Page 43 of The Charmer's Gambit
My jaw clenched as a fresh text rolled across my screen.
Pick. Up. The. Fucking. Phone.
I rolled my shoulders and waited. When his number flashed again, I answered.
“You fucking—”
“No,” I snapped, cutting him off. “You do not get to call and scream at me for no fucking reason. This ends now, Ryan. I’m done.Weare done.”
Silence. This tactic always unnerved me, but not tonight. I felt elated. High, even. I couldn’t believe all those words had spilled out of my mouth, and with such fervor too. I didn’t necessarily raise my voice, but my tone brooked no argument.
I’d just called off our wedding.Again.
And it felt amazing.
“Stop calling me,” I continued, the words tumbling out before I could think them through. “Stop texting me. Just, stop.”
His blue eyes were undoubtedly storming right about now. That right hand clenched into a fist. His brow pinched. I could picture it clearly. Ryan Albertson was an attractive man, with his aristocratic features, artfully styled hair, and broad shoulders. I’d been drawn to him immediately. But beneath that flawless skin lay a monster, and I knew from experience that it was clawing to the surface right now.
You’re safe here, my conscience whispered. The rolling in my stomach settled at the certainty in that thought. Ryan couldn’t touch me. There would be hell to pay later, but I’d worry about that when the time came. Which would, hopefully, not be soon.
“Okay, Rachel.” His neutral tone sent a chill down my spine. Oh yeah, I’d well and truly pissed him off. “We’ll talk soon.”
I opened my mouth to repeat my comments about not calling me anymore, but the line went dead before I could utter a word. The phone slipped from my hand and bounced on the bed. My throat convulsed.
I’d done it.
I’d stood up to Ryan.
The room spun as a foreign sensation settled deep in the pit of my stomach.
“It’s done,” I whispered to no one in particular.
A laugh escaped my throat, part mad, part elated. I couldn’t believe it. For the first time in years, I’d talked back to Ryan. It’d been so long since I dared to try, too terrified of the repercussions. But even though I knew he’d punish me later, I couldn’t bring myself to react. Fear lingered on the precipice of my thoughts, looking for a weak point and finding none.
For the first time in a very long time, I felt untouchable. Strong. Daring. Confident.
The curtains at the open balcony door fluttered in the night breeze, beckoning me forward. And in that moment, I knew what I wanted.WhomI wanted. I’d fought it from the moment I met him. I was terrified to acknowledge the undeniable attraction radiating between us, scared of allowing myself to fall for a powerful man, and worried I might get him hurt in the process. But not anymore.
It was as if courage had finally found me again. I felt light, exuberant, and stronger than I’d been in longer than I cared to remember. Like I could conquer the world, or maybe just a sexy-as-sin millionaire.
I started walking before I could talk myself out of it, slipping out onto the balcony and over to his open door. Soft light spilled through the curtains.This is it.I knocked against the glass toannounce my presence before entering. Will stood next to his bed, right where I wanted him, and turned with a knowing grin. He’d expected me to come to him. That should have irritated me, but it didn’t. His confidence drew me to him like a moth to a flame. Influential men were my kryptonite. That’s why I avoided them.
“Hmm, I thought you might stop by.” He patted the oversized mattress. “On the bed, darlin’. I’ll be back.”
He didn’t look to see if I would comply, just sauntered off towards his bathroom in nothing but a pair of low-slung gray sweatpants. My throat went dry at the sight of all that tanned muscle on display. The man was a god and he knew it.
“Bed,” he repeated before disappearing through the French doors. The single-word command was uttered without him even looking at me. He knew I was ogling him instead of complying. What would he do if I refused the demand? I shivered. Maybe I would test that query another day, but not tonight.
I sat on the quilt with my legs hanging over the side and waited for him to return. The bottle in his hand surprised me almost as much as the towel in his other. I eyed the items curiously, wondering what kink he had in mind for our first time. He set the towel beside my hip as he came to stand in front of me.
One knee slid between mine, followed by a second, forcing me to spread my thighs wide to accommodate him between my legs. The dominance in that single act sent a rush of wet heat to my center. My chest rose and fell in anticipation of what he intended to do next. The bottle clicked open. It wasn’t labeled, so I had no idea what to expect, but the sweet aroma calmed my nerves. Will squeezed a quarter’s worth of off-white cream onto his palm before setting the lotion aside.
“Close your eyes and don’t move.” His low voice slid over me in a hypnotic caress.Oh, yes, please. My lids fell shut. “Now, I warned you about your hat, darlin’. Just remember that.”
I frowned. “Wh—”
Something blessedly cool touched my forehead, cutting me off. A tingling sensation ignited as his skilled fingers massaged circles over my eyebrows and up into my hairline. It felt amazing, until it didn’t.
