Mistress to the Beast (3 page)

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Mistress to the Beast

advanced toward the desk. “Don’t you understand what you’re doing? Do you get your kicks from destroying people’s lives?”

The unknown man walked toward her, but she backed away when it looked as if he’d touch her. “Ma’am, I’m not sure what the problem is, but perhaps if you come to my office, we can work something out to your satisfaction. My name is Thomas Ruby and I’m just as capable to see to your problem as anyone in this organization.”

It was a tactic to get her to leave if she’d ever heard one. Lila wasn’t stupid. He’d have her ass hauled out the door the minute she stepped out of this room.

“No! The only person I want to talk to is Hunter Jamison, and if that’s not your name, I don’t want to hear you.”

Why wasn’t the big blond saying anything? His head was bowed now, but she sensed his anger simmering just below the surface. Good. That made two of them.

“Look, Miss…” Mr. Ruby trailed off in an attempt to get her name.

“Saunders. Lila Saunders,” she bit out through gritted teeth.

Mr. Ruby stepped away from her, mouth agape. “Miss Saunders, I—” His words were cut off when two uniformed security guards burst into the office and ran over to her.

Each of them grabbed one of her arms. Lila refused to let this crusade end at the hands of a couple of rent-a-cops. “Let go of me!” She wiggled and struggled against their grasps, trying to pull free even though the more she moved, the tighter their hold became.

They were too strong for her.
Please don’t let it end this way
, she silently prayed.

“The police are on their way, sir,” a pimple-faced guard said as his nails dug into her skin. “We’ll keep her downstairs until they arrive. We’re not sure how she got up here, but it won’t happen again.”

Lila continued to fight, trying to yank free. “Let go!”

“Let her go.” The deep booming voice that resonated throughout the entire office came from the man himself, shocking her so much she froze.

“But, Mr. Jamison, we—”

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Eve Vaughn

“Let her go. I’ll deal with this matter myself.” Hunter Jamison pushed away from his desk and stood up to reveal his magnificent height. He had to be at least six feet six and he was very broad.

“But the police are on the way!” the woman whined.

“Then tell them you’ve wasted their time. I’ll talk to Miss Saunders.”

“But—” The woman didn’t seem ready to give in so easily.

“This discussion isn’t up for debate, Ann,” Mr. Jamison said the words softly enough, but the underlying message was there: do as I say or else.

The security guards released Lila’s arms with obvious reluctance. She rubbed her aching limbs to increase the blood flow to the areas they’d squeezed, shooting each guard a glare.

“Thomas, please leave us,” Jamison ordered.

Mr. Ruby remained where he stood for a moment, but one look from the boss had his shoulders sagging in defeat. “Fine, but if you need me, I’ll be in my office.” He gave Lila a shaky smile before following the other three out. He closed the door behind him with a decisive click.

Once she and Mr. Jamison were alone, Lila squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. His large frame would have intimidated anyone, but she refused to be cowed by him. She raised her chin in a gesture of defiance and met his gaze.

“Miss Saunders, please have a seat,” he offered. The way he stared at her made Lila feel self-conscious. She couldn’t quite read his expression, especially with all that hair in his face, but she felt like a very juicy mouse beneath the hungry gaze of a cat.

Placing her hands on her hips, she shook her head. “No, thank you. I’d prefer to stand. What I have to say won’t take long.”

He shrugged one massive shoulder. “Suit yourself. I’ll sit, if you don’t mind.”

The office was huge, but he seemed to dominate every square inch of it, though she did wonder why there was a huge mess in front of his desk, including a computer monitor. Lila didn’t like the way she was so aware of his larger than life presence. She licked her suddenly dry lips. “N-no I don’t mind.”

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Mistress to the Beast

“Good, Miss… May I call you Lila?”

“Yes.”

“Lila,” he said her name slowly, as though testing it on his tongue. “Did you know your name means dark-haired beauty? I took a little Arabic in college.”

She did, actually. Her father had mentioned it to her once, and how it was the only name he and her mother had agreed on. “I didn’t come here to talk about the meaning of my name.”

