Shyla wasn’t used to being in a romantic relationship. That was really her first outing as a girlfriend. But if it was like that every time, she was definitely going to enjoy it.
Stopping on the bottom stairs, she held the clock in one hand and smiled at Mick when he tried to crane his desperate eyes to hers.
“Want the house?” Score asked, his voice still a snarl. “The fucker will sell it to us for a good price.”
“I think the fucker doesn’t deserve our money,” she said, switching the clock into her other hand. Cursing wasn’t normal for her, but she did enjoy the panic it wrung from Mick. “I want to leave… I don’t want to be anywhere near him ever again.”
Other than being arrogant and pompous, Mick hadn’t really committed a crime. Not against her anyway. Many would see the way he ignored his father as a moral crime; Shyla didn’t think she’d ever forgive him for that.
Bernard loved having her near. As much as she was like a grandchild to Stan, there were times she found him looking through old photographs, a wistful look on his face. Those times reminded her that being abandoned by blood wasn’t an easy insult to get over.
Score yanked Mick higher and bowed to get his face up close. “Think about her again and I’ll come back. I’ll finish you in one second, before you even know I’m there. I’ll snap your neck and throw your body in the sea… No one will mourn you.”
On a shove, he stepped back. With a curl of disgust, Score wiped his hand down the front of Mick’s jacket and offered his other hand to her. As Shyla linked her fingers between his, Score drew his eyes away from Mick, and turned to stride out the open door.
They kept going down the path and out to the street. Score didn’t even look before crossing over to get in the back of their limo. Being a residential street, it was quiet. But even if there had been traffic, Shyla got the feeling that Score’s sheer will would make him impervious. Any driver who saw his purpose and determination would take their lives in their hands if they thought to keep driving or, god forbid, hit the horn.
Score guided her into the back and then got in. Without a word, the moment the door was closed, the car started to move. She didn’t know much about what Score did in the daytime, but that couldn’t be the first time he’d used the service given the responsiveness of their driver.
Question marks hung over them and their relationship. Yet, despite how immoral it was, she grabbed Score’s lapel and dragged him to her as she twisted to plant her mouth on his.
Though there wasn’t exactly surprise in his kiss, it was slow to respond to hers. Once he relaxed and took control of the union, he put a hand on hers to guide it down from his lapel. Shyla’s excitement anticipated him directing it to an intimate place so they could continue down the carnal path she’d initiated. Instead, he flattened it on his thigh and broke the kiss.
“I think pounding on guys would turn you on,” he said, curling his fingers around hers. “I meant what I said, no one is allowed to put their hands on you.”
Because he was possessive or wanted to protect her, either way was a win as far as Shyla was concerned. “Thank you,” she said, licking her lips. “No one has ever done anything like that for me.”
“Better get used to it if we’re gonna be out together in public.”
Used to it? She wasn’t sure how, but was willing to learn. “You’re incredible. I can’t even… If you hadn’t been with me—”
“I’ll always be with you, Shy,” he said. “I meant what I said about the house too. You want it, I’ll get it for you.”
Sometimes she was just over-awed by him. He hadn’t put word to his feelings for her and may never, but she could feel it in the way he looked at her, the way he was with her.
“I want you,” she said. “All. Only… I want to go home. To our home. That’s where I want to be.”
Apart from anything else, living in the suburbs would put her further from Score’s workplace, which would mean longer travelling time. Shyla didn’t want to waste a single second of their life together with anything unnecessary.
“I should make something for dessert,” Shyla said as the elevator doors opened.
While her mind and body were so fried, she couldn’t really come up with anything quick and easy, or anything that appealed to her taste buds. She put her clock on the side table and started on a trajectory meant to take her to the kitchen. Before she got more than a few steps, Score snatched her hand and whipped her around to face him.
Off-balance, still trying to figure out what had happened, Shyla got dizzy. Score didn’t leave her wondering about his motives for long. Lifting her hand to place it on the knot of his tie, he communicated what he wanted. His jacket was already gone, in a heap on the floor behind him. At least, that’s what she figured the dark mound was; she was too focused on him to look any closer.
Loosening his tie, Shyla began to slide it free of his collar. Just as the end was about to fall, Score grabbed it in a snap, showcasing his incredible reflexes. The already charged moment became something much more intense when he took a step back and used the strip of fabric to tie her wrists.
Once
