Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

J asmine

Boring.

Usually, these events were boring as hell. It was a perfect excuse for men and women who wouldn’t ordinarily allow their hair down to do so while pretending it was all for a good cause.

It was barely after ten in the evening and the number of drunk people was startling.

Granted, the high dollar booze was free, the appetizers flowing, and the music topnotch. The company though left much to be desired.

There seemed to be nothing but old people attending the functions in DC, entirely different from where I’d grown up. Maybe Australia was more progressive in some ways.

The thought brought a smile as a cute waiter shifted through the crowd headed right for me. I’d provided him with a nice tip twice, but I seriously doubted that’s why he was making a beeline for me.

My flirtation skills were spot on when I needed, including batting my long eyelashes and laughing at jokes on cue.

At least with the hottie, the flirting was easy.

“Here you are, Ms. Sinclair.”

“Thank you, Doug. I do so appreciate it.” I brushed the tips of my fingers down his cheek, giving him what I liked to call my best Marilyn Monroe smile. Even though I’d seen maybe three pictures of her in my life.

Whatever. It worked.

He was blushing.

“Of course. Let me know if there is anything at all you need.”

“I will.” I even added a little cherry on top by blowing him a kiss as he left.

Of course, pretty much every man at the roulette table was watching, which I planned on using to my benefit.

I wasn’t just here to drop off a very generous check after all. I was in the mood to do something naughty and right now, men were out of the question. With videos of the animals our donations were helping playing on several big screens throughout the casino room, I opted for one more game of blackjack. Acting like this so close to my father’s recent appointment was close to the riskiest thing I’d ever done. But it felt damn good. Maybe this was in retaliation for the man continuing to treat me as a child.

It took a true expert to try to count the cards that had been used while keeping track of what the dealer was passing out.

So far, I’d won almost fifty thousand dollars, all of which was going to the charity of course. This was all about feeding my need for winning given my horrific loss only a few nights before. Well, I had scooped up my earlier winnings, shmoozing the guy who’d kept my casino chips like a good boy. I’d tipped him a banana, a cutesy nickname used for a thousand dollar chip.

When the round began, I kept it cool, sipping on my champagne and smiling provocatively at the other men at the table. It was funny that every one of them was sweating. I found that curious.

An evil smile formed on my face.

One by one the players went bust, but none of them walked away.

When the dealer looked in my direction, I smiled brightly. “Again.”

The dealer lifted a single eyebrow as if I was nuts. Three twos had been doled out, which meant there was one left in the deck. It was close to being a mathematical impossibility the next card would be what I needed.

I was certain it was there. I’d done the math.

The dealer gave me another disapproving look but offered the card. The collective cheer was thrilling.

I nodded toward the dealer then to one of the employees who collected winnings and prepared a check for the winner to sign to present. I’d grown a little bored of being groped and propositioned. Weren’t most of the influential men here with their wives? Ugh.

Something caught my attention and a shot of white-hot electricity rolled through me. As I lifted my gaze, I shouldn’t feel shocked to any degree, yet I was.

I was also tingling all over.

There stood the man I’d escaped from, in the flesh.

And he was none too happy I’d run like a scared deer.

Everything about being in close proximity with him was different from every other man in the world. Celebrity. Rockstar. Billion-dollar mogul. Model. I knew that sounded both corny and ridiculous, giving the arrogant man too much credit, but all time stopped.

It was like in a romance book or a movie where everyone else’s actions shifted into slow motion before stopping, their voices echoing then becoming muted altogether. The only sound I was hearing was the solid thud of my rapidly beating heart.

My mouth was even dry, my legs wobbly and I didn’t think I was moving. Why in God’s name did this jerk of a man, this sexy stud who was good at everything from laughing and to providing the perfect amount of discipline have such a tremendous effect on me when I’d made pretending an art form?

Braxton tilted his head slightly, never blinking but his eyes bore into mine as if he’d already undressed me, removing the sexy gown and replacing it with skimpy crimson lingerie. I could see myself dancing in front of him in a corset and thigh highs, heels and nothing else as he sat back on his throne like a king.

He wasn’t moving, but slowly I noticed his smile increased. The moment he took a single step closer, the muted sound faded, the cheering returning. I was momentarily taken aback, still unable to breathe. However, there was one thing I was determined not to allow to happen.

I refused to fall under his spell.

Again.

It was a conscientious decision given his smirk indicated he was well aware I’d cheated, perhaps prepared to use that against me as he’d done before.

Nope. It wasn’t going to happen.

No spell.