He inclined his head slightly forward, making his hair cover up even more of his face. Was he really as badly scarred as the newspapers suggested? “Fair enough. Then tell me why you’ve come to see ‘the Beast’”

Lila knew he was toying with her, but she was in no mood for games. She’d be damned if she let him frighten her. “I’m sure you already know.”

“You’re the one who burst into my office. If you have the guts to do that, surely you can follow through by sharing your grievance.”

Bastard. Did he want her to beg? On the verge of telling him to go to hell, she remembered how sick and weak her father had seemed this morning. If Hunter Jamison wanted his pound of flesh, she’d give it to him. She would do whatever it took to save Saunders.

“I’m asking you to reconsider your offer on my father’s property.”

“Our plans have been finalized. The shopping center will go up as planned.”

“But you can build around Saunders, can’t you? I’ve seen the blueprints. My father’s building will be just on the outskirts of it.”

“The shopping complex could use the space for parking,” he countered. “Anyway, it’s in your best interest to sell out, don’t you think? Wouldn’t your father’s little business suffer from the competition?”

Lila gritted her teeth at his condescending tone. Her fingers itched to slap him.

“We’ll make it work somehow.”

His lips tilted into a small brief smile. “You sound like you actually believe that, but I’m afraid you’re wasting your time. I’m sure you’re already aware the city council has www.samhainpublishing.com 21

Eve Vaughn

taken an interest in your father’s property. Once they’re involved, there’s little I can do about it.”

Lila bit back the expletive hovering on her tongue, silently counting to ten before speaking. “If you wanted to, you could.”

He grinned. “You’re right. I could, but I don’t feel so inclined.

“What you’re doing is illegal.”

Again, he shrugged. “Tell that to someone who’s interested, sweetheart.”

Lila wasn’t prepared to let things end like this. There had to be something she could do. As much as she loathed to do so, she was willing to beg. “Please, Mr. Jamison, there must be some other way. I’m pleading with you. Don’t do this. If my father loses his business, it would kill him.”

“Don’t you think you’re being a tad dramatic, Lila?”

Her hands balled into fists at her sides as she willed herself to remain where she stood. “I’m telling the truth.”

Jamison stifled a yawn, not looking the least bit impressed. “If keeping his business is so important, why isn’t your father here pleading his own case? What kind of man would allow his daughter to fight his battles for him? This doesn’t sound like the kind of person I’d do a favor for.”

Lila knew he was trying to bait her, but she wouldn’t let him. No matter how much she wanted to tell the smug son of a bitch where to go, she’d have to keep her cool.

“My father doesn’t know I’m here. He’s…he hasn’t been well lately, but the only thing that makes him better is working at the store. He lives for that place. If you take it away from him, he’d have nothing to live for.”

“Do you mean you’re not reason enough for him to live?”

“You’re twisting my words around. That isn’t what I meant at all. To be honest, he plans on giving up and just taking the money.”

Jamison’s brows knitted, his bewilderment evident. “Then why are you here?”

“Because I know he doesn’t want to. He’s doing it for me. He thinks if he sells, I can move on with my life. My father believes he’s a burden to me.”

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Mistress to the Beast

“Perhaps there’s some wisdom in his decision. You’re young, beautiful…and desirable. Why would you want to throw your life away taking care of an old man?”

Lila tightened her fists.
I will stay calm. I will stay calm
, she chanted in her mind.

“My father could never be a burden to me because I love him very much, but then again, I wouldn’t expect a cold bastard like you to understand.”

Jamison leaned back in his chair, raising a dark blond brow. “Strong words for someone who wants my help.”

Lila turned her head unable to meet his taunting green gaze. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said it.”

“Don’t be. It’s what you meant. I can respect that.”

She forced herself to look at him again. “Look, Mr. Jamison, I know if you’ll just let us be, he’ll get better and won’t worry so much. Due to pressure your company is placing on him, I fear this stress is taking a toll on his health.”

His lips twitched into a mockery of a smile. “Beautiful and compassionate. A rare combination. You’re to be commended on your concern for your father, but you’ve made a miscalculation.”

