BLIND: A Mastermind Novel (43 page)

“I missed you.”

He made a disbelieving sound.

“Should I undress?” Every muscle tightened, making it harder to breath.

“Please…” The word escaped as some sort of prayer for strength, but she interpreted it differently. Her fingers quickly unbuttoned her blouse and he balked. Why was she doing this?

He paced away, not venturing to watch her or stop her. Pouring a glass of wine, he drank heavily. When he turned, she was slipping off her panties. As she stood, her ivory form shone under the light thrown from the hearth.

Taking her narrow arm, he instructed, “Come with me.
”
Refusing to go into the ballroom with the bed, he led her to the chairs in the foyer. He needed to take control of the situation fast. “I’d like you to kneel, Ms. Farrow.”

She lowered herself to the ground, her motions shaky. Her breasts no longer wore his markings. Small raspberry nipples pointed outward. Her chest heaved as she waited. His eyes went to the thatch of red curls between her legs and he turned away.

Get it over with.
“Are you comfortable?”

She nodded.

Jesus, she was stunning. Her delicate beauty arrested his common sense, stole his logic and made his task more daunting than it already was. Face tight, he slowly approached, his arm reaching for the only woman he’d ever felt a connection with. His fingertip ghosted over her larynx, barely touching her smooth skin. As overwhelming as her beauty was, he’d fallen for the woman behind the grace and elegance.

He’d thought time would bring courage, believed changing his exterior might strengthen the interior, but he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t bare himself the way she so exquisitely bared herself to him and believe he’d someday be enough.

The return of his nightmares, the paralyzing fear in the face of his nemesis, it all still existed and would never go away. She deserved better. He was a fool to think he was in control, in any way, shape, or form. Despite the joys of love, there would always be the immobilizing truth of how badly she could hurt him.

Her breathing was labored, her cheeks flushed. Sensing she was getting ahead of herself, he said, “I need you present, Ms. Farrow.
”

“I’m here, Mr. Stone. Always here.”

For him, he thought coldly. She was here for some fantasy man he’d created and could never measure up to in real life. Her posture shifted as she shivered and drew her shoulders back. He needed to take a step back.

Even now, she stoically waited for a promise he couldn’t deliver. The slight curve of her lips gave him pause. It seemed impossible that he’d unearthed this confident side of her. Initially he believed she was unbreakable, but as he got to know her, he discovered the fragile secrets she had and the responsibility to protect such vulnerability became more and more daunting.

To see her now, so tranquil and at peace with her exposed self, it gave him a modicum of pride. At least he’d helped her recognize a portion of the value she held. If only she knew how much more she had to offer. Knowing she’d someday realize how special she was and how understated her standards actually were, he regretted his own inability to meet them.

He needed to make her see that this was not the end. She would someday find everything she wanted and it would be real, better than any short-lived fantasy he could fabricate for her.

Her mouth quivered with the sweetest hint of a smile. “You’re pleased.
”

“I am.”

His eyes closed as he reciprocated her smile as best he could, but inside his heart was breaking. “And so you should be. It’s been quite a journey.”

Her shoulders trembled delicately and he wanted to calm any fears, but knew he couldn’t continue to make her promises he couldn’t keep. Gently cupping the side of her face, he ran his thumb across her soft her lower lip. “Be still,
”
he whispered.

Turning his wrist, he dragged the backs of his fingers slowly over her jaw and behind her ear. He should stop now.

Drawing in a slow constricted breath, he whispered the only truth he knew. “It isn’t fair for a woman to hold such beauty.
”

His thumb coasted over the soft curve of her throat, tripping slowly over each ridge of her larynx, teasing the slight curve of her collarbone. Every freckle, every soft curve was so perfectly feminine. No other woman compared, which was why he’d likely return to his world of work and redundant meetings, banishing any hope of ever finding a partner in this life.

He couldn’t think about that now. He needed to do what had to be done and let her go. His own desolate future shouldn’t concern her or cloud his judgment. This was the right thing to do.

Keeping his voice low, he spoke carefully. “When I read your letter, I knew there was something special about you, Ms. Farrow. While there was courage in your words, I sensed the absolute desperation of your plea. True, you did not ask to be found—only to be heard—but I found you all the same. Genuine courage is not borne of fear. True courage takes action, despite the fear. You, my lady, feared what?”

Her lips parted as she softly whispered, “I feared always being alone.”

“Correct. Yet, you’ve given months to a complete stranger, trusting me to show you something that changes nothing of your predicament outside of these walls. Why?
”

The realization that this was not the end but the means to an end needed to come from her. She’d been the one to meet every challenge and face down her fears. He wanted her to recognize that courage came from her and belonged to her, his presence was merely temporary, an attempt to prove how powerful passion could be.

Her head lowered. “I wanted to know what it felt like to be adored, cared for, placed at the top of someone’s priority list, Mr. Stone. You said you could give me that experience.”

