Page 30 of Under Control

I’ve never been surer of something in my life.

This woman is mine. Every inch of her body is mine. Every moment she breathes is mine. I will have her; I will possess her.

I will never stop so long as I’m breathing.

“That wasn’t supposed to happen,” she says, not looking at me. “God damn it, I shouldn’t have done that.”

“I don’t regret a thing.”

“Yeah, well, good for you.” She closes her eyes and blows out a breath. The car pulls up in front of Stove and Smoke and she looks at me. “Dinner wasn’t as bad as I thought, okay? It’s just, we can’t do this.Ican’t do this. I know you only said you wouldn’t send me gifts anymore, but this is goodbye, okay? I’m sorry, Valentin, but thanks for everything.”

She pushes open the door and steps out into the night.

I watch her go, saying nothing. A smile passes over my face as I watch her hurry down the sidewalk in the direction of home. Anton will shadow her until she gets there, just to make sure she’s safe.

She thinks this is finished.

But I never said I’d stop watching and waiting.

Chapter 10

Karine

Despite everything, I strip off the silk robe and stand on a small platform in the center of Merrick’s art studio.

He chews the end of a paintbrush and gives me instructions on how to pose. I arch my back, bend an arm, contort myself into strange positions. He’s locked in today and the banter’s at a bare minimum, which is fine by me. I need the money, and I don’t need his sly comments.

At least I have a lot of time to think about dinner with Valentin two nights ago.

Actually, scratch that. I wish I could distract myself with literallyanythingelse.

Instead, that dangerous bastard’s been floating through my head on a near-constant basis, and it’s driving me crazy.

“You’re distracted,” Merrick grunts at me. He slashes at the canvas like he wants to rip it in half. “If you’re distracted, I’m distracted.”

“Seriously, how can you even tell right now?”

“I can smell all the thinking you’re doing.” He screws up his nose. “It’s unpleasant.”

“I think that’s just yourself.”

“Hilarious, darling. Now focus. You’re a model. You’re an empty, lifeless shell.”

“Sounds… fun.”

“This is work.” He jabs a paintbrush at me. “Now, get to it.”

I try to focus on being empty. I’m a lifeless shell… I’m a doll… I’m a posable action figure… but my head starts to drift again.

Valentin’s sharp smile. The way those people treated him with utter respect. His mouth between my legs.

God, his mouth.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Merrick knocks his easel over and sends the canvas clattering to the floor. I jump back in surprise and pull on the silk robe. He starts pacing, glaring down at the smeared picture as if it were about to get up and start chewing on his leg.

“What’s going on with you?” I’ve never seen him like this before. Merrick’s usually cool and calm.

“Nothing.” He doesn’t look at me. “Just your lousy boyfriend. But nothing, really, it’s nothing.”

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