She must hate him and God help him but he still couldn’t set her free. He was certainly going to change a few things but he needed her in his life. He needed to see her when he walked in the door, he needed to hear her voice ringing out through the hallways and he needed to smell her sweet scent. He couldn’t free her but he knew she may leave eventually. She’d already been through hell and didn’t need to live it for the rest of her life.

He rocked Patsy in his arms, while she sobbed out her own pain. He couldn’t imagine the terror she’d gone through herself. She’d only been a toddler when all that had occurred. He guessed the fates had stepped in to save them both. He wished her father was still alive because he’d never wanted to seriously harm someone as badly as he wanted to at that moment.

“I’m okay now,” Patsy gulped, as she looked at him with her innocent eyes. She seemed more like twelve than sixteen.

“I’m sorry you went through all that and I’m even sorrier I wasn’t there for you,” he told her, fighting to not show his own pain.

“You couldn’t have been there for us. She didn’t allow anyone to help her shoulder the pain,” Patsy told him. He knew she was right but it sure didn’t make him feel any better. When she’d sent him walking, he’d never looked back. He hadn’t wanted to show her any weakness and because of that, she’d been hurt.

He swore to make it up to her. He would make sure her life was so much better than it ever had been before. She’d never have to worry about money problems or where she was going to sleep. She’d never have a single worry again. He smiled wryly at himself thinking about how well that conversation would go over.

He’d make sure she and her sister were okay and her love of Patsy is what he would use to get her to accept his offerings. He knew she’d already gone to the ends of the earth for her sister and he also knew she’d continue to do so the rest of her life.

Her sacrifices weren’t even sacrifices in her own eyes. She believed everyone would do the same thing for their family. She was so wrong. Most people he’d ever known didn’t give a lick about anyone or anything but themselves. She was an exception.

Patsy finally pulled herself together and he went back into the den to have another drink. He had to calm down again before he saw her. Patsy had promised not to tell Nicole of their conversation. He hated to have her sister keep secrets from her but he also didn’t want her defensive because he knew her secrets. He had to be careful not to act too differently around her, or she’d be furious. She obviously didn’t want to be pitied and she didn’t want to be a martyr.

He finally had himself under control enough to walk up the stairs. He’d been gone over an hour and was shocked to find her still in the tub. She was lying back in the water but she was awake. He walked in and groaned, as the bubbles were quickly fading. He reached in and felt the water had cooled off so he turned the faucet on hot to re-warm the tub.

“I can do that myself,” she said, bringing her knees up to her chest in modesty. He looked at her with his brows raised high. She was hiding not only what he’d seen many times over but licked, sucked and done just about everything imaginable too. As if she could read his thoughts, her cheeks turned scarlet and she quickly looked away.

He released some of the cooler water and soon the tub was back up to a nice temperature and full of new bubbles. She relaxed her body eyeing him warily. He blew out his breath, reminding himself to not act differently. What would he have done before his world had been knocked off of its axis? That was easy. He would’ve joined her in the tub.

He gave her a very seductive smile and began stripping his clothing off. She looked at him in shock and he could see she was trying to decide whether to stay in the safety of her bubbles, or jump out of the tub. He really hoped she stayed.

He got his clothes off, not even trying to hide his desire for her and stepped into the tub. He moved her forward and sat down behind her, quickly pulling her into his arms. It was like coming home. She leaned against him tensely for a few moments and when he didn’t try doing anything other than hold her, she finally started to relax.

“I didn’t want to go to that party anyway,” he said, as if not attending was his idea.

“Ha,” she said, with a jerk of her shoulder. He had to fight off the smile. He loved how she had to have the last word and he loved how he could wipe all words from her. He began rubbing his hands against her stomach. He felt the shudder run through her body and his worries started melting away.

His hands soon traveled up her soapy body, until they gripped her incredibly luscious breasts. He rubbed her hardened nipples between his fingers, causing her to gasp out loud. He was incredibly aroused at that point and couldn’t imagine a time when she wouldn’t turn his brain to mush.

His hands kept stroking her, making moans of pleasure escape her body. He wanted her supple and willing to concede to his every wish, before he started the conversation he wanted to have with her. It was really hard to use sex as a way to get what he wanted though because the second he touched her, his own mind went out the window and he tended to forget what he wanted to talk about.

She pushed her body back against him and he was the one who let a moan escape. She was slippery and wet and he was beyond ready to join their bodies together. He leaned forward and kissed along her slender neck, nipping and licking the tender skin. He loved the taste and smell of her. His one hand continued to massage her breast, while his other hand slipped lower on her body, finding her aching nub and making her cry out in pleasure. It didn’t take him long, rubbing her swollen womanhood, before she began shaking in pleasure.

