Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 53693 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 268(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53693 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 268(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
When he touched me, I wasn’t afraid anymore. I wanted so much more, and even now I want more of him. I can’t stop thinking of ways I want him to touch me. Ways I want to touch him. My mind has become a perverted sex dungeon, and he’s the star of all of my fantasies.
The morning after, he takes me downstairs, and we have tea together. It’s incredibly sweet. He’d arranged for one of his staff to bring a bag for me, so I get dressed up and giggle as we sit through high tea at the Plaza. It’s so much more beautiful than I’d imagined, and the offerings are delicious.
Then he takes me walking through the park, only mildly making fun of me when I beg to try a hotdog from a street vendor. I’ve never been allowed to have one before, and while it isn’t the best hot dog I’ve ever had in my life, it tastes like freedom and possibility.
He asks me about my childhood, and I tell him what I feel comfortable sharing. Papa doted on me, but he was also strict. I never wanted for anything, but I also wasn’t allowed to do anything. He never let me come into Manhattan unless I was on a school trip. Even then, I had to come with a bodyguard.
I was only seventeen when he told me I’d have to marry Niko in order to go to college. I don’t miss the dark expression that covers Ivan’s face when he hears this. He curses in Russian and spits at the ground.
“Your father is a stupid small minded man,” he says darkly. “He has no idea the gem he has as a daughter, and he was wrong not to let you shine.”
This warms my heart, but I still don’t know that I can trust Ivan completely. It scares me to give myself over to him because part of me believes there’s a catch. He had no reason to take me away from my life, and even now he has no reason to dote on me. He says that I’m his, but at what cost?
He tries hard, though. On our second day at the Plaza, he takes me out to the computer stores and asks me what model I need. I decide to test him, picking out a laptop and desktop that are top of the line. I don’t strictly need them for my classes, but they’re the best on the market, and I won’t need an upgrade for a long time.
He doesn’t bat an eye, barking at one of the workers to pick out my request and deliver them to his apartment. Our apartment. He’s harsh on people, but kind to me, which I don’t understand. He hardly knows me, but he treats me like I’m the most precious person in the world.
In the middle of the computer store, I wrap my arms around him and plant a kiss on his lips, wanting to see how he’ll react. He kisses me back, hard, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me against him so I can feel how much he wants me.
“Later,” he growls in my ear, a promise on his lips.
We leave the Plaza on the third day, and he takes me by Colombia so I can register for my classes. The registrar asks if I’ll be utilizing any financial aid, and he scoffs at her. He asks her how much it will be to cover my tuition for the next four semesters. She looks up the price, a number that sounds so large to me, but he simply nods.
He pulls out a checkbook and writes a figure down, passing it back to her.
“This should cover the rest of her tuition in full,” he says. “I would like it credited to her account so the rest of her semesters are covered.”
The registrar looks at the check with wide eyes and nods at him, typing furiously into her computer. I can’t believe he just did that. I’m absolutely floored. School is paid for, in full, and I didn’t even have to marry Niko to get it. Plus, being with Ivan is a lot more interesting.
A car picks us up at the university and takes us back to the penthouse. I feel reluctant to go back because I loved being at the Plaza so much. But I’m starting to develop an appreciation for the penthouse too. Since our first night at the Plaza, I’ve been thinking about having Ivan take me in every single room.
It’ll take a while. The penthouse is huge. There are seven bedrooms, five bathrooms, the kitchen, his office, the living room, the dining room, a workout room, and a personal theater. It’ll take a few days, but I don’t think he’ll have any issue agreeing to it. As we walk into the building and head to the elevator, a chill runs down my spine.