He no sooner set her on her feet in the elevator cab than she planted her hands on her hips and harangued him. "What the hell, big guy? You can't just tote me around like a sack of potatoes."
"Why not?"
"Because it's not done. I insist you let me go this instant."
"You promised you wouldn't leave."
"What else did you expect me to say once you made it clear your plan was to keep me prisoner?"
"Prisoner implies a cell and hardship. You can hardly call my penthouse with its amenities that."
"No, but the fact I can't leave does. A gilded cage is still a cage."
"One meant for your safety. Your ex has not given up."
At his admission, she froze. "What do you mean?"
"He tried to approach your apartment. And more recently placed a call to the barbershop seeking you."
"My family-"
"Is safe. I have men guarding them, all of them. This Gregory person will not get near them or harm them. But this just goes to show it's not safe for you out there."
Perhaps not, but she wasn't entirely convinced it was safe here with him either. Something was odd about the situation. From the way he kept trying to insist she belonged to him to the freaky way all the women she'd met downstairs seemed aware of him and not surprised by his actions.
What had she gotten embroiled in? Had she inadvertently stumbled onto a cult, one with Arik as its leader? It would explain a lot and prompted her to say, "I will not become a part of your harem."
Leaning against the wall of the elevator, Arik perused her, his amber eyes lit with mirth. "My harem?"
"You know, those women downstairs who all seem to think you're some kind of god who must be obeyed."
His lips twitched. "I wish they obeyed. For the most part, they like to drive me a little crazy."
"So you're not denying you're their leader?"
"Why deny the truth? They do answer to me. All of the pride does."
There was that word again. Pride. But somehow she didn't think he meant the sense-of-achievement kind. The way he used it was more like the lion version. A fancy word instead of calling them what they were, a gang or cult.
"Well, whatever you guys are, or whatever you worship, I don't want any part of it. I am not into freaky sex harems or weird religious stuff. So, if you don't mind, while I appreciate what you're trying to do for me, I'd still rather leave."
Brawny arms crossed over his chest. "No."
"I am starting to see how some sane people are driven to murder." She glared at him.
He smiled. The jerk.
She fought the urge to smile back. Told her knees not to tremble or else. Or else what, she didn't know, only that she needed to remain strong against his allure.
"Oh, Kira. There is so much you don't understand."
"Then explain it because I sure as hell am getting tired of feeling like I'm missing something." A giant picture puzzle where she had all of the pieces but was missing a key one, the piece that would make sense of all the rest.
The elevator stopped at the penthouse level, and the doors slid open. Since there was nowhere to run, Kira followed Arik back to his place but kept her distance from him, preferring to pace in front of the wide bank of windows. The stunning view couldn't hold her attention, not with him in the room.
He took a moment to shed his jacket and loosen his tie before he dropped onto the couch, making no pretense of the fact that he watched her.
Time for some answers. "So," she said as she planted her hands on he hips, "are you going to explain what the hell is really going on?"
"You are so delicious, mouse, when you get all feisty."
"Don't you start that flirting stuff with me. I want answers."
"And I want you." The smoldering intensity in his eyes went well with the sensual smile he hit her with.
She kept trying to be mad at him, to keep her mind on track, and then he said something adorably possessive and looked too freaking scrumptious. How was a girl supposed to fight his allure? Maybe by fighting back with the supposed sexiness he couldn't resist.
"You know what? I want you too, except it's hard for me to accept a man who is treating me like a fragile idiot who can't handle the truth."
"More like a fragile doll."
"Don't you dare compare me to a plastic sex toy that you can undress and is anatomically correct. Unlike a blowup doll, I will talk back because I am real."
His laughter emerged, loud and unabashed. "My god, mouse. You say the damnedest things."
And he found her funny. Not everyone grasped her, oft times, sarcastic and very pointed humor. He teased her but didn't get mad when she teased back. Another reason to like him. The jerk.
"Yeah, you never know what my mouth will do." As soon as she said the words, she caught his smirk. His wink. And should have expected his, "I know what I'd like it to do," but expecting it didn't stop her blush.
She shut her mind against the fantasy visual of herself, on her knees, a hand wrapped around his-
Out of the gutter, you dirty, dirty mind. She yanked her thoughts into another direction. "Why are you so determined to get in my pants? Why me? I'm sure you can get any girl you want to sleep with you. I don't understand why you have to bed me."
"Because you're mine."
As if that was all the answer she needed. "Sorry, but that just doesn't cut it. Why do you think I'm yours?" What did he see in her?
While Kira didn't lack for self-esteem or care what others said, there was a womanly part of her that wanted to know how he felt. To see herself from his point of view. What attracted him?
"Does it make sense if I say I both love and hate your argumentative nature?"
"So sorry, master. Would you like me to get on my knees and kiss your toes for forgiveness?"
"Would you?"
She snorted. "No."
A laugh rumbled. "I didn't think so. Another reason I like you. You know how to stand up for yourself."
"Except with Gregory." Why she admitted that weakness, she couldn't have said. Perhaps to show him that his image of her was flawed.
"Tell me about him. Why does he frighten you so much? Because I got the impression that not much did." He moved left on the couch and patted the open spot this created.
Feeling awkward standing over him, she perched herself on the buttery leather. Soft. So nice. She ran her hand over the material, intent on it instead of him. Only inches separated her from Arik, a fact she was only too aware of. She should move away. However, sliding herself over, even if only a few inches, or popping to her feet, meant admitting he had an affect. The man was cocky enough as it was. She didn't need to encourage him.
She noted him staring and realized he was waiting for her to answer. Talk about Gregory. What was there to say? "We went on a few dates. He got real intense real fast. Kind of like someone else I know," she grumbled with a pointed stare his way.
Completely unabashed, he smiled, wide enough to pop his dimple.
Gregory had a dimple too, and it didn't just come out when he smiled. Rage made it pop too.
"I am nothing like that dog." Such disdain for a man he'd never met.
"No, you're not. For one thing, you got me in bed, and fast too." A healthy sex life didn't mean she jumped into the sack. In the past, she made the guy she dated wait at least a month. Several outings and conversation helped her weed out those interested in one-night stands and guys who irritated her. She'd always followed that one-month rule, until Arik.
And the worst part was she'd do it again. Something about Arik made her explode, set her on fire, and while it bothered her, she couldn't seem to help it.
Regardless of what it said, she slunk a few inches away. He noted but didn't remark on it, much too pleased with himself at her admission that he'd seduced her in record time.
"It's because you and I are meant to be."
"Well, Gregory thought we were too. But I knew pretty early on he was not the guy for me. But because he was cute, and insistent, I kept dating him."
"I never date. I take."
"Yes, I know, Captain Caveman. And, at one point, Gregory wanted a piece too. But I said no." Wrong answer, apparently.
"I am going to guess he didn't take the answer well."
"At first he did. Said it showed I had good morals. That I was a true lady."
"Not in bed you're not." The naughty words drew yet another blush.
The man had a knack for heating various parts of her. She ignored it and continued with her story. "I began to avoid his calls. Asked him to leave me alone. Told him I wasn't interested in him anymore. He got mad. Started yelling and calling me some nasty names." One which Arik had seen painted on her door. "The first time it happened, the next day he showed up with flowers, an apology, and a promise to never do it again. I accepted his apology but wouldn't go out with him again."