Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 78076 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78076 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
A stretch of silence passed between us.
I finally took the clothes out of her hands. “Thank you.”
My butler immediately took them and carried them to my bedroom.
“How much do I owe you?”
“You don’t want to try them on first?”
Why? I was just going to drop them off at a donation center. “I trust you.” I grabbed the checkbook off the table, wrote down the total with a generous tip, and handed it to her.
She didn’t check the amount before she pocketed it. “Thank you, Bartholomew.”
I liked the way she said my name, pronouncing every syllable like she was trying to memorize it and get it right.
I could help her with that in my bedroom right now.
“You know where to find me.”
She stared.
I stared.
I wasn’t sure what I expected to happen. I wanted her in my bedroom, her luscious thighs squeezing my hips, her ankles locked right at the top of my ass, her nails buried deep in my back as she said my name over and over again…
But I didn’t know how to make that happen.
She wasn’t a whore, so I couldn’t pay her.
And she was my enemy, so that was a bit complicated.
Bleu appeared from another room. “Bartholomew.” He didn’t say anything more in front of Laura and walked away.
She glanced at him then turned back to me. “Good night.” She turned around and returned the way she came, her nectarine ass snug in her jeans, especially with those pumps.
I stared down the hallway until I heard the light hum of the elevator.
She was gone.
I stepped into the parlor where Bleu waited for me. “Rick just called. They’ve got a situation over at the docks.”
“What kind of situation?” I asked calmly, still thinking about pussy.
“The cops are patrolling the dock, and we have a delivery tonight.”
I released a sigh. “The cops don’t usually interfere unless we make it public.”
“I guess they have a new chief. Really strict on crime, especially drugs. Apparently, his son died from an overdose.”
I rolled my eyes. “Only idiots die from overdoses, and if he doesn’t want to join his son, he better back off. I don’t like to kill cops, but I’ll slaughter each and every one of them if they make me.”
“I know.”
I paced the parlor, thinking about work and not about pussy. “Tell Rick to change ports. We’ll work out the rest.”
“Got it,” Bleu said. “And what about the girl? Now would be a good time to grab her.”
She’d walked right into my lair without protection. Didn’t even have to snatch her off the street or sneak into her apartment and drug her. I could keep her as a prisoner until I was ready to use her.
But I didn’t do any of those things.
“Let her go,” I said. “I want to have some fun with her first.”
3
BARTHOLOMEW
A few days later, I returned to her small store.
Like last time, she was on the phone. “I knew you’d like that blazer. The padding in the shoulders is discreet but gets the job done. I’ll grab you a few more in other colors. Thanks, Brian.” She hung up then lifted her chin to look at me.
No playfulness. No brightness in her eyes. In fact, she looked displeased to see me. “Was there something wrong with the clothes?”
“No.” I was back to my usual attire, dark jeans and boots with a black long-sleeved tee. There were worse things than being called the Terminator. In fact, it was a pretty apt comparison. If only she knew…
I approached the counter, seeing the way her eyes were now guarded.
“Then how can I help you?” Clipped tone. Cautious expression. I knew an angry woman when I saw one.
“Have a drink with me.” It was late morning, way past my bedtime, and the only appropriate drink for this time was coffee, when I preferred something stronger. Something told me the answer would be no, but asking her out was my agenda and I stuck to it.
“No.”
I waited for an explanation. None came. Just a very firm no.
Interesting. “May I ask why?”
“Does it matter? No means no. Do you not understand that?”
Damn, this woman could boil. “I do understand. But this no is half-assed.”
“No,” she said coldly. “It’s firm.”
“That’s interesting. So, do you always kneel at a man’s dick when taking his measurements? Because I thought I was special.”
The hostility in her gaze flickered. It was subtle and quick, but it was there.
“I know you were hitting on me, sweetheart. Not my first rodeo.”
“Don’t do the sweetheart thing.”
“Then don’t make me hard just for fun.”
“I didn’t do that for fun—”
“You did it for research—and I’m sure you liked what you saw.”
She kept up her stare, shoulders back, her gaze fierce.
Jesus Christ, I wanted to fuck this woman. “Let’s get that drink.”
It took her a moment to word her response. “The answer is still no.”