Page 54 of Relentless Sinner

Jaxon tilts his head, the corner of his mouth lifts into a lazy smirk, and I realize he was waiting for me.

Remembering my plan, I push aside my nerves and resume my pursuit toward him. I stop by the edge of the hot tub where the blue mosaic tiles run into wide steps that lead out to the garden.

Jaxon doesn't say a word. All he does is watch me. And smoke.

Everything about him, from the arch of his fingers along the cigar to the shadow in his gaze, demands attention and surrender to his will.

“Hi.” I speak first because he’s just looking at me.

“Missed me?” He gives me that dominant look from the other night. The one he used as he slid his fingers in and out of my pussy, stroking me to submission.

“It was quiet without you.” I try to keep my thoughts balanced so I’m not thrown by his comment. “Did you have a good trip?”

“I missedyou.” The lazy grin on his sensual lips grows, looking sexier on him. His words and his smile ignite the heat already in my core and I have to swallow past the lump building in my throat.

“That’s nice to hear. I was hoping we could talk.”

“Thought we were already talking, Krasota.” He takes a long puff from his cigar, inhaling the rich smoke then allowing it to waft around him in a haze.

“I wanted to talk about me leaving the property. You said we could when you got back.”

“I did say that.”

“So, can we talk? I would quite like to get back to my volunteering job at the hospital.” There. I said it. And with a straight face that shouldn’t alert him to anything suspicious.

“Voluntary work?”

“Yes. On the brain injury unit. That’s where I want to work when I’m qualified. Working around people with those types of injuries helps. It’s only for two days a week. I’d like to stop by tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow is too short notice. The engagement party is tomorrow night.”

“Does that really matter? You’re doing stuff during the day so that would be the same thing.”

“I like to have time to think.”

“You’ve had all of last week and the weekend to think. The fact that I’m still here should be a sign of good faith.”

When he laughs I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing.

“There’s nothing funny about this,” I scoff.

“I know. I just find it amusing that you think sticking around is a sign of good faith. That’s not how this works.”

Why does he sound like he’s going to screw me over? I can’t let him do that. “How does it work?”

The corners of his lips slide into a wicked grin. It’s maddening and almost psychotic. “However I want it to work.”

Great.He’s playing with my mind again and I have to try not to lose my cool so I can figure out what he wants. “How do you want it to work?”

With his piercing eyes fixed on me he brings the cigar to his lips and pulls in another cloud of smoke. “This is what I want. I want you to join me in here, then we can talk. I want to have a real conversation with you where I get to know you and you get to know me. After that I’ll decide if you’ll be heading out tomorrow to the hospital.”

Asshole.This is obviously a trick. Something to get me to fall into that trap again where I can’t think straight when I’m around him.

But can I say no? Saying no would mean delaying my plans.

Play the game, Gabriella. Play the freaking game.

Getting out of here should be the only thing on my mind, so joining him in the hot tub is nothing.