Page 34 of Power and Possession

And what was I doing with his daughter? Playing house? The last few days had drastically changed our relationship. I didn’t view her as my hostage, and after the way she fell asleep in my arms, I knew she thought of me as more than her captor. But where did that leave us? I wasn’t a relationship man, and there was no way I was going to open up my life to anyone. But Ashlynn had started to get under my skin, and I’d confided in her. No one, not even Cooper, knew my mother had been a prostitute. I buried the records deep down, paid the right people and ensured those secrets died with her. But I told Ashlynn. And it felt…like a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

My phone rang, and I answered it.

“Steele, when are we going to pull off the Louvre heist?”

I’d completely forgotten. That was the original reason I came back to France. But instead of getting down to business, I’d taken Ashlynn out to dinner, watching as her full lips devoured her meal, and her silken hair shone under the dim candlelight. I’d pulled the rose out of the vase to give to her before we left the restaurant, but I’d forgotten it was in my jacket pocket. I placed it on my nightstand and then pulled up the calendar on my phone.

“I can do it Friday,” I said, looking at the schedule. I didn’t have any major products coming in or out that day, and the director of the museum was heading to Cairo to procure a large piece of Egyptian art. It should be easy enough to get my crew in and out. “Contact Stephano and ensure the replica is ready in time.”

“Will do. How’s it going with your little toy? Did you fuck her yet?”

I gripped the phone, anger flowing through my veins. I didn’t want Cooper to think about her that way, like she was some conquest. “I don’t want to talk about her.”

Silence on the line. “Steele, be real with me. What’s going on? Do you want to meet for a beer?”

I glanced at the clock. “Nah, it’s too late. Tomorrow?”

“Sure thing,” he said, and I hung up the phone.

There was a knock on the door, and I opened it. Ashlynn stood on the other side of it, wearing a tiny pair of shorts with cows on them and a matching tank top. I raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. If she was comfortable in sleepwear adorned with livestock, so be it.

I removed my tie all the way and threw it over the back of the chair as she stood there, her feet bare.

“I wanted to say thank you,” she said, moving farther into my suite.

I unbuttoned my dress shirt and tossed it on the chair.

“It was really sweet of you to bring me my stuff, and what you did the other night—” she tried to continue, but she stoppedwhen I removed my undershirt. I knew she liked my chest and the rest of my body, but right now my back was to her, and she could see the full extent of my scarring.

I turned back around, and her eyes were wide. She’d felt them already, but seeing them directly in the light was something different.

Ashlynn crept closer to me, and I closed my eyes. I turned, wanting to hide my face. But then I realized that presented her with the scars directly in her face. Before I could grab a shirt, I felt her trace them with her soft finger, feeling the ridges and valleys, the pits and indentations.

“Steele, what happened to you?” Her voice came as a whisper.

I didn’t want to have this conversation, I wanted her to be screaming my name instead. I turned back to face her, and pushed down my slacks and then did the same with my boxers.

Her eyes moved down, and her face reddened. I loved watching her get frustrated, like seeing my cock harden for her made her as shy as a schoolgirl.

“Stop changing the subject.”

I put my arms around her waist and pulled her into me, my face inching towards hers. She exhaled sharply, and I cupped her face in my palms and looked into her eyes. I’d never touched a woman like this. More often than not I screwed a woman from behind or she’d suck me off quick and fast. Or they would ride me and I’d just stare at their tits as they bounced in front of my face. But everything was new with Ashlynn. I’d let it slip that this wasn’t normal for me, but I’m glad she didn’t bring it up again. I wasn’t ready to discuss it, and I wasn’t prepared to analyze what this might become.

I kissed her forehead, her soft skin aching for my lips. She closed her eyes, and I kissed her eyelids, and she gasped softly. Her eyelashes fluttered, and I kissed them as well, before finally moving down to her lips.

I explored her mouth with mine, gently working her tongue. We took turns being the aggressor, and I was practicallypanting when she licked the roof of my mouth and then bit my bottom lip.

“Do you want this?” I questioned. After her previous accusations and the attack from Lord Stanley, I had to know for sure.

She looked at me pointedly, and then removed her top. Her breasts were gorgeous. Instead of pink, rosy nipples, hers were a very light brown, which I found intriguing. I had a hard time peeling my eyes away.

“That’s not enough, love. Tell me you want me to fuck you.”

She moved into my chest; the smell of her hair was intoxicating. She was smoother than the finest scotch and provided a greater buzz.

“You know I do.”

I couldn’t resist. “Beg me.”

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