Hardline (11 page)

  
He met me with a broad smile. “Absolutely. I’m glad you two could make it. This is always a fun event. All the hot shots are here, so you’ll fit right in.”

  
“Oh, thanks,” I said shyly.
 

  
“So tell me about Clozpin. What have you been up to?”
 

  
I cleared my throat, hoping I didn’t look as awkward as I felt. I looked up at Blake. “Um, I’d love a drink.”

  
A crooked grin curved his lips. “Sure thing. Alex?”

  
Alex raised his glass. “I’m good.”
 

  
Blake maneuvered with grace toward the bar. My body cooled where he’d held me by his side. I took a quick breath. I needed some space to say what I’d come to say to Alex. I met his eyes with a small smile.
 

  
“I’ll be honest, Alex. The business has been going great. We’ve picked up some big name advertisers, and there has been an impressive growth spurt in the very short time we’ve been funded. The trajectory is strong. However, a competitor site recently popped up. They’ve essentially cloned us and are now trying to poach our advertisers.”

  
He frowned. “That must be frustrating.”

  
“Very, but it’s been an eye-opener too. Our team is stronger than we’ve ever been, our foundation is very solid, and I think we could transition to the next level pretty easily and leave this copycat in the dust.”

  
He took a sip off his drink.
 

  
“How do you plan to do that?”

  
“That’s where you come in. I’m open to suggestions, but this seems like a perfect time to partner with someone who could use our traffic to build sales of their own and help us grow in return. I checked out your site after the conference, and while ecommerce has always been in the back of my mind, I’ve admittedly had my hands full growing our current business model. I wasn’t ready for a major shift until recently.”
 

  
He nodded slowly. A ghost of a smile curved his lips. “I can see why Landon invested with you.”
 

  
I laughed nervously, not quite knowing how to respond. My thoughts went to Blake as Alex’s words echoed in my mind. I cocked my head and studied him a moment.

  
“I don’t remember mentioning that Blake was an investor, but perhaps that was obvious.”

  
“I might have assumed, but no, we spoke a bit today over the phone. He just wanted to touch base and it came up. Don’t worry, he was determined to let you pitch me. He failed to mention the copycat though, which makes me all the more impressed that you were honest with me about it.”
 

  
My jaw set. I didn’t know whether to be annoyed with Blake or proud that I’d impressed Alex. But why was he always meddling? When would he realize I could hold my own? My brain reminded me that he wanted to help, compulsively so, but another part of me wondered if he truly believed I could handle it.
 

  
Alex’s voice broke me from my thoughts. “Sounds like a promising start though. Let’s meet up tomorrow to talk details. I don’t want to pull you away from the party. I’m sure Blake’s eager to show you around. Plenty of people to meet here.”

  
He nodded beyond me. I followed his gaze, suddenly more determined to find Blake’s face in the crowd than I was to butter up my prospective business partner. When I found him, my heart fell into my stomach. The chiseled outline of his profile faced Risa. She twisted a lose strand of her jet-black hair around her finger as she spoke, mouthing words I couldn’t read. She looked as put together as ever in an all black designer suit. But her expression was tentative, her eyes wide and her body leaning back slightly from the unmoving column of Blake’s body.

  
“Erica?”

  
I turned my attention back to Alex.
 

  
“Are you fine meeting for lunch tomorrow?”

  
My thoughts suddenly scattered. “Yes, that’s fine.”

  
“Great. Let’s meet at the hotel restaurant around noon.”
 

  
“Sounds good. I’ll look forward to it.”

  
Then Blake was beside me, circling a hand around my upper arm. His grip was firm enough to send warning signals to my brain. When had I become so in tune to his moods? And when did my body start reacting so acutely to them?
 

  
“Alex, will you excuse us?” Blake’s voice was no longer relaxed and casual. Instead the words came across curt, as if Alex were no longer an old friend, but just another business acquaintance.
 

  
“Of course. Have a great night, you two.”

  
Alex waved us off without another word. Blake led me toward the exit we’d just arrived through, his hold on me tightening a fraction. I resisted the urge to yank out of his grasp and call him out on getting to Alex with my pitch before I had a chance to. I wanted to be angry with him for unnecessarily butting into my professional life yet again, but something was definitely wrong beyond all that.
 

  
“What is Risa doing here?”

  
“She’s here for the same reason everyone else is here. To see and be seen.” The words came through gritted teeth.
 

  
My stomach knotted with worry. We slowed in front of the bank of elevators, and he hit the button hard.
 

  
“What did she say?”
 

  
The bell rang, and we entered the mercifully empty car. The doors closed slowly and he backed me toward the mirrored wall of the elevator, pinning me there with the closeness of his body. He grasped my jaw, forcing us eye-to-eye. I couldn’t evade the intense eyes that burned into me.
 

  
“I’m going to ask you one last time. And you’ll tell me the goddamn truth. If you don’t, we’re finished. Done.”
 

  
The knot in my stomach doubled at hearing his threat.

  
“You lied to me once, because you thought you were protecting me, but if you lie to me right now, it’ll be the last chance you’ll ever have.” He took a short breath. “Tell me the truth, and we’ll figure it out.”

  
I thought my heart might pound right out of my chest at its current pace. I was too stunned to respond for a few seconds.
 

  
“Blake...you’re scaring me.”

  
His jaw worked, as if wrestling with the words he held behind the firm line of his beautiful lips. “Did. You. Fuck. James?”

  
My heart stopped. I looked into his eyes, desperately searching for a reason for his unexpected question.

  
“No,” I whispered.
 

