CHAPTER 7

S ara

Zach.

The name echoed in my ears.

As in Zachariah Blackwell, one third owner of the Blackwell Group, only the wealthiest and most prestigious gaming firm in the entire world. They made billions, their games notorious for their heavy acts of violence and sex.

But they sold like wildfire. They had thousands of people playing online, lining up to purchase every new virtual reality game Blackwell released. They were also three of the most eligible bachelors on the face of this earth.

Handsome didn’t cut it.

They carried godlike statuses. Zach, at least in my mind, was by far the most exquisite. Perfectly chiseled. And totally off limits. For about a bazillion reasons.

Oh, no, no.

I was close to hyperventilating.

The man who’d become determined to be my hero was even more incredibly attractive up close and personal. He was at least two heads taller than me and that was saying something given I was five foot eight. All I could initially think about was how difficult it would be to kiss him. I’d need to rise on my tiptoes. No, a stepping stool. My fractured mind envisioned the moment and a nervous laugh bubbled to the surface.

Another blazing image forced itself into my mind. What would it be like to sixty-nine the man? Was it even remotely possible I could suck his cock while he feasted on my pussy?

What in God’s name was my wacko brain thinking?

But he was the epitome of a Greek god complete with a sculpted physique.

Hold on. Hold the fuck on. This wasn’t a good scenario.

No. It couldn’t be possible that somehow I’d gained the attention of one of the most powerful men in the city if not on the entire continent. If my hero was Zachariah Blackwell from the Blackwell Group, multibillionaires who’d taken the game industry by storm, the world as I knew it could be collapsing.

It wasn’t his money, clout, or power that troubled me. It was the fact that technically he was my boss. And if I remembered correctly, there was a clause in the company rules about not embarrassing the firm. Was this job considered embarrassing? I was warm all over as if I was going to pass out. I’d almost lost one job tonight. Why not make it an even two?

I was nauseous, incapable of thinking clearly. What I needed was air. Not that I was going to walk out back. There was no telling what monsters were lurking in the shadows.

Yes, I’d had a crush on the handsome man since the first day I’d laid eyes on him. But that had been from afar. Who the hell wouldn’t? With his six foot three or four inch frame, broad shoulders and rippling muscles, the sinful thoughts I’d allowed during lonely nights in my apartment had forced me to drag out one or more of my vibrators. An ugly laugh stuck in my throat.

It was crazy to think I hadn’t recognized his voice other than he was attempting to disguise it. And there was loud music. And he rarely addressed the staff, leaving that to his brother, the president and CEO. No, no. This was an absolute nightmare. Why? Because I had high hopes for achievements in the company. Very high. I wanted a seat on the board. I doubted that would happen should Zach or anyone else from the firm know about my moonlighting gig.

Then there was the infamous contest I’d kind of heard about, the one where I could earn a place at the executive table. How? With all my glorious skills of dancing and theater management? Oh, yeah. That would work. I’d barely played Dark Nights. I was working myself into a frenzy. That wasn’t good under the best of circumstances.

I was one step above a stripper, for Christ’s sake. The reason I worked here was pure, but who would give a shit?

My stomach was in knots.

I was instantly lightheaded, my frazzled brain thinking of all the ugly possibilities if the man found out who I was.

Not that there’d be any reason for him to discover my name or the work I did. He was an executive who rarely came into the office and when he did, he kept to himself. That’s why there’d been so many rumors born during lunch breaks and coffee sessions that had often turned into fantasy fests. Not that I’d been a part of the twitchy female scene. Women didn’t seem to like me very much or perhaps I preferred keeping my head buried in the sand.

I was rooted on the spot, unable to move a muscle and that wasn’t like me. Zach studied me from where he stood less than two feet away, his gaze creating a firestorm tingling deep within every muscle.

This wasn’t good. At least I was hidden behind a mask. Besides, he’d never recognize me, given the staunch, conservative attire I wore to the office. I’d learned years before standing out in a crowd wasn’t in my best interest. I’d inherited my mother’s body.

Way too voluptuous.

Still, given the one rumor I’d listened to regarding the potential upcoming game for the ultra-secretive Obsidian Society, I had to lay low, watch my p’s and q’s if I wanted a snowball’s chance in hell of being allowed to compete.

You’re a foolish girl.

Oh, thanks. On top of everything, my inner voice was chiding me.

Maybe my aspirations were more of a pipe dream, but it couldn’t hurt to try to follow my dreams.

Even if they resulted in the usual disaster.

I caught Zach looking at me out of the corner of my eye and my pussy immediately throbbed.

Get a grip, girl. Straighten up and fly right.

