Page 114 of Pervade London
Raising my chin in defiance, I delivered my response. “My greatest revenge is going to be making you fall in love with me.” I placed my wrists behind me anyway.
He leaned around my body and secured my wrists together with his tie. “Feel that? This is me taking back the power. Your fate rests in my hands.”
I felt a twinge of apprehension, but it was too late. I was bound.
James’ fingers trailed down my chin and then my throat, bringing a tingling as they brushed my shoulder, and then circled a nipple. “You are the greatest treasure.”
I was coming undone…
He rubbed his thumb over my lips, making them plump. “This moment with us, here, will change your life forever.”
“How?”
“I don’t want to do this.”
“Do what?”
James looked over my shoulder. “It’s best if I deliver the poison with some sugar.”
Turning to follow his gaze, I saw Xavier. He was focused on us as though trying to read what was unraveling.
James smiled over at him. “I’ll take one of those.”
Xavier approached and placed a dessert plate near us on the table. Then he walked over to a seat nearby and pulled it out with his foot. He sat down and placed the other two dessert plates in front him, quickly digging into the pie with a silver spoon, his full lips smacking together in delight.
James reached toward the dessert, lifting the small silver spoon and using it to scoop up some of the creamy pie. He brought it to my lips.
Opening my mouth, I tasted the sweetness of cream and the tang of lime, both dancing on my tongue. I savored the sensations.
“Em, when you do that thing with your mouth,” Xavier said softly. “You are so…”
Ballad turned my attention back on him with a tilt of my chin.
My pleasure was his to deliver. “I wish I’d stabbed you with that joust,” I taunted.
Xavier chuckled.
“She’s certainly beguiling.” James scooped up more of the cream and again brought it to my mouth.
I pressed my lips together in protest.
“Open.” The spoon was eased into my mouth.
“What did you mean, poison?” I said through a bite.
“What I’m about to share will leave a bitter taste.” James wiped cream off my lip with his thumb and licked it off his finger. “It’s about that night when I came for Xavier at The Biltmore.” He dabbed my mouth with a napkin. “We needed him urgently.”
A chill slid up my spine.
“Two computer systems belonging to two opposing countries were talking…with each other. Two foreign entities classed as enemies. The governments had installed AI to monitor andcontroltheir weapon systems. Bad idea, as you can imagine.”
My brain went into overdrive, my wrists tugging on the restraint behind my back.
“The AI systems were communicating for over a month before anyone noticed. Though no one knew what was being shared between them at that time,” he continued. “Specialists tried to shut them down. They failed. Each respective country went on high-alert. The U.S. and Great Britain went on red alert. We were called in. I needed my expert. Who was currently hunkered down with a violinist at The Biltmore getting his rocks off.” He flashed an affectionate smile at Xavier.
“We were hiding,” I threw in.
“You can’t hide from me, Emily.”
