Page 43 of Total Obsession

"How?" I asked him incredulously. I mean, I certainly appreciated the break. We'd been filming non-stop since the schedule began. It had been several grueling weeks, and I really did need a break. But, I also didn't want to appear to be some prima donna or make a bad impression for my first big break.

"I know the show's producer," he said nonchalantly.

"I hope they weren't angry at me," I let slip past my lips.

He gave me a look like he didn't want to talk about it any further. "Just trust me, okay? I would never do anything to harm you."

I nodded, suddenly feeling like I'd done something wrong. "I'm sorry."

His mood shifted and what had been annoyance was now replaced with a smile. "Come on," he said. "There's something waiting for us inside."

thirteen

AXE

I'd planned this out for a while. Give Zoey a taste and then pull it all away from her. Make her want more. Make her want me more. Make her want what I could give her. Make her dependent on me.

That had always been the plan.

I was executing the plan.

We were in the car.

We were on the plane.

We were in Miami.

I was touching her.

Teasing her.

Edging her.

She was happy.

She was excited.

She was aroused.

It was all as it was supposed to be.

So, why did I feel like shit the entire time I was doing it? I hadn't discussed her absence with her producer. The plan had always been to lie about that. Build her up only to watch her fall.

When she gave me a look of concern over her job, that irritating muscle in my chest squeezed. It squeezed me to the point that it had me defensive and barking at her to keep quiet about the whole thing because I couldn't bear to see that look of worry on her face.

I had this shitty feeling that by the time these next few days were over, I was going to have to bribe a producer not to be mad at a girl that I was supposed to be getting revenge on.

Even as I brought her inside the private villa I'd rented for this entire escapade, watched her eat the incredibly lavish meal I'd had a chef prepare for us, and follow her out to the infinity pool overlooking the ocean, a glass of wine in hand, that stupid muscle kept clenching.

I wanted to savor her taste, just as she had savored the taste of tonight’s meal. I wanted to drink her down the same way that she let the wine she was holding slip down the back of her throat. Speaking of throats, I wanted to wrap my fingers around hers and squeeze just enough to make her azure eyes flare up with that hint of fear, knowing that I was in complete control of her. She was the forbidden apple in the Garden of Eden, and fuck if I didn’t want to take a bite.

Even more irritating, was the fact that the muscle in my chest was trying to convince the organ in my head that it should really just call off my entire plan.

That she wasn't the same girl that she was in high school.

That maybe she'd just made a mistake all those years ago.

That she didn't seem like she wanted to hurt me.

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