Wall Street Titan (Wall Street Titan #1) - Anna Zaires Page 0,90

is like a snowball hitting me in the face. Jolted out of the trance, I raise my head and, remembering the onlookers, let go of Emma. She steps back shakily, fingers pressed to her swollen lips.

Breathing heavily, we stare at each other. Then her left hand jerkily gropes in the air, landing on the handle of her suitcase.

“I can’t,” she says raggedly. “Marcus, I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

A dark mist veils my vision as a dull ringing starts in my ears. I must’ve misheard what she said. “What the fuck do you mean, you can’t?” My voice is low and tight, a warning in every syllable.

Her face twists, her eyes glittering with painful brightness. “I can’t do it. I can’t… can’t move in with you. I’m sorry, Marcus. What I said earlier, I meant it. It’s over. I never want to see you again.”

And as I reel from the gut-wrenching blow, she rushes around me, dragging her suitcase to the gate.

I don’t know how long I sit at the gate, staring blindly at the door through which she disappeared. All my life, I’ve set goals and achieved them, refusing to accept failure as an option. I’ve gone after what I want with determination and ruthlessness, and it’s always yielded results.

Except with Emma.

I’ve fought for her like I have for no other woman, and nothing.

I’ve offered her everything, and she’s thrown it back in my face.

The pain of the rejection is breathtaking, like someone ripped out my lungs. When she told me to leave after the broken door incident, I’d barely known her, and all I’d been after was sex. It had still smarted, being sent away after those scorching hot kisses, but it had been nothing compared to the devastation I feel now.

I’d been so certain she’d accept my proposal to move in that I’d never considered the alternative, much less that she’d refuse to date me at all.

As the shock of her words recedes, the hurt intensifies, and with it comes anger. Dark and hot, it builds within me, until I feel like it will boil me alive. I want to hurt her, to make her feel some of the pain she’s inflicted, and at the same time, I just want her.

I miss her so much I’d kill to hold her one more night.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I inhale deeply, trying to think past the bubbling cauldron of tangled emotions, to analyze this as I would any other investment gone bad.

Why? Why did she do this?

I know I haven’t misread her, haven’t misjudged her response.

She wants me as much as I want her.

She gave herself to me, only to change her mind and run.

There has to be a reason for her actions, something besides my stupid mistake of staying away. The Emma I know is neither shallow nor fickle, and she’s certainly not indifferent to me.

Something happened between Sunday and now, something that spooked her.

Yes, that’s it. That feels right. Something happened, something that caused her to do this—and I’m not giving up until I get to the bottom of it.

No, fuck that.

I’m not giving up until I fix it.

I want Emma, and I’m not accepting defeat.

Resolved, I launch to my feet and start walking, pulling out my phone as I do.

“Get the jet ready,” I order my pilot. “You have an hour. We’re flying to Orlando tonight.”

And hanging up, I smile darkly.

If Emma thinks I’ll let her go this easily, she doesn’t know me at all.

She can run, but she won’t get far. I won’t let her.

Emma, kitten, you’re mine. And I’m coming after you with everything I’ve got.

The End

Thank you for reading! If you would consider leaving a review, it would be greatly appreciated. Marcus & Emma’s story continues in Titan’s Addiction, which you can pre-order HERE. To be notified when it’s out, please sign up for my newsletter at annazaires.

Ready for my other sizzling stories and don’t mind a bit of darkness? Check out:

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The Tormentor Mine Series – Peter & Sara’s intense captive romance

Darker Than Love – an addictive standalone dark romance between Yan and Mink, co-written with Charmaine Pauls

The Mia & Korum Trilogy – an epic sci-fi romance with the ultimate alpha male

The Krinar Captive – Emily & Zaron’s captive romance, set just before the Krinar Invasion

The Krinar Exposé – my scorching hot collaboration with Hettie Ivers, featuring Amy & Vair—and their sex club