by Jessica Gray
Ben turned and chuckled. “Wouldn’t that guarantee I’d be late to open the gym? No. You stay in bed and get some more sleep, babe.”
He took a cold shower and was relieved to see Irena sound asleep when he came back out and prepared to leave for the gym. His control where she was concerned was on shaky ground. He rushed to the gym, getting there to find two of his early morning clients already waiting for the doors to be opened.
Chapter 18
Irena slept in late in Ben’s bed, daydreaming about him and wishing he were there. Her whole body flushed with fire at the memory of the things they’d done. She’d never enjoyed sex so much. Being with him last night had been such a revelation and while she was still a bit nervous, she couldn’t wait to tell him to make love to her.
A muffled beep came from somewhere and she realized that Georgia had to be frantic by now. She pulled the sheet from the bed and wrapped it around herself while she went in search of the cell phone that had been tucked into the back pocket of her jeans.
Several texts and missed calls from Georgia waited for her and she sent her best friend a short text letting her know she was safe with Ben.
Then Irena showered and pulled yesterday’s clothes back on. Although she would have loved to grab fresh clothing from Georgia’s apartment, she didn’t dare go there in case Fred had someone waiting for her.
Instead, she wasted time surfing the internet on her smartphone until she couldn’t stand being alone at Ben’s place anymore. She wasn’t a prisoner, but it sure felt like it. She paced from room to room, everything reminding her of him and how gentle he’d been with her the night before.
She still couldn’t grasp that he’d been willing to forego his own pleasure to ensure she’d been taken care of. And then later that night, he’d given her all the control again. It had been exhilarating to feel the kind of power she had over him.
Irena smiled. Even in her delusional lust-fogged mind, she’d been fully aware that he could have turned the tables any moment if he wanted to. But he hadn’t. She couldn’t wait to see him again.
Thought and done. She typed another text to Georgia. See you at Tough as Nails.
The answer came right back: Phew! Around 2 p.m.?
Irena confirmed and then grabbed her stuff and left Ben’s place, taking a cab to his gym. She entered the fitness studio, finding Ben talking with two weight lifters and gave him a brilliant smile. The relief on his face lightened her heart.
Ben said something to the guys and then came over to plant a kiss on her lips. “I called my place but you didn’t answer.”
“I couldn’t stand being locked up anymore. Are you angry?” she asked.
He chuckled. “Angry? No, I was worried about you, babe. If you hadn’t shown up, I’d have gone to search for you as soon as Tim came back from lunch break.”
The word lunch reminded her that she hadn’t eaten breakfast and her stomach growled. Ben’s grin broadened. “Hungry?”
“Like a wolf.”
“Probably too much exercise,” he said and winked at her as she felt a furious blush covering her cheeks. Good lord, yes. And what glorious exercise it was.
“Wanna have lunch with me?”
She nodded, unable to force words out of her mouth.
“Wait for me in my office. I’ll be there in five.”
Then he pressed another kiss on her tingling lips in front of the surprised eyes of his waiting clients and left to fix something at one of the weight machines.
Irena’s stomach did a double-flip, and it wasn’t because she was hungry. Or maybe she was hungry – ravenous for Ben. She slipped into his office and closed the door behind her. His desk caught her curiosity. A prominently placed post-it read, Hire an accountant.
She felt like an intruder, but circled the desk in the otherwise sparsely furnished room and glimpsed at the open books. Without thinking, she sat on his chair and her finger traced down the sheet of paper and quickly found the error, Ben must have been looking for. At college, she’d taken a few accounting classes and she’d always liked numbers – until she got married to Fred and he’d wanted her to dedicate her time exclusively to him and his career.
Fred. Why couldn’t she get him out of her mind? It had been a mistake to marry him. She’d known that deep down on a visceral level, but she hadn’t listened to her intuition back then. Now she wanted to kick herself in the ass for being such a stupid weakling. She hadn’t bailed at the altar for fear of disappointing her parents and friends. All of them seemingly very taken with her soon-to-be senator husband.
He was more than ten years older than her, rich, powerful, handsome, and very well educated. As a naïve twenty-year-old college student, she’d been impressed by his dominating presence and that he was paying so much attention to her.
The changes didn’t happen overnight, but slowly Fred had started to control every aspect of her life. Not only the public events like which charity, theatre premiere or movie she attended, where she shopped, what clothes she wore, but also with whom she spent time, what she ate, where and how she got her hair done. He even checked the kind of books and magazines she read. Irena shivered. Georgia had been the one person to keep her centered in reality – and her friend was a constant thorn in her husband’s side.
Things had become insupportable when after two years of marriage, she’d still not become pregnant, and he’d started controlling her menstruation cycle and her fertile days. From then on sex – that had never been better than okay – had become a chore tied to the calendar like taking out the trash every Monday. She could still hear the jingling sound of the special reminder he’d set on her phone for when the time was right to try for an heir.
Why she never stood up against his assaults, she really couldn’t say. She allowed herself to be verbally, mentally, and finally physically abused for more than three years before she remembered she had a backbone.
