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Rafe swiped a card against a black box and the elevator doors instantly opened. Ari threw him a
questioning glance as she stepped inside; he ignored the look and pushed a button. The two of them
began climbing floor after floor in a smooth ascent that seemed interminable to Ari. At long last, a
small chime announced their arrival. Relieved, she glanced at the number highlighted on the elevator
buttons and learned that they were on the sixteenth floor.
This way, please.
Now wasn t the time for Ari to defy him, in what looked to be an apartment complex. Even though
he always promised her that all she had to do was say no and he d stop, she was afraid not of him, but
of her reaction to his touch.
She didn t think she d be able to tell him no, and she almost hated herself each time she detonated
in his arms. She didn t feel like the woman her mother had raised her to be.
He pulled out another card and slid it where a doorknob should have been, and the door opened
easily. Whatever had happened to keys and knobs? It was doubtless too ordinary for Rafe to enter a
building that used good old-fashioned deadbolts. She wouldn t be surprised to discover laser beams
ready to strike down trespassers.
Are you ever going to tell me where we are? she snapped as she walked inside and found
herself entering a large living area.
This could be your home. I ve owned it for months, he responded as she turned to look at him.
She was appalled at how confident he was that she d cave to him.
You re wasting both your money and my time. I don t want your apartment. Please take me home
now, she said and turned back toward the door.
Look around, Ari. What have you got to lose? Though he spoke softly, the tone in his voice told
her he wasn t making a request. It was a command.
So, this is where you chain your whores up and do unspeakable things to them. It looks a bit too
home and garden. I was expecting a dungeon with whips and chains hanging on the walls. Of course, I
haven t seen the rest of the place, so that might just be through a secret passage, she said as she
began moving toward the hallway.
I don t need whips and chains, Ari. I m quite convincing, he whispered in her ear, making her
jump. She hadn t realized he was right on her heels.
Yes, you re a macho god whom all should fear and bow to. Whatever was I thinking? she said
as she turned back to bat her eyes at him.
Rafe glared at her. One of these days that tongue will get you in more trouble than you know how
to deal with.
Is that a threat, Rafe? For a man who doesn t punish his women, you sure use a lot of
intimidation.
Rafe pushed her hard against the wall, his body blocking her from moving as he gazed down at
her, his eye color almost fully purple. Her heart rate quickened and her breathing became shallow at
the hunger mixed with rage that shone through his dark depths.
I never once said I don t punish, Ari. I do punish, and I will delight in teaching you obedience.
What I ve said is that I don t cause pain, he growled before his head bent and he took control of her
lips.
She pushed against his chest, knowing that within a few minutes she d be a goner if he continued
ravishing her mouth. Just as her knees began to grow weak, he pulled back, his breathing ragged.
Finish your tour, he commanded, then he turned and walked away. Ari leaned against the wall
for several more seconds as she heard him open a cupboard. When she felt confident that her legs
wouldn t fail her and she could move without sinking to the floor, she progressed down the hall and
walked through an open doorway.
Her eyes widened at the stunning four-poster bed in the center of the room. Its posts were thick
and intricately carved; a deep purple comforter spread over it caught and held her eyes. Was there
any way he could have known that purple was her favorite color? No, it was surely a coincidence.
She wanted to run her fingers over the gleaming fabric and see whether it was as soft as it looked, but
since she d never sleep in that bed, there was no point in torturing herself. She d never attain such a
life of luxury.
That isn t true, she snapped at herself. When she finally finished college and got the job of her
dreams, she d earn an excellent salary. She d treat herself to those things that made life a little easier,
and she d also treat her mother and make up for all the years of sacrifice.
Ari turned to leave, not daring to look into the bathroom, where she knew there would be a large
tub calling her name, and that s when something caught her eye. She turned back to the bed and looked
up.
Her eyes widened as she realized what it was. Her hand came up and covered her mouth; she took
a step closer. Yes, it really unsettled her, but only because it wasn t horror she was feeling it was
the first stirrings of excitement.
I can see by the way your body is tensing that you won t be as opposed to my lifestyle as you so
vehemently insist. Just the thought of the things I want to do to you appears to turn you on, and you re
just too afraid to admit it to me or yourself.
The sound of Rafe s seductive voice whispering in her ear while the sight of his bondage straps
floating before her made her knees weak. His hands snaked around her stomach and slid beneath her
shirt.
His fingers slowly moved up and over her breasts, lightly brushing against her nipples through the
thin cotton of her bra as his breath whispered across her neck. When his tongue slid out and tenderly
trailed across her skin, heat surged through her, demanding that her body respond and it did; her
core instantly grew moist and ready.
Yes, Ari. You want this. You want this so badly that you re trembling. You want to play all
kinds of games with me. Admit it. Stop fighting me and let me make the decisions. I ve never once
had a woman regret it.
Ari s entire body tensed as her passion evaporated. He might as well have slapped her in the
face. How many other women had he screwed in this same bed? How many others had he run his
fingers across, then thrown out like yesterday s garbage?
I m ready to go home now, she said as she wrenched herself away and walked out the door. She
didn t stop until she was clear of the condo and standing before the elevator. She was grateful he
didn t try to stop her. At least he was keeping his word of taking no for an answer.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Utter silence marked the ride to Ari s apartment. Why her sudden change of heart? Rafe
wondered. He d handpicked that condo for her, chosen every single item in it.
He always treated his mistresses well. But with Ari, he d gone above and beyond what he
normally did and had taken extra time to get to know her. He knew which scents were her favorites,
knew that she preferred a luxurious bath to a diamond necklace, and most importantly, knew that she
was trapped in a prison, just waiting for someone to free her.
She might think she s won in our battle of wills, but she s only delayed the inevitable. At the
moment Rafe was too angry for further discussion. Besides, he wasn t fighting on a fair battlefield
she was still recovering from surgery. So if he pushed and she gave in, how could he value her
surrender? The delay was all for the best. He preferred his victories when his opponent was at full
strength.
He pulled up outside her dilapidated apartment complex and stepped from his vehicle. Annoyance
flashed through him when she opened her car door and stepped out before he made it around to her
side, but he said nothing, just followed her up the sagging steps. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] - zanotowane.pl
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