No discipline.

No burning need keeping me awake at night.

And no additional use of the small vibrator I always carried in a special leather case with me. What was a girl to do, especially when she didn’t need to worry about her winnings?

I turned and fled, using the heavy crowd as a backdrop. If he ever found out about my family, I’d be burned in effigy, maybe even tied to a stake. I’d certainly never be able to talk to my parents again.

Poof. Gone would be the trust fund I was sadly counting on to forge a new life in the United States.

I’d made it a point every time I walked into a room where I was playing a scheme to determine the best and safest routes for getting out if necessary. Tonight had been no different.

Except that every time I looked around, I noticed he was still there, gaining on me. Yes, he had long, muscular legs but I was shocked he was able to keep up. I could run like the wind in heels.

Another little action I’d trained myself to do.

I weaved my way through another room, trying to remember where the bathrooms were on the floor. One of the smaller ones popped up in my mind and after a quick look behind me and not seeing him, I rushed down the shorter hallway, slamming my hands against the door and barreling inside.

At some point, he’d think I took the stairs or one of the elevators, able to escape him. I’d just need to stay here for a little while. Ten minutes. Okay, maybe twenty.

I turned to face the mirror, more rattled than I wanted to admit even to myself. But I was surprised how flushed my face was, how sparkly my eyes seemed. I’d been certain I’d never see the guy again. I’d learned as much about him as possible, including that his entire family held court in San Diego thousands of miles away.

What was he doing here?

Hunting me?

Yes, he was that kind of man. That much I knew but really?

I took gasping breaths, my nerves frayed. I was also angry with myself for allowing him to bother me in the least. He was just a man after all.

Albeit the sexiest man alive. He could grace the cover of any magazine and sell millions of copies. Oh, I had it bad for the man. That just wouldn’t do.

Unable to force the heat from my face and neck, I turned on the cold water, leaning over and splashing a couple of handfuls in my face. Like a dummy, I managed to get the water in my eyes, which caused some of my makeup to run and sting. I was forced to try to grab for the paper towel dispenser with my eyes cinched closed.

While I hadn’t heard any noise other than the sound of running water, when I was handed a stack of towels by another woman, I was truly grateful.

“Thank you. Ouch.” I tried to laugh it off as I blotted my face, careful not to ruin my makeup. When I lifted my head, two very distinct things came to light.

One, the person who’d provided me with relief was a man.

Two, the man was none other than Braxton Royal and he was leaning against the counter, his muscular arms folded and a smirk riding his face like he’d just won the Kentucky Derby.

Play it cool. You can do it.

The inner voice did provide me with encouragement and I plastered a sweet smile on my face. “Aren’t you in the wrong bathroom or is there something you need to tell me?”

“There are a few things you should have already learned about me, little koala. I don’t follow rules and I always get what I want.”

I laughed as my answer, tossing the towels into the trash. When I spun around, I dared take a step closer, planting my hands on my hips. “And I couldn’t care less about the pedestal-like position you place yourself on. You’re just a jerk acting as if you own the world.”

“Ah, darlin’. Maybe I am a jerk but I’m a rich jerk, filthy rich in fact and I can do exactly what I want. I am curious as to the coincidence of why we ran into each other in a busy town far removed from the islands.”

If he thought I was going to divulge any additional personal details, he had another think coming. “None of your business.”

“I beg to differ. Now, we need to have a discussion.”

“About what? You have your life. I have mine. We are different people.” I’d be damned if Braxton wasn’t crowding my space and the heat kicked up inside the smaller restroom by at least twenty degrees.

He took a deep breath, nodding a few times. “That is true. However, no one just runs away from me.”

“We had a deal. I fulfilled my end. So what? I had to get back to my life.”

I don’t know why it surprised me when the look on his face was no longer just carnal. There was a knowing look in his eyes. I’d been stupid enough to provide my real name, which meant if he’d done some serious digging, he could have easily found out who I was.

And more important, who my father was.

I lifted my head as he inched closer, the sly smile on his face one I wanted to wipe off. Damn him for making me tingle all over.

“You seem to forget I was in control of you and in my mind, I still am. There was time left on our deal.”

Was this jerk kidding me? “You said one night.”

“Technically twenty-four hours.”

The man was out of his mind. “You are…”

“Exactly what you need, a man who refuses to allow you to continue your errant ways. How much did you just win?”

He had a way of making me feel like a criminal even if I hadn’t been cheating. I brushed my hand through my hair, hating the fact I felt beads of perspiration trickling down the back of my neck. Thankfully, he shouldn’t be able to detect just how nervous he made me. “A few thousand dollars,” I answered, downplaying the amount.

