Chapter 20
Penelope
There was something powerful about a man who knew what he wanted. There was also something disarming about someone who lived and breathed for the enjoyment of winning at all costs, including the sale of his own soul.
Christian had purchased an entire traveling amusement park for me. He’d won me a huge bear after highlighting he was a crack shot. Like an assassin.
And I had the distinct feeling he’d kill anyone who stood in his way.
Now I knew I needed to find out everything I could about the man. There were definitely several red flags and I needed to satisfy my concerns.
All of my thoughts defined Christian perfectly and up until now, I’d struggled with being able to put thoughts and feelings into actual words. Not that I would share them with anyone. They’d certainly think me crazy.
I’d watched the way he’d attacked the targets, every shot done with ease and without hesitating for even a split second. He’d felt the target throughout his system, enjoying the ‘kill’ more than most would.
I’d seen my share of guys after shooting guns for practice. They were elated, acting all big and tough. Not him. He’d handled the action with his usual cool demeanor, even though I’d felt his anger simmering from losing before.
Perhaps I should be bothered by his skill of striking down inanimate objects, but I’d been blown away by his control. It was the same way he handled passion, with everything he had yet without breaking a sweat.
He was enigmatic and I found myself drawn to him the more time I spent with him.
Who decided to purchase a fair that had to cost millions of dollars because some chick he barely knew had mentioned how much she adored them? Correction. I’d told him how much I loved Ferris wheels.
Which was exactly where we were going.
I stopped walking, tilting my head toward the magnificent ride that was towering over everything.
“I can’t believe you went to all this trouble,” I told him. After all the teasing, the laughter and savoring his reactions to things, I felt more somber than before.
“What trouble?”
“Don’t play coy. It doesn’t look good on you. You wanted to impress me, which you have, but why?”
He thought about my question as we continued walking. There was also something very sexy about seeing him with a stuffed animal in his arms. “Because I don’t want you with any other man.”
I wasn’t certain what I’d expected to hear, but that wasn’t on the radar. “As in ever?”
“Ever, Penelope. If any man touches you again, I don’t know what I’ll do.”
The prickles dancing down my arms should be pure ice. Instead they were created from extreme heat, which caused my pussy to clench and release.
How exactly could I comment on such a possessive statement?
So I didn’t, enjoying the sights and sounds instead.
The man hummed with electricity, the intense vibrations easily felt from even a few inches away.
He left me breathless, aching inside and while a small part of me sensed his hunger for power had altered his personality, I craved the sense of control he had over everything.
Including people.
Including me.
Never had I once wished for a dominating man, but he was entirely different, so self-assured all while being tortured. “How many people did you hire to be here?”
Christian took a deep breath. “Enough.”
“Money is of no consequence to you.”
“Money is of significant consequence to me. It provides the necessary tools for full conquest.”
We’d reached the entrance to the Ferris wheel, the man who’d been waiting for our arrival moving forward to prepare a seat.
“Is that all that’s important to you, defeating your competition?”
“That and my enemies.” He took the smaller bear from my hand, gently placing both on one of the benches near the ride. Even positioning the two together as if hoping the stuffed bears kept each other company.
It was times like this I sensed his awkwardness, the only uncertainty he had or would ever show. He was used to taking everything he wanted, not giving in return. Maybe I was more attracted to his vulnerability than anything else.
“Do you have many of those? Enemies, I mean?”
He nodded toward the gondola-like seat, the light of the ride highlighting a rather evil expression. “You’d be surprised.”
“How do you deal with that?”
“With finality.”
Now I shivered even more. Was it possible he was capable of killing another human being? I wasn’t certain I wanted a direct answer.
Once we were settled and he’d pulled the bar on the ride down over us, he did something unexpected in placing his arm around my shoulders.
Suddenly, this felt very much like a date.
“So you’ve never been on a Ferris wheel either?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
“Not a rollercoaster. Not a tilt-a-whirl. Not bumper cars. Nothing.”
“Your family had no interest?”
As the ride jerked to a start, I was surprised every muscle tensed in his body. “My father was too busy keeping the peace.”
“And your mom?”
He kept his face straight ahead as the ride began to rise, moving slowly at first, but his other hand was firmly wrapped around the bar. “She died when I was very young.”
