In the last month I’d been watching her like a fiend. Never had I desired a woman as much as I did her.

There hadn’t been a woman in years.

Claire was sweet and gentle, innocent and vulnerable.

The world we lived in was cruel, stripping away at females until there was nothing left but skin and bones. I was thirty-five years old, and for the last decade I’d used my wealth and power to help countless women find a life outside of servitude.

After seeing my mother used and abused, I’d made it my mission to help women so they didn’t turn out just like she had. And when my father died ten years ago and I inherited his estate and fortune, I’d begun helping every woman I could. Didn’t matter that I’d purchased dozens of women over the years. In fact, our society didn’t care if I owned a fucking harem as long as I could pay.

And I could pay until I died of old age. Hell, my descendants could keep paying until they died of old age, and so on and so forth.

I had work to do, a lot of fucking work, but I couldn’t help but think about Claire. I stood and walked over to the window. Although the weather was chilly, a frost settling over everything, she still went out every day. I had a feeling she did so despite the weather because of her fear of imprisonment, because for so long she hadn’t been able to be free in any way that counted.

But it didn’t matter how many times I told her she was not a prisoner, that the only reason she was here was because I had to make sure it was safe for her to be on her own. I could still see that fear and uncertainty in her eyes.

And I hated seeing that look on her face, even when I told her that I had to get affairs in order first, but then, after that, she should be safe, free to live her life the way she wanted to.

But a part of me, a very strong one, didn’t want her to go. I would not keep her as a prisoner, wouldn’t do it against her will, but I wanted her here with me. I wanted her by my side, in my bed. I wanted her as mine.

I leaned against the wall and stared out the window at the gardens. I couldn’t help but watch her all the time, fascinated by every aspect of her. Claire was unlike any woman I’d ever met. She was intelligent, and I knew she was fearless, even though she kept to herself. I could see her taking everything in, storing it, memorizing.

She was intuitive, her natural instinct telling her to be wary. It was that survival instinct that had allowed her to last as long as she had on her own.

And then she looked over at me and my heart froze, my body stilling. Everything inside of me told me to go claim her right then and there, to pull her close to my body so no one could touch her, hurt her. I wanted to wrap her up and make sure she was safe, that she never saw the horrors of this fucked-up world again.

Her eyes were so big, her look so vulnerable. She seemed so unsure of what was happening. God, the things she’d probably seen and experienced, the life she’d led. I wished I could turn back time so she never had to experience that.

I’d already fallen for Claire.

I’d already decided she was mine.

There was no going back.

* * *

I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Just the thought of Xavier had chills racing up my arm and legs. I wrapped the blanket around me tighter and stared at the fire. I was in an office, or maybe it was a library. There was a desk off to the side and built-in bookshelves all around me. The fireplace was lit, the flames dancing over the logs as if they were alive and trying to seduce them.

I thought about him watching me earlier today, how I’d felt. Xavier was a big, strong man, but he kept to himself. He didn’t speak much, but I could see that he was always taking in his surroundings. I thought about the way he made me feel, how just a look from him could light my body on fire. Even now I was aroused, so wet between my legs I was growing uncomfortable.

I heard something behind me and glanced over my shoulder at the door. It was slightly open, and I could see the man who consumed my thoughts standing there watching me. He had this expression on his face I couldn’t really place. The way he looked at me made me feel like he wanted to know more. Or maybe I just wanted him to want to know more about me.

“May I join you?”

I found myself nodding instantly. He stepped into the room and made his way toward me, sitting in the chair across from me. I was on the floor in front of the fire, the blanket wrapped around me, my legs curled up under my bottom. For long moments we just sat there, neither speaking but the air comfortable, the atmosphere almost relaxing.

“How are you liking it here?”

I glanced over at him, thinking about his question. Then I stared back at the flames for a prolonged moment.

“I’ve never felt safer,” I admitted honestly. I looked back at him, but he showed no reaction, no emotion. He finally nodded and looked at the fire, maybe thinking about what I’d just said.

“You never have to worry about that again.” He looked at me then. “You never have to worry about someone taking you. You don’t ever have to fear stepping outside.” His voice was growing lower, deeper, and I could see he was getting angry. “I’m going to make sure that you’re always safe, Claire. You mean a lot to me.”

That last part had my heart beating fast.

“I mean a lot to you?” I pursed my lips and cursed myself for speaking the words.

When he looked at me, I felt like he could see into my soul. “Claire, you mean more to me than any other woman ever has.” My throat tightened at his words. “I’ve made it my life’s mission to help women off the auction block. Never once have I wanted them, wanted to keep them.” He leaned forward, his forearms braced on his knees. He was looking directly into my eyes now. “But then you came along and something in me changed, shifted.”

“Shifted how?” My voice was so low, barely a whisper.

“Shifted in the way where I don’t want to set you free.” There was a hint of desperation in his voice. But the way he was looking at me was how I imagined a predator looks at his prey. “It’s in the way that I want you as mine.” His expression was so serious in this moment. “Does that frighten you?”

I didn’t know what to say or how to feel. Emotions were swirling inside of me, threatening to take me under. “No,” I answered honestly. In fact, it made me aroused to hear him say those things. I’d never admit that to him, couldn’t because I was too shy, but I had no doubts that he could see how I felt in the way I held myself. He had to be able to read people because of what he did, how he lived his life.

Before I could say anything, he was standing. I straightened, not sure if he was leaving, but a part of me wanted to beg him to stay. I liked his company, liked having him here with me even if we didn’t speak. “You’re going?” I cleared my throat, wondering if I sounded desperate.

He smiled at me, and I swear something in me lit up. “I have some work to do, unfortunately, even if I’d like to stay here with you. But we’ll talk more.” He held his hand out, and I found myself slipping my fingers on top of his. He helped me to stand, and I wondered if he was going to pull me in for an embrace. Instead he reached out and tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear.

He looked into my eyes but didn’t speak, and neither did I. I didn’t know what to say after what he’d told me. I wanted to admit that I desired him, too. I wanted to let him know that I didn’t want to leave, that I didn’t want to be set free. Being here had opened up my eyes, made me feel things I never thought I’d be able to experience. It was all so crazy and so fast. But it felt genuine. I always went with my gut instincts; I’d had to if I wanted to survive.

And being here with Xavier felt right. It felt as though this was where I belonged.