Page 19 of Royal Flush

“Vile. There’s a word. Such as?”

After pressing a button that I couldn’t see, he leaned his full body weight against me, the more intimate touch stealing my breath. He placed first one then the other hand on the cool metal, as if it could bear some of his muscular weight. The close proximity was as exhilarating as it was maddening.

“Such as acts of debauchery and feasting.”

“Feasting. I would enjoy watching you.”

“And not experiencing?”

The slight crook of his upper lip was far too sexy. “You couldn’t handle me.”

“I guess we’ll see, little koala.”

I wanted so much to tell him never to call me that again, especially since it was a term of endearment, but I found myself unable to do that. It was cute, something no one had ever called me. Okay, so I hadn’t gotten close enough to anyone for them to develop an intimate name. He was overwhelming in both good and bad ways, and relished being able to get a rise out of me.

It was far too overheated in the small space and I found myself lightheaded. I tried to sidestep him, but he was having none of it, daring to wrap his fingers around my throat.

“Not so fast,” he growled in a deeper, huskier voice. “You do remember you belong to me tonight.”

“You won’t allow me to forget.”

“You’re right. And something else. No matter who you see tonight or during the remainder of your stay on this island, you will never divulge a single activity, a name, a proclivity, or anything that you’ve seen here.”

I pretended like I was zipping my lips. “Mum is the word.” There was a sudden odd look in his usually amused eyes. I could only imagine the twisted activities he’d been privy to.

I’d known my father had engaged in multiple affairs at an early age. To this day, my mother might have turned a blind eye, but he’d only recently curtailed his actions or had at least been more discreet since maneuvering for a position of higher power.

What a crock.

“Where are we going?” I asked, still doing everything I could not to be intoxicated by the man.

“To a private section of the resort and one of my favorites.”

I suddenly felt uncomfortable, squirreling underneath his arm to try to get into the corner. “Look. I might have come across a bit… foolhardy but no matter what you think of me, I’m not…” God, I’d never felt so uncomfortable in my life. The elevator came to a halt and I sucked in my breath so hard I was wheezing.

He took my hand, bringing it to his lips. I’ll be damned if the bastard wasn’t trying to comfort me. “Finish what you were going to say.” He pulled me from the steel box and I was holding my breath as I studied the area. I couldn’t make heads or tails of the hallway itself but it had a more gothic appearance than what I’d seen in the rest of the resort. There were sconces on the ruby-stained walls, the flicker of every bulb reminiscent of an old-fashioned light fixture using real candles.

I realized my heart was in my throat, my mind spinning as to what I’d managed to get myself into. “You’re right in that I’m not who you think I am. I’ve never engaged in acts of BDSM.”

“Hmmm,” he said and nothing else. Was he brushing off my concerns, acting as if my trepidation didn’t matter?

What a fucking bastard. I’d been right about my first assessment.

He moved to a set of massive double doors and only then did I hear what sounded like music.

Pulsing music.

With his hand firmly planted around mine, another moment of feeling suffocation swept through me. I tried desperately to pull away, as if Jasmine Sinclair, a woman born into wealth and opulence, was going to consider running away like a coward.

“Just let me go.” Oh, dear God. I was whimpering. What the hell? There were three promises I’d made to myself early on.

I refused to beg for anything.

I would never whimper under any circumstances.

And I would face every fear head-on.

No man was going to entice me into failing under any circumstances.

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