?”
I closed my eyes and felt his fingers dig into my neck.
“I want to make love to you. I want to fuck you. I want to bury all my desire, all my anger, deep between your legs. I want to sink you into the mattress as I conquer you, as I bury my entire cock inside that pussy. I want to tell you I love you while you scream it back to me. I want you to forget these lies you’ve heard about me and just give in to me. I want you to spread your legs, grab my ass, and pull me harder into you even though you can’t take anymore. I want it just to be us…nothing else.” His fingers wrapped around my hair, and he got a tighter grip on me, holding me like a horse with reins.
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