Page 58 of A Kiss at Midnight

“Good. I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he says, his words vibrating against my lips.

“I didn’t mean that. I’ll do whatever it takes to get my brother.”

“I didn’t say I’d give him to you. I said I have access.”

“What in the hell does that mean?”

“I need to know more, Jewel.”

“And what is that?” I snap. “What more do you need to know?”

There’s a long pause before he speaks again.

“That you’re not after my money.”

“Seriously, Blake? I’m a lot better person than you’ll ever be.”

“I don’t make a habit of it doing what I’ve been doing with you, Jewel.”

“Obviously, Ihaven’teither, and you know it. But you win. You can have whatever you want,” I say, though everything in me fights against saying these words.

“Don’t become boring and predictable, Jewel.” He presses his arousal against me. “Don’t make it too easy to tame you.”

“I don’t think that’s something you’ll have to worry about, Blake, because I can’t even figure myself out. None of this is right, and none of it’s predictable, but I guarantee, no matter what you do, you’ll never own me.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,verywrong. I won’t settle for less than all of you.”

I don’t want to desire this man, and even though I’m well aware he’s a monster, I also know how good it feels to lie in his arms. I want him, and I hate both of us for it.

“You’ll be disappointed then, Blake. But you’re a man of your word. You’ve earned the right to my body. And, because of Justin, you’ve bought my obedience. But the fact that you have this — and even that I desire you — doesn’t mean I’ve agreed to give you any other piece of me.”

“I can have anything I want, Jewel.”

“Not quite, Blake. You can have anything that money and power can buy you.”

“I own you,” he points out.

“Actually, you’ve simplyrentedme, and not all of me at that. If it wasn’t clear before, I hate you, and always will.”

His eyes flash at these words and the tone I’m using, and I wait for punishment. I have to learn not to respond when he goads me, or my time with him will be unbearable. No matter what I can possibly do to him, he can do it to me ten times as painfully without breaking a sweat.

“If I believed that, we’d be done.” He tugs my hair with a firm hand. Before I can respond, he crushes his lips against mine. I fight for a brief moment before all thoughts evaporate. This is the power he wields. No matter how angry he makes me, a few seconds in his arms and I’m completely under his spell.

When I fully submit to him, he releases me. I open my eyes and see unmitigated triumph in his expression, and once the fog clears, I stiffen.

“I hope you don’t take any of this as something more than an instinctive reaction, Blake. I can despise you and still be turned on. After all, you’re a pretty good lay.”

He lets go of me and turns his back, leaving me against the wall. After a few heartbeats, he swings back around and gives me an unreadable smile.

“You’ll eventually learn more about me, Jewel, about what makes me tick. We obviously haven’t spent enough time together if you think I’m so easily discouraged. But that’s okay — we have all of the time in the world to get to know each other.”

I ignore this. “When will I get my brother? Do I have to please you before I can bring him home?” Blake moves back to the couch and sits as if he has no other place to be.

“Don’t worry. You’ll see your brother.”

“When?” I ask through gritted teeth.

“Depends on you,” he says nonchalantly.

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