Chapter 4

• As she sobbed and tried to press her long, lithe body to his, I saw the look of cool disinterest on his own face and then, I looked away, colouring in embarrassment as he turned the full force of those cold grey eyes on me.
• “I heard…you had been attacked …by some crazy wh*re…’
• He put her from him and continued to watch me, his eyes enjoying my discomfiture.
• I shifted uneasily from foot to foot as his eyes travelled the length of my skimpy red dress with the torn strap.
• Becoming aware that he was not looking at her, she looked around, her bitter, crazed look lighting on me.
• Immediately, the woman rounded on me.
• “You little tramp! How dare you steal my…!’ she screamed like a harridan as she lunged at me. I sidestepped quickly as I saw she was inebriated but she swerved wildly as she shrieked,
• ’BI*CH!’
• But the big man moved quickly.
• ‘Patricia,’ he spoke in a voice that could cut ice,’ I told you it was over. Now get the f*ck out.’ He said in such a flat manner, I almost felt sorry for the woman. She turned to him, bleary-eyed, and then, swaying, she tore off the front of her flimsy gown,
• ’Darling, look at me, we had such a wonderful time…In Dubai, in Nice…’
• I winced. She was half naked, literally on her knees now, her long thin hands fumbling at his waist, trying to take out his…?
• My mouth dropped open in shock. How despicable. She was humiliating herself.
• On her hands and knees, the woman was now begging but the man pushed her away and roared,
• ‘Evans! Das! Where in the bl*ody f*ck are you?’
• Two men rushed in, not looking towards the woman on the floor who was stark naked now and keening, as he roared,
• ‘GET THIS F*CKING DRUNK PIECE OF SH*T OUT OF MY OFFICE!’ And as the woman was unceremoniously hauled to her feet by the men who looked as blank as ever, he shouted,
• ‘IF ANYONE OF YOU SENDS HER IN AGAIN, YOU ARE…’ The guards were outside the room, looking as though they were being hounded by devils and the door slammed shut after them. The man, his shoulders heaving, the strong muscles rippling under the shirt, strode to the door and locked it.
• I felt the fear rise up in me. But accompanying the fear was something like…? I did not know what it was. Was it…attraction?
• Straightening my shoulders, I quickly put THAT thought out of my head.
• I was a die hard romantic, despite all that had happened to me. I believed in love, in holding hands and soft kisses. I wanted marriage and babies, lots of them, and a gentle lover. Not this man who had me shrinking in fear. But then, asked another part of my mind coolly, why were my panties so wet, just looking at the man before me?
• For one, the man must be alt least fifteen years older than me. And besides, the caveman tactics he employed should make me repulsed, right, I told myself.
• Screwing up my courage, I asked,
• ’Ca…Can I go? I …I … I am sorry.’
• He seemed to have forgotten about me and at the sound of my voice, which was little more than a shaky whisper, he turned around slowly.
• He had unbuttoned his shirt down to his waist as he drank from a crystal tumbler, throwing his head back as he quaffed it down. I could not take my eyes off his chest. Flat board abs, strong muscles, a hirsute chest, and… I swallowed and met his eyes.
• My face heated up as I saw the slow speculation in his grey gaze. I stepped back. The predatory glint was doing things to me. I felt an unfamiliar wetness between my legs and I shifted uneasily.
• “Please…” I whispered and he made a low sound. A growl.
• ‘Please What, little girl?’ he said and his voice was a hoarse rumble. He moved forward slowly, like a panther stalking his prey and my eyes widened in alarm. I backed away.
• ‘Ca…can I go…?” I said but my voice betrayed my nervousness.
• He stopped a few feet away from me, his hands clenching and unclenching.
• ’How old are you, little sl*t?’ he said suddenly and I blinked.
• Running the tip of my tongue across my lip, I froze as I saw his gaze arrested by my movement. He seemed hypnotized by my action and I cleared my throat, thinking quickly.
• Maybe he was mulling action against me for entering the club being underage? I was not sure about the age limits but …Thinking quickly, I stammered,
• ’Eight...I mean Twenty,’ I said, trying not to look away.
• *
• Aunt Beth had always said that I was bad at telling lies.
• The man moved closer and I saw that his nose had been broken at some point in time and had healed but not too well. It gave him a frightening look, the thin, well-defined lips that were set in a firm line, those grey eyes that looked as though he could see into my soul. The scarred and pitted face. Ugly but commanding.
• His presence was unsettling; I wanted to keep my distance but like a moth, I felt drawn to him. Breathing shakily, I stepped back again and came up against the wall as he prowled closer, crowding me in. he was not very tall, but definitely bigger than me. But it was the breadth of his shoulders, the way he was built like a bull, that made me hold my breath.
• He smiled, a sinister, humourless smile. And then he slammed his hand, palms first, on the wall beside my face and I jumped as I gasped, turning away, squeezing my eyes shut.
• His breath, whiskey-laden and hot, was on my face as he moved closer and snarled,
• ’I do not like liars, little girl.’
• I was shaking in fear…and an excitement that made my nipples stand out like hard diamonds.
• Hoping, praying that he would not see them, I whispered, turning to look at him,
• ’I …I’m so..sorry… I am eighteen years but I shall be…’He flung himself away with a slew of oaths, and vulgar words that made me tremble I shock.
• Hail Mary, I thought to myself feverishly, what would happen to me…?