“Except for you, again,” she says, meaning that she can’t tell me no about her debt to me.
“Exactly,” I say with a wink, and I see a hint of a smile on her lips that she is trying to hide.
She loves the challenge, and I am more than up for the battle.
* * *
Kat
We walk into the grand mansion in front of us, which is every bit as luxurious as you can imagine a mansion is. Large grounds, long sweeping driveway, landscaped gardens, butlers waiting at the doors… and as we approach the inside, I can see the décor is exquisite. Mainly gold everywhere with hardwood floors and large chandeliers––I feel like I have walked into something out of a fairy-tale, except I’m not with the prince, I’m with the big bad wolf.
I have no idea what tonight is all about because I didn’t ask. I want no part of his life, I’m merely here to settle a score and hoping he will let me out early––unless I can find a way of escape myself, but after racking my brain for the last two months, nothing has come to me.
“Good evening, Mr Knowles,” one of the butlers greet as he welcomes us inside.
“Evening,” Nate replies, and I can already sense in his tone that he is turning on the charm for the evening that is about to unfold.
“May I take your jackets?” the butler says, but Nate waves him off.
“Not necessary.”
“Very well, sir. Enjoy your evening,” he says with a bow and then Nate is walking us through the expansive reception area and along a large corridor.
As we turn right, I see that we are in a ridiculously large room, tables lining the outsides filled with food and drinks, people milling about in the middle, and light chatter carrying in the air around us.
A few eyes come our way as we walk further into the room, and so do the appreciative glances from women, until their eyes fall on me. Their expressions quickly turn into scowls and I refrain from rolling my eyes. If only they knew that I was a hostage here tonight, then maybe they wouldn’t look so pissed off that they aren’t in my position.
I can appreciate that Nate is handsome––gorgeous even––but that doesn’t make up for his annoying as fuck personality and stubbornness. He thinks that one day I will come to like that about him, I say he’s hoping for a fucking miracle.
“Nate, my boy,” some old guy says as he appears through the throngs of people. I would say he’s about sixty, with a pot belly and one of those stupid moustaches that flick out at the end on either side. All he needs is a fucking top hat and we have our very own detective show. I stifle the laugh that wants to rip from my throat at the thought.
“Sidney,” Nate greets, holding out his hand from the arm I’m not hanging off of for him to shake. “Good to see you here.”
“Thank you for the invite,” he says as he shakes his hand and the turns his attention to me. “And who might this beautiful woman be?” He casts his eyes over me appreciatively and a shudder wracks my body. Ugh.
“This is Kat, my fiancée,” Nate informs him.
“Oh.” Sidney clearly can’t hide the look of surprise on his face. “Pleasure to meet you,” he says, now holding his hand out to me. I don’t want to take his hand, but I feel like I must, so I do, and he brings my hand to his lips and places a kiss on the back of it. I stop myself from pulling my hand away even though I want to rip it from his grip. I feel Nate stiffen beside me and I wonder if he is pissed off with me? I mean, I couldn’t give a shit if he is, but I don’t see why he should be seeing as I’m playing the fucking part and all.
“Well, this is sure to be the talk of the evening,” he says as he finally lets me go and I return my hand to my side. I would like to go and wash the germs off of me, but that would appear rude, and for my sins, I’m so very fucking British in my manners it’s ridiculous. You know, where you feel like you have to apologise even if you don’t know what you’re apologising for or where making a cup of fucking tea will fix everything.
“I don’t see why it should be,” Nate says as he removes my arm from his and brings his hand around the back of me, his arm going around my waist, his hand settling on my hip as he pulls me flush against him. I’m caught off guard by the action and my hand comes up to land on his chest, feeling the hard muscle beneath. Fuck. No, no, no. I hate him, I hate him, I hate him. But you can want to fuck someone and hate them at the same time, right? Hate sex. Sounds fucking hot.
“The point of tonight is to raise money for charity and nothing more. I hope you have made a sizeable donation, Sidney,” Nate continues, the power exuding from him. This guy looks like he’s shit his pants a little as he tells Nate that he has made a hefty donation and then he excuses himself and walks off, back into the crowds and away from us.
Nate brings his lips to my ear and whispers, “Never ever let yourself be alone with that man, and if you ever find that you are, be assured that if he ever touched you, I would rip his fucking dick off and make him eat it.”
I look up at him, tilting my head slightly.
Why is my heart beating like that?
Why is there a flurry of activity in my belly?
Oh hell.
“Okay,” is all I say as he gives me a half smile.
“Good. Now, we’re here to raise money for a domestic abuse charity, one that helps to shelter women and children that need protection.”
