Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 130048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
I shivered against my will. “I’ll do it.”
He groaned as if my threat turned him on. “But I haven’t even touched you yet.”
“You’re holding me.”
“And you feel so damn breakable. So fucking good.”
“I can still hit you. Hurt you.”
“Do it and I won’t be able to stop what I do in return, Ily.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Stop using my name. It’s not yours to use.”
“Mine’s Henri. Now you know what to scream.”
My mouth hung open at his audacity.
My heart tripped over his words.
And my body…good lord, my body betrayed me.
I was wet.
Tingly.
Confused.
Who the hell is this man?
Terrified nausea roiled, churning with desperation to get far, far away. “Look, Henri…I’ve had enough. This has gone on long enough and—”
“It’s only just begun.” He bent from his tall height, pressing his nose to mine. “I’m truly sorry, you know. So fucking sorry—”
“Sorry for what?” Sam snapped, his hand still locked around the envelope of cash. “What the fuck are you two whispering about?”
The deafening music returned.
The humidity of many dancers.
The awareness that we weren’t alone.
It all slammed back in, drenching my senses.
How did he do that?
How did a single touch and a whispered threat make the world drop away, leaving me bound with a total stranger, locked together by some sick connection?
With a pained growl, Henri unwound his arm from around my waist but didn’t let go of my wrist. He glowered at Sam as if he’d happily murder him for interrupting.
Sam swallowed as suspicions flared in his eyes. His face hardened as he repeated his question. “What were you two whispering about? She didn’t say anything bad about me, did she? Whatever she said, it’s a lie. She’s always been a liar. A nobody. She was only somebody because she was with me, and now—”
“Oh…Sam.” I shook my head sadly.
In that terrible moment, I saw him.
Truly saw all the pieces I’d been so stupidly blind to: the immaturity, the selfishness, the ego.
He was more afraid of me badmouthing him to a total stranger than he was at condemning his soul for ever entertaining accepting cash for me.
All my puff and bluster evaporated like a punctured balloon. “Oh, you idiotic, self-centred fool, Sam.” Tears stung my eyes, and the man holding me shot me a quizzical look.
His nostrils flared at the first glimmer of my tears.
A full-body shudder worked through Henri as a single droplet trickled down my cheek.
He froze as wetness caught in the corner of my mouth.
He growled low and deep.
He stood transfixed as if my tears were the worst aphrodisiac of his life.
And then, as if he couldn’t stop himself, he yanked me into him, grabbed my jaw with one giant, powerful hand, and smashed his mouth to mine.
I didn’t even have time to breathe.
He kissed me.
Savagely.
Inhumanly.
He kissed me as if he could stop my heart with a single lick.
His tongue pierced my slack, shocked lips like a sword intent on puncturing my very soul. He hunted me and choked me. And then, he jerked away as if he hadn’t meant to kiss me after all. As if he hadn’t meant to swipe his tongue inside the corner of my mouth, gathering up the saltiness of my sadness, swallowing it down with a desperate, tortured groan.
I swayed on the spot.
My mouth was bruised.
My insides tangled.
What the—
“What the fuck?” Sam snapped. “What sort of prick kisses another man’s woman?”
I flinched and licked my stinging lips.
“The one who just gave you a wad of cash for the privilege,” Henri said.
Sam glanced down, fisting the money as if he’d forgotten it in his sea of unrighteous jealousy.
Henri smiled. Like a shark. Like the devil. “Do we have a deal?” He gave Sam an icy look beneath hooded brows. “You seem pretty fond of that cash. Is the trade done or not?”
Words tumbled from me. “There won’t be any trade—”
“You know what? Ily’s right.” Sam choked, holding out the thick envelope. “I’ve changed my mind. Take your money and let her go.”
I sagged with relief.
Oh, thank goodness.
Sam might be a twat, but at least he wasn’t a—
“Keep the money,” Henri purred. “You know you want to.”
“Nah.” Sam shook his head. “I’m—”
“You were right, you know. She was whispering about you.”
Sam froze. “She was? I knew it!”
“I can tell you what she said, if you want?” Henri ran his tongue over his glistening lips, his entire body primed to deliver perfect cruelty. “Do you want to know what she truly thinks of you?”
Sam narrowed his eyes on me. “I always knew she spoke about me behind my back. Go on then. What did she say?”
“I have never spoken badly about you to anyone, Sam. Don’t take the bait. I said nothing—”
Sucking in a deep breath as if fortifying himself, Henri smirked. “She said you’ve had to pop Viagra every time she asked you for sex. That your cock doesn’t work, and she’s never had an orgasm because you have no idea how to pleasure her. You’ve never touched her right. Never kissed her right. Never fucked her right.”