After a moment of hesitation, she picked up her pace and left the dining room.
My lips curved into a mischievous, self-satisfied smirk, knowing that I was starting to crawl under her skin. As good as that felt, it was also unsettling because she was crawling under mine as well.
Perhaps it was nothing more than just fascination on my side. Deep down, though, I worried it might be something else—something darker, more obsessive. And considering how rapidly it was creeping in, it was only a matter of time before something crazy would unfold right in front of us.
I hadn’t admitted it yet, but this girl was gradually becoming something I couldn’t ignore, no matter how hard I tried.
And that…was the problem.
Chapter 9 – Blair
All through the night, I could barely get some sleep. Why? Because the memory of our dinner together wouldn’t stop playing in my head. It wasn’t the questions he asked or the way he watched me with quiet intensity, and that kept me up all night.
It was the way he made me feel when he stepped into my space. I shrank beneath his gaze, my pulse quickened, and my chest tightened. I recognized that unsettling feeling, and even though I hadn’t admitted it yet, I knew if I didn’t tread with caution, he just might use that against me.
I hated how much influence he had over me, how easily he played with my emotions. He stirred a flutter in my chest, and a sudden rush of blood made my veins throb. Just looking at him, I felt a shiver run down my spine and a tingling feeling between my legs.
He turned me on without even trying, and I felt so embarrassed—so ashamed of myself that I had to leave his presence immediately. I was afraid that if I spent one more moment around him, he might make a reckless move, and I might not have been able to control myself.
It wouldn’t have been a case of forced entry because I would’ve given my consent. It was way too early to fall for his seduction—besides, I should be repulsed by the mere thought of being intimate with a man like him.
He was cruel, mean, and ruthless. His place was behind bars, not between my legs. That was a fact; one that had been ringing loudly at the back of my mind since last night.
Be smart about this, Blair. He might be using you,a voice murmured in my head.
But with everything going on in my head—my plans to finally get rid of him—who exactly was using whom in this situation? What was he using me for anyway?
He bought me from my kidnappers at a price no one dared mention. He fed me, cleaned me up, and restricted my movement within his estate. But that was it. This man didn’t sell me off to someone else, didn’t turn me into a maid, or even attempt to take me by force. He let me do as I pleased, and his only rule was to never cross the estate’s gates without his permission.
At this point, I couldn’t help questioning some things. Why was I here? What was my purpose in this place? Why did he decide to buy me, since it was crystal clear that he didn’t need me for anything in his life?
Maybe he was right when he said you’re better off with him and with any one of those pigs,said another voice.Maybe he bought you just to keep you safe.
That sounded a lot like an act of kindness, but men like him were incapable of kindness. He was a Mafia boss, a ruthless leader involved in numerous crimes. Kindness was not his strong suit.
He did say that his organization had no part in human trafficking.
He was a monster, a criminal, and a liar—of course, he’d deny it. And even if his organization didn’t deal in such crimes—which was highly debatable—they were still actively involved in others.
Like which one?
My brain went blank for a moment.
The voice continued,You claim he’s guilty of other crimes, yet you haven’t found anything concrete to use against him.
Hewasguilty; I just couldn’t prove it yet!
And why the fuck was a part of me questioning my mission? He was a bad man, and bad men should all end up behind bars. Period.
If you truly want to put him away so badly, then why does your heart skip each time you think about him?The voice went ahead to add,Why do you harbor illicit thoughts and enjoy imagining what his touch would feel like?
Being attracted to someone attractive was a natural human behavior. It wasn’t that deep. So what if I found him sexy? So what if a part of me craved his touch? It didn’t mean anything other than the fact that I had an itch that needed scratching.
On second thought, maybe instead of feeling guilty about my attraction to him, I should use this to my own advantage. He was messing with me, seducing me because to him, this was some kind of game—one he was in control of.
The quickest and most effective way to discover the truth was through the weapon between my legs. I shouldn’t be the one to be seduced in this situation—it was an embarrassment to me and to womanhood. I should be the seductress causing him to spin his head and crave me every day.
He should be the one shrinking beneath my gaze, the one lusting after my body. Despite his signature flat expression, I had glimpsed glimpses of sexual fire burning in his eyes more than once. He was as attracted to me as I was to him.
