Page 16 of The Billionaire

“Tell me, does this place interest you?”

After a moment of hesitation, I answered, “It does.”

“Does it?”

I nodded.

“What appeals to you the most?”

After thinking hard about it, I replied, “The freedom of not being judged.”

“Ah. And would you judge me if you saw who I was?”

I shook my head not knowing if I was lying or not.

“You see, I could be anyone. I could be the man you see running on the treadmill at the gym, the man down the block, perhaps on the cover of Forbes, or even on television in the movies.” He waved his glass around animatedly as he spoke.

I gulped.

“Does this excite you?”

“Yes.” I answered in a hush.

But even then as I admitted my desire, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. The man who bid and won me. Who made love to me with such tender care and expertise. Who could have ravished me! The man who—

Suddenly he lifted his mask and I saw his face.

It was him.

I froze in complete shock and in total infatuation.

How could I not have recognized that perfect jaw line?

He cocked his arm up on the couch and turned to face me more with an amused look hanging on his face.

“I just had to see you again.”

“You did?” My reply came out as barely a whisper.

“The games are to begin soon and we won’t see much of each other but I’d like to see you again.”

“You would?”

He picked up his scotch again and eyed it carefully, weighing his thoughts.

“You seem so surprised.” He took a long sip. “There is something tender about you, McKenzie. Something . . . innocent. Something that I feel in my power and desire to protect.”

“I’m not all that innocent.” I found myself saying which was a lie. “To protect from what?”

“Ah, but don’t cover up your innocence. Don’t downplay it. It’s rather refreshing.” He said sexily as his free hand touched my pouty lips.

Why couldn’t the night stay in here just with him? He was a rich billionaire . . . why couldn’t he just be with me all night? If they were powerful and rich enough, couldn’t and shouldn’t they get just what they want? Yet, I still was unsure how the whole ordeal worked.

“There’s a hierocracy here. A matter in which these games go about that I felt I should warn you about.”

Oh no.

“A woman like you, tonight’s duchess.”

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