Page 68 of Unbind

‘I know,’ she whispers. I can see from the soft, open expression on her beautiful face that it’s the truth. She puts a small hand over my poor, wounded heart, and I letmy eyes drift briefly closed at the simple pleasure of her touch.

I hesitate. ‘Can I ask how he is?’

‘Sure.’ We lie, limbs entangled, as she tells me about his job, about which I know broad brushstrokes, and his potential prosthetic. While I’m aware, of course, of his candidacy, I’m genuinely delighted to hear how thrilled he is, how fascinated by the technological opportunities it presents for him, how excited he is about the potential quality of life improvements it offers. I’m even happier to hear of the love he has for his wife, Anna, and their baby girl, Chloe.

While I can never, ever take back the horrific injuries I inflicted on him, I can rejoice in the rush of ease that comes from knowing he didn’t let them define him. He has a full and happy life, no thanks to me.

All I can do is continue to surrender all of that pain and guilt, to atone for my past sins, and to make reparations to the Bennett family wherever possible. This beautiful, compassionate, forgiving woman next to me has no idea of the extent of those reparations, and I hope she never will.

But since that tenure I eased the way for her father to procure at the London School of Economics over a decade ago now, the ability to in some small way play fairy godfather to the Bennett family has allowed me to live with myself just that little bit more easily. It’s selfish, in a way.

‘It sounds like he’s a trooper,’ I tell her now, covering the hand on my heart with my own.

‘He is.’ She smiles fondly. ‘He’s the best.’

‘Still an emo D&D weirdo?’

‘I cannotbelieveyou went there. No, he’s not, thank you. He’s a total tech nerd.’

‘Glad to hear it.’

She pushes me so I roll over onto my back and hoistsherself up onto one elbow. I look up at her. That usually-perfect hair is messier now. It looks like she’s had a damn fine fucking, actually. Her lips are still a little swollen. She is a sight for sore fucking eyes.

‘Anyway. Talking about my brother feels like a spectacular waste of time right now.’ She looks down as her fingers brush against the hair on my chest and sucks in a breath. ‘I hate to inflate your ego further, but you really are revoltingly gorgeous.’

I smirk. ‘Revoltingly, hmm?’

‘Yep.’ She pushes the covers down so my entire torso is exposed and traces a line between my pecs, over my navel, and down my happy trail. ‘God, you’re just… this is…’

Finally, she’s lost for words. My dick, which is already semi-hard, stirs. ‘I wouldn’t go any further unless you intend to finish what you started.’

Our eyes meet. Hers are alight with mischief. ‘Is that a threat or a promise?’

‘Definitely a threat.’ I hold her gaze as her mouth curves into a smile.

‘Sounds like a good way to start our morning. What do you usually do with your Saturdays, Mr Wright.’

‘I work. And you, Miss Bennett?’

‘I work.’ She grins, but I frown. I opt to spend my weekends working because I love it and because I don’t particularly love socialising—or relaxing. I suspect Natalie does it because she has to, because between trying to keep her company afloat and putting in the hours at Alchemy, she’s always at a time disadvantage.

I let it slide. I don’t want to make her feel self-conscious, nor do I want those work-related worries that had her in tears yesterday to stage a reappearance. I’m confident that the blissed-out, orgasm-drunk woman who fell asleep in myarms last night was entertaining precisely zero thoughts of cash flow or overdue invoices, and I’d very much like it to stay that way.

‘I should clarify,’ I say, ‘I never begin my weekends with a beautiful, naked woman in my bed, so this is uncharted territory for me. I could definitely be led astray today, if you’re game.’

She laughs. ‘Oh, come on. Adam Wright, billionaire playboy extraordinaire, sleeps alone? Yeah, right.’

With one move I have her flat on her back and my body pressing down on hers, my now fully hard dick twitching between us.

‘I’m serious. I don’t spend the night with women. I never, ever invite them back here, and I always leave theirs the same night.’

She stills beneath me. ‘If you tell me you let me stay so you could keep an eye on my blood glucose levels, I’ll strangle you with my bare hands.’ There’s determination on her little, heart-shaped face, but vulnerability, too, and my heart constricts.

‘That’s quite a violent streak you’ve got there, sweetheart,’ I say lightly. ‘And if you think Iletyou stay, you’re delusional. There was no way on earth you were getting out of here last night. I wasn’t letting you out of my sight.’

She doesn’t reply, but her expression softens. ‘Is that a fact?’

‘Yeah. In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve spent the last couple of weeks pursuing you. Wooing you at the club with my dastardly oral skills and at your office with my world-class negotiation prowess… If you think last night was a one-time thing, you are sorely mistaken.’

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