Josie had never thought of herself as a violent person. If anything, she was the type to hide and quiver from conflict. But in this moment, she suddenly felt a spasm of anger. “Then tell me the real reason.”
He looked at her. “You were handy.”
She gasped. He hadn’t kissed her to share the sacredness of the moment, or because he was overwhelmed by sudden particular desire for Josie. Oh, no. He’d kissed her just because she was there.
I’m heartless, Josie, he’d told her. You should know I’m not the good man you think.
Apparently he’d felt that words weren’t enough of a warning. He’d decided to show her, and this was exhibit A.
And for that, he’d ruthlessly stolen her first kiss away.
“It meant nothing to you?” she choked out. “You were just using me?”
“Of course I was,” he said coldly. “What else could a kiss be? You know the kind of man I am. I don’t do commitment. I don’t do hearts and flowers and sappy little poems so dear to the innocent souls of tender little virgins,” he ground out. His eyes were fierce as he glared at her. “So get that straight—once and for all.”
She stared at him, her mouth wide-open.
Then emotion tore through her, like fire through dry brush. It was an emotion she barely recognized. She’d never felt it before.
Rage.
Hot burning tears filled her eyes. Drawing back her hand, she slapped his face—hard.
The ringing sound of the blow echoed in the car. Even the chauffeur in the front seat flinched.
Blinking in shock, Kasimir instinctively put his hand to his rugged, reddened cheek as he stared down at her.
“I dreamed about my first kiss for my whole life,” she cried. “And you stole it from me. For no reason. Just to prove your stupid point!”
He narrowed his eyes. “Josie—”
“I get it. You don’t want me to fall in love with you. No worries about that!” A lump rose in her throat. “You turned a memory that should have been sacred into a mockery,” she whispered. Tears spilled over her lashes as she looked away. “Don’t ever touch me again.”
Silence fell in the backseat of the limo. She waited for him to apologize, to say he was sorry.
Instead, he said in a low voice, “Fine.”
She whirled to face him, eyes blazing. “I want your promise! Your word of honor!”
“You think I have a word of honor?” His handsome face was stark, his blue gaze oddly vulnerable as he looked down at her, his arms folded over his black vest and tie.
“Stop joking about this!” Her voice ended with a humiliating sob. “I mean it!”
Seeing her tears, he released his arms. He touched her gently on the shoulders.
“All right. I will never kiss you again,” he said in a low voice. His blue gaze burned through her like white fire. “I give you my word of honor.”
She swallowed, then wiped her eyes roughly with the back of her hand. “I don’t like being used,” she whispered. Squaring her shoulders, she looked up. “Just stick to our original deal. A professional arrangement. You get your land. I get my sister back safe.”
“Yes.” Matching her tone, he said, “We’ll be at the airport in a few moments.”
She suddenly remembered. “My backpack—”
“I’ll have my housekeeper bring it to the airport.” Pulling out his phone, he dialed and gave his orders. After he hung up, he asked Josie quietly, “What is so important in the backpack, anyway?”
“Nothing much,” she said, looking down at her hands, now tightly folded over the white lace of her dress. “An old photo of my family. A sweater that used to belong to my mother. Before she—” Josie’s lip trembled “—died. Right after I was born.”
Silence fell.