And he believed he had, for a time. He’d given her everything he could manage. It simply became too much and he couldn’t give any more. “Do you feel you’ve achieved your goal, Ms. Farrow? Have you felt those very things?”

“Yes.”

“And do you have any regrets, Ms. Farrow?”

“I have no regrets.”

He smiled sadly. She’d been so easy to adore. Despite what her friends said regarding her standards, she should never lower them. She shouldn’t have to settle. Exactly why he decided to remove himself from the equation. 

“And is the fear gone, Ms. Farrow?”

He understood fear. The fear of not measuring up, the fear of bleak loneliness, the fear that everything will stay the same or might drastically change. He suffered every version there was, still continued to struggle with overcoming his fears. It was an almost impossible thing to outgrow, but he believed she’d overcome a great deal of her own.

“Yes, Mr. Stone.”

“Very good.
”

And so there was nothing left for him to show her. He reached for her hand. “Allow me to help you stand.
”

****

“Very good.
”
He’d said the words as if finding her progress agreeable, but there was something hidden in his tone, as if her achievement wounded him in some way.

Blinking in concern, Scarlet’s lashes softly brushed behind the dark mask.

A gentle hand brushed down her arm. “Allow me to help you stand.
”
There were always hints of chivalry behind his actions, even when his intent was unclear.

Placing her hand in his, she carefully rose from the cool floor. The front of her body shivered as the heat of his frame encroached on her personal space. Excitement filled her chest. Without placing a finger on her, he leaned close. His scent intensified as his lips delicately traced hers.

Breath stilled in her lungs as she cherished that long awaited caress, his mouth pressing softly to hers, an innocent brush of affection, trembling with restraint. He’d never kissed her there. It had all been building to this moment, this one point in time.

“You’re a beautiful woman, Ms. Farrow,
”
he whispered, his warm breath teasing her parted lips.

Leaning into him, she frowned as the soles of his shoes scraped over the floor and he pulled away, leaving cool emptiness in the place of his warmth. With his withdrawal came the prickle of fear, fear she’d believed she’d buried.

“However…our relationship has come to an end.”

The finality of the word
end
echoed like a gunshot through the air. Shock knifed through her, hard, jerking her nerves to an unpleasant point of attention as denial suddenly had her shaking. They couldn’t simply
end
. This was the beginning they’d been waiting for…

She’d clearly heard him incorrectly. Unable to hide her worry, a chirp of nervous laughter slipped past her lips. “Mr. Stone—

“This is no laughing matter.
”
He’d never cut her off before.

Her eyes burned at the sharp arrival of tears, the tart injection taking her aback. “I…I don’t understand.”

He became so silent she panicked, loosing her grip on her surroundings, unable to identify where he was. When he finally spoke, his words chilled her soul. “This is over.”

“What—”

“My driver will take you home now.
”
His edict stabbed through her, each syllable slicing into her heart. Where had this come from? What caused such an abrupt change? This wasn’t what was supposed to happen.

Boiling indignation had her scrambling for words. Her limbs trembled as utter bewilderment took hold. Desperate to stop this nonsense, she threw away his rules, her unsteady fingers rushing to the blindfold.

“Do not.
”
Catching her slender wrists he snatched them back.

Her voice broke somewhere below its natural octave. “Why are you doing this?”

“Life isn’t a fantasy, Ms. Farrow. You need to leave now. And the blindfold stays.”

She yanked her arms, but his grip only tightened.
“What are you afraid of?
”
she snapped, her patience fraying too fast for her to salvage her composure.

He stepped closer, his clothing brushing her exposed breasts. “I’m not afraid. I simply know what I want and what I don’t need.”

Her. He didn’t want or need her. She’d had enough of the games. Her mouth compressed, betraying her poise, as she begged, “Let me see you.”

“No.”

She jerked her arms in an attempt to remove the blindfold once more, but his strength and control outweighed hers.

His voice lowered as he carefully enunciated each word. “Careful, Ms. Farrow. You’ve come here of your own free will. You
will
honor my wishes not to be seen if you expect me to respect your privacy. There’s no end to the ways I can exploit you.”

Beyond her anger was the reality of earth shattering, humiliating betrayal.  She’d foolishly trusted him. Former concerns rushed to the forefront of her mind, stealing any false sense of security she’d imagined. Had he recorded their encounters? There was so much she risked in order to be with him, trusting him not to harm her—a total stranger. God, she was a fool!

Blinking in the darkness, she finally understood. This wasn’t about
her
trust. It was about
his,
his
inability to trust anyone other than himself!

Her voice cracked, hating the powerless position she held. “Why can’t you trust me?”

“Because at the end of the day, I’m still me. This is best for both of us. You’ll move on.”

Her chest constricted as if her heart were actually breaking in two. “Don’t do this.”