Indebted - Piper Stone Page 0,59

land rolls over the swell of hills. My father took over from his father and his father before that. At first, they were small manufacturers, toiling with the others for little wages while working themselves to the bone. They never complained about the long hours or backbreaking work; however, they wanted more. Within a few years, my great-grandfather had an opportunity, quickly moving into management. He was ruthless yet the proceeds doubled under his watch. Within two years, he moved up to vice president, taking over the company when the president and owner mysteriously died in a tragic accident. By then, my grandfather was already involved, his ideas of taking over smaller companies something that had yet to be done on a regular basis. And so began the regime that exists today.” He lifted his glass, chuckling under his breath.

Secrets...

“You should be there, working alongside them.” I could tell he was angry with himself for opening up, sharing anything with me.

“Perhaps I should. Sadly, I am the bastard son my father no longer wanted in his life. The chance to come here was the only one I had, or at least so I believed. And now, my father is dead.”

I shifted to face him, inching closer. “The company belongs to you.”

He laughed, the sound hollow. “For some strange and disturbing reason, my father left the company to me, certainly against my brothers’ wishes. That will allow me to continue growing our enterprise. I will also enjoy exacting my revenge.”

He was planning on returning to Ireland.

With me.

As his wife.

Masters Enterprises wasn’t just going to be a global empire. It was going to be a kingdom.

And I was the queen.

I swallowed before taking another sip of my wine, my legs quaking. Then I dared to ask the one question I needed the answer to. I pressed my hand against his face, rubbing my thumb back and forth across his scar. “What happened? Is this why you have so much anger, so much bitterness inside? You are a very handsome man and obviously talented. Why exact revenge when you have so much?”

Snarling, he gripped my hand, twisting as his eyes lit up from the same kind of venom I’d seen before, his body shaking as his jaw clenched.

I was more afraid of him tonight than I had been before. His pain was close to the surface, memories of something horrible, a nightmare he couldn’t escape from. Would he hurt me? Would he lock me away again?

The deep and very guttural sound was terrifying and when he pulled my hand to his lips, pressing kisses against my palm, I couldn’t move or think.

“Don’t,” I whispered, even though a significant portion of me wanted to get closer to him. I had to be mad. Insane.

“You are a drug, a desire that burns within me. I need you like I require air to breathe.”

His eyes were nothing but blackened pools as they bore into mine, but I caught another glimpse of his soul as well as his desperate need. As he gathered me into his arms, savage growls slipping past his voluptuous lips, I felt as if I was floating on a cloud.

“I want you.” He crushed his lips over mine as he cupped my face and neck, his fingers spread wide open. He held our mouths together, his breathing still ragged.

I knew he could devour me, unleashing the beast buried so deep within him. He was a volcano ready to spew molten lava over the both of us. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think as the kiss became a passionate roar, a mindless hunger that consumed flesh and blood. I rose onto my tiptoes, clawing his shirt in my effort to draw him in closer.

None of this made any sense. Not the longing. Not the blatant need. Not the insanity of why we shared the feelings we did.

He thrust his tongue into my mouth, entwining them together as he drank in every drop of my essence. This was an entirely different man, one who was losing his tight control. This was the man I hoped to understand, even get to know.

And so, I let go.

As I fell into the kiss, I could feel him stiffening and within seconds he broke the embrace.

When he fucked me, it would be on his terms, not some crazy thought about romance. This wasn’t about dating. This would never be about doing anything normal together.

This was about possession.

He lifted his head, his eyes never leaving mine. I found myself leaning forward,