by Sedona Venez
“And you will. But not now.” He kept his voice low and soft but left no room for doubt that he’d issued a command.
“What?” I spluttered. I was the damn girl boss here. “Don’t tell me what to do, Core. I’m a grown-ass woman.”
His taking sexual control in the bedroom, bathroom, and any other available surface we’d fucked on was one thing, but telling me what I could and could not do outside of those circumstances was another damn thing.
“Yes, you are. All I’m saying is at least let me lessen the stress of you starting over.”
My temper eased a bit when I realized he wasn’t trying to control me. He was trying to help. I just wasn’t used to accepting assistance. I was a go-it-alone and fix-it-myself type of chick.
“Core, I appreciate everything you’re doing for me. I really do. But I’m really angry right now… well, angry and creeped the hell out.” I studied him. “Someone broke into my townhouse and destroyed my collection. And if that isn’t fucked up enough, the only thing they stole was my dad’s ledger. Don’t you think that shit is strange?” I took a deep breath before slowly letting it out.
Frustration was clouding my mind over the whole break-in situation, but the fact that the old ledger was now gone had been nagging at me with an incessant sense that I was missing something important. I just couldn’t figure out what it was.
A couple weeks ago, when I’d found the ledger stashed under a secret compartment of Dad’s ratty trunk, it had been puzzling to say the least.
Why did Dad take the time to hide the damn thing in the first place?
When I’d opened the book to check it out, nothing in the damn thing had made a bit of sense. It was only names, random handwritten codes, and numbers—essentially gibberish. There were too many pieces to the puzzle, and none of them fit together perfectly. But now I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was overlooking a key connection between Dad, the break-in, and the ledger.
“Sin, yes, I do think it’s bizarre the ledger was stolen. I already have my team working on getting to the bottom of the break-in. I’ve also arranged for a housecleaning service to stop by and clean up your place.”
“That was fast.”
The man was efficient.
How did he manage to get them to come out at the last minute and on a Saturday?
“And as far as your collection,” he declared, “just tell me what you need to make you whole, and I’ll take care of that, too.”
Holy hell. He did all that shit for me? Without me even asking?
Core’s demonstrated ability to be selfless and take care of me without my asking was a refreshing change of pace. His actions brought me peace of mind. I relaxed, deciding not to push him so hard. Besides, it was Saturday, and I didn’t have any client dress fittings until tomorrow. Maybe it was best to spend a stress-free day—away from the scene of the crime—going through images of my designs stored on my Mac and coming up with a logical game plan for tackling the re-creation of my collection.
“You’ve thought of everything, huh?” I countered.
“No.” He scowled. “Not everything. I didn’t think someone would destroy all of your hard work. That shit was totally fucked up and damn unexpected. But whoever did it… I’ll make them pay for that.” His jaw tightened. “Does anyone have an ax to grind with you?”
I widened my eyes. “With me? Fuck no. I keep my life drama-free. I don’t have any enemies.” I frowned. I couldn’t think of one competitor who hated me this much. My life was uncomplicated. There was no drama, no rivals. “Except…”
My heart thumped hard in my chest.
Is Jaxon back to claim what he thinks is his—me?
My mind rejected the possibility, but the scary memory of the utter rage that had clouded Jaxon’s eyes before he sliced my shoulder made me shudder. It was Core who brought me back to the here and now.
He caught my chin, and his gaze bored into mine. “Except what?”
My pulse accelerated at his question. “Nothing.” I shook my head. I couldn’t tell him the truth because it was ugly. I felt like a fool for lowering my guard and allowing an unstable asshole like Jaxon into my life.
He stroked my cheek. “Tell me.” His eyes never left mine as he waited for my response.
It felt like being dissected, and no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t hold up under the scrutiny.
“Years ago, there was this guy named Jaxon who started stalking me,” I said softly, my throat tightening. “He became obsessed with me after just one night of sex.”
“And?” His fingers stilled.
