Chapter 2
Dark
“Sir, sir? Are you listening to me?” My assistant Leonard’s whiny voice is getting on my last nerve. Again. “Mr. Ruelle, really, this needs to be signed by this evening.”
“It’s in the top left drawer of my desk, Leo.” He hates the nickname. When he badgers me to the point I’d like to snap his neck, I use it. Ordinarily, the early-twenties man would take a hint.
Not today, it seems.
“If you’d have simply told me that sooner, I could have left you alone. But nooooo, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Broody just has to make life difficult.”
Staring at the phone in my hand, it’s hard to tell if he’s trying to piss me off enough to fly out to him, or if he’s just fucking stupid. “Leo, if I get on a plane, I’m ripping out your fucking tongue. Watch your tone with me, boy.”
A sharp inhale followed by a slamming drawer is his response to my threat. “I’ll have this off to Jonas Enterprises in five minutes, sir.” The click of him disconnecting us only irritates me further.
I sit back in the booth of the two-star restaurant—and I’m being generous with those stars—already in an ominous mood. This fucking punk, Jeremy dipshit, popular basketball player, is taking out my fucking girl. My. Girl. And I want to tear off his arms and beat him to death with them.
Arriving at the exact moment as Jeremy and Hael had, I walked past them and ripped open the door without holding it for Hael when she was only a few steps behind me.
It was a test for the dipshit, and he failed spectacularly.
A real man would have had a word with me about politeness; this asshole didn’t even look up from his fucking phone.
Hael held the door open for both of them, and he walked in first.
After faking a phone call so they could be seated before me, I requested the booth across from them to keep an eye on her. She has no clue about my identity, so she has no reason to be concerned about my eyes remaining steady on her.
Her hair is pinned back from her face with loose curls around her throat, highlighting a slender neck and making my mouth water for a taste.
She’s wearing a black tube top that rests just above her navel, showing too much fucking skin for another man, and her ass and legs are snug in a pair of ripped skinny jeans, begging for a spanking.
The way her heels pop her ass out spins my mind in a million directions, detailing me fucking her from behind.
Staring at the back of her date’s head, my fingers itch to grip his hair and slam his skull off the table over how he’s ignoring her. Instead, I send her another text. If he won’t appreciate her, I fucking will.
Me: He isn’t good enough for you.
Her phone chimes from the handbag sitting next to her. It’s a knockoff Coach bag that she’s had for years. For as rich as her father is, he’s stingy when it comes to her. If he thinks about her at all.
Hael doesn’t take out her phone to read my message, so I send her three more in quick succession, if for no other reason than to redirect dipshit Jeremy’s attention to her.
Me: You look stunning tonight. Too good for him.
Me: I’d never ignore you like this. You’d be the center of my world.
Me: Stop ignoring me, sweet pea, he’s not even looking up.
She glances around, eyes snagging on me and lingering for a minute before moving on and grabbing her phone.
As she retrieves the device and starts to read, I continue typing on my phone so she doesn’t suspect me, but her eyes lift and capture mine, questions swirling in those sea-glass irises that she won’t ask a stranger.
Sweet pea: How do you know these things?
Me: From watching you…
Focusing on my phone, her eyes burn into me as she snaps a quick photo of me before she sends it through.
Sweet pea: Is this you?
Me: Like I’d allow you to catch me until I’m ready to bring you to our castle.
Her pulse quickens as I make a few memos in my notes app before stopping to sit back and take a sip of my water.
Sweet pea: What?
My dick grows hard imagining that question being asked lustfully as I hold her close, and the warmth of her breath brushes across my flesh.
Me: Where did you think this was going? I don’t come in a girl every night just to ditch her while she’s carrying my baby.
Immediately, she jolts upright, her cheeks heating, and her breathing accelerates.
Me: Jeremy dipshit isn’t even looking up from his phone. Ditch his dumb ass and I’ll take you away.
Her tears are nearly my undoing.
Sweet pea: You’re really scaring me.
Me: Last fucking thing I want to do.
Sweet pea: Then tell me who you are.
Me: Not until you’re ready and since you’re on a date, you’re not ready for me. Not yet. But I promise, I’ll be by tonight with another baby-making load for you.
Sweet pea: This is wrong. So wrong. You can’t do those kinds of things to a person. God! Maybe I won’t go home tonight. Then you won’t find me.
A growl prowls from my chest, catching her attention as I scowl at my phone, but who fucking cares? She’s going home, or she won’t like the consequences.
Me: Don’t fuck with me, sweet pea. You will not like the punishment.
Placing my phone face down on the table, I wave the server over while meeting Hael’s frightened stare as she types out and deletes a few responses.
After placing an order for a burger and fries, with little hope of receiving anything with flavor, I finally pick my phone back up and shoot an email to Leonard, instructing him to have the Vegas house staff prepare for guests soon. Then I read her message.
Sweet pea: I’m not a child. I don’t need punishment. And I don’t have to listen to you, you’re not my daddy.
Wrong fucking thing to say.
Me: That’s where you’re mistaken, Hael. You are mine and I’ll be the only Daddy you’ll ever need again. Mark my words.
She swallows deeply when dipshit finally pulls his head out of his ass and gives her his attention. If I had to bet, he’s been texting with at least two other girls.
Crossing my arms and sitting back, I openly watch Hael as she listens to him rattle on about how great he is in basketball, academics—I’d bet he’s a C student at best—with girls, and a bunch of other bullshit.
Her eyes dart between the menu, her phone, and me.
Mostly me. And I’m egotistical enough to admit to growing addicted to it.
When they finally order, my food is being brought out. The lettuce is limp, the fries are barely cooked, and the burger is burnt. Cutting it in half, the meat is even raw.
“Jesus fucking Christ.” My untempered words draw the stares of everyone around me. Standing up, I toss a couple of bills on the table and keep Hael’s light-green gaze captive until we can no longer see each other.
“What an asshole,” dipshit mutters as I’m a table away.
“Jeremy,” Hael hisses, lightly scolding him.
Getting behind the wheel of my Land Rover, I send my girl one last message.
Me: Sleep well, sweet pea. Daddy can’t wait for a taste.
Despite the number of times I’ve been to her place while she’s sleeping, I haven’t put my mouth on her pussy yet.
I’ve sucked on her nipples, nibbling until she’d feel them the following day, but her cunt has been off-limits because I knew once I had a taste, I wouldn’t be leaving the heaven of her body any time soon after.
Sweet pea: Please…
Staring at her through the diner window, she’s looking for me but can’t see past my tinted windows, and when our eyes meet, I recognize it… Barely there…
Desire.