Page 56 of Controlled

“You can’t go in there, Ms. Rothschild.”

While the tone was full of authority, it wasn’t the person I’d been expecting.

Or maybe hoping to see.

I turned around slowly to see a nicely dressed man. Although instead of wearing a suit, which I’d caught a brief glimpse of at Creed’s office, he was wearing blue jeans and a polo. But there was no mistaking his position given the gun holster he was wearing on his shoulder, the handle of his big, fat gun sticking out.

I was surprised he hadn’t grabbed it in his hand.

“Why?” I asked with a similar tone in my voice.

“Because Mr. Saint has strictly forbidden you to go inside. That’s why.”

“And where is Mr. Saint?”

“On business. He will return soon.”

“While I’m very certain you’re doing an amazing job at holding down the fort at gunpoint, I’m going to find out what’s in that room.” I spun around, determined to find out what was happening when the hairs stood up on the back of my neck.

“I’ll handle my guest from here, Christen.”

Creed.

He’d returned.

I was almost instantly shaking, trying to keep from making a single sound. Very slowly I turned to face him, noticing he had a smug look on his face. I was strangely taken aback by his presence even though I knew he’d show up sooner versus later.

“Don’t look so shaken, perfect dancer. You’re perfectly safe here,” Creed told me as he moved closer.

I found myself inching backward until he cocked his head, his expression full of complete amusement. He was truly one of the most handsome men I’d ever seen, but thinking of him as anything but a monster didn’t seem right.

He continued inching closer, crowding my space. Why was it that I was intoxicated by his scent? And why did I also detect something coppery? Had he been out hunting?

I turned my head away from him as he started to lower his, but he proved I was nothing but his possession by grabbing my jaw, tsking like I was a bad girl. As he slowly turned it back to face him, I was starting to realize I wasn’t going to win any rounds with the man by being as defiant as I’d been.

“Please leave me alone.” At least my tone wasn’t nasty.

“I can’t do that. In case you don’t remember, someone tried to remove you from my life. They will try again until it’s done. Do you understand?”

“Why were they after me? I’m just a dancer, nobody in the scheme of life.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” he said in a husky voice as he began to rub his thumb across my jaw, slowly inching it to my lips.

I pursed them, refusing to give into whatever method of seduction he was trying to use. I wasn’t going to allow him to pull me into the darkness ever again.

“You see, my sweet. No one has ever gotten this close to me before. That makes you my weakness.”

“Weakness. Don’t you mean your possession?” My question was through clenched teeth.

He laughed and continued rubbing my lips until he forced his thumb inside. When I started to bite it as a natural reaction, he shook his head. “Be careful what you do, perfect dancer. I am a man who wants to create a world where you can feel free and cherished, but I will not tolerate insolence of any kind. Those days are over.”

As he pumped his thumb inside my mouth, I was sick inside, sucking his thumb like it was a lollypop. His eyes were dancing, his twisted mind obviously working overtime. I was furious and worried, but I couldn’t afford to lose my shit. I had my mother to think about.

The moment he popped his finger free, I hissed at him. It was like he took my breath of discord as an admittance I hungered for passion, capturing my mouth. The sensations I’d been uncertain of before returned, all the electricity in the world centered around this moment.

And this man.

I wanted to lash out but the thrill of being in his arms, the sick desire I had for him continued. The fact I’d gripped his shirt, pulling him even closer was a betrayal of my convictions but here I was, lightheaded, my core already heated to a thousand degrees. He thrust his tongue inside but he was gentler than before, taking his time to explore, knowing he had all the time in the world to do so.

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