She shook at the sound of my voice and jumped back in panic. Her vivid green eyes sparkled wide under the streetlights. Shock stretched her delicate features, making her petite mouth large and oval. Her hands clutched against her chest as I manoeuvred her backwards and pressed her into the wall. My arms placed either side of her head.

The sweet smell of honey and rain on her damp hair filled my senses as I closed in on her. I smiled as I relished in the beauty of her ashen face. The soft skin had drained of colour, but it was still as perfect and unblemished. Her full lips came together and trembled as short, ragged breaths blew between them.

The initial shock subsided and her face softened. Her eyes skittered between mine, but fear wasn’t driving them. They were trying to figure me out. Even now, she wasn’t afraid. I could surprise her, I could make her nervous, but I didn’t scare her. Her lips pressed together, and her eyes narrowed with a growing rage as her whole body tensed.

“You!” She pushed against my chest to force me back. She was strong for such a slip of a girl, but the effort was in vain.

I laughed and inched closer.

“I knew it was you.”

She tried again, and I closed in further still; hovering above her face, feeling her warm shaky breath caress my skin. She was almost mine, so close. The urge to grab her surged through my arms, but I pressed into the wall and held back. I’d have to play with her a little longer first, I could see someone coming down the road in my peripheral vision.

Doubt crept into her gorgeous green eyes, and she shrank back. “Why are you following me?”

Lingering to take another deep breath of her sweet scent, I smiled then dropped my arms and stepped back. It was a better option to give her some confidence than to take her with force when there were people on the street. I wasn’t sure it’d work, but it was worth a shot. “Sorry. I couldn’t help scaring you. It was far too much fun to pass up. I wanted to talk to you away from your sister.”

“You needed to follow me to do that?” She relaxed a fraction, but she was still on edge having me so close.

I dropped back further and leant on the lamppost behind while the pedestrian passed. “Would you have spoken to me otherwise?”

“Probably not.” A wry smile curled on her lips. “I see you’ve changed your shirt.”

I laughed and glanced at my chest. “Yeah, thanks for that.” I would take great pleasure in punishing her for that later.

“You deserved it.” She cocked her eyebrows, the defiance returning.

“You’re too easy to wind up, Olivia. You should see someone about that temper of yours.”

“I only have a temper when confronted with arseholes.”

“See, there it is again.”

“Case and point.” She smiled through gritted teeth.

I had to laugh, comments like that would give her a real hard time soon. The thought of it gave me enough satisfaction to stave off the annoyance.

She folded her arms and rocked on her heels. “How did you find me?”

“I’d had you tailed after the meeting.” She couldn’t know about the tracker, just in case, but admitting some shitty, underhand tactics might help bring her round. “They followed you here and called me.”

“Why would you have me tailed?”

“Did you expect anything less? You contacted us out of the blue, we took the opportunity to get some intel. I’m surprised you didn’t do the same.”

She jutted her chin. “Maybe we did.”

“There you go.” The thought hadn’t crossed her mind.

She shook her head and rolled her eyes. “What do you want?”

My fists clenched, but I kept my tone light. “I’ve already said, to talk to you without your sister.” I hated repeating myself. It showed a lack of respect they didn’t listen the first time, she’d learn that quickly.

“About what?”

I gestured up the road to my black BMW. “My car is right there, and it’s pissing it down. How about I turn on the heater and we can discuss it where it’s dry?”

She scoffed. “I’m not getting in a car with you.”

Fuck. I broached it too soon. “What do you think I’ll do?”

“I don’t want to find out.”

“If I wanted to hurt you, I could’ve done it long before now, Olivia.”

She paused. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Get in the car and I’ll tell you.” The frustration was biting. I had to change tact before she noticed.

She licked her lips as she glanced me over. “No.”

I played to her curiosity instead. “Fine, suit yourself.” I clicked the remote lock in my pocket and walked to the car. “I’d rather be warm and dry.”

She stood watching as I opened the door and climbed into the driver’s seat. I turned on the engine and gestured to the passenger side through the rear window.

Her foot tapped as she glanced up and down the street. She took a moment, but eventually threw her hands up and walked over. She came to my side, knocked on the window and made the signal to roll it down.

Her stubbornness knew no bounds. It fucked me off and impressed me all at the same time.

Leaning her forearms on the frame, she looked at me and raised her eyebrows. “So…?”

I adjusted in my seat to face the window. It was intoxicating having her so close. Every one of my senses tuned towards her. The smell of honey and rain filled the car, and I could taste her skin on my lips. I watched the lines crease around her eyes as she stared at me. Her breath was ragged and shallow.

The tension in the air felt like electricity pulling between us. It raised the hairs on my arms. “Why are you so against working with Marcus?”

Her hands fisted at the mention of his name. “Does there need to be a reason? Hell, you’ve just stalked me.”

