She swayed forward, hypnotised by the view; her weight balanced on delicate toes ready to explore.
I struggled to remember the broken waif I’d rescued. Struggled to recall her bleeding and bruised and too broken to speak to me. To have her evolve so much in such a short amount of time made me proud for having some measure in her progress and pissed that every day she needed me less and less.
I hadn’t acknowledged just how much I needed to be needed. To have someone to care for after being so goddamn alone.
Stop being such a dick and man the fuck up.
She’s not in danger from you because you’ll control it.
And you’re not in danger from her because you’ll do what? Motherfucking control it, that’s what.
“Everything’s all set.” Selix pushed past, heading down the ramp.
Pim startled, her mind already in Monte Carlo before snapping back into her body. The way she jumped then looked immediately at me as if I’d save her from anything harrowing made me grind my teeth.
Goddammit, did she have any idea the agony she caused? The way her tenacity made me want to take what I needed while her hesitation made me want to be the fucking hero and guard her?
“Ready?” Holding out my arm, I waited until she’d looped hers through mine. “Are you comfortable?” I glanced at her too-big-for-her blue dress. Once again, the loose material was somehow sexier on her slim frame than a tight miniskirt. The breeze rippled the material around her shape, revealing she wasn’t wearing underwear beneath.
My jaw clenched as my mind returned to her on my lap and me inside her.
Christ, will this desire ever go away?
I waited for a sneer and a comment about her hating clothes and how she’d prefer to be naked, but her quip never came.
Come to think of it, the past few days she’d willingly dressed with no coercion from me. Either she’d finally accepted social decorum or something else had changed inside her besides the willingness to talk.
Things had happened between us and not just because of what’d occurred in my room. The storm had broken us down to basics, allowing new versions to build on whatever remained.
Who knew weather had such power over emotion?
“Depends,” she said. “Will it be cold where we’re going?”
Her question tickled my ears. Quiet and respectful, she had none of the bite from dinner last night. It made me want to shove her against the wall and kiss her and cover her in bubble wrap at the same time.
Get it fucking together. Enough with the inner monologue. You sound like a fool.
I cleared my throat. “No. Monaco is hot this time of year, and the places we’re visiting aren’t overly air conditioned. My workers prefer to sweat rather than shiver.”
“I prefer that, too.” Her lips twitched, looking me up and down. “By the way, you look…nice.”
The compliment surprised me, but I chewed a smile. “You too.”
Her cheeks coloured as her gaze skated to the floor. Not having access to her thoughts made me rage. I would never take making eye contact or indulging in a conversation for granted ever again. Pim had taught me the value of such simple things.
“Shall we go?” Selix waited on the ramp in his usual black suit. His face showed no hint of what he thought about my and Pim’s awkward compliments.
I nodded curtly. “Yes. Got a meeting first thing.”
Pim gave me a soft smile as I sidestepped for her to pass in front of me down the gangway. “Ladies first.”
With a gracious nod, she padded past in flat silver sandals and headed toward Selix. Metal barricades kept her protected from falling into the sea.
Blinking in the bright sunshine with dapples of turquoise harbour dancing over her skin, she gasped at the congestion of super yachts, priceless schooners, and vessels worth more than small cities.
Selix quickened his step to jump aboard the small launch then turned to offer his hand to Pim as she navigated the small gap from ramp to speedboat. The sleek craft was named Ghost in a nod to the Phantom. The pretty lines curved with highly polished wood and embellished with brass accents.
It wasn’t big, but it reeked money.
As it should.
I’d designed it to shuttle potential clients out to my factory to convince them to part with millions for a yacht. Another reason why I’d custom built the launch was to ferry myself to Monte Carlo. The Phantom was too big to dock—even though many of the piers were oversize to accommodate visitors like me. However, I didn’t like being penned in with the multitude of other ships. If we had to leave quickly, dropping anchor at the border of the harbour with a small craft to zip back home was ideal.
Pim placed her palm into Selix’s as the Phantom’s stable weight switched to the wave rock of the smaller speedboat. “Thank you.”
Selix merely nodded. He didn’t act as if Pim’s gratitude was anything monumental while I still couldn’t get used to her talking. Every sentence she uttered, I stupidly thought it might be her last. The urge to wring as many as I could before she stopped was a never ceasing fight.
“Sit down.” Selix pointed at the wooden bench with cream cushions. “Please.”
The moment Pim obeyed, I jumped aboard and sat beside her. She glanced at me with a welcome but wary smile. My fingertips burned to touch her, to remind her she’d traded her freedom to remain mine until she gave me everything.
I forgot about work, water, and all my worries as I fell into the mayhem she caused. “Ready?”
Ready to let me in?
Ready to give me what I want?
She nodded, her cheeks reddening like a sunrise before giving me a flickering smile and turning to watch Selix as he moved to the helm. Casting off the line securing us to the Phantom, he shifted the idling engine into gear, then added speed until we cut through the tide like a sharp blade, barely leaving any wake.
Pim leaned forward; her attention locked on the horizon, preparing to enter another world of flashy cars, flashy people, and even flashier bank balances.
Monaco was a playground for the mega-rich. With tax havens for most and a climate that meant everyday living required Gucci dresses and Yves Saint Laurent shorts, a lot of the global fortune was tied up in bonds, real estate, and encrypted bank accounts in the French Rivera.
Including mine.
Selix added more acceleration until Pim’s dark hair fanned out behind her. Gasping, she grabbed the cushion with white-knuckled fingers, throwing herself forward to counteract the greedy gravity pulling her backward.
I made the mistake of staring at her, and I couldn’t look away.
I watched as she peered at the welcoming horizon. I soaked in her innocence and joy as we drew closer to sun-dabbled buildings, rainbow umbrellas, and patchwork towels on the beach.
She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
She was the most dangerous thing I’d ever encountered.
I had to get rid of her before it was too late.
Chapter Eight
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Pim