Page 85 of Master of My Heart

“I don’t want you to get hurt, Sabrina,” Jayson said in a softer voice.

“I’ll be fine. I always am.”

“That’s not encouraging.”

Sabrina didn’t know what to say about getting hurt. What could she say? That she was keeping Aiden away from the other girls so they didn’t get hurt? If Aiden found out that someone knew, her sacrifice would be for nothing. The other girls would be fair game to him.

“Please don’t tell anyone, Jayson. Please.”

“Why not?”

“He doesn’t want anyone to know. He... wants his privacy. No one’s supposed to know.”

“Then you should have been more discreet at the cocktail party.”

Sabrina’s stomach twisted. “What do you mean?”

“I saw you two go up to the roof.”

She grasped the dresser and stared at her hands, her knuckles turning white. “Did anyone else see?” she whispered.

“I know Richard did. And he saw you come back down, looking upset.”

Sabrina closed her eyes against the tears that threatened. “Oh.” Aiden would be so angry if he found out. Maybe he did find out and that was why tonight was going to be “special.” “It’s nothing more than I can handle, Jayson. We have an arrangement that works for both of us. Please, just let it go and don’t tell anyone.”

“Why?” He sat down on her bed.

Because things will be so much worse if you do. “Please, just trust me.”

“What if someone else wants to ask you out?”

She gave him a broken laugh. “Who would want to ask me out? Why would anyone want to be with me?”

“What on earth does that mean? Who wouldn’t want to be with you?”

“Because of what I am.”

“What do you mean what you are? You keep saying that.”

“I’m a whore. A slut.” She blinked, trying to keep the tears of shame from ruining her mascara. “I am who I was made to be. And nothing will ever change that.”

“You’re not there anymore. You’re here. And free.”

“Does that undo everything that was done to me?” I’ve proven that I’m still a whore.

Jayson didn’t respond.

“Exactly,” she whispered and reached for a tissue to dab away the tears that escaped.

A knock at the apartment door made Jayson jump up. “I’ll get it!”

Sabrina stared as Jayson skidded out into the hallway and ran to the front door. It was too early for Aiden’s driver to be here. Who on earth could get him so excited?

It doesn’t matter. She closed the bedroom door and continued getting ready, which only took a few minutes. Voices carried from the living room. Male voices. Jayson hadn’t mentioned anyone coming over tonight. Who was here?

She opened the door and heard a voice she didn’t recognize. She crept out of her room. When she saw the man sitting on the couch talking to Jayson, she froze. When he looked up at her, she lost her ability to breathe. When he stood, time stopped.

He was tall and broad with closely cropped dark brown hair and intense gray eyes. High cheekbones, sensuous lips, and a slight dimple in his left cheek made her heart thunder in her chest. He wore a black polo shirt, which stretched across his chest and biceps. A scar ran down the right side of his face from temple to mid-cheek. His eyes showed a maturity that wasn’t there the last time she’d seen them, but when he smiled, the laugh lines still crinkled in the corners.

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