by Sara Fawkes
My spoon clattered in my bowl as I stared, dumbfounded, at the large man. Ethan’s thunderous expression was intimidating and he looked like he wanted to say more, but when he saw my shock his jaw tightened. “I shouldn’t have said anything,” he muttered, grabbing the magazine again. “Those weren’t my secrets to tell.”
My brain meanwhile had a hard time wrapping itself around the facts. I danced with...an arms dealer? The sarcastic blue-green eyes popped again into my mind’s eye, the familiar and beautiful face marred by a scar across one cheek. What have I gotten myself into?
There was a click as the front door opened and Ethan shot to his feet, startling me. He relaxed almost immediately, and a second later Jeremiah walked through the entryway and into the kitchen. I smiled, relieved to see him, but my happiness dimmed when he barely spared me a glance.
“Any luck?” Ethan asked.
Jeremiah shook his head, lips thinning. “I’ve made inquiries,” he said. “I should know in the next day or so.”
Ethan frowned but nodded. “I’ll be outside then if you need me.”
I watched Jeremiah as Ethan strode out of the room. “You look tired,” I said, tilting my head to the side.
“I’ll be fine.” Jeremiah blew out a breath, then looked at me. “How are you?”
“Better.” I gestured at the empty bowl in front of me. “Got my appetite back.”
He nodded, then his gaze zeroed in on my rumpled clothes. “I left you some bath supplies and clothes at the foot of your bed.”
“I saw that, thank you. I was going to shower after I had breakfast.” I shivered, suddenly nervous - I had little experience with outright seduction - then looked up at him through my lashes. “Want to join me?”
He went rigid, hands curling along the edge of the countertop. I saw the fire in his eyes, then to my surprise he shook his head. “I have things I need to take care of before the morning’s over.”
I hadn’t expected his denial, and even though I knew he had every right to say no the rejection stung. He’s busy, someone’s trying to kill us plus he has a big business to run.
“Let me help you upstairs.”
His hand wrapped around my upper arm but I dug in my heels. “What have you found out so far?” I asked, looking up at him. Jeremiah pursed his lips, looking annoyed - whether at my defiance or the situation at large, I couldn’t tell. Damned if I’ll let him see me cry, I thought furiously, staring defiantly into his eyes.
“Nothing yet,” he said, tugging on my arm. “Let’s get you upstairs.”
I pulled my arm from his grip. “Thank you, I can manage fine on my own,” I said with as much dignity as I could muster. His subtle rejection, combined with the previous night’s dismissal, left me annoyed and determined to do without his help. I'd barely taken a step up the stairs however when Jeremiah grabbed me and swept me into his arms. I squeaked, latching on around his neck, then frowned as he carried me up the steps. "I could have done this, you know," I said, trying not to sound pouty.
"You're my responsibility," he said, taking the stairs two at a time.
Yay, I'm a "responsibility" now. I snorted. "You sure know how to make a girl feel good."
"It doesn't matter as long as you're safe."
I rolled my eyes but tightened my grip around his neck. While he wasn’t the most romantic sort sometimes, I did feel safer with him. "Maybe later you can give me a tour of the grounds?" I said as we reached the top of the steps. "I'd love to go down by the water."
Jeremiah shook his head. "Until we figure out what's going on, you're to stay inside the house."
My jaw dropped down. "I'm under house arrest?"
"There are too many places outside these walls accessible from long-range. Until I can figure out a way to mitigate those risks, you're staying inside these walls."
His tone brooked no argument, which automatically made me want to rebel. I tried however to see from his point of view. He used to be a sniper so he'd know all about long distance dangers, and while the thought of someone watching my actions through a scope was disconcerting and more than a little frightening, the prospect of being a shut-in rankled. "What if I wore a bulletproof vest?" I asked. "Maybe a Kevlar helmet? Do they even make those?"
My request made him snort what might have been a small laugh. He set me down outside my room door, and gently directed me inside. "Go shower. The house is yours, but no going outside." He brushed an errant strand of blonde hair behind my ear, fingers running along my jaw. "I need you safe, that's all that matters at this point."