That’s one of the few things I remembered about my mother’s sayings. She’d been a wise woman. If only I could learn from my memories of her and her mistakes.

“A precious gem sparkling in the light. A beautiful woman to be cherished. A wild kitten craving being tamed. Soon…”

Those were the words the glorious man with the deep, velvety voice had said to me. I’d studied Italian, a little-known attribute I kept to myself although I wasn’t certain why.

As soon as he’d said them, it seemed as if the electric connection we shared increased.

But… but I remained incensed he’d jumped in like some big he-man. At least I knew his name. Zach. The single syllable floated off my tongue as I whispered it after walking away.

I could barely believe he’d jumped into a scenario without hesitation, acting as if he wanted to become my hero. Not that I needed saving except from myself.

Still, I’d accepted the assistance mostly because I’d wanted to learn more about the man. Tom hadn’t seemed to mind, even thanking the Phantom for jumping in. The asshole who’d accosted me had been drunk. It happened. Although after what Gina had said, I was jumpy from the interaction. At least he’d been tossed out, but the Phantom had acted like he’d wanted to kill the man with his bare hands.

Sex appeal.

Stop. Stop! It was impossible to do so. The allure of the hunk was far removed from any other man I’d met. When he took a step forward, my instinct told me I should turn away. There was no sense in egging the man on. But I couldn’t.

“Are you alright?” he asked, his tone reminding of soft velvet wrapped around yards of steel. The sound was rugged, yet held more than a hint of charisma.

I was immediately dragged from some crazy fantasy, my thoughts shifting to what Gina had said. I was certain she’d been talking about Jerry. What the hell did the man want with me? And why had she been so terrified of him?

Zach stood quietly as I collected my thoughts.

Almost every aspect of a man’s personality could be ascertained from a few words or even a single gesture. If a woman looked closely enough, she could clearly read his financial worth by the watch he wore and the shoes on his feet. Both of Zach’s were extremely expensive. Even tennis shoes told a story. I’d grown both fond of and good at observing and sizing up men like I could with clothes.

I’d breeze into a store and stay for five minutes until I’d snagged the perfect outfit. However, the mystery man sitting in section nine was clearly an anomaly. Yes, he was rich. Even if I hadn’t known who he was, I’d have easily been able to sense that. The tuxedo was worn with a purpose and fit him perfectly, highlighting his height and muscular physique. His watch and thick ring on his ring finger cost more than I made in a year. And his aura screamed power.

But I’d caught a sense of vulnerability, a man questioning his very existence as well. I wasn’t entirely certain why I felt that way. He was also extremely dark, as in pitch-black, his eyes harboring secrets and danger. But goddamn, they were beautiful, the blue I’d noticed before even deeper than I’d envisioned. He’d captured a moment in time shared between us and refused to let it go.

“I’m fine,” I insisted. “Just a jerk.”

“You should learn men like Jerry aren’t to be trusted.” Zach sounded as if he knew what he was talking about. Duh. Of course he did. He had his share of enemies.

“I don’t usually trust any man.” Did he know something? I was grabbing at straws now. Great.

He tipped his head, the gleam in his eyes full of amusement. “You don’t?”

“No. I find them reprehensible as human beings.” It was the truth, although I was shocked I’d admitted my beliefs to someone who could buy and sell all of Chicago on the stock market before breakfast.

He moved closer, every step he took purposeful. “Never allow a man to get the upper hand. If and when he does, he’ll believe he owns you.”

His words were surprisingly exactly what I’d been thinking. “I’ll keep that in mind and I’m usually pretty good at that. I don’t need a man in my life. Thank you for the advice.” My words were a touch more caustic than I’d intended, but he pushed one too many boundaries.

When he clicked his tongue, I sensed a hint of disapproval. Maybe he wasn’t used to anyone challenging him. The slight and very husky chuckle he emitted brought flip-flops to my stomach. Forget butterflies. I was lost in an entirely different league of lingering desire.

With a man like Zachariah Blackwell, you could never know what to expect. He certainly didn’t play by anyone else’s rules. So when he folded his fingers, rubbing his crooked index finger back and forth across my jaw, my usual reaction of grabbing his arm and bending his wrist didn’t occur. I was far too mesmerized by the hypnotic effect of his eyes.

“My beautiful, yet very wild kitty.” His words weren’t just laced with the same dark, entrancing velvet tone. They also suggested possessiveness, which for some reason made my pussy clench. “Be careful tempting dangerous men. Very often they strike when least expected.”

My best and only real friend would be having a field day at my inability to react as I normally would with sarcasm and general barbs. I could just hear her words. “Everyone loves a bad boy.”