  
The car came to a stop, and he left me, moving swiftly down the hallway. I hurried out, following him into our room. I lingered by the door, my mind still racing. What had Risa said? What had spurred this intensity from him, seemingly out of nowhere?
 

  
Blake tossed his jacket off. It landed on a chair and he moved to the window. Shoving his hands through his hair, he faced the sprawling city view.

  
I simply stared. In awe, in fear, in love. I didn’t know what was happening between us tonight, but I hated how far away he already felt. I took a step toward him and stopped short when he turned to face me. My breath left me when our eyes met again. Stone cold. As dark and unfeeling as I’d ever seen them. No longer my sweet and romantic lover, the man in front of me was the ruthless billionaire who wouldn’t be crossed.
 

  
“Strip.”
 

  
The order settled into the silence between us. The word physically chilled me, a shiver working its way up my spine.
 

  
“Blake, I don’t understand...”

  
He unbuttoned his shirt, unhurriedly pulling it loose from his pants. “I want you to strip down. Naked, here in the middle of the room.”

  
“Why...why are you so upset with me?”

  
The smooth veneer of his controlled expression broke. A frustrating grimace revealed his teeth. “Goddamnit, Erica. I’ll get another room, and I’ll be on the first plane out of here in the morning. You can sleep alone and go home alone. If that’s what you want, you should test me now. See how much room I’ll give you.”
 

  
His skin reddened. Had he ever been this angry with me? But why? His jaw ticked, the muscle bulging as he waited for me to react. I opened my mouth to speak, but I couldn’t. I had no idea what I was defending myself against. What had taken us from an enjoyable evening to being swept up in the tornado of this unexpected rage?
 

  
As if in answer to my unspoken question, he spoke in low and measured tones. “Risa let me know about James. Remember, your little rendezvous outside the office after I dropped her off? Sounds like things got pretty heated between the two of you.” He cocked his head a fraction. “Assuming there’s some weight to that story.”
 

  
No.
No, this wasn’t happening.

  
My eyes blurred with the sting of the tears I held back. I was paralyzed. Without consideration, I would have done anything to stop where this was going.

  
He tossed his shirt aside and came toward me.

  
“Was it as steamy as the beach? I seem to recall you being pretty worked up after that.”

  
“Blake,” I pleaded. He was twisting everything. Goddamn her for doing this to me, to us.

  
He stood in front of me, staring down into my eyes. He seemed taller, more intimidating than I’d ever remembered. I lowered my shoulders, his posture seeming to demand that I do.
 

  
“Is it not true? Tell me it’s not true.”
 

  
I snapped my jaw shut. Anything I said now would be futile. He wasn’t interested in my excuses.
 

  
He threaded his fingers into my hair, gripping it by the roots to pull me an inch closer. I whimpered at the small pain. My hands found his chest, the leverage holding me up as my knees weakened slightly. The heat of his skin nearly burned mine. He leaned in so I could feel his breath in my hair, against my neck. I could smell him—the man I loved who maybe hated me now.

  
“Strip.” The venom in his voice was now replaced with a dangerous determination that prickled under my skin. “And kneel.”
 

  
My eyes fell shut. I exhaled sharply, already feeling stripped by his words. I wanted to cry, but I remembered his threat. That he’d leave me. Maybe only for a night, but the thought of him leaving in the midst of all this terrified me. I couldn’t believe that he wasn’t already considering leaving me completely.
 

  
He released his grip. I nearly stumbled as he moved away. I looked down at my feet, my hands sliding restlessly against my dress. Without thinking, because I couldn’t make sense of anything right now, I kicked off my heels, one after the other. My fingers went to the knot holding my dress across my body. I fumbled with it, my hands trembling badly now. I loosened it and let the dress fall to the floor around me. Sensing the seconds ticking by and knowing he was counting them, waiting, I quickly released my bra and slid my panties down.
 

  
I stood there, starkly naked. The silence stretched between us. I lifted my head to find him. Eyes that stormed with emotion seemed to bark the order in the silence of the room.
 

  
With the unspoken command, I lowered, resting shaky hands on my knees. A voice in my head screamed that I shouldn’t have to, not this way, answered by another that told me I deserved every minute of it. Either way, I couldn’t let him leave me, and if I had to kneel to make him stay, I would.
 

I stared at the carpeted floor in front of me. This was what he wanted from me. When I wanted to ask why, when I wanted to fight it, Blake’s words echoed in my mind.
 

  
Total submission. Total control over your pleasure and pain.

  
He wanted this...my submission. He didn’t want to explain himself. I could say sorry. We could talk it out, fight it out, but this is what he wanted now. Maybe it’s what I needed too. That tornado of our bodies crashing together, silencing the rest of the world. Except he was furious, and I hated to see that look in his eyes knowing I’d put it there.

  
He crouched down in front of me, but I kept my eyes down, focusing on his shoes, the way his slacks strained against his muscled thighs. God, but the man was gorgeous. Even when he was angry as hell.
 

  
His hand graced my cheek, eliciting a shiver that traveled up my spine.

  
“If I wasn’t so pissed off right now, I might be impressed with you, Erica. My little submissive is finally learning. We’ll see how long you can keep it up, because you’re going to get the punishment of a lifetime tonight. Do you think you can take it?”

  
I lifted my head, my eyes narrowing. The fighter in me threatened to spout off to him. I inhaled a slow, steadying breath through my nose.
Ride out the storm
.
 

  
“Still don’t want a safe word?”

  
My chest fought to expand over my next breath. I took another quickly and shook my head, casting my eyes down again. Stupidly, I assured myself that committing myself to one would give him license to make me want to use it.