Crave Me
Page 22
“It was rainy. A car hit her. She and the other driver died on impact.”
“I’ve heard this story before,” I said softly, “but it had a different ending.”
“An accident. Nothing more. At least, that was how I saw it. I blamed myself. She had gone away to cool down after a fight.”
“An accident is hardly your fault.” I couldn’t believe I was comforting him.
“No one ever bothered to tell me that. By then, my father was gone. My mother had checked out on me a few years later. I had this house and an important job, catering to my late father’s clientele. I wanted one person in my life to be real, I closed the door and accepted the lies.” He paused and looked me directly in the eye until I turned my face away. “Do you know why I don’t go into the pool? My father drowned there.”
“An accident.” The word slipped off my tongue, but this time it left a bitter taste in my mouth.
“Hammond told me I was born under an unlucky star.” His jaw twitched, and before I could stop myself, I ran my hand along it. Smith caught it and held it to his face.
“Am I just a replacement?” I whispered the question.
Smith’s eyes closed. “No. You’re the original.”
“I saw the toys. I’ve been inside Velvet.” I shook my head. “I’m not sure I belong in your world.”
“You’re wrong, beautiful. That isn’t my world.”
“But why do you…” I trailed away, unable to ask the question.
“I was introduced to kink at a young age. Hammond makes certain of that. He started screwing Georgia when she was fourteen. Most of his business centers around sex, and she is the shining jewel of his empire. He molded her to a very exacting standard. You see, everyone has to have vice. I had too many. The only one that stuck was dominance. I’d love to blame him for that, but it’s on me. I’m built that way.”
“Me, too,” I admitted, my voice trembling. “You tamed me.”
“No, beautiful. I just was lucky enough to see you wanted a leash.”
I forced myself to ignore the hunger gnawing at my core. Giving in to it wouldn’t solve anything. “Why hide it from me?”
“If no one can see your scars, why show them?”
The answer splintered across my heart. It was easier to pretend—to project the semblance of a normal life. “I’ve gone through the motions since I was child. Always following the path chosen for me. I don’t want to do that anymore.”
“Birds of a feather,” he repeated his earlier sentiment. “Neither do I.”
“Then why continue representing him? He’s a pedophile.”
“I can’t explain that to you.”
Two steps forward. One step back. “Like hell you can’t!”
“You have to trust me.” He laced his fingers through mine and brought my hand to his lips. “I never intended for this to happen between us, and now I have to think for both of us.”
My eyes narrowed into slits. “I can think for myself.”
“I want you to think about yourself,” he corrected me gently. “On Monday, I’m firing everyone that works for me, including you.”
“And I thought we were getting somewhere.” I tried to pull away from him, but he tightened his grip.
“You’re going to work on Bless. I’ve already funded your business account.”
“No!” I shrieked. “I didn’t ask you to do that.”
“It’s not a hand-out. I’ve drawn up paperwork fully vesting an anonymous party in the company. Me. I recently sold my interest in Velvet, and I need to invest that money somewhere.”
“It sounds like a hand-out,” I grumbled.
“I need you to stay busy, especially since we’ll be spending less time together.” The note of apology in his voice did nothing to soothe the misery that accompanied this revelation.
“Because you’ll be focused on hiring another staff,” I said flatly.
“Amongst other things. I don’t want you to know any more than that.”
“Why?”
“It wasn’t a coincidence that I hired you. You were handpicked for the position for me. I didn’t know why until later,” he admitted, “by then it was too late.”
I stared at him, completely flabbergasted. “To fire me?”
“To let you go.” He dragged me roughly into his arms. “You should have walked out of that office that day. I should have thrown you out. Now it’s too late for both of us.”
As his words sank in, I knew he was right. I’d come back to him again and again, ignoring the warning signs, and I would continue to.
“Will I see you?” I murmured into his chest.
“Yes.” I heard the smile in his voice. “You can’t keep me away. We just have to be careful.”
“Until when?”
He pressed his lips into my hair and remained motionless for a long time before answering. “I wish I knew.”
I didn’t say anything. I’d gone numb, unable to process all the information.
“However,” he said, his words strained, “if you choose to leave tonight. Or in the morning. I will understand. I won’t promise not to come after you, but I’ll try to respect your wishes. Regardless, the business account will be waiting for you.”
