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"I had a late lunch," she lied

He set down his fork slowly "Do you remember what I do to subs who aren’t honest with ashtened Heat crawled up her cheeks Even on an olive-skinned Italian girl, the blush would be impossible to miss

"I see that you do" Jason looked satisfied "The sensual torture last tiht if you don’t tell ritted her teeth Until tonight, they’d never even had an arguly fallen under his spell and into his e to resist Jason noas as futile as it was arousing

"All right, then I was nervous when I walked in and now I’m sick to my stomach that I let you buy me, even for a feeeks"

With a cynical curl of his lips, he lifted his beer and toasted her "Everyone has their price, Gia I just found yours"

Chapter Three

Gia tried to breathe through her nerves as she arrived at Jason’s condo the next night The mountain of lies she’d told her family still scalded her with shame They wouldn’t understand Mila would tell her not to compromise herself Her parents would be disappointed that she’d sold her morals and her body, even briefly Her brother, if he’d been here, would have gone after Jason with cocked fists and a loaded se excuses had been far better for everyone

As she stepped off the glass elevator that gave her aerial views of the city stretching on forever, she crept into a foyer with a water feature cascading down a glass wall His door stood to the left Gripping her suitcase in her hand, she glanced at her phone Three hty seconds to decide how the hell she was going to leave in eighteen days with her sanity and her heart intact Of course, she’d had nearly twenty-four hours to ru

Gia focused on his iht iron door, but couldn’t make her feet move Her belly clamped Her heart stuttered She tried to convince herself that she could handle this, but the

To her shock, the door opened suddenly, and Jason stood there in jeans, a long-sleeved jersey knit top in ht blue, bare feet, and that triumphant hint of a smile she wanted to slap off his face

"You’re on tiood" He stepped back to adlanced at her suitcase that had seen better days "Is that all you brought?"

Had he expected her to bring her whole closet? "You gaveto need many clothes"

"You won’t" He shut the door behind her and took her bag "I don’t haveyou see in the kitchen you want, take it Don’t leave the building without consulting ot a heated pool on the deck outside our bedrooym downstairs You’re welcome to use either as you’d like No hile you’re here, especially on your brother’s case We’ll discuss any fa, you will call ?"

"No" She supposed that since she hadn’t seen or knelt for hier wanted her to call him Master That was just fine That slash of pain didn’tat him, she eyed his personal space The expanse of a two-story wall of as unbroken by a drape or blind Then again, why bother? Who could peek in on thelanced down at her dressiest T-strap black heels "What three garh-handed attitude made her feel like a piece of rip on her te the real Jason Denning now that he had no reason to woo her?

"Hello to you, too My day was hectic How about yours?"

"It dragged by while I counted the hours until I could fuck you again" He pulled his phone frolanced at it "I’m much happier now that ain I’ve done nothing you haven’t agreed to, so don’t act as if I’ve insulted you"

Technically, he was right, and that rubbed Gia coet to the floor, and spread s? Or will I make it up to the bedroom before you’re all over me?"

Jason froze "Do you need to reconsider your decision? The door is right behind you if you’d rather divorce now and forfeit theDom she’d fallen for? If she was smart, she’d take him up on this reprieve and walk out the door But she couldn’t afford to Besides, it wouldn’t be the right thing to do She’d hurt him, so now he meant to hurt her back An eye for an eye

"No I’ until the twenty-fourth"

For a silent er "Then act like it or we’ll start talking about consequences"

Gia knew she shouldn’t"Would your parents be proud of you right now?"

He shifted his weight and seemed to ponder her question The conclusion he reached apparently amused him "My father would He was an absolute bastard who ate other people for breakfast My ested that I take you in hand and be fir up, but I think shenow"

His answer horrified her, mostly because he appeared dead serious Nor did he seeod… She wasn’t just in over her head; he’d no doubt drown her before the night was through

Jason had not only bought her body until their anniversary, he’d bought her soul She’d sold it to hiht

Gia closed her eyes in sha a sweater, a bra, and jeans"

"No panties?" he an circling her like a shark She heard the rustle of him around her, felt his body heat across her skin

"None"

"I’ off"

Her brows drew together as she tensed and tried to find her fortitude Would it be even harder when she had to spread her legs for hie? Or would he, like before, overwheled? She didn’t knohich would hurtout of her shoes, she stepped onto the textured wood It was solid, co, kind of like the floor in her dad’s den Gia focused on that as she peeled her sweater over her head and dropped it to the ground She tried not to think about what she was doing when she reached behind her and unhooked her bra Not that the lace covered much, but as she removed what little protection it afforded, cold hit her nipples They beaded She refused to believe it had anything to do with Jason’s blistering stare