Sebastian coughed and lifted himself to his feet. Pain radiated through his cock. He pulled his Blackberry from his pocket and keyed in a number. A series of rapid fire instructions were shouted down the phone, and then he was out the door himself following her.
Her saw one shapely leg turn the corner of the corridor before she disappeared. Theos! The little bitch! Sebastian could hardly believe it. To break into his home and then trick him, make him feel guilty for hitting her. She was fine! No one with a broken jaw could run that fast. He winced as his balls throbbed, his stomach muscles aching intolerably. She would pay for this, damn her.
He halted at the top of the stairs wondering which way she might have gone, left or right? Down or not? Not out the front door that was for sure, it was in plain sight of the other houses on his exclusive street. No, out the back then. Sebastian whirred around, straight into one of the upper rooms, a sort of loft area, where a spiral staircase led directly into the library—which just happened to be right next to the other staircase, the one that years ago would have been used by servants.
He moved as lightly as possible down the spiral staircase, past the stacks, pushed open the library door…and barreled straight into his thief.
A shocked ‘ooomph’ filled the air and Sebastian steadied himself on the banister before looking down at the figure splayed across the floor. Her long legs were mere inches from his feet, her arms out in front of her, a heavy waist bag skidding to a halt a few yards away. As he watched, she lifted herself onto her elbows and shook her head.
Caught. The thought echoed through his mind and a weird sort of satisfaction filled him. He would make an example of her, make sure the world knew what happened to people who tried to steal from him. Female or bloody not!
Unless…. “Are you alone?”
The thief flipped herself over so that she was lying on her back, her elbows supporting her upper body. She nodded slowly, her head cast down. He could see her chest rising and falling from the effort of her flight and abruptly satisfaction fled to be replaced by something else entirely. No, he corrected himself, not fled, the satisfaction just changed to a different sort. Something he should not have been feeling. Sebastian cursed and stepped forward. “Is there anyone else here?” he demanded.
She shook her head.
“My security guards have surrounded the house,” he said. “The best thing you can do is to be honest and stay exactly where you are. Even if you could get past me there is no way in hell you’ll get past them.”
The thief whipped her head up and Sebastian was pinned by a pair of stunning green eyes outlined by the balaclava she was wearing. He almost gasped. They were like emeralds, perfectly green and filled with intelligence. His thief was no common criminal that was for sure.
“I’m not lying,” she said. “It’s just me and as far as your security guards are concerned I did already.”
“That was before they knew you were here.”
She titled her head, as if agreeing. “If I give you back what I took will you let me go?”
Her words were unexpected, her voice soft, feminine, with a slight east end twang. Sebastian was shocked at the effect it had on him. His heart thumped, his breath stuck in his chest, and he shook his head automatically. Not in answer to her question, more to deny the strange effect she seemed to be having on him. Gamo. Get a grip of yourself! “What did you take?” he asked, barely getting the words out.
She shrugged, those eyes still fixed on him. “Money. What else.”
“How much?”
Another shrug, the movement lifted her breasts beneath the thin black material of the suit she wore and Sebastian felt his mouth run dry. Dear God what was wrong with him? She was a criminal! But already his battered cock was standing to attention, wondering if she was as shapely beneath that bodysuit as he expected her to be. “How much?” he repeated.
She titled her head to the other side and the look in her eyes became calculating. Sebastian was sure if he could see her mouth she’d be smiling. A feline sort of smile, and suddenly he wanted to see the rest of her, to remove the material hiding her face, to look on her lips, her cheeks—everything. Dear God.
“Why don’t you come and find out?” she said. “It’s hidden on me. Come and have a look.”
His heart raced and Sebastian made to step forward, almost fucking tempted. “I think not.”
“You know you want to.” She nodded at his now hardened crotch. “Your cock does anyway.”
He sucked in a sharp breath, startled by her crude words because they were just so out of place in such a fucked up situation. “You’re a thief.”