any more than the man was.
“And what might you be up to?”
Zeta closed her eyes. Max. Taking a deep breath, she turned around to face him. “I’m leaving,” she said simply. “I’m sorry I couldn’t give you the full six months, but I just can’t do this anymore.”
He stood before her nude, not even bothering to sling on a pair of pants. His chiseled body was an aphrodisiac in itself, to say nothing of what he could do with that powerful, beautiful body. “You know I can’t let you go.” There was no inflection in his voice, no expression on his face. Did the man feel nothing at all? “I’ll pull the plug on your father’s finances if you don’t honor at least that six-month agreement.”
Zeta hadn’t realized it until Max threatened to cut off her father, but she was done allowing her father to control her, especially in this. It was because of her father that she was in this situation to begin with. “I can’t help that. I guess he’ll just have to find an alternative. If not, I’ll be happy to help him rebuild.”
“I suppose it’s all for the best,” he commented, leaning one hip against the couch as he crossed his arms over that brawny chest. It was hard for Zeta to pay attention to what he was saying. The smattering of hair across his pecs trailing down his rigid belly to the nest of curls surrounding his cock made her fingers itch to rake her nails over all those muscles. “I’ve been giving this a bit more thought, and I think you were right in your assessment that first day. Marrying a black woman in this part of the country might not be to my best advantage.” The corner of his lips quirked upward in a condescending sneer. “But I’d be happy to keep you as my mistress. Lord knows the sex is better than anything I’ve ever had.”
And just like that, any hope Zeta might have had he’d convince her to stay, that he’d give her something to cling to of the Maximilian she knew hid cleverly inside the persona of a bastard, evaporated like so much smoke on the wind.
* * *
Max saw the exact moment Zeta snapped. He had no idea why he’d said what he had. Hell, he hadn’t even meant it. Well, all except the “best sex he’d ever had” bit. He was just getting back at her for trying to leave him. Why he’d lashed out in that particular manner he had no idea, but the second the words left his mouth he regretted them. The next second Zeta had taken in a sharp breath before stepping into him and delivering a hard slap across his face.
He held her gaze, refusing to look away, needing to hold some kind of connection with her. “I suppose I deserved that,” he said quietly.
“Bastard!” she snapped, tears gathering in her eyes. “You can go straight to hell.”
“Zeta… I —”
“Shut up!” She lunged for him again, her palm ready to deliver yet another blow. This time, he caught her wrist, pulling her against him. “Let me go! You don’t get to touch me ever again!”
“I’m sorry,” he said as calmly as he could, not letting her go, afraid that once he did she would be forever out of his reach. “What I said was uncalled for.”
“Let me go, Max.” Her voice was calm, but tears still shimmered in her eyes. Somehow she kept them from falling when he knew he’d hurt her horribly.
For several moments, Max thought about forcing the issue, regretting his hasty words more and more with each passing second, the pain in his chest building until he was certain his heart would burst. But holding her captive wouldn’t help him. Knowing it was time to retreat, he released her. Immediately, Zeta backed away, looking at him with contempt and wariness.
“I’ll send for my things,” she finally said. “Do whatever you have to with Dad. Just leave me alone.” Gathering up her purse and keys, Zeta walked quickly from the room with her head held high.
Right out of his life.
Chapter Twenty
“I’m not going, Dad.” Zeta once again found herself doing
“And what might you be up to?”
Zeta closed her eyes. Max. Taking a deep breath, she turned around to face him. “I’m leaving,” she said simply. “I’m sorry I couldn’t give you the full six months, but I just can’t do this anymore.”
He stood before her nude, not even bothering to sling on a pair of pants. His chiseled body was an aphrodisiac in itself, to say nothing of what he could do with that powerful, beautiful body. “You know I can’t let you go.” There was no inflection in his voice, no expression on his face. Did the man feel nothing at all? “I’ll pull the plug on your father’s finances if you don’t honor at least that six-month agreement.”
Zeta hadn’t realized it until Max threatened to cut off her father, but she was done allowing her father to control her, especially in this. It was because of her father that she was in this situation to begin with. “I can’t help that. I guess he’ll just have to find an alternative. If not, I’ll be happy to help him rebuild.”
“I suppose it’s all for the best,” he commented, leaning one hip against the couch as he crossed his arms over that brawny chest. It was hard for Zeta to pay attention to what he was saying. The smattering of hair across his pecs trailing down his rigid belly to the nest of curls surrounding his cock made her fingers itch to rake her nails over all those muscles. “I’ve been giving this a bit more thought, and I think you were right in your assessment that first day. Marrying a black woman in this part of the country might not be to my best advantage.” The corner of his lips quirked upward in a condescending sneer. “But I’d be happy to keep you as my mistress. Lord knows the sex is better than anything I’ve ever had.”
And just like that, any hope Zeta might have had he’d convince her to stay, that he’d give her something to cling to of the Maximilian she knew hid cleverly inside the persona of a bastard, evaporated like so much smoke on the wind.
* * *
Max saw the exact moment Zeta snapped. He had no idea why he’d said what he had. Hell, he hadn’t even meant it. Well, all except the “best sex he’d ever had” bit. He was just getting back at her for trying to leave him. Why he’d lashed out in that particular manner he had no idea, but the second the words left his mouth he regretted them. The next second Zeta had taken in a sharp breath before stepping into him and delivering a hard slap across his face.
He held her gaze, refusing to look away, needing to hold some kind of connection with her. “I suppose I deserved that,” he said quietly.
“Bastard!” she snapped, tears gathering in her eyes. “You can go straight to hell.”
“Zeta… I —”
“Shut up!” She lunged for him again, her palm ready to deliver yet another blow. This time, he caught her wrist, pulling her against him. “Let me go! You don’t get to touch me ever again!”
“I’m sorry,” he said as calmly as he could, not letting her go, afraid that once he did she would be forever out of his reach. “What I said was uncalled for.”
“Let me go, Max.” Her voice was calm, but tears still shimmered in her eyes. Somehow she kept them from falling when he knew he’d hurt her horribly.
For several moments, Max thought about forcing the issue, regretting his hasty words more and more with each passing second, the pain in his chest building until he was certain his heart would burst. But holding her captive wouldn’t help him. Knowing it was time to retreat, he released her. Immediately, Zeta backed away, looking at him with contempt and wariness.
“I’ll send for my things,” she finally said. “Do whatever you have to with Dad. Just leave me alone.” Gathering up her purse and keys, Zeta walked quickly from the room with her head held high.
Right out of his life.
Chapter Twenty
“I’m not going, Dad.” Zeta once again found herself doing
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