Not this girl. Not at all. Okay, maybe a little. Christ.

He offered a smile that would light up a room before backing away. I was pretty certain I leaned forward in hopes he would keep touching me.

I tried to shake off the feelings and the intense vibrations as I headed to the bar, doing my best to shake off the insinuations the regular customer had whispered in my ear.

“Be careful tempting the devil. It never ends well. Besides, I know who you are. Imagine if I told the world. What would happen to you then?”

Jerry was a son of a bitch, but he’d never acted this way before, not once in the two years I’d seen him rolling into the bar; sometimes with friends, sometimes very much alone, drinking himself to a point I’d prayed he’d opted for an Uber.

What had possessed the man to alter his behavior? I shuddered from stupid thoughts traveling through my brain like firecrackers. First Gina’s weirdness, then him. At least she’d warned me. I wasn’t certain I wanted to find out why.

Sadly, a horrible nagging remained in the back of my mind.

I wasn’t a whore, my dancing gigs nowhere close to being illegal, yet the menace laced in the man’s words continued to trouble me. What had he been getting at? Dancing and flirting had allowed me to pay my bills, taking care of my brother when no one else had stepped up to the plate. We’d been lost souls, nowhere to turn and not a single state agency lifting a finger to provide assistance.

I’d had no other choice. Even college had been put on the back burner. And why the fuck was some guy trying to destroy all that I’d worked so hard to achieve?

My hero continued to watch me as I moved into the shadows, his eyes penetrating mine in a way I’d never experienced before. He wasn’t just studying me. He was mentally breaking down all my defenses, tearing apart every single layer of invisible protection I’d carefully placed like a cocoon around my heart and soul since the tragedy.

“You okay?” Jazzy was another waitress, dedicated to her craft and a consummate professional. She had her own crosses to bear, which was one reason we got along so well.

“Fine.”

“The guy was a jerk. Just try and shake it off. Tonight is a money-making night.” She was always far too cheerful. Meanwhile, I was darkness personified. I was always looking over my shoulder, certain there were monsters lurking in close proximity.

Being robbed at gunpoint a couple of years before hadn’t helped. “I’m fine. I just hate assholes like that.”

Jazzy chuckled. “Me too. I was rooting for you to rearrange his face, but you had a little help. That was an attractive man who came to your defense.”

“How can you tell under the mask?” I grabbed the two drinks that had been waiting for me to serve for several minutes, placing them on the tray I was gripping as if a lifeline. Yet still, I was shaking like a leaf. I’d been cornered before, at least a half dozen times, but none of those incidents had bothered me as much as this one. It wasn’t what the asshole had said, but how he’d issued the words.

There hadn’t been a single slur.

“Oh, come on. Strong jaw. Tall and robust. Did you notice the three-day shadow covering his chin? Oh-so sexy. My kind of man.”

“I guess not an asshole.”

She placed six drinks on her tray, shaking her head. “Try and remember there are some good guys on this planet. Few, but there are some.”

“Did Jerry ask you anything about me?”

She shook her head. “He usually keeps to himself.”

That was usually true.

She leaned in, touching my arm. “Go take a break after serving the drinks. The jerks can wait. They’re happy with the level of entertainment. The asshole is gone, banished. At least there’s that. Take a deep breath.”

True, but something continued to nag at me, as if something from my past would come back to bite me.

There was too much at stake, a future that I’d planned for months. If all went well, this time next year I wouldn’t be dancing and I’d never need to worry about money again.

But everything had to go according to the huge scheme I’d concocted, or I’d lose everything. Damn it. Why did the asshole feel the need to carve out a snippet from my courage and self-resilience? More important, why had I allowed him to get to me? Time to shake it off.

I’d fought for everything in my life and some evil man who’d had too much to drink wasn’t going to alter my decision.

A game was about to begin and I would be the winner.

Come hell or high water.

“Maybe you’re right. I’ll do that.”

“I’m here if you need me.”

I smiled as best as I could, nonchalantly turning my head toward the fabulous man who’d captured more than just my attention.

He was still watching me. Maybe I was crazy, but the tether of electricity continued crackling, extending its reach like sharp talons.

The desire shared between us was close to becoming off the charts.

I purposely turned away, biting my lower lip until I tasted blood. What would it be like to let go for one evening, one passionate moment? Would that be so bad?

The answer should be easy. Hell, yes. But instead of shutting down the thought, I envisioned the man’s naked body as I’d done one too many times.

Maybe if I wished hard enough, my vision would come true.

And maybe one day soon I’d win the billion-dollar lottery.

Not.