“I’m sorry. Then we have something in common.”
Very slowly, he turned his head toward me, a quiet reverence shifting between us that hadn’t been there before.
The silence between us wasn’t empty; it felt heavy and full, like a bridge we were both building without saying a word.
I kept my eyes locked on his and knew, with a strange and sudden certainty, that our internal clocks had just synced up.
I didn’t have to explain my thoughts. He was already there. Reading my mind.
Testing my trust.
Hungering for my body as well as my soul.
And at that moment, that’s what I wanted to do. To give him everything.
I took his hand into mine, squeezing his fingers. “Don’t worry, Christian. I’ll keep you safe.”
The sentiment shattered the moment, but didn’t toss it away, only capturing and keeping it for later. His smile allowed my own tension to fade.
“Of that I have no doubt, sweet Penelope. You are a true angel in a world full of demons.”
“Including you?”
“Especially me.”
As our car reached the top, the conversation was dropped. With my oohs and aahs, there was no way I could hear anything he had to say.
“You do know you’re captive with me,” I tossed out, enjoying teasing him.
“Actually,” he growled. “It’s the other way around.”
“Nothing about this or us is usual. You should have figured that out by now.” I didn’t mind twisting his words and tossing them in his face. It was enjoyable to watch him in his shift from being affronted to accepting I had no intention of playing by anyone’s rules.
“You are very… unusual.”
As the ride came close to the bottom, the seat swinging as it always did from the pull of gravity, I cocked my head and scrunched up my face. For an exaggerated wink. “Yes, I am and I still think you’re a stalker in disguise.”
“Perhaps you’re right, but what’s wrong with keeping a beautiful woman safe?”
“Nothing, as long as the man doing so doesn’t cross the line.” As the ride was pulled to the ground, swinging backward to reach the top all over again, I threw my arms up.
He was once again white knuckled with the handlebar.
“What if the man has no lines?”
“Then I guess he’s in the clear.” I was expecting the ride to slow as obviously the ride operator had been told to keep us at the very pinnacle for a few extra minutes. When it stopped, I took a deep breath.
“You should really learn never to tease the man stalking you.”
“So you admit it.”
The seat finally stopped swinging and suddenly, he didn’t seem as apprehensive as before, yet I was still shocked when he lifted the bar.
“What are you doing?” I had no fear of heights, but I wasn’t about to crawl all over the ride.
“Come here.”
For the first time that I could remember, I peered down at the ground. I wasn’t any more fearful of heights, but I did notice the operator had walked away. “You’re up to something.”
“I have never been told I’m up to anything because I never hesitate in taking an action under any circumstances. Now I need you on my lap.”
It wasn’t a request, but a demand that added to the moments of shivering around him. While I was very careful and as soon as the car moved up and down a tiny squeal pushed past my lips, I was excited.
I made it onto his lap without incident or without threatening to drop us to the ground. “You’re a wild man.”
“I admit I don’t think I’ve been called that before.” The change in his demeanor was instant. He fisted my hair and captured my mouth.
Nothing about him should surprise me any longer, including the ferocity of his passion.
With no forewarning, he thrust his tongue inside, sweeping it back and forth across mine.
I wrapped my fingers around his shirt while the thick bulge between his legs grew in size, soon throbbing much like my pussy.
With the taste of cotton candy lingering on my tongue, the kiss was the sweetest to date. He left me breathless, aching with desire. I had my eyes cinched shut while shifting back and forth on his lap. Every moan I made, he swallowed.
Every breath stolen.
And I was lightheaded already while the light evening breeze tickled my skin. When he pulled our lips apart, he used his thumb to lift my chin while biting my lower lip.
While he did, I was rewarded with dark and intense growls that kept my body shuddering.
When he was finished, he dragged his tongue along the underside of my jaw, rolling the tip down my neck. Electric sensations rocketed through me, the ache in my pussy creating a wave of explosive heat.
He seemed to sense my condition doing something so unexpected, and I was caught in a moment that left me speechless.
The handsome and very possessive man yanked off my dress. He wasn’t kidding when he said he was used to getting everything he wanted. I was floored, my only other emotion anger at deciding not to wear a bra.
“You’re crazy,” I managed.
“I am.” At least he didn’t toss my dress off the ride.