“I don’t want your money. I want you.”
“You have me, beautiful.” His head angled down and he kissed me. “All of me, even my bank account. Deal with it.”
“I can be defiant,” I reminded him, smiling grudgingly despite the ache building inside me.
“Channel that into Bless, and no one will be able to stop you.”
“And until Monday?”
By picking me up, he answered my question, and he carried me back to bed. Dropping me onto it, he eyed me as a knowing smirk twisted across his lips. “Until then I’m going to make you come until you can’t remember your own name—or any of this. Just you and me.”
I crawled forward and beckoned him closer with my finger. When he was within reach, I ran my tongue over the ridges of his abs. “I bet I can make you forget your name first.”
“As long as you don’t forget it, beautiful.” He grabbed my shoulders and threw me back on the mattress. Pouncing on top of me, he pinned me to the spot and lowered his mouth to my belly.
I wouldn’t. That was my choice—to stand in the wind and withstand the rain even as the first ominous clouds appeared on our horizon. Smith’s hand shot out and grabbed mine as he moved between my thighs. We would face the coming storm together.
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I hope you enjoyed reading Crave Me as much as I enjoyed writing it. As you might have guessed Belle’s story, and the Royals Saga, is far from over. Covet Me, the fifth installment in the series will hit ereaders this fall. I hope you take a moment to preorder it on your device’s ebook platform.
I love hearing from readers, and I do my very best to respond to each of you. Drop me a line and let me know what you think of Smith Price at genevaleeauthor@gmail.com.
This book wouldn’t be here without the support of readers. Thank you for taking the time to read it! If you have a minute please consider leaving a review of the book on your ebook retailer. Not only will you help others discover the book, you will be doing me a HUGE favor. After all, us birds of a feather, must stick together.
All my love,
Thank you to super agent Mollie Glick for supporting what I want to write, and to Joy Fowlkes who keeps things running smoothly. My foreign agent, Jessica Regal, is a goddess. I can’t wait to see all my dirty words in other languages.
Lindsey, you keep my life functioning, and you were doing that long before you became my assistant. Let’s continue to conquer the world together.
A huge thanks to Sharon, who is the best publicist I’ve ever had! You’re a genius and not just because we think alike! And all my love and thanks to the Sassy Savvy Fabulous team—Linda, Jesey, and Melissa. You rock my publicity and marketing world!
; Thank you to Bethany and Josh for impeccable editorial services. Somehow you always know what I mean to say, even when I don’t. And thanks to Cait Greer for putting up with all my formatting needs.
I get by with a little help from my friends and significant amounts of booze. Thanks for the sage advice and deep, boring business chats, Laurelin. Sierra, your comments always make me laugh.
Lauren Blakely, it’s hard to believe you weren’t a cheerleader in high school, because you’re so good at it! Thank you for being a bright spot.
To the FYW girls, you continue to amaze me! I’m humbled to count myself among you.
Thank you to my Royal Court! Your pics and posts (but especially your pics) make my day. I love how many of you I’ve gotten to meet this year, and I can’t wait to meet the rest of you!
I owe a special debt of gratitude to many bloggers. No one would read my books without the amazing ladies out there pimping them. Milasy, I think you’re starting to get your answers. Trish, you’ll always be schmexy to me! All of my gratitude to: Cocktails and Books, the Book Bellas, Short and Sassy, A Literary Gossip, The Laundry Room. I know I’m forgetting some of you. Remind me to buy you a drink the next I see you.
Stay dirty, my friends!
A significant amount of this book was written at The Historic Elms Resort, which provided the perfect place to zero in and focus. Many thanks to the friendly staff for their hospitality, enthusiasm, and club sandwiches.
I wouldn’t be doing this if not for the support of my family. Thanks, kids, for cheering on my books even if I won’t let you read them yet, and to my husband, who lets me spend time with the men in my head without getting (too) jealous. Love you.
Geneva Lee prefers fantasy to reality, especially fantasies involving powerful, dangerous, and sexy men. You can find her devouring a good romance while avoiding the laundry—and her children.
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Also by Geneva Lee
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Author's Note
Acknowledgments
About the Author