I tried to lean my face into his hand, aching for his caress, but he pulled his hand away and stepped back. Giving me a curt nod, he turned and left me standing in the doorway, silently fuming. This makes no sense, I wanted to rail at him, you're the one the assassin is after yet YOU get to traipse all over the grounds!
The shower was quick and did little to calm me down. I slung the robe around me, wrapping my head in a towel, and headed downstairs again, only to be brought up by another large guard at the base of the steps. I hadn’t expected strangers inside the house and wrapped the robe tightly against me as his gaze turned upwards. "Where's Jeremiah?" I asked.
"He had business outside ma'am. We'll be down here if you need anything."
Swallowing, I nodded jerkily then fled upstairs for clothing.
4
After three days in the gorgeous mansion, I was going stir crazy.
There was only so much a girl could do inside and, while the house was large, I'd exhausted its mysteries. Well, as much as one could with only their curiosity and the internet. None of the rooms had been barred to me and I'd found several interesting artifacts through the house. One room at the back of the house held several large pictures of older figures, one of which I recognized from my Internet searches as Rufus Hamilton. That solved the mystery of what used to hang above the fireplace in the large dining room, but did little to help me while away the boredom otherwise.
I watched television, surfed the internet, and tried to keep myself as busy as house arrest would allow. I was hyperaware of everything going on around me, always expecting some armed bandit or assassin to barge through the door, and it was exhausting. Worse yet, nobody would tell me what progress if any was being made. Jeremiah more often than not wasn't in the house and the bodyguards weren't talking, so I was on my own. Resentment eventually set in and I found small ways to rebel, even if only in my mind.
There was one bathroom window that wasn't barred or fogged, looking out over the side of the building across a well-manicured landscape. I took my showers there every morning to peek outside, feeling silly for the thrill the small defiance gave me. The window looked out toward the ocean butting up against the rear of the property, with a boathouse sitting near the water’s edge attached to a long pier. There was usually a guard in view, and a gardening truck with a small group of workers arrived every other day to make sure the grounds stayed gorgeous. I longed to go down by the water, maybe dip my toes off the pier, but invariably I'd remember Jeremiah's words about long distance sniping and would close the window in fear. That emotion more than anything kept me imprisoned inside the house and only added to my resentment.
On the fourth day of my captivity, I heard Jeremiah's voice coming from the large office on the second floor. Determination bubbled through me and I stalked over, pushing the door open without knocking. The red haired woman sitting in front of the big desk turned to look at me and my eyebrows shot up as I recognized Celeste, the Chief Operations Officer for Hamilton Corporation. She seemed surprised to see me as well, and looked between myself and her boss seated behind the desk.
"Can I help you?"
Jeremiah's voice was stiff as he addressed me, but his gaze on my clothing held disapproval. Both helped stiffen my resolve and I lifted my chin in bravado. "I'd like to know when I can go." I'd meant to ask about the investigation but Celeste's presence threw me off. She was the first woman I'd seen on the grounds since I'd met J
eremiah's mother. Her confusion, whether to my presence or the situation at hand, was a welcome balm - at least I wasn't the only one uncertain what was going on in this household.
"We can speak later, Ms. Delacourt." The cellphone on his desk vibrated and he snapped it up, standing to his feet. "One moment ladies," he said, stepping around us and out the door. I was left gaping at the space he'd just been occupying.
"Do you have any idea what's going on?"
Celeste sounded indignant, an emotion I shared, but I could only shrug and shake my head. "What do you know?" I asked, trying to gauge her knowledge.
"Nothing, except Ethan won't let me out of his sight." The redhead threw her hands up in frustration. "He's set a constant security detail on me but wouldn’t tell me why. Jeremiah left me in charge of everything too, and I’ve been scrambling to keep up." She turned a frustrated look to me. "You've been here the whole time?"
I nodded. "He doesn't even want me to leave the house."
