Chapter Six

It was excruciating. Jewell’s emotions continued their chaotic dance as Blake leaned a bit closer to her. But then, almost on a dime, Blake stepped back and broke into something like an actual smile. “Follow me, Jewell. I’m going to the kitchen.”

Without waiting to see whether she would obey — she had to — he pivoted on his heel and walked from the room, leaving her to sag against the wall as she prayed her knees wouldn’t give out on her. Less than thirty minutes in Blake’s presence and she was a complete mess. She’d been in better shape when she’d been worried she might have been sold to some sadistic stranger. But then again, Blake was no stranger to sadism.

She kept her distance, but not because she was afraid that he’d hurt her physically. Maybe it was because she knew what would happen if she ended up in his arms again — she wouldn’t be able to deny how very much she was attracted to this despicable man. She was better than that, but she was still here.

When she finally forced herself to go into the kitchen — wasn’t it her kitchen? No, of course not — he was making a pot of coffee, which seemed to irritate her more than anything else he’d done in the last half an hour. Why? She had no idea. Maybe it was because he felt he could do whatever he chose to do and whenever he chose to do it. And he did have that right, at least with her.

Power. Blake Knight had that in spades. Some people were born with it, and some were destined to wield it. Blake was most certainly the later. And he wore his power so easily — too easily.

Though the apartment was light, airy even, to have Blake standing in her new roomy kitchen made the place seem to shrink, to instantly grow dark. This was his domain, not hers. She was his paid mistress, and she felt it in every bone — no, in every cell — of her body.

When the coffee was ready, Blake poured them each a cup and, without a word, led Jewell back to the sitting room they’d been in before. He made himself comfortable, and she bet he was enjoying watching how uncomfortable she was.

With her legs still trembling badly, she decided it best if she just sat down on the nearest couch and focused on her coffee. No matter how long he dragged this out, she’d find out his next move fairly soon. And why worry about anything? In this game, he was fated to be the only winner.

“You seem very ungrateful, Jewell.”

“Do you honestly think I’m about to thank you for buying me?” To her complete shock, she realized that she’d been yelling at him just now. What sort of a human being was she becoming? Did she deserve to get her little brother back if she had so little control over herself?

“I expected a little bit of appreciation. Anyone could have paid for you, and they wouldn’t be nearly as … acquainted with your desires.”

“You amaze me, Blake …”

He quickly interrupted. “Thank you, Jewell.”

“That wasn’t meant as a compliment,” she told him.

“But I’ll take it as one,” he replied. “I know what you like, and I know you aren’t unhappy to be here.”

“Then you don’t know anything.” She tried to keep emotion out of her voice, but it was beyond her powers.

“Would you like for me to take you back to the agency? I’m sure there are other men there who would love to have you for a month … or longer.”

She couldn’t tell what he was thinking or feeling. His cold eyes held hers captive, but they didn’t reveal a single thought contained in his head. Should she say yes and take her chances on someone else? She chose to say nothing.

“I didn’t think so, Jewell. You may be fighting this, but you aren’t disappointed that I’m the one who won you.”

“That’s exactly what this is, Blake. A contest. I’m a prize in a game I never wanted to play,” she said, struggling to suppress her tears of frustration.

“You’re the one who chose to be employed at Relinquish Control.”

Her shoulders sagged. “I had no choice.”

“There’s always a choice, Jewell,” he countered.

He seemed angry with her for working there, but that made no sense. And he had been a customer there, so how did it make him any better than she was? She barely refrained from asking him that.

“Of course there is. You’re right, as always. So why don’t we quit dancing around this and you just tell me what you expect from me?”

He just looked at her unblinkingly for several long moments. She’d thought billionaires were always on the go because time equaled money, but he didn’t seem to have any problem at all drawing this out.

“What do you think I want, Jewell?”

“To prove your power. You couldn’t control me, so you’re back for another chance to put the win in your column.” She hoped to see something in his eyes this time. But she didn’t.

“If that were what I wanted, I could have it right this instant. This is just the beginning, but the ending isn’t in doubt here, because you want me as much as I want you. If I felt in the mood to play power games, I’d do it in the boardroom. The way things play out there is less predicable, though even there I always win.”

She gasped. “Damn, you’re arrogant.”

“It’s not arrogance when it’s true.”

She didn’t know what to say to that. There was no arguing with him. “Just get this over with, Blake. I’ve had a long day — a long year, for that matter — and the sooner this song and dance ends, the sooner I can get some rest.”

And she was telling it like it was — all of a sudden, she felt exhaustion threaten to pull her under. She had run the gamut of emotions over the last few months, especially today, and she found herself barely able to stay awake now, much less agile enough to spar verbally with this man.

When Blake stood and moved over to sit by her, she didn’t try to object. At least he was finally going to really speak to her, finally going to map out what was to come.

“It doesn’t matter, you know,” she said, her defenses down.

“What doesn’t matter?” he asked while reaching for her hand, which she allowed him to take.

When he rested their joined fingers on his leg, she felt a spark, but she repressed it as far as she could.

“Anything,” she told him. “What I feel, what I want. None of it matters.”

“I don’t agree, Jewell. What you want is very important.” That contradicted everything he had been saying to her, everything he was doing. She couldn’t keep up with him.

When he pulled her onto his lap and drew her head against his chest, she knew she should resist him, but she couldn’t. This man was causing her so much pain, but he also seemed to be shouldering some of that pain by as simple an act as wrapping her in his arms. It made no sense, but what in her world made sense anymore? Since the death of her mother, she’d felt like a passenger on a roller coaster without brakes, and all she could do was pray that at some point the ride would manage to stop, and she would end up safely back on solid ground.

“How long will this go on, Blake? Do you want me broken? If that’s the case, it’s close to happening.” Damnation. She knew that she would regret the words later, when she felt stronger. If she ever felt stronger …

“I don’t ever want to break you, Jewell,” he said, letting his fingers sift through her hair.

“I thought that’s what you loved to do, Blake — break women?”

“I won’t deny that it’s brought me pleasure in the past. But can’t a person change?”

“No. Not like that. I don’t think someone can change that much and that quickly. Especially if they don’t want to.”

“It’s very simple, Jewell. I have decided I don’t want to let you go, not until I find out who you really are,” he said, and she felt again like she couldn’t breathe.

Who she was? Wasn’t that obvious? She was too tired to even try to begin to figure out these riddles of his. She fought to free herself from his arms, but they were like vises. The more she struggled, the more they tightened around her. She finally gave up. It was all too clear how useless her struggles were.

“And what if I don’t go along with your plan?”

“I have something you want, so I think you will.” His voice was filled with the utmost confidence.

“There is nothing you could have that would make me want to stay with you,” she said, her voice stronger now.

“You don’t know what I have, Jewell.”

She didn’t want to ask him, didn’t want to know what he was holding over her, but she knew this night wouldn’t end until he got to make his point. So, though well aware she wouldn’t like whatever he had to say, she opened her mouth and let the words come out.

“What is it, Blake? What do you have?”

Her heart pounded during the long moments of silence that followed.

But Blake spoke at last.

“I have access to your brother.”