Page 30 of Power and Possession

“Are you cold?” he asked, following me back to his bed.

“A little,” I answered, pulling the sheets back and getting into bed. Before I could protest, he crawled behind me, pulling my body to his. His chest was warm against my back, his breath hot against my ear.

“What are you doing?” I asked, as his arms circled my waist.

“Keeping you warm,” he responded, lying his head down on the pillow. “I suggest you get some sleep.”

His muscled arms were heavy against me, and for a moment I felt uncomfortable in the arms of my captor. But the longer he held me, a feeling of peace started to wash over me. I remembered the way Steele had looked when Lord Stanley had me on the ground, and the ferocity in which he’d protected me. Knowing that nothing could get past this man, and the protective cage his arms provided, I drifted off to sleep.

The first sensation I felt when I woke up was Steele’s arms wrapped tightly around me. The second was his erection, pushing against my backside. I opened my eyes, adjusting to the darkness of the room. Unlike the guest room I had inhabited, there was not a drop of natural light in Steele’s bedroom. The only way I knew that it was morning was from the clock on the nightstand. It was eight o’clock, and I’d slept peacefully the rest of the night.

I shifted in the bed, trying to sneak out before Steele got up. I gently peeled his arms away from me and sat up. My head throbbed, and I had a major hangover, both from the champagneand the scotch I’d drained the night before. I looked at the nightstand and noticed there was a glass of water and some aspirin waiting for me. I popped the pills in my mouth, and then got out of bed.

“Ashlynn.”

His voice was raw with emotion, and the tone was enough to stop me dead in my tracks. I didn’t turn around, but I stopped, preparing to listen to what he had to say.

“I’m sorry.”

Steele didn’t lock the door to my bedroom again, and now that the water damage was gone, I returned there. Clothes suddenly appeared in the closet, and I was back to wearing jeans and sweaters, my usual uniform. The undergarments weren't to my taste, but a hostage couldn’t be picky. Part of me wondered if Steele had picked them out just for me, hoping he’d get to see me in them, or if it was just a personal shopper getting what was in style. But, either way, it was nice to feel like me again.

I took a tentative step out of the bedroom, looking both ways down the hall. After the attack the previous night, it seemed as if Steele was willing to grant me a little bit of freedom. There was no one there, no one watching me. I went down the stairs, noticing that the fans drying the carpet were removed, and I entered the kitchen. There was no one there either, so I tiptoed in, my bare feet hitting the heated floor. I noticed that the knife block was gone, and I snorted. But I actually wasn’t sure what I would have done if it was there. I couldn’t kill Steele before, and now that we’d slept together, and spent last night sleeping in each other’s arms, I was more confused than ever before.

I sat in the library, wondering what to make of my newfound relationship with Steele. He was still holding me hostage, yet…I was afraid to leave his side. Twice now I’d been endangered, and both times Steele was there to save the day. He held me so tenderly in the night, and I would be lying if I said it wasn’t exactly what I needed at that moment. I’d never felt so safe and secure, even living in the penthouse in New York. Something about this man made me feel bulletproof, and after what I’d been through, the feeling was more than welcome. In fact, I ached for that type of safety and security. I’d seen more in the last two weeks than in my entire life, and I was no longer sheltered from the dangers of the world.

I wondered where Steele was. I hadn’t seen him since I woke up in his bed this morning, and I figured he was as confused as I was, and avoiding me on purpose.

I heard heavy footsteps move past the library, and then commotion at the front door. Curiosity got the better of me, so I placed a marker in the book I was reading and lifted myself out of the black leather chair.

Steele was standing in the foyer with a massive, wrapped parcel. He shook hands with the delivery man that brought it, then closed the door behind him. His eyes focused on me as I came closer, but he kept silent as he unwrapped the package.

It was the painting he’d sent me to investigate at Lord Stanley’s party. The second the brown paper was torn off and the bright colors exposed, I blanched, sick to my stomach after realizing what had happened the first time I’d seen the painting.

Steele’s face met mine, and the usually hard lines of his face softened.

“Quincy, please come take this to the basement,” he called. “And tell Cooper to find a buyer immediately. I don’t wish it to be visible anywhere in the house.”

Quincy appeared as if from nowhere and removed the painting.

“Thanks for doing that,” I mumbled.

In usual fashion, he didn’t respond. Instead, he just looked at me, his expression unreadable and dark. I was just about to turn around when he spoke, gently.

“Have dinner with me?”

I didn’t know why, but I paid special attention to my hair and make-up. My feelings towards Steele were still complex. I refused to care for the type of man that would take a woman hostage, but his treatment of me last night confused the hell out of me. For the rest of the evening, I felt like I was with…a lover. The way he tenderly held me, took care of me…it was really…nice.

I found an attractive purple dress in my closet and put it on. My waistline was much tinier than it was when Steele first took me, so it hung a little more loosely than clothes usually did on me. I decided to leave my hair down in soft, loose curls. For my eyes, I went for a smoky and seductive look. I didn’t know where Steele was taking me, but I wanted to look nice. And, since I was supposed to be his fiancée to the outside world, I knew he’d want me to look my best.

Just as I was putting the finishing touches on my make-up, there was a knock on my door.

I answered, and Steele stood there, freshly shaved and looking handsome in a dark navy suit. He nodded appreciatively when he looked at me, a slight smile on his face. He didn’t go out of his way to hide his desire anymore, and, at this point, it seemed pointless anyways. It was no secret that we were insanely attracted to each other, with chemistry so explosive that it blurred and crossed lines it never should.

“Are you ready?” he asked, offering his arm to me somewhat nervously. It was shocking to see him anxious. He was usually so confident that it was irritating. But as I took his arm, I realized I was nervous too. Something had changed between us, and this new territory we found ourselves in was startling to both of us.

He led me down the stairs and back into the garage.

“What car do you want to take?” he asked, and I looked around the garage, seeing eight different vehicles, from theHummer we rode in before to several sports cars, and even a pick-up truck.

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