“Uh-huh. That looked like more chips to me.”

“All for a good cause. You know, furry little animals who all deserve love and a home?” He continued crowding my space until we were just two inches apart. I prayed someone else would walk inside, but I had a feeling he was the kind of powerful man who’d commanded everyone else to stay away.

“Oh, I know, which is why I wrote a check for five hundred thousand.”

I was certain my eyes popped out of my head. “Five hundred thousand?”

“As you said, all for a good cause. Now, what am I going to do with you?”

“Walk away. Go back to your rich and famous life.”

Even the way he continued to take deep breaths was sexy. Damn. Damn. Damn. I’d found it next to impossible not to think about him several times a day. And at night? Whew. I’d gone through two batteries on my vibrator. Not good.

“Yes, I could do that, but you and I have a strong connection. Plus,” he added, his voice deepening as he brushed his knuckles across my right cheek, “I feel obligated to try and push you back onto the right path. You know exactly what I’m talking about. Right versus wrong.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“I never joke about liars, thieves, traitors, or misbehaving women.”

The man was incredibly arrogant in his attitude, as if he was my master. “You’re out of your mind.”

“Much worse things have been said about me.” When he gripped the same side of my face, using his thumb to tilt my head, I couldn’t seem to find the energy or the fury to push him aside.

Maybe because his aftershave was completely intoxicating. When he lowered his head until our lips were barely touching, I found myself reaching out, my fingers clinging to his shirt. God, how I hated the way my body responded to him.

But as I’d experienced before, his kiss was dynamic and mesmerizing, the passion he exuded amazing. I could easily fall into doing nothing else for a full hour. As he swept his tongue inside, there was no hurry, no need to be rough. He was simply tasting me as if for the first time. Our tongues intertwined, dancing together as if doing so under the moonlight. He tasted as incredible as his delicious scent, the combination of a rich liquor and peppermint enticing all my senses.

I could tell I was arching my back, leaning into him.

Yielding to him.

Even the slight growl he issued heightened my desire. My eyes were closed, my heart racing. This seemed so perfect.

But almost as soon as the intimate moment started, it ended, and as if I was putty in his hands, he spun me around to face the mirror, yanking my dress over my hips as if the man owned me. I should be completely mortified that my mostly naked butt was on display, the crimson G-string exposing far too much of my personal real estate. But he’d managed to catch me off guard, disarming me with the kiss.

Which allowed him to bring his hand down in rapid succession a half dozen times before I drifted out from the fog.

“What in the feck do you think you’re doing?” My accent was even thicker, which usually happened when I was furious.

“What does it look like, little koala? Handling a round of discipline. At some point you’re going to finally comprehend that criminal activities aren’t in your best interest.” He was smiling as he doled out another four or ten. I couldn’t keep track. All I knew was that every strike of his huge palm seemed more painful than before.

But my pulse was in overdrive, my body betraying me in that I couldn’t move a muscle.

To make things worse, I was wet and hot all over.

The thought of how embarrassed I’d be if the wife of a dignitary popped in was right there in my frontal lobe but that also added to the excitement of doing something terribly naughty. I could swear the man knew me far too well, reading my needs and desire like an open book.

Still, as the wretched spanking continued, I grew angrier and angrier until I finally came to my senses. “Get off me, you horrible man.” I wiggled and tried to kick him in the shins. Oh, that wasn’t my best move.

He simply pressed his other hand against the small of my back, easily keeping me in position, grinning as the round of discipline became more intense. The level of pain was shocking, so much so I was still in some crazy state of limbo. I wanted to hate him with every molecule but just studying his handsome reflection, the suave look about him in his expensive tuxedo was enough to keep me swooning.

I decided to endure the horrible act, determined somehow to get him back in the end. When he started to caress my aching skin, I hissed like a venomous snake. What did he do? He laughed in that sultry tone of his.

“Sugar, you can act like I’m your number one enemy all you want but you know you need this. Discipline is good for the soul.” His words were frank yet said with amusement underneath.

“You are the most infuriating man I’ve ever known. I truly hate you.”

He lifted his head, pushing the entire weight of his massive body against mine. As we peered into the mirror, our reflection highlighted a gorgeous couple. I was truly losing my mind. We weren’t anything but two people who got under each other’s skin.

“Good. Hate makes for the best lovers.”

I was stuck in some crazy kind of awe around the man, still finding it impossible to shove him away as I should. Meanwhile, he used his statement as a beginning to what would happen next.

