Edward licked his lips as he put down his hands.
Victory.
Matthew shook his head and Baines moved to grab the winnings.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Matthew put down his hand on top of Baines. “I win, and now I want a word with you.”
Chapter One
Clara stared at him across the desk. He sat in the big leather chair, gazing down at the contract binding her to him. He looked every part the powerful man. His questions caught her off guard. Why should she know something about him?
What could she know about the contract or about his actions?
Tears filled her eyes as she thought about everything happening around her.
“I don’t understand what is going on? I’ve never done anything like this.” She turned away to glance around his room.
Books filled every available shelf.
“This contract doesn’t change anything,” he said.
Turning back Clara glared at him. “How doesn’t it change anything? I’m not here of my own free will. I’m here because you paid for that right.”
“I saved you in a fucking card game, Clara. Do you really think your father cared about you?” he asked.
“He’s my father. Of course he cared.”
Matthew opened a drawer then slammed down a photograph of her. “That’s what he gave us all. His stake became you for the night. He told all of us you’d do anything for him. Would you have slept with any man who won?”
She picked up the image, shocked by what Matthew said.
Had her father really used her in such a callous, manipulative way?
“Why did you do it?” she asked. “There were other men who could have won. Why did you pick me? You can have any woman you want. What’s so special about me?”
Pressing a finger to her chest she glared at him, hating the sight of him for what he’d done to her.
What had he really done? He’d saved you from another man.
He stood, moved around to her side and captured her face against his palm. Matthew rested his head against hers. His sigh brushed along her face like a loving caress. The tears she’d kept at bay for so long spilled over. The emotions of the past few weeks were too much for her to bear.
She needed to regain control of her senses.
“Don’t fight me.”
“Tell me why?” she asked. The sob escaped from her lips before she contained it.
His other hand cupped her face, trapping her against him.
“My sweet, Clara. You really have no idea how amazing you are. You’re a rare find in this hard world.”
She closed her eyes and listened to him speak.
“Everything I did, I did because I needed to. You’re a submissive woman, Clara. You’d never survive in this cutthroat world without a protector.”
She wanted to hear words of love and friendship. His words only helped to confuse her.
“You don’t love me?” she asked. Clara waited for his answer. The desperation inside her to be loved startled her.
She’d never known how much she craved such emotion.
“I do, Clara.” Matthew grabbed her hand, placing her palm over his heart. “I love you with my whole heart and with every part of my being. I know you feel the same. You love me even though right at this moment a part of you hates me for what I’ve done. I can accept that. I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.”
Taking a deep breath she opened her eyes to look at him. His intense brown gaze stared back at her. From his gaze alone she felt her body weaken under his sexuality.
Moving her hand up from his heart she cupped his cheek.
For the first time in her life Clara didn’t want an explanation anymore. Her body awakened with a new hunger. A hunger that would remove all hurt from her. Pulling on the back of his neck she pressed her lips to his.
“Kiss me, Matthew. Make it all go away.” She licked along his bottom lip. His gasp filled the room. He’d bought her. She was his property no better than an animal picked at the pound. Her father had put her on the table as if she was a slab of meat for sale. A hardness consumed her as the thoughts ran riot around her mind.
She wanted to hurt the man who’d helped create her. Most of her adult life she’d spent helping him. Her hard earned money paid to get him out of debt and now her body was the price she needed to pay to keep him out of debt.
“I love you, Clara.”
“Shut up.” Never in her life had she spoken to a man in such a way. Her heart sped up at the flash of anger in his eyes. She wanted to push him. Clara wanted to see where the passion would lead. What would Matthew do if she sent him over the edge of his careful control?
Unbuttoning his shirt Clara removed the pristine white fabric from his body revealing his tanned flesh.