Page 18 of Whispered Desire

I had so little control growing up with Conrad dictating my every move. No autonomy from the moment my mom pawned me off on him.

"I can’t let you do that. Not when it’s my responsibility. It’s too generous."

"No one has ever accused me of being generous in my life. You think it's selfish to ask for help and receive it? For me to bear themental load for you? I've got news for you, Allie Angel." I tighten my hold on her chin and dip my head lower so she breathes in the rasp of my words. Lets them sink so deeply into her soul that she knows I'm serious. "I'm the fucking selfish one. You just offered a starving lion his first glimpse of a succulent gazelle."

My body backs Allison into the wall as I allow her to see the dark craving in my expression. Rational thought has fled the scene. I’m acting on pure instinct now.

“And I'm greedy for a taste.”

"Y... you are?" Her chest hitches as my lips skim along her jawline to the pulse racing in her neck. I savor the sweet rush of power it fills me with. So vulnerable. So ripe for the taking.

That may not have been the plan upon landing in Raleigh, but I’m an adaptable man, especially when it comes to claiming something I want.

"I want your submission,ma cherie, and you offered it to me on a silver platter." It may not have been what she had in mind when she voiced her secret desire, but it was at the core of her request.

Allison is a strong woman; I don't doubt her strength.

She’s brave; I witnessed it firsthand.

But my guardian angel is also weary. Bogged down by more than she's shared so far I'd wager. So overwhelmed that even the simplest of tasks seems daunting.

She said it herself—she needs help.

And I'm just the man to give it to her.

CHAPTER TEN

ALLISON

Mathias's offer shouldn't tempt me.

What intelligent woman would gladly put herself in a man's hands so completely?

He's not my boyfriend. Not my husband. This is only the second time we've spoken, if I don’t count our brief email exchange.

Yet I know I'll give in.

Forget my initial fear of the sort of people he may be mixed up with. Maybe the drive-by had nothing to do with him personally. Maybe it was just a random act of violence.

Either way, I'm too far gone to fight him when he's promising to give me exactly what I've wanted for years. Too numb and apathetic about my life to put up much of a protest.

After decades of always being the adult in relationships—for family, for Bailey—this is my chance to be free. In the past, if I ever took a risk and stumbled, no one would've caught me. No one would've been there to offer advice. The only person I've ever been able to count on is me.

And it's driven me to the brink of a mental breakdown as stress and hopelessness built upon one another and formed an inescapable pit. Thoughts of suicide have flickered to life in mydarkest moments, so where's the harm in following Mathias's lead?

I may be screwed, but at least there's a chance of happiness with his aid. I can't say the same if I remain alone here.

“Okay,” I murmur, tilting my head enough to feel his lips graze my cheek. The rough brush of his beard is a lightning bolt to my nerves.

God, I'm so touch-starved that the barest caress from a stranger sends my body into instant alert.

“I wasn’t asking for your permission, Allie, but your compliance is appreciated. I'll schedule a cleaning service to come by, along with a packing crew for the move.”

“I can't leave Bailey. She hasn't found a stable job yet and needs…”

“How long has she been searching?”

I don't want to tell him. It'll reveal how weak I've been.He already knows.

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