“I expected a little bit of appreciation. Anyone could have paid for you, and they wouldn’t be nearly as…knowledgeable of your desires.”
“You amaze me, Blake…”
He quickly interrupted. “Thank you, Jewell.”
“That wasn’t meant as a compliment,” she told him.
“But I’ll take it as one,” he replied. “I know what you like and I know you aren’t unhappy to be here.”
“Then you don’t know anything.” She tried to keep emotion out of her voice, but it was beyond her powers.
“Would you like for me to take you back to the agency? I’m sure there are other men there who would love to have you for a month…or longer.”
She couldn’t tell what he was thinking or feeling. His cold eyes held hers captive, but they didn’t reveal a single thought contained in his head. Should she say yes and take her chances on someone else? She chose to say nothing.
“I didn’t think so, Jewell. You may be fighting this, but you aren’t disappointed that I’m the one who won you.”
“That’s exactly what this is, Blake. I’m a prize in a game I never wanted to play,” she said, struggling to suppress her tears of frustration.
“You’re the one who chose to be employed at Relinquish Control.”
Her shoulders sagged. “I had no choice,” she whispered.
“There’s always a choice, Jewell,” he countered.
“Of course there is. You’re right, as always. So why don’t we quit dancing around this and you just tell me what you expect from me?”
His face didn’t change as he looked at her for several long moments. She’d thought billionaires were always on the go, but he didn’t seem to have any problem at all drawing this out.
“What do you think I want, Jewell?”
“To prove your power. You couldn’t control me, so you’re back for another chance to put the win in your column.” She hoped to see something in his eyes this time. But she didn’t.
“If that were what I wanted, I could have it right this instant. This is just the beginning, but the ending isn’t in doubt here, because you want me as much as I want you. If I felt in the mood to play power games, I’d do it in the boardroom. The ending there is less predicable, though even there I always win.”
She gasped. “Damn, you’re arrogant.”
“It’s not arrogance when it’s true.”
She didn’t know what to say to that. There was no arguing with the man. “Just get this over with, Blake. I’ve had a long day — a long life, for that matter — and the sooner this song and dance ends, the sooner I can get some rest.”
And she was telling it like it was — all of a sudden, she felt exhaustion threaten to pull her under. She had run the gamut of emotions over the last few months, and especially today, and now she found herself barely able to stay awake, much less agile enough to spar verbally with this man.
When Blake stood and moved over to sit by her, she didn’t try to resist him. At least he was finally going to really speak to her, finally going to map out what was to come.
“It doesn’t matter, you know,” she said, her defenses down.
“What doesn’t matter?” he asked while reaching for her hand, which she allowed him to take.
When he rested their joined fingers on his leg, she felt a spark, but she repressed it as far as she could. Though the feeling remained, she didn’t allow herself to think about it.
“Anything. What I feel, what I want. None of it matters,” she told him.
“I don’t agree with that, Jewell. What you want is very important.”
When he pulled her onto his lap and drew her head against his chest, she knew she should resist him, but she couldn’t. This man was causing her so much pain, but he also seemed to be shouldering some of that pain by as simple an act as wrapping her in his arms. It made no sense, but what in her world made sense any more? Since the death of her mother, her life had been on a roller coaster without brakes, and all she could do was pray that at some point the ride would manage to stop, and she would end up safely back on solid ground.
“How long will this go on? Do you want me broken? If that’s the case, it’s close to happening,” she told him, knowing she would regret the words later, when she felt stronger. If she ever felt stronger…
“I don’t ever want to break you, Jewell,” he said, letting his fingers sift through her hair.
“I thought that’s what you loved to do, Blake — break women.”
“I won’t deny that doing that has brought me pleasure in the past. But can’t a person change?”
“No. I don’t think someone can change that much and that quickly. Especially if they don’t want to.”
“It’s very simple, Jewell. I have decided I don’t want to let you go,” he said and she felt again like she couldn’t breathe. “And I rather like you the way you are.”
She fought to free herself from his arms, but they were like vises. The more she struggled, the more they tightened around her. She finally gave up. It was all too clear how useless her struggles were.
“And what if I don’t go along with your plan?”
“I have something you want, so I think you will.” His voice was filled with the utmost confidence.
“There is nothing you could have that would make me want to stay with you,” she said, her voice stronger now.
“You don’t know what I have, Jewell.”
She didn’t want to ask him, didn’t want to know what he was holding over her, but she knew this night wouldn’t end until he got to make his point. So, though well aware she wouldn’t like whatever he had to say, she opened her mouth and let the words come out.
“What is it, Blake? What do you know? What do you have?”
Her heart pounded during the long moments of silence that followed. Blake spoke at last.
“I have the power to get you full custody of your brother.”
Chapter Seven
A few minutes might have passed, perhaps an hour. Jewell didn’t know, because after Blake announced he had the power to get her brother back for her, her heart had stopped and her breath had lodged in her throat.
“You didn’t believe me about my brother,” she finally managed to say.
“I didn’t,” he admitted.
“What’s going on, then?” she asked. “I’m lost, Blake.”