“There was nothing in those papers that said I get off on hurting a woman!”
“Then, please tell, how you exert your control!”
Rafe sat back down, his temper at an all-time high. He took in several deep breaths as he once again thought about the sanity of dealing with this woman. She’d made a lot of assumptions and he owed her no explanations. He was furious that he even wanted to have the conversation.
Instead of saying anything, he pressed a buzzer, letting the staff know he was ready for their first course. Two people moved into the room, silent as they set down plates and filled glasses with wine and water.
Rafe lifted the cup to his lips and took a sip of the sweet beverage as he waited for them to exit. His eyes didn’t leave Ari’s face. She glanced at him, then looked away, muttering a quiet thank you as her salad was placed before her. Nervously, she picked up her own glass and gulped down a large swallow, then drank half the glass before setting it back down.
His staff went quietly to the back of the room, ready to refill glasses, and bring out new courses. They were loyal and he didn’t have to worry about his words in front of them. He wouldn’t hire anyone he couldn’t be himself around without their absolute discretion.
“Why don’t you sign the contract and work for me so you can find out,” Rafe finally spoke after ten awkward minutes of silence.
Ari jerked her gaze up, seemingly surprised that he was still in the room. Rafe didn’t know if he should be offended or not, to be forgotten so easily. Ari wasn’t great for his ego.
“I do appreciate you saving me from the club and having a doctor look after me, but no matter how much you rescue me, or swoop in on your white horse, I won’t be a part of your chosen lifestyle. My mother raised me to expect more out of life than to be some man’s mistress. This entire seduction scene is pointless. I won’t be yours.”
For a moment her eyes were pleading as if she were begging him to let her go. If he had an ounce of humanity left in him, he might have done just that, but when it came to women, he chose not to be humane. He chose to seek out pleasure.
“You say you’re appreciative, but you haven’t shown me any gratitude. I can think of at least a dozen ways you can repay me, Ari,” he countered with a smirk. “You know how this will end – you have to have figured it out by now. Why must you insist on fighting the inevitable?” Her eyes widened before they narrowed.
“I don’t know how many times, or in how many ways I can say no to you, Mr. Palazzo. I will never be your employee, mistress or whore,” she responded before spearing a piece of vinaigrette covered lettuce and forcing it into her mouth.
“Ah, Ari, you’d make a good whore,” he mocked, knowing his comment would set her off.
Her face turned red as she glared at him and bit into a piece of cucumber, crunching down on the vegetable like he was sure she’d like to be clamping down on his skin – and not in a pleasant way.
Then, her lips turned up in a smile, once again surprising him as she slowed her vicious chewing, looking at him thoughtfully. He couldn’t wait to hear what came from her plump pink lips next.
“You know what, Mr. Palazzo, I think you’re right. I could enjoy being a whore. Sex isn’t nearly as horrible as I remember it being,” she said as she looked thoughtfully at him, starting to send his heartbeat up. Then she continued. “I’ll just never be yours,” she finished as if she were talking about nothing more significant than the weather.
Rafe knew she was only trying to bait him, and it was working. The thought of her with another man sent fire pulsing through him. She was free to whore around all she wanted once he was done with her – but no man would touch what was his and right now she was, indeed, his.
“You do like to push buttons, don’t you, Ari?” he asked as he signaled his staff to bring in the next course. “And don’t you think it’s time you called me Rafe? After all, I’ve had my tongue circling your ni**les while you begged me for more.”
He smiled as her face flamed red while soup was being place in front of her. She looked down at her plate in horror, too embarrassed to meet his employees eyes. She needed to learn she couldn’t win in a battle against him. He wouldn’t allow it.
“What’s the matter, Ari? You don’t have any more witty come-backs?”
“Oh, I have plenty, Mr. Palazzo. I’m just not such a brash bastard like you,” she answered between clenched teeth.
He was suddenly moving around the table and lifting her from her chair before she even had time to blink. She looked at him with startled eyes as he felt her pulse quicken beneath his touch.
“I’ve warned you to be careful, Ari. I mean it. Do not call me names. I don’t act so vulgar with you, and I expect the same courtesy,” he threatened as his fingers gripped her hair and he held her head back, forcing her to look into his eyes.
“You don’t act so vulgar? Ha! You just announced in front of your staff that you were upstairs with your mouth all over my body. That’s as vulgar as it gets! Now, get your hands off of me. I thought you said you didn’t hurt women,” she said, her bravado in place, but he could sense the fear just beneath.
“I don’t hurt women, Ari. Am I causing you pain?”
He looked into her eyes as she struggled against him. He had her held securely against him with her head incapable of moving, but he knew he wasn’t hurting her. She couldn’t honestly answer that he was.
“You’re holding me against my will,” she finally answered as she moved her h*ps against his.
“All you’re doing in your struggles is rubbing that delectable body against mine, making me want to throw you over my shoulder and take you back to that nice comfortable bed. Is that what you want?”
“If you enjoy rape!”
“I’ve never had to force a woman, Ari, and I never will,” he hummed as his mouth descended and he sucked on her neck, feeling her pulse. He felt her internal battle as she stiffened against him.
Knowing he could make her submit was enough of a victory that he released her. Slowly, he walked back to his seat, watching with satisfaction as she dropped back into her chair as if her knees were incapable of holding her up.
“You think you’ve won some small victory, but you haven’t won anything. Obviously, you can cause a strange reaction in my body, but you have zero of my respect,” she said with a determination he was impressed with.