I shrugged. “And nothing. He’s gone. I haven’t seen him in years. Thank God.”
“So you’re telling me he just up and disappeared?”
I nodded.
He dropped his hand away from me and narrowed his eyes. “Sin, that’s bullshit. Stalkers don’t just walk away from their prey. They get what they want—their ultimate prizes and their victims. They’re obsessive, sick fuckers who get off on harassing, terrorizing, and in some fucked-up cases, killing their victims or anyone else they think is in the way of their desired goal.”
The truth of Core’s words terrified me. The idea that Jaxon was indeed skulking around in the shadows, waiting to attack me, was way too much for me to stomach.
I shivered with disgust, remembering how the utter madness years ago had spiraled out of control after Jaxon broke into Jade’s apartment and left the rose and my underwear on my bed.
“White roses,” I blurted out. “I fucking hate the smell and the sight of them.” I’d lived through agonizing months of huge, elaborate vases filled with white roses being delivered to me every day with one creepy message scribbled on each card.
Love you.
—J.
“Then one day, the roses mysteriously stopped showing up. I thought the madness and his obsession with me were over.” I laughed cynically. “But, of course, I was fucking wrong. My Jaxon nightmare was just beginning. The bastard started showing up at every party I attended, and he chased away any guy who attempted to talk to me. When I confronted him, telling him to leave me the hell alone, that only seemed to enrage him.”
Just thinking about the months of torture and fear he’d put me through, my heart raced. “Paranoid that he was lurking in the shadows, waiting to hurt me, I locked myself away in my house, only venturing out for work. After weeks and months passed without incident, I thought my world was safe again—until it all came crashing down.”
His stoic expression turned grim. “What did that fucker do to you?”
The vehemence of his response surprised me. Core sounded like he would destroy anything and everything that dared to hurt me.
“He grabbed me, dragged me into a dark alleyway, and pressed a knife to my throat.” I shuddered, fighting the familiar dread that seeped into my bones when I thought about that day. The memories lingered. The fear remained.
Tone as flat as ever, Core replied, “That fucker did what?”
Nothing could erase that day from my mind. The insane words of love Jaxon had babbled over and over as he brutally ripped off my clothes with sick lust in his eyes. The moment of total hopelessness I’d felt. I could still remember the bitterness that had coated my tongue when I realized I was nothing but a piece of property to him, his possession that he had every intention of claiming over and over again until I broke.
The tears had streamed down my face as I braced for the impending savage violation. Then my resignation to my fate as I lay shivering on the cold ground and letting my mind go blank. Like a petulant child, Jaxon had tried to steal what I refused to give him—illicit permission to be his. Unlike Core, who only took what I’d freely given him… me.
I recalled Core’s words to me last night.
“I’ll have all of you or none of you,” he had clipped out. “That’s the only way it will be.”
And I had agreed with, “Core, we have a deal.”
Core softened his voice, bringing
me back to the present. “Sin?”
“A homeless man stumbled upon us, saving me. But before Jaxon walked away, he sliced me across my shoulder.” I rubbed the scar that was covered by my T-shirt. “Never forget…” I whispered, fighting the cold fear running down my spine. “His words were, ‘Never forget you’ll always belong to me.’”
Core paced back and forth before me. “Last name?” he snapped.
I arched a brow. “What?”
He stalked over to me. “Tell me his last name,” he demanded.
“Why?” I raised my chin in a gesture of defiance and met his gaze. “He’s gone, Core.”
“Is he?” Catching my upturned chin, he bored his eyes into mine. “What are you not telling me?”
My breath hitched as a flush of adrenaline tingled through my body. It was frightening how he knew me so well. “A vase of white roses with a note with the letter J scribbled on it was left on my doorstep a couple weeks ago.”
“Like I asked, last fucking name?” He lifted an eyebrow. And waited.
My resolve faltered beneath the steady, authoritative regard.
“Jaxon Webb,” I offered tentatively. “What are you going to do, Core?”