“What do you mean?” she whispered, almost afraid to hear the answer.

“You bet all your hopes on the fact I’d give a damn. Unfortunately for you, I don’t.”

Lila’s breath caught in her throat as she blinked hard. She vowed not to cry in front of this jerk. It took several moments before she could compose herself enough to reply.

“I’ll do anything if you would reconsider.”

He stiffened and his eyes narrowed. “Anything?”

Lila closed her eyes tightly to block the sight of his hateful presence. Did those words actually leave her mouth? “Anything.”

“I’m not sure you know what you’re saying. When you make a provocative statement like that, you’re asking for trouble.” His gaze blatantly roamed her body, leaving no doubt in her mind what he was thinking. “Now tell me, Lila, are you willing to back up that statement? Because I have no time for little girls playing adult games.”

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Eve Vaughn

Was she really propositioning him? Her father had taught her to have respect for herself and her body, yet here she was offering to act the whore for someone she despised more than anything. Could she go through with this? She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue nervously. Not trusting herself to speak, she nodded.

“Would you sleep with me?” he asked softly.

Even though she’d known this was the direction the conversation was headed when she’d made her bold declaration, his words still came as a shock. To actually hear them said aloud made her feel sleazy, but now that it was all on the table, there was no turning back.

Lila felt like a character in a bad B movie. Did things like this really happen? Her stomach twisted in knots and her hands shook. If she pinched herself, would she wake up from the horrible nightmare? “Yes,” she finally answered after nearly losing her nerve.

“What I want is a mistress. I find myself without one at the moment, and I think you’ll do quite nicely. Would you be willing to stay with me for three months at my house, at my beck and call—seeing to me every need?”

“But my father—”

“Would be taken care of.”

“I don’t want to be away from him for that long.”

“Then you obviously don’t care as much about saving his business as you’ve let on.

Good day, Miss Saunders.”

The tears that had threatened to spill earlier sprang to her eyes once again. “Wait!

The answer is yes, but only if you arrange for a nurse to occasionally stop by to see my dad takes his medication and for someone to help him around the store.”

“While it’s pretty bold of you to make demands considering you’re the one who wants a favor of me, that can easily be arranged.”

She let her head fall, as shame washed over her. What had she done? “Okay, then it’s a deal.”

“And would you be ready for me to fuck you whenever and however I want?”

She flinched. “You don’t have to be so crude about it.”

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Mistress to the Beast

“Sweetheart, I don’t have time to tiptoe around your ladylike sensibilities. Besides, I won’t insult either of us by calling it making love.”

“It could never be that,” she hissed.

“I like your spirit, Lila.” He stood up and then stalked over to her.

She took a step back. “Hold on. How do I know you’ll honor your end of the bargain and leave my father’s business alone?”

“I’ll have my attorney draft a contract and make it legal and binding. At the end of our agreement, you’ll receive a generous settlement in addition to services rendered.”

Lila shook her head. “I don’t want your money, just your promise to leave my father be.”

Jamison raised a brow. “Persistent, aren’t you? But before we reach a formal agreement, I think there’s something you should see…in case you want to change your mind.”

“I won’t.”

“We’ll see.” Slowly he raised his hands to his face and pulled his hair back, revealing what it had been hiding. On one side of his face was an angry jumble of deep, red scars running from his temple to his neck. They created such a contrast to the other side of his face which was virtually untouched, she gasped in horror.

Maybe it was nerves, but the room began to spin, and everything suddenly went black. Her last conscious memory was the sensation of falling.

***

What the hell had he been thinking to throw that impulsive offer at Lila Saunders?

Had he become that desperate? One thing he knew for certain, she was one of, if not
the
most stunning woman he’d laid eyes on.

Tall and voluptuous with curves that cried out to be caressed, she had the face of an angel. Hunter had memorized her every feature, from her rich mocha skin, full bow-shaped lips and tilt-tipped nose. Her hair had been pulled back in a tight ponytail, www.samhainpublishing.com 25