Correction, things I thought I didn’t deserve, such as a normal life. A job. A place that was mine. Friends. A man I loved.
The thought sent a hot pulse of emotion through me.
A man I loved...
Such as the man sitting opposite?
The man who’d kidnapped me, saved me. Who’d not only shown me pleasure, but shown me that I was worthy of it. Who’d allowed me to be myself and liked me despite it.
Or maybe because of it.
The man who’d told me that my mother’s sacrifice had been worth it if it had allowed me to exist.
You’re in love with him. You have been since the moment you met him.
My eyes filled with the stupidest tears.
‘You look sad.’ His deep voice wound around me, encompassing me in its rough warmth. ‘What’s wrong? I thought you’d like the yacht.’
I blinked furiously. God, I did not want to cry. I didn’t even know why I was crying.
Sure, you do.
Yes. I was in love with Ajax King and I couldn’t have him. Because if he didn’t release me back to Dad, then Dad would stay, continuing to threaten Ajax and his family. Continuing to threaten the city Ajax had sworn to protect.
And I couldn’t ask him to keep me. I couldn’t ask to be put before everyone he cared about. That would be selfish.
I forced myself to smile, my heart aching. ‘Oh, I’m just...happy to be outside and here,’ I lied. Then, because I couldn’t help myself, I added, ‘With you.’
Something in his gaze shifted, his smile fading. ‘I have to tell you something, Imogen.’
I swallowed. I knew what he was going to say; don’t ask me how, but I did. Maybe it was simply the timing of me discovering I was in love and realising I could never have it.
‘You’re going to tell me that you’ve spoken to Dad and that I have to meet him,’ I said. ‘And then you’re going to give me back to him.’
He was silent, staring at me.
Of course he was going to give me back to Dad. And that shouldn’t have disappointed me in the slightest. I’d told him I didn’t want him to care about me, after all.
‘No,’ Ajax murmured slowly. ‘I’m not going to give you back to him.’
The shock was a hard jolt, like I’d curled my fingers around a bare electrical wire. ‘W-what?’
‘I changed my mind.’ The intensity in his eyes burned. ‘I’m keeping you.’
I’m keeping you...
A hot ball of emotion pushed against my ribs, constricting my lungs, making breathing hard.
I had not been expecting this.
‘You can’t,’ I forced out. ‘You can’t keep me. Dad will—’
‘I’ll deal with your father.’ For a second the warmth in his eyes was replaced with something cold. ‘But you’re not going back to him, end of story.’
‘B-but where will I go?’ I stammered. ‘What will I do? How can I—’
‘Did you miss the part where I said I’m keeping you?’
‘No,’ I managed. ‘I just...thought you might be joking.’
‘I’m not. I’m deadly serious.’
The hot ball of emotion got bigger, wider. ‘But why?’
‘Because he’s a prick and he hurt you. And I want to make sure he never hurts you again. Plus...’ a familiar flame leapt in his gaze ‘... I haven’t finished with you yet.’
‘What will happen to me when you do?’ My brain was already leaping to the next thing. Because of course he wouldn’t want to keep me for ever. ‘When you finish with me, I mean. Dad’s not going to go away just like that.’
‘Leave him to me.’
‘But I thought you said nothing was going to get in the way of you protecting your city? Not even me.’
He pinned me with that relentlessly blue gaze. ‘I’ve never been able to have what I want. At least, I never thought I’d be able to. You were the first thing I allowed myself. And I want more. I want both. To protect my city and have you, and fuck, I don’t see why I can’t.’
The emotion in my chest was crushing. Like hunger magnified a thousand times, multiplied by need, turning into something so intense I couldn’t breathe.
I loved him. But to ask for it in return was too much to ask of a man like Ajax. He was too driven, too focused on his goals, and he’d told me himself how important they were to him. Far more important than I’d ever be.
Dad never loved you. Why would Ajax King?
He wouldn’t. And that was the truth.
‘Why?’ I asked, unable to help myself. ‘If it’s just about the sex—’
‘It’s not just about the sex. I want to keep you because you wanted me. Because I haven’t had a woman look at me the way you do for years, if ever. Because you’re the first person I’ve met who wasn’t instantly afraid of me. Because you’re beautiful. Because I’m fascinated by the way your mind works.’ The blue flame in his eyes leapt higher. ‘Because you’re challenging as hell and because your optimism is so fucking bright it’s blinding.’
My throat closed up. He’d told me similar things that day in the kitchen, when I’d burned the bacon. But I hadn’t taken them in, not until now. Not until I saw the truth burning in his gaze.
I tried to swallow. Failed.
‘I couldn’t have what I wanted,’ he went on, ‘because anything I claim will be a target. But I can protect you. I will protect you.’ The look on his face was naked with need. ‘I want you, Imogen. Do you want me?’
Emotion burned behind my ribs, a bonfire of it.
How long will he want you for? And what will you do when it’s over?
But the future had never been something I wanted to think about and I wanted to think about it even less now.
Now was all that mattered.
Now was all I had.
‘Yes.’ I couldn’t lie, not even to protect myself. ‘I want you so much.’
His eyes were a deep, endless blue, like that horizon he’d told me he wanted to sail over to see what was on the other side.
I wanted to sail over it too. With him. Because, whatever was on the other side, I knew it would be endlessly fascinating. Endlessly challenging. I would never lose interest. Never.
‘Stay.’ Ajax looked at me as if the rest of the world didn’t exist. ‘Stay with me, Imogen.’
How could I resist?
‘Okay.’ My voice cracked. ‘I’ll stay.’
A look of intense satisfaction crossed his face. ‘I told your father he could see you next week. Instead, I’ll take the opportunity to tell him you’ll be remaining with me.’
I wanted to ask him how he’d keep Dad off my back and protect his city as well, but I didn’t. That was another thing I didn’t want to think about.
‘Okay,’