This Cruel Love

“You pay… in full… or you will pay another way. There will be no negotiations.”

“But we don’t have anything to give you,” I snapped, dropping my guard slightly and showing how exasperated I was, before I rechecked myself and took a deep breath.

“Oh, but I think you do.”

He stood up from behind his desk, and that’s when I realised what a truly formidable man this Jackson Caine was. He was taller than Justin, with a solid, manly build. The black suit he wore was tailored to perfection on his body. His legs looked like columns of pure, powerful muscle as he strode out from behind his desk. The air of dominance and authority that’d swirled around him before was stifling now; drowning us in its force. This man was a powerhouse of control and supremacy. I felt totally and utterly inadequate. I needed to up my game. My plans to manipulate and dominate were sadly lacking. It was as if Mr Jackson Caine was on a different level to the rest of us. He was immune to any charm I brought to the proceedings, that was for sure.

He stood in front of us and leaned back on his desk, crossing his arms over his wide chest. He glanced at Justin, then at me, and when our eyes met again, I felt my skin start to perspire. My breathing became heavier and more laboured under the intensity of his stare. This time he wasn’t just looking at me, he was appraising me, and not in a good way. I felt naked and exposed. Despite making me feel so undone, for the life of me, I couldn’t break eye contact. I couldn’t admit defeat or show any hint of weakness.

“We have nothing… I have nothing,” Justin piped up.

Without taking his eyes off mine, Jackson Caine gestured to me with his right hand.

“You have her.”

“What?” I screwed up my face in disgust. What the hell was he suggesting? That Justin pimp me out for payment? That I prostitute myself to pay his debts? Hell and freezing over came to mind. I loved Justin, but I had my limits.

“I’m not some object he owns, you know. I don’t belong to anyone.”

He had the audacity to smirk at me. I wanted to slap it right off his smug-ass face. His very handsome, rugged and tanned face, but smug all the same.

“Ryley isn’t on the table here. That’s non-negotiable,” Justin said, without the unwavering conviction in his tone of voice that I’d have expected from him.

The image of me being some kind of sacrifice on any table made my skin crawl, and I held my free hand over my stomach.

Jackson Caine’s eyes followed where my hand lay and he raised an eyebrow.

“Got something you want to share? A new addition in a few months maybe?”

“I’m not pregnant!” I spat out in shock. What business was it of his even if I was? “I just feel sick to the stomach at the thought of what you’re suggesting, Mr Caine.”

“Which is…?”

“Well, I don’t know exactly, but I’m not gonna sleep with you to pay off Justin’s debts.”

He rubbed over his stubbly, square jaw, then pushed his hand through his brown, wavy hair, temporarily pushing it out of his eyes, before it fell over his forehead again. He was frowning now. What the hell was going on in this guy’s head? I couldn’t second guess him. He pinned me with a forceful, dare I say, seductive stare before he spoke again.

“I don’t force women into my bed, Miss…” He raised his brows in my direction, taking pleasure in showing me he didn’t know who I was either.

“Emerson. Ryley Emerson.” My voice sounded smaller than I expected.

“As I was saying, I don’t need to force women into my bed, Miss… Emerson. When you come to my bed, it’ll be because you’re begging for it.”

Justin gave a low growl, but I just laughed at him. He had no idea who he was dealing with. I was no push over in that department.

“Oh, I don’t beg, Mr Caine. I don’t have to.”

I leant to the side and rested my head on Justin’s shoulder, as he snaked an arm around my waist to secure me closer to him. Surprisingly, this seemed to piss Jackson Caine off more. Was he jealous?

His face took on a mask of pure fury in reaction to our little display of affection. He pushed away from his desk and walked over to stand directly in front of us, no doubt to intimidate us further. He eyed Justin in some show of male dominance, taking his time to scope him out before he made his next move.

“One month. With her. In my apartment. Then I’ll write all your debts off. The whole debt… gone.”

He flicked his hands like some kind of magician to symbolise something vanishing. His arrogant smirk made me want to smash something. I gasped and Justin just shook his head, muttering, “No way. No. That’s not happening.”

I couldn’t stop myself, couldn’t hold back.

“Are you deaf as well as insane? I said I wouldn’t sleep with you. What makes you think I’d spend a month with you?”