The sound of the opening door made her jump. Ben strode inside, his overwhelming presence making the room shrink. “What’s that sexy girl doing with her nose in my books?”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t want to…but I found an error in here.” Her shoulders slumped as she pointed with her finger to the number he’d written on the wrong side.
Ben came to stand beside her. “No shit. You’re right. I’ve been searching for that fu… freaking error all morning.” He turned to look at her. “You know that stuff?”
“More or less. I’m not certified or anything, but I took several accounting classes in college.” She tilted her head. “I like doing numbers, it’s...”
“Sexy?” he asked with a husky voice.
Irena giggled. “Not the word I was looking for. But now that you mention it…” She surprised herself as she boldly grabbed his hard ass.
“Babe. You’ll be the death of me. First you make me sick with worry, because you bolted out of my place despite my instructions to stay safely inside. Then you come here looking sexy as hell and sweeping every male in the gym off their feet. And now you sexually assault me while left-handedly sorting out my bookwork? Didn’t you torture me enough last night?”
Irena tried to look guilty as she observed the growing bulge beneath his exercise shorts. “I’m sorry.”
“No you’re not.” Ben grinned. “And I’ll make you pay tonight.”
Doubt entered her mind. He’d promised not to pressure her. Part of her hoped he wouldn’t make good on that promise, so she didn’t have to ask, but another part felt betrayed. “You’ll have your way with me?”
His eyes filled with mischief. “On the contrary, my sweet vixen. You’ll have to beg if you want me inside you.”
Fire ignited her skin and she was about to beg him to have her right here and now, but thankfully Ben had his emotions under better control than she did and asked, “Shall we go for lunch then?”
“Yes.”
Chapter 19
Ben hadn’t wanted to admit it, but he’d missed Irena like crazy all morning. He tri
ed to remind himself that he didn’t do emotional attachments, but his heart knew it was much too late for that. Leaving her naked in his bed this morning without making her his had been one of the hardest things he’d ever done.
With every fiber of his body and his soul he wanted her. Come hell or high water. And he was sure some hell was imminent. He could feel it in his gut. But for now, he was content to take her out to lunch and spend some time getting to know her better.
They stepped out of the fitness studio into the warm sunshine and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. It was such a natural thing to do; he had to wonder about his sanity. Since when are you the huggy-touchy type? Irena leaned into him, a happy smile lighting up her eyes and warming his heart.
A few blocks down, they bought takeaway sandwiches and sodas and then he showed her his favorite spot to sit and relax in a nearby park. Irena had grown quiet and despite her efforts not to show him her worries, he sensed the tension in her body.
“What’s wrong, babe?”
She shrugged and he folded his arms over his chest. “Tell me.”
She mumbled something unintelligible and he put his sandwich aside, leaned into her space and tipped her chin up. “I didn’t hear you. Talk to me.”
Irena looked uncomfortable, but finally she told him. “You’ll hate me for being weak.”
He furrowed his brows. “I don’t think you’re weak. Not at all. But you have to leave him.”
“I tried once before and it didn’t work out.” She said it in such a grave tone, he was now seriously worried. And enraged. His hands trembled at the attempt to control his temper.
“What happened?”
She looked at him and then away. “I don’t want to tell.”
More rage surged through his veins and a lively image of what might have happened formed in his mind. His sweet Irena with her eyes swollen shut, her lips cut and bleeding, her breathing labored from the bruised and cracked rib that asshole’s fists had left behind…Ben’s control hang by a bare thread and he slowly counted backwards from ten to zero. Then he said, “And you think learning to fight will help?”
“Off course it will. Power is the only language he understands. If I’m able to hit back, he’ll stop,” Irena said with conviction in her voice.
Ben though, was not so sure about that. “Fighting never helps. It doesn’t solve anything; it just makes things worse. Believe me, I know.”
“That’s why I came to you, remember? I wanted someone with real life experience to teach me the techniques I need to survive. Last night at the bar showed me I’m not even close to being able to defend myself. You need to teach me more.”
“Irena, you need to let the authorities handle your husband.”
She jumped up. “No. No. And no. If I can’t help myself, nobody else will. You know who my husband is? Senator Delaney. The authorities will be on his side. He is the authority!”
“Calm down, please.” Ben stood up, growing angry at her stubbornness.
“I demand you teach me how to fight,” she said.
“Goddamn woman. Stop being so stupid. Can’t you see how much more trouble that could cause? You don’t stand a chance against a big man. But you’ll most definitely get hurt!”
He shouted at her, his chest trembling from the restrained anger. If he could only make her understand that she was playing with her life. Ben took a step toward Irena hoping to make her realize the futility of her plan. His arm reached for her and then stopped midway as he observed how she stumbled backwards and ducked her head, her arms coming up in a self-protective gesture trying to get away from him.
A rush of adrenaline hit him, and he suddenly understood why some men beat their women. It was the feeling of power, of being in charge. Irena played the perfect victim, her fear so thick it could be cut with a knife. To a douchebag abuser, this situation would be like a candy store when they had an insatiable craving for sugar.
