Page 19 of Dirty Little Sins

My heart rate quickened at the steely tone of his determination. I had a feeling no amount of reason would break the hold he had on me.

Still. I couldn't—wouldn't give up. Ever.

That's not what I was made of. My grandmother had taught me a lot about adversity and how to overcome it. And if not, then I would fake it until I was back on course.

"I NEED this restaurant opening to go well, Vincent. Please. After what happened in Italy, can't you let me have this? I deserve this chance and that means I need to get my ass in your kitchen and finish the last of the preparations for your party." When he still said nothing, I continued. "You owe me at least this."

At my last words something changed. I could feel it in the rigidity of his posture and the look in his eyes. However, his hold did not change and I didn't know how I would do this if I couldn't appeal to the man I knew him to be. At least on the inside.

To the world, he presented something different. A strong but violent facade. I was sure it was necessary to his success as a fighter. But there was more to him than what he showed the world. There had to be. Otherwise I was an even bigger fool than I imagined.

As quickly as he'd entrapped me, he let me go. Although he still maintained the cuffs around my wrists as if to prove a point. If and when he let me go, it would be because it was what he wanted. That seemed clear.

"After the party we will finish this. You will explain everything. Agreed?"

I pressed my lips into a grim line, but nodded my head nonetheless. He wasn't the only one who would cross lines to get what he wanted. I had a goal and I could see the finish line. If I could just get through my to do list in the next twenty-seven days without screwing anything up.

Again.

Vincent pulled me close again and whispered at my ear, the rough rumble of his voice sending a shiver down my spine. "Don't think you can get away again. If you try, you won't like what I do. I promise you that."

With that he pulled free and like magic the cuffs were off my wrists and resting in his hands.

Absently, I rubbed at my wrists, the memories of another time he'd restrained me filling my mind. For the first time in weeks, I let the feeling of that night wash over me.

The subtle, but unyielding control he'd used on me that night... I gulped for air just thinking about it. Yes, it had been pleasurable and sexual, but God help me it had been so much more. He'd cracked open a part of me that I thought untouchable. A vulnerable spot that now scared me spitless and wouldn't go away.

"Go to the kitchen and do what you have to do. I have no doubt you will wow us all with your amazing talent. But remember, I will be waiting for you after and one way or another I will get what I want."

With his final warning I found I couldn't speak. But I didn't have to. He'd already disappeared into an adjoining room to do whatever famous heavy weight fighters did before their parties.

Thinking about the considerable erection he'd been sporting, I decided I didn't want to know what he did. I shook my head to clear those runaway thoughts and with a final rub to my wrist and the straightening of my spine, I exited the private lair of "The Destroyer" and considered myself lucky.

I had bought myself some extra time. The way I figured it, I had about three hours to come up with a new plan of escape or I was doomed.

Chapter Eight

VINCENT

I stalked through the living area of my suite for at least the twentieth time since she had disappeared into my kitchen. Her food had been delivered one course at a time by her competent wait staff, but the elusive chef herself had yet to make an appearance.

However, the energy I'd experienced earlier hadn't dissipated. In fact, it seemed to grow stronger the longer I paced like a caged wild animal waiting for the right moment to go after its prey.

In some ways this party had been a mistake. It had gotten her where I wanted, but the infinite wait for this farce to end so I could finally have her to myself left me on edge as the blood rushed in my head and the building adrenaline reached dangerous levels.

I should have gone with my gut and taken her earlier when I had the chance. Because now I couldn't stop thinking about someone hurting her and that image threatened to drive me insane. She'd suffered because of her time with me and the desire to spill blood nearly overwhelmed me.

Time was up.

I signaled to my security team that I was done, knowing they would take care of gently clearing the room and I moved towards the kitchen while yanking the tie from around my neck. A monkey suit worked fine for many events and business that needed to be taken care of, but this wasn't one of them. I dropped the offending piece of clothing like it was a dirty rag and not a thousand-dollar accessory as I yanked the top two buttons free as well.

Her time was up. Her amazing food had been consumed and many of the guests would soon begin to slip away.

I'm not sure what I expected to find, but her hunched over the free standing island with a spoon of gelato poised at her lips, her shoes thrown to the side and her curvy ass staring me in the face wasn't it.

My body clenched as my gaze raked over every luscious inch of her.

Jesus fucking christ all I could think about was how it felt to be inside her warm body and how pitifully long it had been since our last night together.

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