She had a point. “There needs to be a reason you were so against it today. You don’t act like that for nothing. I know your father holds a grudge, but you made it seem like it was personal.” I really wanted to know.

She paused. “I don’t trust him. Or you for that matter.”

“That doesn’t tell me why.”

“You’re the competition. You’re out to take us down.”

“What gave you that impression?”

She raised her eyebrows. “You, today. Squeezing us out of the market and all that.”

Another fair point. “Your sister doesn’t think it’s an issue.”

She scowled. “My sister’s an idiot.”

“Marcus and your father hate each other, but they have been at a passive stance for years. Why would you be so against working with him? What’s he done?”

She scowled. “Ask Marcus, not me.”

“I’m asking you.” I was getting irritated at her non-answers; she knew something.

She sighed. “Is this all you stalked me for? Because I’m due to be mugged soon, and I’d rather get to that.”

My jaw clicked with my clenched teeth. “Don’t play with me, Olivia. I’ll get it out of you, one way or another.”

Her jaw dropped, but it was more of a challenging gesture. “Is that a threat?”

“You say threat, I say promise.” This wasn’t working out as well as I’d hoped. She was far too difficult; begging to be brought down a peg or two.

She laughed. “And you wonder why I don’t trust you. Fuck you, Aaron.” She pulled her arms out the car and marched up the road.

I waited for her to get ahead before I grabbed the zip ties from the back footwell and popped the boot. Checking the street as I climbed out, I strolled to the rear of the car. “Olivia, don’t make me come after you.”

She flicked two fingers at me over her shoulder while she carried on walking.

I smiled to myself and threw the ties in the boot, making sure the lid was ajar. “You wouldn’t like it.”

It shouldn’t have come to this. I should’ve waited and planned it properly, but her defiance made me want to take her even more. There was no turning back now.

I searched the walls for cameras. There were none I could see. The street was quiet. A few people at the far end of the road, but it wouldn’t be an issue if I was quick.

She was twenty metres ahead. As much fun as it’d be to run her down, I decided to get her back with her own will. I stepped on to the pavement and called after her. “Marcus is going after your father.”

She turned. Her head lifted and her hands rested on her hips. She considered what I’d said before she walked back.

Confusion furrowed her brow as she approached. “You’re telling me this, why?”

“I have my reasons.”

She stopped two feet ahead and folded her arms, glaring as she chewed her lip. “When?”

“Soon.”

“How?”

I smiled. “With you.”

It took less than a second to grab her jacket, spin her around and cover her mouth. I had her in my grip before she could react. The rush was exquisite. Adrenaline pumped through my veins and fused with the utter satisfaction at finally having her. She was mine.

I wished I had more time to savour it. She dropped her weight and kicked at me with both legs. Her hands clawed at mine, but she didn’t scream.

I carried her to the boot and manoeuvred the lid open with my side. Not an easy feat with a girl thrashing. Her body arched up and left as she tried to kick it down. She only got herself and one leg further inside.

The side gave her a foothold, and she pushed with enough force to knock me off balance. I fell into the brake light, cracking it and bruising my kidney.

Fuck. The pain I could take, but the broken light might cost me a hell of a lot more.

I tightened my hold on her body and pushed to standing. I swung her legs over the lip and threw her into the boot. She landed on her side. I flipped her over and grabbed her wrists before she had time to lash out. It took my whole upper body weight to stop her from flailing. She was a damn fighter, I’d give her that.

Climbing onto the ledge, I brought her wrists together, knelt on her chest and reached for the ties with my free hand. She kneed me hard across the chin. Stars danced in my vision as I worked my jaw against the pain. It took a few seconds for it to subside, but the anger that replaced it came a lot quicker.

My patience thinned rapidly. I grabbed her throat and pressed my thumb hard into the carotid artery, cutting off the blood supply to her brain. Her eyes widened and her whole body thrashed as she tried to remove my hands. I didn’t want to resort to such a measure, but she’d left me no choice. It was only a few seconds before her movements became weak. Then shorter still for her eyes to close and her body to become limp.

I let go and checked her pulse. It came back strong. There wasn’t much time before she regained consciousness.

Grabbing the ties, I bound her wrists. Then looked for something to use as a gag. There was nothing, I’d have to leave her without one. I searched her pockets and pulled out her phone. Then closed the boot lid and checked the streets. They were still clear. I jogged to the driver’s side, got in and slammed the door.

A wave of clarity washed through my mind, and the enormity of the risk I’d just taken dawned on me. I’d taken her in central London, with no protection and no plan. I’d never been so careless or impulsive before.

Everything I did was controlled. Measured to the last detail. There’s a reason this shit takes time and planning. A reason for being level headed.

There’s something about this girl that makes me lose my fucking mind.

It wasn’t the time to let it get to me. I switched on the stereo, cranked up the volume and set off for the farm.