The redhead's eyes narrowed shrewdly. "Do you know anything about what's happening? I swear, I hate it when Ethan and Jeremiah go all alpha male, it makes me nuts."
"No kidding." I snorted. "There's overprotective, then there's just plain rude." Her words confirmed my suspicion that she didn't know about the poisoning but I wasn't sure how much to reveal. The temptation to tell all was strong, even if only to have somebody on my side. Unfortunately, the opportunity was lost as Jeremiah stepped back through the door, followed closely by Ethan.
"Remi, tell me what's going on," Celeste demanded. "I'm fielding all sorts of requests for meetings and appointments with you, and have nothing to tell these people."
"Do you need help doing your job?" Jeremiah's voice stayed cool, cocking his head to the side as he stared at the redhead. “Should I reassign some of your duties to other officers?”
Pride warred on the other woman's face. Clearly the idea of delegation didn't sit well with her. "You have the rest of the week, then I need answers," she finally said, pointing at the stoic billionaire.
Jeremiah's nod seemed to mollify her and Celeste turned to leave. She shrugged off Ethan's arm on her shoulder but the big man didn't seem to mind, hovering over her as they left the office. The door clicked shut then I turned to face Jeremiah only to see him already watching me. He was as difficult to read as ever so, taking a deep breath, I stepped around the desk so I was beside him. "Please tell me what's going on with the investigation."
I hadn't meant to word my request as a plea. Celeste had been more stern in her demand for information and part of me wished I was more like her. However, I saw a faint softening in Jeremiah's eyes, and a large hand reached out to brush a strand of hair from my face. My breath caught as his fingertips skimmed my jawline, cupping my neck just below the chin. Immediately I melted, pressing against his touch.
Only to have it taken away. Unbalanced, I put a hand on the desk as Jeremiah stepped back, eyes suddenly hooded. "It's my responsibility to keep you safe," he said, voice cold as he turned back to his desk.
Anger spread through me. "I could walk right out those gates and you can't stop me." That statement finally got his full attention. Jeremiah rounded on me, face stormy, but I refused to back down. "You've made me little more than a prisoner in this house, and I’m sick of it."
"You signed a contract stating you would do as I said," he growled, face ferocious. "You're not leaving this house."
Gone was the stoic CEO; I'd poked too hard and the beast had reared its head. I took a step back and he followed, then I stiffened my spine and glared up at him. "That contract also stated I could terminate my "employment" at any time. If you won't let me know what's going on, I'll quit and walk right out those gates down there."
Point made, I turned around to leave the office. I hadn't taken more than a step however when the room spun and suddenly I was pushed against a wall. The impact didn't hurt but it did startle me, and I looked up with wide eyes at Jeremiah's face. He towered above me, the grip on my arms like steel, but the outburst seemed to have calmed something inside him. The fire still burned deep in his eyes however as he caressed my face again. "I've been trying to resist you," he murmured, eyes following his fingers across my skin. "Being close to me is toxic, and you were caught up in that. The right thing would be to forget you, get you someplace away from me..."
My heart melted. Don't leave me, please, I thought, not caring to look too deep into my sudden swell of emotion. As his thumb skimmed along my lips I reached out and took the pad between my teeth, running my tongue along the hard skin. He sucked in a breath, his grip on my arm tightening, and his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. My gaze dropped to his mouth, memories of his lips and tongue on my body making my breath stutter.
"I'm no gentleman," he growled, eyes tracing the lines of my face. His hand lowered toward my breasts, but he clenched his fist instead, stopping short of touching me. "I look at you and all I see is how easily I can break you. You almost died once because of me and..."
I shrugged my arms away from his grip, and to my surprise he released me. Jeremiah's eyes clouded and I knew he thought I was rejecting him, but before he could step away I cupped his face with my hands. "Do you want to know what I see?" I said softly, staring into his eyes. My heart twisted at the yearning I read there. "I see an infuriating, beautiful man who's had every dream he ever dared imagine ripped to shreds by life. I want nothing more than to make it all better, but that's beyond my ability." I caressed his cheek with one thumb, then reached down and brought his knuckles to my lips. "I promised to give you anything you want and I meant it," I continued, raising his hand to my lips before letting it rest below my neck. "Believe me, I'm tougher than I look."
