Page 70 of Devil's Claim

“One hundred thousand dollars.”

He’d thought this over. For all the flip-flops my stomach had experienced from the light brush of his fingers, the rough kisses and possessive personality, an ache crashed down on me. For man like Kruz Blanco and all the unholy passion we’d experienced, the stilted relationship would be nothing more than an arrangement. Fuck buddies. I was sick inside but tried to hide it.

Anything to buy additional time. There had to be a way out that wouldn’t remain dangerous.

“If I do this, and I’m not saying yes at this point, twenty thousand dollars a month. Not a penny less. Plus, I’ll want this in contract form and of course I’d take some time to look it over before signing.”

He snorted, shaking his head. “I knew you were cunning.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“Not necessarily. I’ll draw up the contract for you to sign.”

“Remember, I’ve yet to agree.”

“You will, Christine.”

“Why are you so certain?”

He leaned in. “Because you have no other choice. This conversation is finished.”

And just like that, the man who’d broken into my home and disrupted my life had a new one all planned out for me.

Correction, for us.

I wasn’t used to being dumbstruck by anything, but this time, I was at a complete loss for words.

He lowered his head, brushing his lips across mine. “And don’t worry. You’ll have a lovely wedding. We’ll leave in a few minutes, Christine. Make certain Maverick is ready.”

I’ll be damned if the man I’d swooned over wasn’t walking away from me. As if I had no say in the matter.

“You mean we. Right?” At least the sarcastic side of me hadn’t completely left my tarnished mind. “We’ll have a nice wedding.”

Or maybe I was just completely overwhelmed. Who just up and decided that two people would get married? Oh, yeah. Bad people. Cartel leaders. Monsters. He was all of those and more.

Including the man who continued to arouse me.

I was one sick puppy.

He stopped long enough to turn his head so I could see his profile. “Absolutely, my sweet treat. I never do anything I don’t enjoy.”

As soon as he disappeared, I fell back against the wall. What the hell had just happened? My heart racing, I pressed my fingers across my lips. He truly believed he owned me. I closed my eyes, exhaling sharply when images of his chiseled face and carved body were firmly placed in the forefront of my mind. Why couldn’t I toss my desire aside?

Even though a shiver slithered down my spine like a venomous snake lurking behind its prey, I started to laugh.

For all the stupid fantasies I’d had over the years of a big, brutal man tossing me over his shoulder and taking me to his private cave, or posh residence, the unrequited longing was coming true.

Only my big brute was also likely the most dangerous man I’d ever met.

What kind of man needed not one but two guards or soldiers or whatever Kruz called the two huge men standing only a few feet away? Their oppressive statures were distracting. They were both wearing suits, standing on opposite sides of the small chain restaurant, staring at nothing, but carefully watching for anything out of the ordinary.

They also weren’t eating, just watching.

Waiting.

Being that McDonald’s was all glass and I seriously doubted any of it was bulletproof, I didn’t mind reminding myself just how unnerving it was to be sitting on plastic seats eating dinner with a savage dictator only inches away. I’d caught the outline of Kruz’s weapon, the ones on his two men as well. I’d also noticed just how thick the glass windows were in the huge black SUV.

Nothing screamed of being in the middle of a horror or thriller movie than two-inch-thick glass.