Free Her Secret Betrayal by Jordan Bell Page A

in an instant, leaving behind a sort of scary
intimidating business man. I’d never had to deal with the
billionaire before, just the dominant lover I enjoyed often in my
bed. Before Sean, anyway.
    He crossed his hand over his mouth and took
a step back until he leaned against the counter opposite me. He
crossed his ankles, the very expensive suit looking so out of place
in my dingy kitchen. Ours had been a bizarre relationship. We’d
never been exclusive but had sort of become that way over time. He
took other women as his dates to events to keep me out of the
spotlight, and we both wanted that. We’d never been about our
feelings or emotions, just sex. Just sexual companionship. He was
rough and dominant and loved my submissive, shy nature. He loved my
body, the way Sean did, even if I didn’t understand it. I was as
much his secret as he was mine.
    And, I realized watching him study me, I was
going to miss him.
    “You reconnected with your Sean.”
    “Yes.” I didn’t hesitate or try to lie. He
didn’t deserve that.
    “Good,” he said. “I’m glad. Love is
something that cannot be replaced, even by a very good lover.”
    “You are?” I didn’t expect jealousy, but I
didn’t expect honest well wishes either. I crossed my arms and he
crossed his and we watched each other watching the other.
    “Of course. You were my lover, Kara, but my
companion, too. I wanted things to be different but knew they
couldn’t be. Not while we were young and I was scrutinized
constantly. I just bought a lot of property and plan to build a lot
of different things to revitalize a neighborhood ripe for young
twenty-somethings getting on their feet for the first time. I’m
going to be all over the news and watched very closely. I had no
desire to drag you through that. I knew you’d hate it.”
    “I would have.” I smiled. “Thank you for
understanding.”
    “However.”
    The serious businessman returned and my
stomach did a little flip. His serious businessman expression, I
realized, wasn’t that different than his Dom expression.
    “Marcus?”
    “However, I can’t say I’m exactly thrilled
with losing you.”
    He dropped his gaze in thought, but not in
submission or shyness. He did it to disarm me and that made me very
nervous.
    “I’m sorry.”
    “I know you are. But you must understand
that’s not my style. If I let things I wanted get away, or worse,
be stolen from me, I wouldn’t be where I am now. I wouldn’t own
half this city and control the other half.”
    “I don’t understand.” And I didn’t. I
shifted, closed in, prepared for an attack of some kind. Not a
physical one. Again, not Marcus’s style.
    “We end on my terms.”
    I frowned. “Excuse me?”
    “Your Sean, Sean Castle. Oh yes, I know who
he is. It’s not an accident I chose to go ahead with the
development of the same neighborhood he’d just moved his restaurant
into. He interested me. Old money, very old, almost as old as mine.
A young man shirking his inheritance and family name to make one
for himself. I can relate, obviously. Not to mention he had you so
thoroughly, even after so many years. He stole you from me, and I’m
not convinced he deserves you. What he did…I don’t know how you can
forgive him.”
    “That’s my business, Marcus. Not your
concern. I appreciate your distrust, but that’s for me to figure
out.”
    My defenses built a wall up around me,
careful not to draw his considerable ire, but also not wanting to
let him think he could demand or decide anything for me. If he was
moved by my words, he didn’t show it.
    “Maybe it’s not my business, but I’m making
it mine anyway. I will take one more night with you, on my terms.
Tomorrow night. If I don’t convince you to stay with me where you
are safe, then I’ll let you go peacefully and I’ll work with your
Sean and his brother to fit into my designs for their
neighborhood.”
    “No. Marcus, no. Sean would never be ok with
that. I’ve made my choice,