Ben took a deep breath, perplexed by his sudden insight and saddened by the fact she’d been afraid of him. He sure didn’t need or want that kind of power. He asked softly, “Irena, are you afraid of me?”
She lowered her arms and gave him a wary glance. He could see the indecision warring with her mind and it hurt his soul. He didn’t want to see her like this. Taking a slow step toward her, he was encouraged when she held her position and didn’t back up. He gingerly placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her closer.
“Babe, I may have a criminal background, but I’ve never hit a woman in my life. Ever.”
Ben slowly pulled her in until her breasts were flush against his chest and then he just held her while the tension eased out of her body. “You’re safe with me. I promise.”
His verbal assurance seemed to be what she needed to rid herself of her fear and she tipped her head up and kissed him. He felt her lips against his, and waited to see what she would do. When he didn’t take over the kiss, he could feel the frustration in her and bit back a smile as she lifted her arms up and pulled his head down so she could reach his mouth without straining upwards. She finally nipped his bottom lip, sending his self-control over the edge.
He swept his tongue inside her mouth and devoured her. His hands moved up and down her body, pressing her breasts into his chest, his hands coming to rest on her lower back, just skimming the top of her ass. It was carnal, and extremely hot. Too hot for a public park in Los Angeles.
“Let’s take this to my office,” he said with a hoarse voice and they hurried back to Tough as Nails.
Chapter 20
Irena could still feel the pressure of his lips on hers as they barged through the door of the gym and stumbled into the office, closing the door behind them. Ben pushed her against the wall, crushing his mouth over hers, his tongue taking possession of her mouth.
She frantically went on her tiptoes and tugged at his neck to get closer to him until he put his hands below her butt and lifted her up. Her legs wrapped around his hips and she could feel his growing erection pressing into her. Trapped between the wall and his hard chest there was no place she could go – if she had wanted to. For a moment, she considered begging him to take her right there on the spot.
His kiss consumed her and all she could hear was the rushing of blood in her ears and the sound of his growls as he stole the breath from her lungs. Until the sound of clapping tore through the silence.
Ben broke the kiss and spun around to face the intruder. Irena’s heart missed a beat or two and she started trembling like Aspen leaves. She’d been too absorbed in the kiss to hear the knock on the door and it being opened.
Fred stood in the open door, two of his bodyguards flanking him. A very furious Fred with an evil expression she’d never seen before.
“I came here to pick up my wife, but I must confess I didn’t expect to see her betraying me – again. Is that what you’ve been doing behind my back, Irena? Fucking every piece of shit you could find?”
Irena peeked out from behind Ben’s broad back into Fred’s cold eyes. She felt Ben square his shoulders as he said, “I thought I’d never see you again.”
Fred sneered. “And I thought you were smarter than to try and steal my wife.”
Irena clutched Ben’s shoulders and whispered, “You two know each other?”
Ben nodded once. “He was my boss a long time ago, but he dropped me like a hot potato after he convinced me to turn myself in to the police.”
“Your boss?” Irena didn’t grasp the meaning of his words.
“Your husband is a lazy politician with a penchant for the illegal. His only problem is he doesn’t do his own dirty work. He uses people like me for that.”
Fred laughed cruelly. “Was. I’ve gone legit a long time ago. And I paid you well for your services.”
“Some things are worth more than money.”
“Oh that’s rich. I suppose you think that slut hiding behind you is one of those things?”
“You don’t deserve her,” Ben snapped.
“You know, Ben, that was always your problem. Putting your nose in other men’s affairs. Never able to resist a woman in trouble, whether she was asking for help or not. Now please excuse me, and I’ll take back what rightfully belongs to me.”
Irena felt Ben seethe with tension and his face turned red and then purple with rage.
“I’ve been waiting fifteen years for this day.”
He lunged at Fred, but before he could get his hands wrapped around his neck, the two bodyguards grabbed him, bending his right arm behind his back, and held him in place. Ben struggled to get free, without success.
Irena scrambled backwards, falling in her haste and scooting along the ground as Fred stepped forward. Only, Fred wasn’t coming for her quite yet. He stepped right in front of Ben and punched him in the stomach as hard as he could. The breath rushed from Irena’s lungs as if she’d been the one to receive the punch.
“Leave him alone. Please, just leave him alone!” she screamed.
Ben’s face blanched as he sneered at Fred. “Your wife hits harder than you.”
Oh please, don’t rile him up anymore. Just be quiet and he’ll let you go and just take me.
***
Ben struggled to free himself from the goons, but unfortunately those two knew exactly what they were doing and he stood no chance against them. His body stilled. It was best to wait and save his energy for a chance to take the bodyguards by surprise.
Fred backed away and laughed again. “I may not have the hands of a fighter, but when it comes to brains, I most definitely am the stronger one. Setting you up was so easy.”
“What?” Ben asked, his voice lethal and quiet.
“That’s right. I’d been looking for a way to get rid of you, and with a little help from your sister and her lover--”
“Don’t call that scumbag her lover. He was beating the shit out of her.”
Fred smirked and nodded. “Yes. And how unfortunate for you that your sister was intelligent enough to know whose side to take.”