Not that I was averse to the idea of Core finding and beating the shit out of Jaxon… but killing him? No. That line I wouldn’t cross. I didn’t want that type of shit on my conscience. But more importantly, I couldn’t allow Core to get into trouble with the authorities for any illegal actions he’d taken to keep me safe.
“His name has just been added to my Assholes to Destroy list.”
“Core.” My voice croaked as I spoke. “You can’t just go around New York like some vengeful Viking, destroying everyone in your path.”
“I can, and I do. I seek and destroy motherfuckers every damn day. And I don’t lose a fucking wink of sleep about that shit.”
Core had a certain intensity about him that always made him seem intimidating, but this was different. He was fierce, dark, and unyielding. Every word rang with power and authority. Frankly, it had me feeling a little turned on, if I was being honest.
I inclined my head. “And what will you do when you find him?”
He arched a brow. “Do you really want the answer?”
“Yes.”
“He won’t live.” His dark words rang with deadly promise.
I swallowed. Hard. The silken threat of violence in his civilized tone reminded me that, although Core was a billionaire, wore expensively tailored suits, and negotiated million-dollar deals, he was still a ruthless predator and not a man to be fucked with.
“Well… shit,” I whispered. “That’s badass and unnervingly savage.”
“Sin, there’re things I don’t tolerate.” He spoke with quiet menace. “And one of them is men who abuse women.” He reached out and grazed the side of my cheek with the back of his hand.
“I can protect myself, Core. Shit, I’ve been doing a damn good job for twenty-six years.”
Despite the fact that he thought he could protect me, no one could but me, and I refused to cower behind Core’s back, letting him fight my battles. I was strong and in control, and I would not let Jaxon win. And if Jaxon was back to claim what he thought was his—me—then I was ready to fight as if my life depended on it—because it did.
Core kept his answer short. “I’m all yours. If you’re all mine.”
My breath caught in my throat as I blinked hard. His words gave me goose bumps, stirring a longing in me I hadn’t known existed until now. For a moment, I wondered what it would be like to be loved, adored, and worshipped by a man like Core, but I quickly dismissed the dumb thought.
Without thinking, I blurted out, “Until?”
He eased back, eyeing me. “That’s up to you, Sin.”
He was right. How far this shit went between us was completely up to me. I was in control… and I planned on keeping it. That was why I had to get out of there.
“I always trust my gut.” I bit my bottom lip.
My fingers itched to trail across the all-seeing eye tattoo etched into the skin of his neck, but then I caught myself. Tenderness was not something I embraced. I fucked men and then disconnected. But that was B.C.—Before Core. Now here I was breaking all the rules with the one man I shouldn’t.
No. I will not give in to him.
He reached forward, threading his fingers through my hair. “And what is your gut telling you about me?”
“Run because you’re nothing but trouble.” It was the damn truth.
Yes, I was very attracted to him. Yes, I wanted him like no other man I’d ever met. And yes, he scared the living shit out of me because of all of the above. Core was an itch I couldn’t stop scratching. No matter how much I wanted to run away from him, I just couldn’t muster up the strength to do that.
His fingers dropped away, and he stepped back slightly, making no attempt to conceal the erection tenting his jeans. “And just when I thought we had an understanding…” His gravelly voice sent vibrations of lust throughout me.
Sin… eyes off his cock. Focus.
“It’s complicated, Core.” My voice broke. I cleared my throat.
He stepped forward, caging me, making sure my body was flush against his. I sucked in a breath when his huge, hard bulge pressed against my stomach. Warmth flooded my pussy and then coursed through my veins like fire. My nipples strained against my bra.
“This seems pretty simple to me. I made the terms of our relationship very clear last night. It’s you and me, satisfying our urge to fuck each other senseless.” His chiseled lips curled. “With the added bonus of spending quality time with each other, exclusively, and seeing where this goes.” He tilted his head and studied me. “And you agreed to the arrangement… happily. The deal has been made, and I’m not allowing you to back out of it. You’re mine,” he growled.
