Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Fuck.
God. She wanted her boss.
This was so bad on so many levels.
16
He’d nearly brought her home with him.
Sitting on the leather sofa in his study, Reuben stared at the unlit fireplace. He was hardly ever here. Hell, sometimes, he slept in the office to avoid coming home.
This place was so fucking cold and empty. He didn’t know why he’d bought it. It was too big for him.
What the hell did he need with four bedrooms, two living areas, and a study?
He had this penthouse apartment in Manhattan, and a house in Boston, but no one to live in them with him.
Once, he’d thought Juliet would live with him. But she was comfortable in Wishingbone.
He should be grateful she had people who cared about her. Who took care of her.
None of them were as good as him, of course . . . but he still had eyes on her.
He guessed he just wanted someone who was totally reliant on him.
Who looked to him to provide everything. Money. Strength. Protection. Support.
Fuck.
For the right person, he might even reach into the dark recesses of his heart to conjure up some caring and understanding.
If he knew how to do that anymore.
You take care of Juliet. You coddle and cherish her.
Yes, but he loved his sister.
And what happened tonight with Faith? You took care of her.
Even knowing she was a sub and likely a Little, he’d still been surprised by how accepting she’d been of his dominance. How submissive she’d been.
Faith Blossom.
Ridiculous name. Who had the last name Blossom? What thirty-three-year-old woman walked around with butterfly hair clips in their hair?
A woman who you can’t stop thinking about. Who has a mix of vulnerability and fragility, strength and courage.
Was she what he needed?
Did he really want someone in his life who would make him vulnerable?
You can protect her just like you protect Juliet.
Well, of course he could. She’d need to learn to obey him without question. She’d have to deal with his need for control.
With his need to keep her safe.
But he had a feeling she might need that as well.
She obviously wasn’t very good at taking care of herself.
He’d wanted her since the first time she’d bent over.
But it was more than a physical need.
He wanted her to be his.
Reuben knew she’d likely try to get out of the bargain they’d struck. But he was a lawyer. And he was stubborn.
Just ask his sister.
He wasn’t going to let her out of their agreement.
Although he wouldn’t be a complete jerk. He could compromise. He’d let her go home, hadn’t he?
That had been hard.
He’d been hoping she lived in a terrible neighborhood, so he had an excuse to bring her home with him.
He should feel thankful that she wasn’t living somewhere dangerous.
And not irritated because it didn’t suit him.
Sure, he could have pushed and gotten his own way. But he knew she was close to the edge. She’d already been traumatized by the storm.
He wasn’t such a jerk that he’d force her home with him.
Yes, you are.
Face it, you weren’t ready to have her here.
You didn’t trust yourself with her in your apartment.
Not that he would ever force someone.
He wasn’t completely without morals. He never hurt innocents.
Would Faith Blossom be a challenge to get into his bed?
Perhaps.
He didn’t mind a bit of a challenge. That was fine. As long as she didn’t challenge him by out and out disobeying him.
Some sassiness was allowed.
Breaking the rules was not.
With a sigh, he closed his eyes. A headache was throbbing in his temples.
Getting the electricity shut off had actually been surprisingly easy. He’d simply had maintenance shut off the electricity to his floor and temporarily disable the elevators.
All so he could get her on her own. She was so damn . . . skittish. And he had to be certain that she was what he wanted or if he was only interested in fucking her and nothing more.
He hadn’t counted on her fear of storms. Although that had ended up working in his favor considering that it had shown him more of her than he was certain that she wanted him to see.
It was too late for her to hide now. He’d seen her vulnerable spot. And he wasn’t above using someone’s vulnerability against them.
That’s what he did. He searched out weak spots and exploited them. But it was going to be all right for Faith. Because once she was his, he would guard her soft spot.
And no one would ever exploit her again.
Grabbing his phone, he sent her a text.
Reuben: I will pick you up tomorrow morning.
There was no answer. He took a sip of his coffee. People likely expected him to be sitting here sipping Scotch or bourbon. He’d drink the hard stuff around other people.
For appearance’s sake.
But it wasn’t his vice. He didn’t like to have his instincts dulled. Coffee didn’t affect him, since he didn’t need as much sleep as other people did.