Page 13 of Tarnished Reign

He reaches toward me and once again tucks that stray lock of hair that is always falling over my forehead back behind my ear. It's a gentle touch, but it's still more physical contact. He keeps on finding ways to do that, to touch me. As if he realizes that too and regrets it, he snatches his hand back and clears his throat.

“If you really, truly want to go back out there right now, I’ll let you.”

His words carry a heavy gravity that tells me he's not messing around. Shit, he's calling my bluff.

I stare at him, my heartbeat picking up again. He watches me intently, and the right side of his mouth twitches ever so slightly as if it's dying to tick up into a smile.

“Didn't think so,” he says.

The arrogant bastard.

His next words shock me.

“I'm not going to lie to you, Littleblue. I want you. I want you more than any woman I've seen in my entire life.”

My lips part slightly, and I suck in much needed air. My yoga breathing has gone to hell with this confession. I must be seriously unhinged because his words spark a fire again deep in my belly and lower body that culminates in that dull ache between my thighs. A delicious frisson runs up my spine.

“So yes,” he carries on, “I really hope that at some point I'll have you in my bed. When I do, it will be because you want to be there. I'm not going to force you into anything. Well, that's not quite true.”

My heart picks up even faster at those words.

“We will probably be having a party on the yacht in a couple of days, and I will have my arms around you, and you might even have to sit on my knee, if you can bear it. Other than that, there won't be any need for you to do anything you don't wish to. No work and nothing to do other than lounge around on this, frankly, not uncomfortable boat for a week or two.”

“What happens when that time is over? Do you just let me go even if it's not safe?” That’s my other worry. What happens when he has what he wants out of this, which is clearly some sort of dick swinging show that he took the yacht and the women from Dorian. When he has that, what happens to me?

“No. I won't just send you back out there, unless I know it's safe. I'm going to be doing some digging into your mother … sorry, stepmother. I want to find out who she is and how the hell she even knows Dorian?” He poses the question and watches me intently.

I glance up at him, and it's on the tip of my tongue to tell him they are related, and she is also related to Ari, but for some reason I don't; I keep that small nugget to myself. The information could be something that I can use in the future, perhaps, or maybe it could be dangerous for me to share right now.

“How did the men take you?”

I don’t want to talk about it. As soon as I think about the rag, I feel sick. The terror washes over me anew, and it also makes me scared that these men will kill me, if they think I’m somehow personally tied to Dorian. Part of his family.

“I can’t talk about it right now. I just can’t. I’ll be sick.”

His mouth hardens, but he gives a brief shrug of one shoulder. “Fine. But you’re going to have to at some point. I need all the information I can get if I’m going to figure out who is a threat to you going forward. At least tell me your name.”

“Adriana,” I whisper.

“Surname?”

I sigh. “Bandor”

I should tell him about the whole debacle, but I really can’t face it. I doubt it will take very long for this man to find out, anyway, but this way gives me a bit of time to get my head together and think clearly.

I wrap my arms around myself, needing the comfort of self-touch.

He registers the movement but backs away from me with a truncated shake of his head, as if he regrets leaving me here.

As if he wants to stay in the bathroom and watch me shower.

“Take your shower; I need to talk with my men. When your clothes arrive, I'll bring them to you.”

The door closes behind him, drowning me in a stark silence, and for the first time in days, I’m alone, yet not tied up or gagged.

The freedom of this moment is sublime, and an intense wave of gratitude toward the man who freed me fills me.

I just pray my tentative trust in him is not misplaced.

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