Tears spilled down her cheeks, and it tore him apart. He wanted to make her pain go away.
“Please don’t, Mira.”
“I need to get some air.”
“No. I’m not letting you go. This between us isn’t changing.”
She sighed. “Drake, I just walked into your office and saw a woman who has threatened me all over you. Think about how you’d feel if that was me.” She licked her lips. “If that was a man you couldn’t stand, holding me, kissing me…”
He didn’t even give her time to finish. The very thought had his hand clenching, and he slammed it against the wall at the side of her head.
She let out a little cry and Drake immediately regretted his reaction. He was going crazy. He was truly fucked when it came to this woman. “No!”
Mira stayed perfectly still. “And yet you expect me to give you time? To accept your lips on another woman?”
“Then admit to me, Mira. Admit that you want me, that this isn’t just to keep your brother safe.”
Her jaw clenched. She stared at him. “I need some air.”
“You can’t even admit it.”
She tried to tug on her hands, but he wouldn’t let her go, and it caused her to growl. “You know what, Drake? Yes, I care. Yes, I’m here for more reasons than keeping my brother safe, and that makes me the fool. I knew you were going to hurt me, and you’ve proven that. I can’t stand the thought of another woman kissing you. I want to wipe the memory from my mind. You’re a goddamn bully, Drake, and it hurts to know that I want to go in there and hurt her for even thinking she could touch what is mine!”
Chapter Eight
Mira had been avoiding Drake for days. He continually ranted about his innocence. Should she believe him? She knew what she’d seen with her own eyes. The entire world had come to an abrupt halt when she’d walked into his office, and the pain and trauma from her past came rushing back with a vengeance. All this time, she’d actually believed all the lies and his professions of devotion. He’d even proposed to her, so that could only mean he planned on having plenty of mistresses. She’d never be enough of a woman for a playboy bully like Drake.
What did she even expect? Their relationship started with blackmail. He always got what he wanted.
She stared out the windows of his condo, feeling utterly alone. There was no one she could confide in, no place to call home. Even her brother saw her as a problem. She fought back the tears, remembering bits and pieces of her childhood, the bullying, and even dealing with cruel coworkers as an adult. Why couldn’t things ever be easy for her? Life was a constant struggle. Even now, surrounded by luxury, it was a false paradise.
The doorbell rang, pulling her from her reverie. She walked through the empty condo to answer it. She’d refused to accompany Drake to work all week, too busy feeling sorry for herself and not willing to play his games.
As soon as she opened the door, she was bombarded by more flowers than she’d ever seen in her life. Mira knew there was a delivery man behind the massive bouquet, but the dozens and dozens of rainbow roses hid him from view.
She struggled to take the load of flowers from him, bringing them inside and setting them on the kitchen island before returning to the door.
“Sorry about that,” she said.
“No problem. Sign here, please.”
After she signed his delivery form, he handed her a card with a gold seal.
She closed the door and immediately started to open the envelope, half in a daze. The card was from Drake Eastwood. He apologized again for what had happened and swore on his life it wasn’t what she thought. God, she wanted to believe him more than anything. But she wouldn’t turn a blind eye just because she was falling for her bully.
Unlike his past women, she couldn’t be bought. Not with money, sweet words, or these beautiful, beautiful roses. Even if she had to return to her shitty apartment and tedious job, it would be better than being trapped in a fake, loveless marriage. She wanted all or nothing when it came to love. Only their arrangement wasn’t so simple.
If she had to stay forever because of the contract and Nigel’s best interest, she’d do it but refused to put her heart into anything. She’d exist, nothing more.
As she set down the card, she couldn’t stop staring at the flowers. The entire room was perfumed with their sweet scent. She sighed, wishing she could have the fairytale ending. When a set of arms wrapped around her from behind, she squealed so loud she scared herself.
“You like your flowers?” Drake’s voice whispered next to her ear, dark and delicious.
She whirled around in his strong arms. “What are you doing here? You scared me. I didn’t even hear you come in.” Her heart was still racing.
“I wanted to see your reaction.”
“Well, they’re beautiful, obviously.” She tried to move away, but he had her pinned between his arms against the island. “You’re trying to buy my forgiveness. But flowers can’t change what happened.”
“Nothing happened.”
“So you keep saying.”
Why was he lying? He could get any woman he wanted. The man was rich, powerful, sexy, and addicting. It didn’t make sense to sneak around when plenty of other women would accept him and his roving.
“Do I have to prove it to you, Mira? What will get you back on my side?”
She
