Page 26 of Once A Crime Lord

“Jonathan isn’t like you,” she said. “He’s not going to blackmail me. He’s a—”

“Good man?” he broke in sharply. “Yes, we know I’m not that.”

“This is ridiculous! You can’t go after Jonathan because we used to be together.”

It was clear from his expression that he didn’t agree.

“How can you be so mad at him when you cheated on me with hundreds of women? I saw you fuck other women, yet you threaten the one man I’ve been with? How dare you!”

He came at her in a rush. He pinned her against the wall and raised her so they were eye to eye.

“I told you about the other women. I didn’t want my shit to touch you.”

“It doesn’t matter why you did it. You did, and I have to live with those memories!”

“Why are you bringing this up?”

“You hate Jonathan enough to hurt him, but don’t think I should feel the same way over the women you’ve taken?”

“Those women meant nothing to me,” he said through clenched teeth. “I got off and didn’t give a shit if they did. I never slept with them, never talked to them. I didn’t use the same woman twice—”

She slapped him across the face, shocking them both. The awful silence made her heart race. She lowered her stinging hand and pushed against his chest.

“Let me go.”

He didn’t move or speak.

“Back off, Gavin!”

He didn’t move, and she lost her temper. She struck out again, but this time he caught her hand. He hauled her over his shoulder and carried her to the couch. He dropped and mounted her in a nanosecond and pinned both her hands above her head with one of his.

He collared her throat. “That part of your life is over.”

“I know that.”

“But it made you think about what you’ll never have, which is why you argued with me. You know I’m not a good man. I’ve done horrible things and will do more in the future.”

His insight was scarily on point. Gavin was successful in business because he had a keen intuition that kept him one step ahead of everyone else. He had never practiced this talent on her before, and it left her quiet and wary.

“You’ve paid a price for being mine.” His hand brushed over the scars on her chest. He undid her robe and stroked her stomach. “I should have let you choose, but I couldn’t. You belong with me.”

“I’m not trying to get away from you, Gavin.”

“You’re holding back from me because of him,” he said.

“I’m not! Listen to me! It was a shock to see him. I just needed time to think.”

He leaned down so their faces were less than six inches apart. “You don’t need to think about him. You don’t owe him anything. All you need to think about is me.” He was poised over her like a beast ready to pounce. Dangerous emotions flickered through his eyes. “I need you.”

“Gavin—” She let out a shriek as his fingers tunneled inside her. She tried to scoot away, but it was impossible with his heavy weight on top of her. He still had her wrists pinned above her head, leaving her body completely open to him.

“You feel this? This is all that matters,” he said as she gasped and bucked beneath him. “Even if you begged me, I wouldn’t let you go.”

“I’m not going anywhere. Don’t hurt Jona—”

“Don’t say his name,” he growled against her cheek as his fingers played her expertly.

“Promise you won’t hurt him,” she demanded and closed her eyes to block out the pleasure so she could focus.

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