He slid his fingers inside her moist heat and felt her contractions grip him, as she flew over the edge in ecstasy. She was so responsive to his every touch he should’ve known he never could count on having a conversation in the middle of love-making.

He quickly turned her body around so she was straddling him and took her ripe nipple into his mouth. He had to taste her skin; he had to feel her heartbeat against him. He had to have her right then.

He lifted her hips above his straining erection and slowly lowered her on his shaft. He groaned, as her heat surrounded him. She was so tight, wet and hot he couldn’t hold off. She took over for him and braced her hands on his shoulders, moving her hips up and down on his thick shaft.

He grabbed her head, bringing it down to his, needing to drink from her lips. He thrust his tongue inside her soft mouth, tasting her and tangling their tongues together. He held her back so she was smashed up against him. Her breasts were rubbing against his chest, causing lightening to shoot down his entire body. She moved her hips faster and faster, up and down his throbbing shaft. He could feel her body getting even tighter, as she neared orgasm again. She was so unbelievably responsive.

He couldn’t tear his lips away from hers. He kept greedily drinking, as she kept up the intense rhythm of their love-making.

Suddenly, she ripped her head away and cried out, as her body grabbed him so tightly, it was almost painful for him. She was gripping him over and over again with the strength of her release, sending him spiraling out of control. He moved his hands down to grip her hips, as he surged into her as far as he could go and shot his release deep within her. He could feel himself pumping repeatedly, giving her every single ounce of himself.

The orgasm was so powerful, it felt as if a very piece of his soul had departed him and seeped into her. She truly owned him, if only she knew. There was nothing in the world he wouldn’t do for her. He prayed she never knew that because it may end up destroying him, if the one thing she asked for was to be set free.

He pulled her head down to his shoulder, not wanting her to see into his eyes but needing her to be next to him. He needed them to be skin to skin with his body inside her, never moving from that position. He stroked her back, as they both enjoyed the aftermath. Neither of them was willing to speak or break the moment. Their conversation would have to wait until later.

Chapter Ten

“Fine, I’ll use the stupid car then,” Nicole said, as she threw her hands up in frustration. She’d called a cab to pick her up and take her to work and when Ryan found out he flipped.

Ryan had sent one of his security men to the gate, to pay the driver and send him on his way. There was no way in hell he was letting her call a cab when she had a vehicle to drive.

He’d blocked her entrance at the front door and wasn’t moving an inch on the matter. If she wanted to leave the house, it was going to be in the car he’d bought her. He stood there, blocking the door, with the keys dangling from his fingers and a smug look on his face. She’d finally backed down and let him have his way.

“Was that really so hard?” he practically growled at her.

“Yes, it was, and thanks for asking,” she mocked him. He wanted to bend her over his knee. Of course, that thought got his mind going in the wrong direction and he was already late for a board meeting. He had to hurry and get his work finished at the office so he could get over to the shop and meet the architect for the remodel work Jasmine requested. He found it amusing he’d much rather be doing that than sitting in his office.

Nicole didn’t know he’d be at her work place later that day and he was looking forward to surprising her. He didn’t think it was going to be a surprise she was delighted about but that was just too bad for her.

Nicole grabbed the keys from him, with a little huff and marched out to the garage, with him right on her heels. He loved watching the sway of her hips as she walked away from him, especially when she was in a tiff and the movements were more pronounced.

“Are you stalking me now?” she asked, as she stepped through the garage door.

“I’m leaving for work too,” he informed her and chuckled. That earned him another glare.

“Well then, I’ll see you later,” she said and reached for her car door. He spun her around and kissed her long and hard, leaving her breathless.

“Think about that today,” he said, then jumped in his car and drove away. Nicole stood there dazed for a few moments and blew out her breath in frustration. The man got under her skin in seconds. He evoked powerful emotions in her, whether it was anger, lust, or happiness. He didn’t do anything half-way.

She pulled onto the street and had to stop a couple miles down the road at a drug store. She’d put off taking a pregnancy test for a ridiculous amount of time and knew it was time. She was terrified to confirm what she already knew in her heart but she had to do it. She wouldn’t take the test at home where Ryan could read her face like a book.

She walked out of the store, with the test safely stored in her handbag and had to control her breathing. What scared her more than knowing the truth was how much she wanted the baby. At first she’d been terrified to think she was pregnant and then as the thought sunk in that she was most likely carrying Ryan’s baby she’d been overwhelmed with joy.

She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt her love for Ryan had never gone away. She’d loved him with the innocence of a child and since living with him that had grown into an adult’s deep and binding love. She knew he didn’t love her and that knowledge was enough to destroy her.