Page 80 of She Belongs to Me

For all my effort at shoving aside my terror, I was failing rapidly.

I had to shut down or I’d lose it.

Panting, I doubled over and raced into the bathroom, halfway shutting the door. I didn’t want anyone hearing me. I had no way of knowing if my entire room had been bugged. Oh, God. Oh, God…

I dropped to my knees in front of the toilet, emptying my stomach as wave after wave of nausea swept through me.

Seconds later, I was finally dry heaving, my guts churning. I could barely breathe, coughing and half laughing from the range of emotions.

When I couldn’t spit out anything else, I sat down on my butt, folding my arms over my knees. The words were engraved in my mind.

How long before the monster found me?

How long before he stripped away this small moment of happiness as well? He wanted me to acknowledge the email. He was hoping I’d say something to expose where I was.

Fuck him.

Fuck what happened.

Fuck it all.

Hot tears rolled down my cheeks and I wiped them away with all the fury I could muster. No. Fuck, no. This asshole wasn’t going to do this to me. No more. I was finished with school. I had reason to celebrate. The bastard wasn’t going to take that away from me. He could eat shit and die.

The goofy expression from years before allowed me to get my ass off the floor. I flushed the toilet, moved to the sink, and turned on the water.

After washing my face, I made faces at myself, even sticking out my tongue. It was exactly the silly routine I’d done my first year of med school when I’d been terrified off my butt to take a single test.

It had always worked and by God, it was working now.

Besides, the house, grounds, and everything inside were completely protected. The criminal was bluffing. I wasn’t going to fall into his twisted game. Nope.

I erased it from my mind. Nico had mentioned in his grumpiness this morning we’d have a good time this afternoon. I planned on allowing that to happen and that meant changing clothes.

It was time to stop looking like a goddamn college student and shift into being a woman. I was a woman with curves and needs and the desire for passion. Why not flaunt it? Why not allow the man I did give a damn about to know I was all woman?

With new resolve, I returned to the bedroom, closing the email and turning off the computer. It was time to put this aside.

And live.

There were various ways a man gazed upon a woman as she walked into the room. Admiration. Respect. Love.

But the way Nico lifted his head, his usually clenched jaw relaxing as he allowed his heated eyes to fall to my two-inch-heel sandals was priceless.

Lust was the only correct word to use.

I’d caught it before in waves when we’d had wild sex, but his look this afternoon was completely different.

It was almost as if he was seeing me for the first time. Silly as it sounded, I felt warm and gushy inside. He also had no words at first and I liked that as well.

“Cat got your tongue, mister?” I couldn’t help but tease him. He was so stoic and emotionless so much of the time.

“Whew. You look amazing.” As he walked closer very slowly, I still sensed he was doing everything in his power to attempt to ignore his feelings, but it was no use. I’d snarled him with a fishhook.

I wasn’t certain whether to be proud of myself or not, but right now, his obvious desire felt damn good. I needed the change in feelings. I needed the shockwave of electricity that made me feel alive.

“Why, thank you.” I allowed him to come closer instead of me going to him. He was the kind of dominating man to beckon with a single finger. Little did he know women were always in charge. Yeah, right. Not with him, but a girl could dream.

When he was close, I’d be damned if he didn’t place his hands into his pockets. Did he think that was going to fly with me?