Page 15 of Power and Possession

“I was outnumbered. And I still managed to stab one of your men. Is he dead?”

I was surprised to see the slight glimmer of hope in her eyes. She would have killed Cooper if she could have, and it didn’t look like she’d have an ounce of remorse. So why couldn’t she slit my throat last night?

At any rate, I ignored her question, crossing the room to sit on the couch. It was dainty and not made for my large frame,and even though I sat on the opposite side of her, we were practically touching.

She flinched, moving even farther along the couch to get away from the brief touch of my thigh against hers. She was wearing my shirt and sweats, but her hair was fresh and clean. Her toes were tucked underneath her, but I could just make out the purple polish on them.

“What are you reading?” It was a dumb question, but I was momentarily at a loss for words. I didn’t give a damn what she was reading, but I wasn’t sure what brought me into her room and what compelled me to sit next to her on the sofa.

“Crime and Punishment,” she answered, not even glancing up from the page. She instantly dismissed my presence, probably hoping I’d leave her alone.

I moved closer to her, my eyes scanning the book to see which part she was reading. But the second I approached her, she squirmed and put the book on the side table.

“Why are you here? I thought you’d leave me alone after I tried to kill you.”

“You won’t ever get the best of me, Love. So just stop trying. It’s cute, I admit it, but eventually you’re just going to get yourself hurt.” I stretched my arms behind my head, casually glancing at her.

“Don’t call me Love. And get out.”

“My house. My rules,” I retorted.

She sighed deeply. “What do you want?”

“Everything,” I said, my cocky attitude getting the better of me. “I want what I want, when I want it. And that includes you.”

Her eyes bulged and she sputtered, but I saw it. Just a tiny dilation of her pupil, the tiniest exhale from her chest.

She wanted me.

She was aroused by my statement. Hate me as she may, our passionate kiss had awoken something within her. If she’d just let me, I could show her how amazing a physical relationship with me could be. And in the process, it would belike fucking over Topher again and again.

“Do you have a boyfriend clamoring to get you back?” I asked, wondering if I’d have to contend with some self-righteous prick, or if she was exclusive in her affair with Edward. A boyfriend could be trouble, or more accurately, just annoying, but Edward wouldn’t cross me. He’d prefer to have a bidding war for his little toy and settle it like gentlemen. With money.

“Why? Are you offering?” She wrinkled her nose in disgust and then rolled her eyes at me. Again, I fought the urge to grab her by the neck and strangle her until she acquiesced and gave me the kind of respect I’d earned in my world.

“To have you? To show you just what you’ve been missing from life? I would make you feel things you never thought possible, make you come so hard—”

Before I could even finish my sentence, she raised her hands and smacked me across the side of my head with the copy ofCrime and Punishment, catching me by surprise.

Goddamn, what the hell was wrong with this woman? Could she go twenty-four hours without assaulting someone? And why the hell did it turn me on?

I tore the book from her hands and threw it across the room. It hit the wall with a satisfying thud. I was angrier that she’d made my dick twitch than my head throb.

“If you don’t behave, I'll take away every single book in here.”

“Fine. I’ll just die of boredom. Have fun explaining that to my father. I’m sure he’s on his way to kick your ass right now.”

The second she mentioned Topher, I felt my rage bubble up to the surface like a hydrothermal vent hiding on the ocean floor. I was pissed that I hadn’t heard from her father, and even more irritated that Cooper thought this plan was doomed to fail. I hated it when he was right. It didn’t happen often, but his gloating attitude always annoyed me. He was far too confident for someone so young.

I grabbed her chin, forcing her eyes on me. She tried to look down, but I kept lifting her face towards me until she hadno choice but to see the determination in my expression.

“You better be worth all of this fucking trouble,” I growled, before releasing her jaw and storming out of the room.

Chapter Eleven

Ashlynn

Steele forced me roughly into the dining room before pushing me back into a chair at the end of a refectory table, the type you’d see at a fancy wedding. To be honest, I was a little surprised he didn’t tie me to the chair, especially considering I had a knife against his throat the night before. I had found myself pushing him as far as I could, but to be honest, I didn’t know why. Was I really just mad at my father, and misdirecting all my frustrations on my kidnapper?

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