“Technically you’re in my home, so you’re creepy for sleeping in my bed.” I opened my mouth but then closed it, appalled at hisridiculous answer, but you couldn’t reason with lunatics, so I let it go. “Are you hungry?”
“No.”
“You have to eat.”
“Well, I don’t want to,” I snapped. “I lost my appetite waking up to a creep in my room.” Everything about this man rattled me so much that my knee-jerk reaction was to fight him. “In fact, it’s best if you get used to it. I plan on making you regret ever bidding on me. And if you were hoping for sex… Well, don’t. Touch me, and I’ll slice your dick off.”
He didn’t seem concerned about his dick. Instead, he placed his elbows on his knees and leaned forward, steepling his fingers. His dark eyes bore into me, unspoken messages in them leaving a sharp tang on my tongue.
“It appears you might be delusional.” Was this fucker purposely provoking me? “You’re my property now. That means you have to do everything I say.”
I scoffed. “Hold your breath on that one.”
“It’s my job to keep you safe now.” The fierceness of the words was a juxtaposition to the cool threat in his voice. “And I’ll do it by any means necessary.” I remained silent, glaring at him, and a small smirk tugged on his lips. Fucker found this amusing. “Now you’re going to join me downstairs for dinner and tell me why you insisted on being taken to Perez.”
My eyes darted to the window and he followed my gaze.
“It’s too late for dinner,” I retorted wryly.
“It’s only eight, and Europeans prefer later dinners anyhow.” It would seem Kingston had all the answers. He rose to his feet, and my grip on the covers tightened. He must have noticed it because I saw the hint of a smirk around his lips. “Be downstairs in five minutes,” he ordered, then headed out of the room.
It wasn’t until he was gone that his words sunk in. Europe! I was on an island in freaking Europe.
Chapter 39
Kingston
As we dined, the tension was so thick it could’ve bounced off the wall.
I took a sip of my sparkling water, needing all my wits about me as I dealt with this woman who managed to surprise me at every turn. She wasn’t the Liana I remembered.
“How’s your food?” I asked.
“I hate steak,” she growled, candlelight flickering across her face. “I hate mashed potatoes, and I hate corn.”
“Too bad, it’s my favorite meal.” I enjoyed all fine food, but I found the freedom of being able to grill my own food extremely gratifying after spending years being fed slop by her mother and stepfather.
I cut through my steak and shoved a piece into my mouth, then chewed it slowly as I studied her. I usually preferred solitude, but for some reason, I wanted this woman around me. So I forced this dinner.
Something inside me kept driving me to figure her out and understand this pull she had on me.
“A gentleman would ask what a lady’s preferences are,” she hissed.
“Good thing I’m not a gentleman.”
“I forgot.” She waved her fork in the air. “You’re a creep.” She wasn’t far off. When my restlessness got the best of me earlier today, I went to her room and watched her sleep. It wasn’t until I heard the soothing sound of her breaths that I calmed down. “I’ll be sure to return the favor,” she said, interrupting my thoughts.
My fingers tightened around my steak knife. I should warn her it would be unwise to sneak up on me. In fact, I’d killed people in the past who’d done just that.
I pushed my plate away and leaned forward.
“If you come into my room, I’ll consider it an invitation,” I said without a hint of emotion.
She sat opposite of me, her body rigid and her knuckles white. Every so often, she shot me a glare, and I imagined she was probably picturing all the ways she could slice me and dice me with her cutlery. I made a mental note to only give her butter knives going forward, although my instinct warned she’d probably find a way to end me using those too, which wouldn’t bode well for her. There was nobody on this island, and the only way off of it was by plane or boat. Neither of which she had access to.
“Invitation to what?” she asked, her tone hesitant.
“To fuck you into oblivion.”