But Ellie was none of that. There was no one more innocent, more sensuous, who wanted nothing from me. She'd tried to return some of the expensive clothes I bought her when she realized how much they cost.
"What are you doing?" I asked when I caught her stuffing some cocktail dresses into a plain brown paper bag. And she bit her lip, cheeks flushing.
"I know what it looks like," she said slowly. "I know this looks shady."
I raised an eyebrow at her. Shady? What, was she going to get cash in the transaction, make a few bucks on the side? So I growled menacingly.
"They're not gonna let you exchange the clothes for cash. They're not even gonna give you store credit, baby girl," I said threateningly. "All the money goes straight back to my credit card, so you can take those clothes out of the bag."
But Ellie bit her lip, flushing.
"No, it's not that," she said slowly. "I thought maybe if I returned the clothes we could make a donation to a woman's shelter instead. The amount you paid for these, Troy, it's crazy," she said, fingering a price tag. "And the money could help someone in need."
I was stock still. I've never heard of a woman returning a gift to make a donation, to give to the poor. Most of the women I met were hoarding cash, trying to make a buck the best they could. But this girl was different. She looked at me still, biting her lip, contemplative.
"Troy, would you consider it?" she asked quietly, eyes cast down, the arcs of her lashes on her cheeks. "Would you consider making a donation regardless? I'd be happy to keep the dresses, return them, whatever you like," she said quickly. "It's just that there are women in need, and I have so much now."
And again, I was thunderstruck. Ellie's generosity, her giving nature, her consideration of others, her penchant for giving the clothes off her back to the poverty-stricken made my heart burst, my throat tighten. What had I done to deserve someone like this, a woman so amazing, so thoughtful, kind, caring and sexy? I loved her, I loved the fact that she put others before herself, that someone else's needs, heck, even the needs of nameless, faceless women took precedence, that she was willing to go the extra five miles to improve someone else's life.
So I pulled her into my arms, showering her with kisses.
"Of course baby," I ground out. "I'll write a check to the local women's shelter tonight, but in the meantime, keep these," I said, blue eyes blazing, "because I want to strip you tonight, I want to feel that sweet, hot ass on my dick as you're wearing one of these dresses."
And she melted against me then, her soft body so hot, zooming to a hundred degrees in my arms, sighing already as she pressed her breasts against my chest.
"Yes, thank you Troy, I appreciate it," she murmured, dropping kisses against my jaw, my neck. "And of course I'll let you take my behind tonight," she whispered with a coy smile. "I want to feel your hot cock in me, want you in me deep and hard."
And fuck, but I was on her again despite the fact that we'd just been going at in the shower a couple hours ago. Because I couldn't get enough, I couldn't get enough of the beautiful brunette, the sweet mixed with sassy, the mischievous mixed with the demure. Ellie was everything to me, the perfect fit for my arrogance, my asshole tendencies, her gentle nature softening my hardness, her playfulness contrasting with my dark.
So I kissed her again, hands desperate, squeezing her breasts, caressing her curves, touching everywhere, every secret place. Because yeah, somehow the tables had been turned. The captor had become the captive and I was powerless before this girl, complete putty in her small hands, ready to jump when she said so, ready to get on my knees and beg.
But again, letting her go was the best thing I could do. It was what she wanted. Ellie hadn't come willingly, and she deserved her freedom, heck, more than deserved. She was owed her freedom, she'd been abducted and sold like human property, it was fucking disgusting what had happened to her, like we were in some third world country with none of the protections of the first. I was doing the right thing, I reminded myself. Better to let her go than keep a beautiful bird chained, she would die in a cage, her soul would crumple and fold in on itself, shriveling to nothing, and I couldn't do that to a female I loved.
So as the car pulled down the drive, Ellie's brunette curls still visible through the back window, my heart plummeted, dropping like a stone to the bottom of the sea. Get with it, mofo, I growled to myself. This is what you wanted, hell, it's better for you to let her go, to let her live her own life, happy and free.
And taking a deep breath, I returned to the mansion. But that was a mistake, making me even more morose because the place was huge, empty, ringing with echoes without her sweet laugh, the way Ellie literally danced when she walked. Furious with frustration, I almost roared my agony, the way my hands were tied. But wait. There was still something I could do, one last errand, the finishing touch. So I pulled out my cell, and my personal banker was on the line in an instant.
"Ralph," I grunted. "The transaction's done. Release the funds."
Because I wanted the beautiful Ms. Danes to have a good life, and my final gift was the million dollars for the woman I loved, that I cherished, that I missed already, my heart heavy, mood bleak. Ellie was my everything, my world, my heart, my life, and yet there was no way I could keep her.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Ellie
"Hey, you're here," I said, stunned, letting myself into the hotel room. The Club had continued paying for our hotel during our week away, and in fact, had upgraded us to a suite. But the last thing I expected to find was Rachel flitting about inside, pouring herself a glass of champagne from the mini-bar, humming, floating on a cloud.
"Of course, silly," she chimed, "Where did you think I'd be? You want a drink?"
I let myself into the living room, dropping my bags, still in shock from the events of the past week. Thoughts of Mr. Black spun through my mind, I was hardly able to contemplate anything else, the alpha male had such a grip on my heart and soul. But it was all over and life had to go on. So I forced myself back to reality. Where had my friend been? Rachel should have been in just as bad shape, if not worse, so I looked at her closely, trying to see if there was anything different.
"Are you okay?" I asked hesitantly. Nothing seemed immediately off, but maybe the blonde had been fed more drugs. Or maybe my friend had been kidnapped by aliens and this was a clone in her place, saying all the right things. But no, it was still the same bouncy girl, lighthearted and slightly crazy.
"Of course I am," she said again, giving me a silly smile. "Are you okay?"
I paused for a moment. Because no, I really wasn't. I'd spent a week with Troy, one mind-blowing, absolutely incredible week and I couldn't believe it was over. I couldn't believe that I'd never see him again, that he'd sent me packing, putting me in the car himself, no, literally hauling me to the car in his arms, making sure I left. It hurt and the tears had started streaming as soon as the car door shut, once he couldn't see, dripping down my cheeks and off my chin. I'd turned into a blubbering, sobbing mess, heart breaking as the mansion grew small in the distance, disappearing.
Because I'd fallen in love with my captor. Mr. Black was my buyer, yes, he'd paid for a week of my time, for a week with my body, his to take, to own, to possess. But I'd never counted on falling in love, on adoring the big man, the way the alpha male owned every inch of my being, my soul, my heart. And it was everything about Troy, not just the physical. I loved how the alpha took his responsibilities seriously, how he worked hard to ensure success, how he was sensitive and caring about others around him … including me. Because I'd offered him my pussy more than once, confused that we weren't having straight sex, that we were only doing anal, as much as I'd grown to love his dick in my behind.
"But isn't pussy what you paid for?" I murmured, turning to look at him over my shoulder. We'd just finished a hot session and were on our sides, the big man's cock still deep in my ass. I loved it, loved the hot musk, the undeniable dirtiness that accompanied back end play every time.
But he muttered something into the back of my neck, incoherent and inarticulate, nuzzling my skin. So I tried again.
"Troy," I said more forcefully this time, grinding my cheeks against his pelvis so his dick went deeper, gasping a bit at the sensation. "Don't you want my pussy? Why haven't you taken it yet? Isn't that why you bought me, why you paid such a high price?" I breathed, sweat breaking out on my brow although I'd just come hard, screaming his name lustily.