He was certainly ambidextrous, still holding me down while easily undoing his belt and fly with one hand. Before I had time to object, not that my mind was seriously considering it, he yanked the tiny string aside with enough force, the damn thing ripped. My mouth dropped open and he grinned like a fool before driving the entire length of his cock deep into my electrified pussy.

“Oh. My. God.” The brutal thrust left me breathless, the batch of stars floating in front of my eyes something I couldn’t describe to anyone. Not that I’d want to, including to Ashton. This was my private… nightmare. Even if I was licking my lips, meeting every savage plunge as if I was desperate to have him fill me.

The way he gripped my hips was possessive, so much so I couldn’t move or think. But that was just fine by me. The ache in my pussy was being satisfied, my heated core needing the fabulous release.

I wasn’t certain if time stopped or if I was simply trying to push the sinful moment into slow motion, but his stamina and roughness was exactly what I needed. Was this what happened when two animals mated in the wild?

Suddenly, there was a slight noise, a feminine gasp and all I could do was smile.

Of course that changed when a mind-bending orgasm rushed up from my toes, turning my core’s heat red-hot.

“Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh.” I wasn’t screaming but I wasn’t bothering to keep my voice down either.

Just glancing at his face, the way he now had beads of sweat trickling down both sides added to the moment.

“That’s it, little koala. Tell the world how I’m the only man who can make you feel this damn good.”

And almost like that, another rush of anger returned. He was the most entitled person I’d ever come into contact with. “Bastard.”

“Yes.”

There was no stopping him or my raging climax that refused to end. He dug his fingers into my hips, holding on as if a reminder he owned me.

And I was still bucking against him, a small part of me wishing this fantastic moment would never end.

But with all wicked things, it was destined to happen. His muscles tensed while my pussy was clamping and releasing and there was no turning back now.

As he filled me with his seed, I slammed my hand against the mirror. I knew I’d look back and regret this but at least for now, it was something delicious, filthy, and very private I could hold onto.

When he was finished, he wrapped his arms and his body over me, keeping me in position as his cock throbbed more than it had done before. He even kissed the side of my neck, dragging his tongue up to the base of my ear.

“You are… incredible.”

His words didn’t surprise me, but they did make me hate that I had no self-control around him.

I had no response to him. What was the point? We still weren’t destined to be anything other than this and I could only imagine the tabloid fodder if we were seen together. The way my body tensed was strangling but I sensed he could feel it.

Braxton backed away, giving me space as he shoved his cock back into his pants. Every muscle seemed tense as I tried to clean myself off, grabbing a handful of paper towels. I should feel very dirty but what was the point? I had to remove the expensive thong, shoving it into my clutch purse.

He was grinning as if shredding it was an accomplishment.

After running my fingers through my curls, I spun around to face him. “You are… incorrigible.”

“You should decide which adjective I am, little koala.”

“You’re a man with many sides. I get to call you everything under the sun.”

His laugh was boisterous and yet exciting. As he adjusted his bowtie in the mirror, it was difficult to take my eyes off him. “I think we should grab a late dinner and discuss your current situation.”

“What situation is that?”

Both of us sucked in our breath as three women walked in, obviously shocked at finding a male inside.

He glanced at me again and took a deep breath. “I’ll be waiting outside.”

I watched him walk out and slapped my hands on the counter.

“One hottie,” one of the women said as if I wasn’t standing there.

“He’s worth billions,” the second girl stated. I’ll be damned if she wasn’t fanning her face.

“And very single.”

They laughed and I was shaking my head. I had no idea how to deal with this or what to say to him. Dinner? Was it possible I could carve out a little life of my own or was that too much to ask? Maybe just dinner and I could end it before anything else occurred. I wouldn’t have time to deal with an infuriating man since I needed to find a job, a place to live, and a new life.

After grabbing my purse, I headed out of the bathroom, holding my head high as I walked down the corridor. I was almost to the end when I realized a reporter and cameraman had grabbed Braxton, busily asking him questions while the camera rolled.

Oh, no. I couldn’t do this.

It was another moment my father couldn’t afford. I slunk against the wall, trying to remember if there were stairs or an elevator around the corner. That’s right. There was a bank of rarely used elevators at the end of another hall.

Without looking back, I moved quickly so I could slink away like some coward. But I couldn’t help stopping just long enough to gaze back at his handsome form.

“What a shame, handsome man. Have a great life.”

With that, I did what I’d suddenly started doing best in difficult situations.

I fled.