Jeremiah swallowed, staring at the large hand that wrapped itself around my throat. He adjusted his grip higher and I tilted my head back, not breaking eye contact. I kept my hands at my sides this time as he studied the contrasts between his hands and the soft pale skin of my throat. When he finally raised hungry eyes to mine, an answering fire lit inside my belly. "Take me, Sir," I murmured, and literally saw in his eyes the moment my words finally break down the last of his resistance.
He swept me up in his arms wordlessly and carried me out of the office, padding silently down the hall to the large bedroom nearby. He set me down beside the bed then shut and locked the door behind us. I watched silently, awaiting his command, as he turned back to me. "Remove your clothing and kneel beside the bed."
Relief rushed through my body, leaving me giddy and excited. My mind flashed to the first time I heard his voice, the command and power that resonated in every word. He could be reading the dictionary and I'd get wet, but when his eyes regarded me as they were now I positively burned. Holding his gaze, I slowly unbuttoned the shirt I was wearing, shrugging it off my shoulders to fall into a loose pile behind me. My pants were next, the loose fabric pooling around my feet as I stepped to the side out of them.
Jeremiah gave me a quick once-over then shook his head as I moved toward the floor. "All of your clothes."
My heartbeat sped up but I complied, reaching around behind me and unclasping my bra. I pulled the straps from my shoulders, hands trembling as I exposed my breasts to his gaze. Liquid heat unfurled in my belly; I could almost feel his eyes caressing my body which responded to his obvious desire, quaking with need. The cool air across my already hard nipples made my breath catch as I removed the thin flap of fabric from my breasts and let it fall to the ground beside the discarded shirt.
Swallowing hard, I hooked my thumbs through the top of my panties and slid them down my thighs. Jeremiah made an appreciative noise as my backside rose in the air so I continued the movement, almost touching the floor with my fingers before stepping out of the thin material. When I straightened he was watching me, the approval in his eyes a glorious shock to my system. "So beautiful," he murmured, and I flushed with pleasure.
He moved over by the night stand and, reaching behind the wooden piece of furniture, pul
led out an expensive-looking black paper bag with handles. There was no writing on the side to indicate what was inside, and I watched curiously as he set it on the small table. "Hands and knees, on the bed."
My eyes widened, breath catching in my throat. The position would expose me completely to him, leaving me at his mercy. Nudity, especially in the presence of another, was still a new concept for me but Jeremiah's look brooked no argument. Limbs stiff, I climbed onto the tall bed but kept myself facing him. The thought of exposing the most intimate bits of myself to his open perusal was still too much - my whole body flushed just thinking about it - but he seemed pleased with what he saw. He rattled the bag. "Care to guess what's inside?"
The contents had a solid sound, but my mind blanked on me. "Lingerie?" I hazarded even though I knew it was much more than that.
Jeremiah smiled, a small quirk of the lips that made my insides flutter. He really is beautiful like that, I thought as he reached into the bag and began pulling out items. "These were purchased with you in mind," he said, setting them one by one on the night stand.
My brain refused to comprehend what I was seeing at first until he pulled out leather cuffs and set those aside on the bed. I stared at the black leather for a moment, then at the plastic items spaced out over the top of the wooden stand. Oh, my god... My sexual experience was limited, but while I couldn't name most of the items laid out in front of me, I had an inkling as to how they'd be used.
Jeremiah picked up on slim dark plastic item and a small container of clear lube, then moved around the bed behind me. "Eyes forward," he ordered when I half-turned to keep him in sight.
Trembling with uncertainty, I looked forward again. Not knowing what would happen left me apprehensive but part of me was breathless with anticipation. Since I had met Jeremiah I'd seen and experienced things beyond my wildest dreams, and something told me this would be no different. I still jumped when his hand rested on my backside however, and heard the low rumble of his laugh. So sexy.