“Yours, like an object? We went over this last night.” Pursing my lips, I pushed at his chest, and he moved back a little, his gaze burning me. “See, when you say caveman shit like that, I want to Superman-punch you in the damn face. I’m not something to be owned like one of your fucking expensive sports cars, McKay.”
“No, not like an object. You’re so much more than an object to me, Sin. But I won’t make excuses for the man I am. I’m greedy, ruthless, stubborn, and yes, an asshole… at times. But I protect and cherish what’s mine. And you, Sinful, are most definitely mine.” He reached up and pinched one of my nipples through my shirt and bra, and I whimpered with a combination of pleasure and pain. “And I’m not letting you go until we both are duly satisfied. Like I’ve already told you, I have very dark tastes when it comes to sex, and I’m planning on exploring every one of them, leaving nothing unfucked. Including your beautiful ass.”
My heart thumped wildly in my chest. I’d thought after our all night and morning fuckfest, my lustful urges had disappeared, but there was nothing settled between us.
“I agreed to sex…” I placed a hand against his cheek, enjoying the prickle of his stubble against my palm. “Not… this…” I croaked, dropping my hand.
“This? You mean us?” he replied before he angled down, grabbing my face between his callused hands.
Our mouths were a breath away, the desire and tension almost more than I could take.
“Yes, us.” I confirmed.
Shit… is there anything he doesn’t know about me now? Just the thought made me uncomfortable and jittery. My feelings for him were so powerful that fear flowed through me.
“Yes… that’s right… us,” he whispered before swooping in for a tantalizing kiss.
My body betrayed all my mental defenses, and I lifted my soft lips to his hard ones. As he slipped his tongue along the seam, a low moan escaped me, and then he was inside, exploring and teasing. He gave my lower lip a nip, followed by a soothing rub from his tongue.
Shit. Core is sexy and lethal.
And when I expected him to press his advantage, he gave me one last swipe of his tongue, bit m
y lower lip again, and retreated.
“Are you hungry?” he asked.
Utterly mystified by the change of topic, I stared at him. “What?” I rasped, blinking in confusion.
Yes, I’m hungry… for your cock. Is this a damn trick question?
He brushed a hand against my breast, and my nipples stiffened immediately. Liquid heat poured through me, and my stomach clenched.
“Of course you are,” he purred simply. A smile twitched across his lips.
“McKay”—I suspiciously eyed him—“are you fucking with me right now? Because being a cunt tease is beneath you.”
“I’m not fucking with you. I need to feed you.” He smiled. The man was beyond handsome when he smiled.
My heart skipped a beat because he was taking care of me in a way no man had before. Core was being unbelievably caring and kind, and that terrified me because it was easy to walk away from someone who wasn’t.
“Let me see what I can scrounge up to eat.” He lifted me, setting me on the countertop.
Turning, he walked over to the subzero refrigerator and pulled out items—a plate of assorted sliced cheeses and curls of thinly shaved prosciutto and a bowl of figs and strawberries.
I arched a brow. This feast felt a little highbrow for Core. “You prepared all of this?”
“Hell no.” He shook his head. “Zuri did. She calls it community service by fixing my ‘sad bachelor fridge.’”
Wasting no time, he placed the items on the table next to the granite counter. Then he plucked a piece of cheese from the plate and held it out before my lips. I nibbled on it while glaring at him. I waited for his next move, but Core watched me with those devastating gray eyes, his expression giving nothing away. Before long, we were eating in comfortable silence as I examined the aftermath of my passion-fueled antics on his skin.
“Jesus. You’ve got lots of bite and scratch marks on you.”
I wouldn’t admit it out loud, but there was something so damn satisfying about marking him for the world to see.
“What can I say?” He grinned. “You’re a wicked sex kitten when my tongue is stroking your pussy just… right,” he purred.
