“Look at me Yasmin.”
I couldn’t, this man was so intense, so powerful. He was overwhelming.
“Look at me!” He growled shaking me, causing my teeth to rattle in my head. Letting me know just how easy he could break me if he chose to. My eyes flew up to his as my hands came up to clutch the front of his shirt. My breath stalled in my throat from the fear I now felt.
“Don’t ever run from me, do you hear me?” He growled through clench teeth. His anger was so real I could feel it. I nodded my head with jerky movements. My lips trembled as I fought back tears.
“I was prepared to woo you, but then you tried to rob me.” He spoke low and deadly. “So now, I own you.” Those tears came to my eyes as I shook my head.
“Nobody owns me.” I whispered. He smiled then, and amazingly it was more frightening than his frown. I heard my bag hit the ground. A split second later, I was off my feet. He lifted me and sat me on the island. Then he stepped between my legs placing one of his fists on the island next to my thigh, trapping me in the circle of his powerful arm.
His handsome face was so close to mine I could see that he had an old scar under his right eye and another going down his cheek to disappear in his full beautiful beard. He leaned in even closer till his lips were just under my ear. Bringing his hand up he fisted it in my hair. A whimper escaped my throat as he jerked my head back with enough force to get my attention. Leaving my neck exposed to his mouth. I closed my eyes and held in another whimper when I felt his warm mouth close on my throat.
What was he doing to me? Pleasure shot through me as his hungry mouth lapped at my neck. I wrapped my hands around his back fisting his shirt. That moan did escape from between my lips when his mouth became more aggressive.
“You smell so good!” He whispered against my neck.
“I can’t wait to be inside you!” His words stole my breath before his lips were taking mine. I was washed away by his passion. The only thing I could do was hold on and pray my senses survived the assault they were under. First, fear… and now this intense pleasure—a shiver ran through my body when he deepened the kiss, sipping from my lips with the same aggression that he had used on my neck that was now slightly sore.
He broke his lips away from mine bringing his kiss back to my throat, just underneath my ear.
“I am a violent man, Yasmin!” He whispered against my flesh.
“But for you, I will try for gentleness. However, if you ever cross me again I will hurt you!” He looked down into my eyes and I felt as if I was drowning in that deep abyss he had for a gaze. He spoke the truth. If I ran from him and didn’t do what he told me, he would hurt me. Maybe even kill me. He was that kind of man. He was the beast that everyone accused him of being.
“Nod your head baby and let me know that you understand what I am saying to you. It is very important for your own safety.” All these words he spoke softly as if he was speaking to fragility. I bit down on my kiss swollen bottom lip. Tears came to my eyes as I slowly nodded that I understood that I was now his prisoner. He reached up and wiped away the tear that fell before bringing his finger to his mouth sucking it away.
The whole time he looked at me with those lethal eyes of his. The breath stalled in my throat as it became clear to me at this moment that this man was going to consume me, and there was nothing I could do to stop him.
The kitchen door opened and the man with the kind handsome face walked in. He was dressed in a very nice gray three-piece suit. On his feet was a pair of soft leather gray boots. He reminded me of one of those male models I used to watch on TV sometimes.
“Morning!” He said cheerfully as he walked to the cabinet taking down a bowl.
“I hope you don’t mind me grabbing breakfast here ahk.” He opened the draw by his hip and removed a spoon. “I figured it’s the least you can do before you keep us enclosed in that stuffy office of yours upstairs. I don’t know why you insist on living like a damn hermit. You own a thirty-story office building with a beautiful meeting room that overlooks the cit—” His words halted and so did his steps. He had been half way across the kitchen to where the breakfast nook had sat before he turned to look at me.
Slowly he walked toward us with the bowl in his hand. He didn’t seem to be in the least bothered by the frown that was getting fiercer on Gabriel’s face.
“Wow! You are beautiful.” Gabriel reached out and lightly shoved the man.
“Beat it, Kenny!” He growled.
Oh, my goodness, he had shoved the man lightly and it had sent him stumbling back a few steps. But Kenny didn’t seem to be deterred by it.
“No, my brother, she is amazing!” He said coming back to stand by our side. Not bothered in the least that his friend had just shoved him.
“Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kenneth Howard the Second, but my good friends call me Kenny. You
