an hour. With each minute that passed, he grew more anxious about where they were, what they were doing, and if Nicole was okay. He decided if they didn’t return in the next fifteen minutes, he was going to go and look for Nicole, because if something happened to her on his watch, he’d never forgive himself.
Another long ten minutes passed, and by the time he finished entertaining Angela with his childhood adventures, she was lying on her side facing him, still hugging the pillow to her chest with a sweet smile on her lips. There was a wistful look on her face, the kind that told Nathan he’d stirred up feelings of regret and had also made her reflect about her own family life. That maybe things hadn’t been as bad as she’d made them out to be when she’d been living at home. Not compared with her life as Sloane’s plaything.
Despite Angela’s initial reasons for running away, it was obvious she missed the comforts of home, and the parents who loved her very much. And that, at least, was the first step in changing her thought process around.
For tonight, he’d planted the seeds in her mind. Now he could only hope they grew overnight and helped her realize what a mistake she’d made, and that she wanted to return to her family, where she belonged.
After leaving Nathan with Angela down in the playroom, Nicole followed Sloane as he escorted her upstairs, then to the other end of his huge mansion and into a separate wing of the house where his art collection was on display. She knew it was necessary to give Nathan time alone with Angela, but she didn’t like being so far away from him, in a section of the house that was isolated from everyone else-with a man she didn’t trust.
To her relief, Sloane started the tour as a consummate gentleman, his pride and delight in having acquired so many rare and priceless pieces of art taking precedence over his attraction to her. For now. Nicole had no doubt that once the excitement of sharing his treasures with her was over, his focus would return to what he ultimately wanted. Her.
The museum-like room was devoted to not only artwork, but other valuables as well. There were sculptures, vases, tapestries, antiques, and more. But it was the original paintings by Degas, Monet, and Seurat that had her in a state of awe. Those creations were truly magnificent and breathtaking.
As they casually strolled from piece to piece, Nicole was intensely aware of Sloane constantly touching her in some way. If he wasn’t holding her hand, then his palm was splayed at the base of her spine, or his fingers were caressing her bare arm. As he talked, he leaned in close, his head nearly touching hers as he spoke into her ear.
In between monologues, he charmed and flirted, and she had to force herself to laugh at his attempts at humor, and not cringe when he touched her in a too-familiar manner. The increasing intimacy of his actions had Nicole on edge, because she knew where his affection was leading… down a path she had no desire to travel with him.
A glance at an elaborate clock on the wall told Nicole that thirty minutes had passed, and while half an hour wasn’t a long time to be gone, it felt like an eternity when she had to endure Sloane’s advances. Certain that Nathan had made whatever connection he needed to with Angela, Nicole was more than ready to return to his side for the evening.
“Your art collection is amazing,” she said, sounding like a young girl who was very impressed with Sloane’s wealth. The man would expect nothing less. “But I really should get back to Alex.”
He smiled and grasped her hand in his, the look in his eyes darkening with desire. “There’s no rush, Nikki. Besides, he’s busy with Angel. You and I have plenty of time to spend together.”
Nausea swirled in her belly. She’d known this moment was coming; that once they were no longer distracted by his art and other collections, she’d become the focal point of his attention, and obsession. Still, she tried to be as persistent as a teenager would be. “I don’t want him to worry about me.”
“He knows you’re fine,” he said in a placating tone, contradicting the firm hold on her hand. “Come sit with me. There’s something I’d like to give you.”
Instead of resisting him any further and taking the chance of angering him, she let him lead her to a brown leather couch in the room. She settled onto the cushion next to him, her body visibly tense. Not an unrealistic response for a young girl in this kind of situation-but even as a grown woman she was apprehensive of the man.
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering at the side of her neck. “Don’t be so nervous,” he murmured huskily, his smile inviting. “I don’t bite. I promise.”
She dampened her dry bottom lip with her tongue and gave him a timid look to divert his seduction. Too late, she realized that her demure reaction only seemed to arouse him more.
“We’ll go back in a few minutes.” He reached for a light blue box wrapped in a white satin ribbon, which was sitting on the table next to the couch, and placed it in the palm of her hand. “This is for you.”
She immediately recognized the iconic blue box as Tiffany. Her first instinct was to refuse the expensive gift, but knowing he’d only insist, she went ahead and removed the ribbon and opened the small box. A velvet pouch awaited her, and tucked inside of that was a dainty silver heart link bracelet with a toggle clasp. A classic piece of Tiffany jewelry.
“Do you like it?” he asked.
While most young girls would be thrilled to be the recipient of such a beautiful designer bracelet, knowing what Sloane expected in return for the gift was more than enough to repulse her. “It’s very pretty. Thank you.”
He smiled charismatically. “Here, let me help you put it on.” Taking the box and ribbon from her, he set them back on the table, then turned back to her with the bracelet.
She extended her arm and let him clasp the silver heart around her wrist. Before she could pull away, he gripped her fingers in his and pressed a damp, lingering kiss on the back of her hand. Her stomach twisted in disgust, and she had a bad feeling that this situation was going to get much worse.
“I like to give my girls pretty, expensive things,” he said as his thumb continued to caress her hand. “The more they please me, the more I like to spoil them.”
Until the sick bastard grew tired of them, she knew.
Leaning in closer, he pressed his body against hers and placed his palm on her thigh. “You know, a kiss would be nice to show your appreciation.”
As a grown, independent woman, that’s what she wanted to say to Sloane, but she didn’t think he’d appreciate her outspoken rejection. As a nervous young girl, she tried to turn him down gently. “I really shouldn’t. Alex-”
He pressed his fingers to her lips, effectively cutting off her words. “Just relax, Nikki. It’s just a kiss.”
He slid his free hand around to the nape of her neck and pulled her head toward his. The queasiness in her belly returned with a vengeance at the thought of kissing him, and she compressed her lips together, refusing to let his tongue invade her mouth. That didn’t stop him from trying, but there was absolutely nothing soft, giving, or inviting about her lips.
When he finally released her, there was a spark of annoyance in his gaze. “You’re quite the challenge, aren’t you?”
Her heart began a hard, fast beat in her chest. The predatory look on his face told her that she was walking a fine line with him, that if she wasn’t careful, the situation could turn ugly. If provoked, Sloane could easily overpower her, assault her, and even if she screamed for help no one would hear her since she was at the opposite end of the house.
“I’m really not feeling very well,” she said in a faint voice, and abruptly jumped to her feet. “I want Alex.” She deliberately made herself sound like a petulant child-whatever worked to get her back to Nathan.
“Very well, but you and I aren’t finished yet.” Slowly, he stood up, the corner of his mouth curling with undeniable determination. “Just keep in mind that you can make this as easy, or as difficult, as you want. The decision is yours.”
She shivered at the underlying threat to his tone, and decided she’d be better off not responding. He grabbed her hand to escort her from the room, his hold not nearly as gentle as it had been earlier, giving her a taste of the darker personality that lurked beneath Sloane’s charming facade.
