Page 65 of Claim Me

“You’ve told me.”

He snarled and I could clearly hear the sound. When he tugged some things from his coat jacket, he peered down at them before taking two steps toward me and tossing the items on the desk.

Instantly, my blood chilled. A half dozen photographs of me. Whoever had taken them had invaded my space, including one when I’d been getting ready for bed. Oh, my God. I rose from the chair, feeling lightheaded and nauseous. “Who took these?”

“I can take a guess. I found them in a car near the body of a man who’d dared follow me.”

“You killed him.”

“And two others.” I watched in fascination and horror as he signed something awkwardly, yet the meaning was clear.

I will protect you.

At that moment, I knew he was the only one capable of doing so.

Between the thought, the grief, the uncertainty, the terror and the desire, I was suddenly completely and utterly lost.

“I want you to feel safe,” he added, his tone entirely different than before. “I know you can’t trust me right now, but you will need to. They are coming after you, Marissa, but to do so, they’ll need to get through me. That will not happen.”

CHAPTER 19

Marissa

The pain was real.

The ugliness of what we were facing bore down on me, but something snapped inside, something dark and unforgiving, a rush of emotions, but also the strange and very powerful feeling of security his presence allowed.

“Can you do that?” Kazimir asked. He removed his jacket, tossing it aside. “Can you trust me without question, learning to obey the rules that will keep you safe?”

Rules. Obedience.

As sick as it might sound to some, my darkest fantasies had revolved around a dominating man. My mouth was suddenly dry knowing his question wasn’t as sexual as it was protective.

I was stuck in a beautiful whisper of time. There was no one else but the two of us.

“Here’s the crazy thing. I do trust you.” I laughed as soon as I admitted the words because I’d never felt so strongly about anything before in my life. Why? How?

With his eyes glassing over, he ripped off his tie. “I’m glad. If you really do, you’ll need to do everything I say.” His repetitive words continued exciting me.

“Yes. Okay. I understand.”

“Yes?” He lifted both eyebrows as he rolled up his sleeves and unbuttoned his shirt.

“Yes, I will.”

“No questions asked.”

I bit my tongue. “No questions asked.”

He inched closer and the heat became just as oppressive as before.

When he tilted his head, I could tell by the shift in his expression, the carnal look forming in his eyes that I was very wrong.

Time ticked away, the twisted seconds agonizing. We were two strangers with an unmistakable connection.

His nostrils flaring, he backed me against the wall, his hot breath cascading across my face.

“What are you doing?” I could barely recognize my voice.