“I’m wondering when the bubble will burst.”
“How do you mean?”
“Well, this can’t be real. I’m no princess, and this is no fairy tale. I feel I’m going to wake up one morning, be back in my small house with nothing to offer the world other than my time,” she said.
“That’s really sad for someone who is only twenty-one.”
“How do you know my age?”
“You work for me, Violet. I know everything about you.”
She stared at him. He detected the panic in her eyes, which was fleeting, but he noticed it.
“Shouldn’t you be making advances to someone your own age?” she asked. For the first time he saw the fire inside her. The need to survive. The man in him stood up and took notice. She was young, naive, and to a point, uncultured. But she had a fight inside her. Cadeon respected her more for standing up to him.
“Do you find my advances repulsive? Or just my age?” he asked.
Violet stared at him, her gaze moving up and down his body. He laughed at how joyous he found the moment. Then stopped as he realised there hadn’t been many incidents in her life for her to let go. To be a woman. To know someone would catch her when she fell. To know someone would always be there for her as a lover but also as a friend.
This was the possessive feeling his father talked about. The need to be with her no matter what. As long as he could spend time with her, hold her, he would be happy. Nothing else mattered in life other than the rare moments of bliss, two people shared together.
“I don’t find you repulsive,” she said.
“What about my age?”
“I don’t care about your age either.”
“Just my general need to control?” She smiled, the first real smile he’d ever seen her make. “You should do that more often.”
“What?”
“Smile.”
She blushed.
“It seems hard to smile,” she said after a few moments.
“Why?”
“Because I’ve never had much to smile about.”
Cadeon didn’t question her further. He knew how hard it could be to talk about people.
“What will I be doing today?” she asked.
“You’ll be camping out in my office.”
“Doing what?”
“I bought you this and took the liberty of filling it with some books.” He reached inside his briefcase and pulled out one of the small e-readers that were so popular.
“Why would I need this?”
“Because you weren’t well yesterday and I rather like the thought of having you in my office so I can keep an eye on you.”
Also, I hate the f**king bastards in the office who check out your ass. You’re mine, Violet, and I don’t share.
“I can pay you back,” she said. Her hands shook on the small device.
“Don’t worry about it. I would be offended if you even tried to pay me off. That’s yours. I only ever want to see you smiling as you read it.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Can I ask for something in return?”
“Anything.”
Cadeon had hoped she would say that. “Kiss me.”
She frowned but moved to sit beside him. Her brown eyes were so expressive. The apprehension was back, but she had a ghost of a smile back on her face. The moment she went to kiss his cheek, Cadeon stopped her.
“No. I want you to kiss me on the lips.”
He wanted to know what it felt like to have her reach across the short distance and place those lips on him. His blood was firing on all cylinders, creating an inferno inside.
With the e-reader in her lap, she leaned over and brushed her lips against his. Not the most sensual of kisses, but to Cadeon it was the most beautiful thing he’d had.
“Thank you for my present, Cadeon.” She moved back to her seat, staring at his gift in her hand.
****
Violet hadn’t lived a life where she got many presents. The most her mother could afford was the clothes on her back and enough to feed her. Most of the nights were spent with male clients while Violet camped out, hidden in her little cupboard. As soon as she was able, she’d taught herself to read and write, going to the priest to get his help. He was the only friend she had who wasn’t in Dominic Green’s pockets. She stared down at the gift. Her heart beat frantically inside her chest. Did this gift mean as much to Cadeon as it did to her?
She never wanted to let it go. At Christmas, her mother had given her a doll. A small plastic doll, with no clothes, but it had been one of the best years of her life. Biting her lip to contain the tears, Violet ran her hand over the flap covering the screen.
Should she give it back? No, her kiss had been the only payment required. She looked up and saw Cadeon staring back at her. The intensity of his stare held her in place. He made her tingle from head to toe from his kisses and touches. Cadeon Ashwood made her feel. For most of her life, she’d learnt to cut herself off from feeling. Being numb was better than being alone and in pain.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He could have no idea what that simple gesture meant to her. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, holding the gift to her chest. When the limo pulled up outside, she followed him outside. With a hand on her back, he escorted her upstairs. Next to him going through his office, she felt immature and out of her depth. There were so many women who would love to be with him, who could keep up with him at every turn.
She felt the stares and tried to ignore them. The hatred coming off the women threatened to burn a hole straight through her back. He yanked on his office door, and it opened instantly. Stacey stared at her but smiled rather than glared. At least there was one person who wouldn’t hate her.
For two nights, she’d gone home with the boss. For two nights she’d slept in his bed. Last night they’d done something that made her feel so good inside. Cadeon was working his way into her system. When she looked at him, her heart beat, and she felt alive. Someone was looking at her, not staring over her. Cadeon saw her; he didn’t see through her.
“Take a seat. Relax and enjoy.”
He threw his jacket on the seat and went around to his desk. She sat on the seat next to his jacket.
Opening the flap of her present, she read through the titles of the books available to read. Not many stood out, so she decided to start from the top.
His voice as he spoke on the phone would distract her. At times she looked up and caught him staring back at her. After a time, she pulled his jacket over her. She felt so calm and happy to be safe.