“I hear you’re a troublemaker. I want no trouble for the boss, not even from a sexy lady like yourself.” He proceeded to frisk me, the rough pads of his massive pudgy hands seeming to have a mind of their own. He kicked my legs apart, easing his hands along the inside of my calves, moving far too slowly up to my inner thighs.
I held my breath, biting back a whimper as he pawed me.
The second his hand stroked across my pussy, I jerked away, backing against the wall. That was the very moment the file tumbled out of my dress.
The second man lost his grin, moving around the first brute and crouching on the floor. He moved to a standing position slowly, twisting and turning the file in the dim lighting. “Interesting. The boss isn’t going to be too happy about this.”
“What a shame,” I hissed between clenched teeth.
The second brute pushed me forward.
I clenched my fists. I’d made another careless mistake. It wouldn’t happen again.
The ornate set of stairs was directly in front of me, the smooth wood of the bannister cool to my touch. I walked down the stairs very slowly, as if making an entrance mattered to any degree. Michael couldn’t care less. Whatever his goals, I was a small portion of them. That much I knew.
The soldiers followed me, one of them pointing to the left after I reached the threshold. I held my head high, walking closer, even though my stomach continued to churn.
The room itself was very large, the furnishings nothing that I would have expected a movie star to prefer. I’d been able to catch a few glimpses out of floor-to-ceiling windows, the sight of blooming shrubs and towering trees a mere glimpse into the coiffed estate. Even my father’s villa, while posh and furnished with antiques collected from my mother, including expensive artwork, paled in comparison to the money that had been spent on this home.
Was this even his home?
Michael paid me no attention as I entered. He simply sat in an oversized leather chair, a book in his lap and a glass of some liquor in his hand. He turned page after page while I waited, finally taking a sip of his drink. The bastard. He knew exactly how to control the situation. If he knew anything about me, he realized that I wasn’t used to waiting for anything or anyone. I had no patience.
I scanned the area, studying the artwork, the expensive but very old world carpets. Nothing in the house seemed like what little I knew about the movie star. He’s been seen jetting off to Monte Carlo and Paris with beautiful blondes, not sitting by an unlit stone fireplace reading a book.
He cleared his throat and lifted his head. I could read the carnal desire, the desire furrowing deep inside the man. And I could swear his cock was already hard. He glanced at his watch, exhaling. “Right on time.”
“As requested,” I managed, the words sticking in my throat.
“Would you like a drink?”
“Why not?” I was waiting for the shoe to drop as they announced my faux pas.
He nodded to one of the soldiers, who promptly moved toward the bar, finding a crystal stem and pouring from an already opened bottle of wine. Red wine. Even Michael’s capos had been instructed on my particular tastes. Bully for him.
The capo moved forward, shoving a glass into my hand. His sneer was just as disapproving as the intense look on Michael’s face.
“You can leave us now. I’ll be able to control her for the evening.” Michael gave the command without bothering to address either of them. He only had eyes for me.
The second brute remained, drawing Michael’s attention. “Need to see you for a second, boss.”
Michael seemed annoyed but followed behind him and out of the room. The second brute leered at me as I waited.
“He’s not a man you cross,” he said quietly.
“I’m not the kind of woman you cross either.”
The soldier actually chuckled. He didn’t realize I wasn’t joking. I moved the wine from hand to hand, both clammy. The adrenaline from before was wearing off, leaving me quivering all over as the reality set in.
I heard Michael’s boots hitting the hardwood floor as he walked in and with every step he took, I shivered.
“You can go, Grinder. I will handle her.” Michael’s voice was guarded but soft.
“Yes, boss. We’ll be outside if you need us.” Grinder took a step back, nodding, a sneer on his face. He wasn’t thrilled that I was here.
Michael walked back to his chair, sitting down and reaching for his drink. He seemed to be contemplating what to do or at least what to say to me. He remained silent, adding to the tension.
I waited until the men had left before bothering to take a sip of the wine. I could only hope the liquid libation would help calm my nerves. I decided to ignore the obvious. “Your house is… interesting.”
“Not mine. A friend of mine allowed me to borrow it for a few days.”
“Until the heat goes away?”
He seemed agitated by my comment, as if I was challenging his level of control. “I wanted to make certain that we had some time to get to know each other without interruption. Now, I know that I was correct in my assumptions.”
His formality was just as curious as the man himself. He took another sip of his drink, studying me intently. I couldn’t stand the way he was looking at me.
Leering at me.
Undressing me.
Dominating me.
“What? You abduct me, offering some business deal. You bring me to God knows where. You threaten me if I’m not a good girl that you’ll punish me, and you expect me to enjoy the time I spend with you?”
“I expect you to be civil.” I didn’t expect the vehemence as he slammed down his glass and rose quickly, closing the distance within two seconds. He grabbed both arms, yanking me closer until I could feel the heat of his breath cascading across my skin. The wineglass was almost knocked out of my hand, liquid spilling out over the rim.
I gasped, palming his chest and pushing. The way his muscles felt against my skin was electrifying, my head buzzing from the closeness.