Page 34 of Blood Lust

My eyes fluttered closed as I prepared for the onslaught of his kiss. But it never came.

“One Shot”—Devour The Day

Though I wanted nothing more than to kiss her, I held myself back. I needed her to want me as much as I wanted her. Patience was something I had in spades with any other facet of my life. It would do us both good for me to exercise it with her—no matter how much I hated it.

“I need to show you something,” I told her before I reached over and turned the heat down on the soup she made. Soup that smelled fucking delicious.

Keeping her hand in mine, I led her through the penthouse and into my home office. I pulled out the chair and guided her totake a seat. Then I leaned over to lift the top of the new laptop I bought her. Hers was about three versions behind. I’d had my IT guy transfer all her data over.

“What is this?” she asked in confusion as she pointed at the screen. “That’s my stuff. My folders.”

“Yes, they are. You should have everything on here. If you’re missing anything or something doesn’t work properly, let me know, and I’ll have my computer guy come over.” My fingers flew over the touch pad and keys as I opened the program, signed in, and saved the password for her.

A screen popped up.

“That’s my apartment,” she observed with increasing alarm.

“It is. I knew you would be worried about your father, so I had this system installed. You can move the camera to see the front door and into the kitchen. You can also see the hallway and the entirety of the living room. I didn’t install one on the bedrooms or bathroom out of respect for your father’s privacy.”

“But this is okay?” she muttered in disbelief.

“Hegaveme the okay.” I set down a new phone that was the most current model. Then I pulled up the app. “It’s also on here. And you can connect to his phone to monitor his usage to ensure he’s sticking to his rehab plan. All of his bookies have been deleted and blocked. Again, he approved this.”

“You bought me a new computer and phone?” she asked with a furrowed brow. She spun the chair to face me, and I found myself face-to-face with her. The temptation to kiss those perfect lips was making my muscles ache.

“Besides wanting to set your mind at ease with your father, I wanted you to be able to work efficiently and not worry about anything crashing or dying on you. Your old computer wouldn’t hold a charge anymore, limiting your mobility and defeating the purpose of having a laptop. Now you can work in here, at the table, in the library, your room, wherever. And your phone wasdamn near a dinosaur.” What I didn’t tell her was that I had tracking software added to it as well as the best security and firewalls that existed. Her safety was paramount to me, but I didn’t want to admit that.

She raked her teeth over her lower lip and dropped her gaze to her fingers as they lovingly caressed the keys. Fucking hell, what I would give to have her touch me like that. My cock jumped at the thought, and I had to concentrate on calming it down.

“And if I wanted to leave?”

The question left me breathless at the agony that ripped through my chest, severing me as if someone had cleaved me in two. Battling down the desperate anger, I gripped her chin and firmly lifted it to make her look at me.

“Don’t say that,” I snapped in a voice raspy with an unnamed and unwanted emotion that clogged my throat. Stomach tight, I searched her emerald-and-fawn gaze for something, but I didn’t understand what.

She wrapped her hand gently around my wrist, her touch calming me like nothing had before.

“Gabriel, I meant to edit somewhere else. Like a coffee shop, or library, or something.”

Relief washed through me, and I could breathe again. “You can’t go alone. But I will assign a trusted man to you.”

In a pinch, I had a security company that I utilized. It was the same one my cousin Dominic’s band used, and they were both discreet and trustworthy. They also didn’t ask unnecessary questions, which was imperative.

“A babysitter, you mean?” she dryly asked as her expression cooled. “Because you don’t trust me to stay true to my word?”

“No. Because I have enemies that would love nothing more than to take you from me,” I harshly explained.

I hated the fear that crept into her eyes, but unfortunately it was a necessary evil. It would keep her cautious and aware of things going on around her.

Our proximity to each other was intoxicating, and I no longer wanted to fight my need for her. Heart picking up the pace, I leaned in. “I want you,” I whispered against her lips.

Her breath puffed against mine in an increasing rate as her eyes darkened to the color of a forest at dusk. A soft pink flushed her cheek, inviting my touch to feather over them. Her lashes fluttered and fell as the pulse in her neck raced.

“Why can’t I hate you? I’m your prisoner… your property… and yet….”

“And yet?” I prompted when she trailed off.

Something stirred in the deepest, darkest depths of my soul as I waited for her reply.

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