Chapter One
Theo
I’m doing my best to wait, but I’m not in a patient mood. It’s been two weeks since I first caught a glimpse of Phoebe, and I can’t get her out of my head. I should have taken her then, but I wanted more information about her. A smart man like me didn’t jump into situations without knowing every facet, every intricate detail before I make a move. Not with her.
Phoebe on the other hand, she has something about her that makes me foolish and eager. Every thought, every action of mine is centered around how it will affect her. Even my latest deal for a cruise liner has to wait because I had to get to her first. I was in the middle of talking shop in Miami with the owner and I ran back to claim my woman before someone else tried. Nothing matters more than her, and nothing and no one ever will.
I had my driver park a block down out of view, but I still can’t stay inside the vehicle. It’s been only two minutes since they went up to Stanley Minks’s apartment to take my special payment, but it feels like an eternity.
I’ve done more waiting than I can handle. Pacing outside of my SUV, I run my hands through my slicked-back hair, fucking it all up. I wanted to look good for Phoebe, but my body’s alive with lustful energy from my pure obsession for her. Never has one glance at a woman driven me insane. Well almost never—the second I laid eyes on her, I knew what I had to do. Make her mine.
My men came to collect on Mink’s debt only to discover that he had been keeping a little secret. He has an eighteen-year-old daughter. The bastard has kept her hidden from everyone. Initially, we thought it was to keep her safe from men like me, but during my research on the beautiful minx, I learned he’d planned on selling her in a virgin auction. He planned to sell my sweet Phoebe. He messed up more than he could ever imagine. Now, I’m going to take her, make her mine, and destroy him.
Stuffing my hand in my pocket, I pull out my cell phone to stare at her pictures. My men found the auction and the images of each potential virgin. My tech guy corrupted their server, stole all of her photographs, and erased her name this morning. Now it’s time to claim my woman and keep her safe in my bed.
Movement out of the corner of my eye catches my attention. I look up in time to see Phoebe running out of the building and in my direction. Her long brown hair bound in a ponytail sways from side to side as she dashes away, hypnotizing me. She’s wearing a pair of short shorts that immediately send me into a possessive rage. The thought of her roaming around town today in them sets my teeth on edge. I don’t know how many eyes need to be gouged out. My men know better, so they won’t look, or at least they’ll make sure I’m not aware of their eyes on her curves. Her large breasts bounce with each slap of her shoes onto the pavement, causing my dick to jump to attention.
I groan, tucking my phone back in my pants pocket just as she slams into my body. Holding her upper body tightly to me for a second, I see one of my men come running. I wave them off with my hand behind her back so she can’t see. Her heart’s racing out of control as her chest presses against my mine. It pisses me off that she’s so damn scared, but I really didn’t have a choice. Her bastard father caused all of this.
Growling, I grab her arms and hold her at a distance because I don’t want her to feel how hard I am. My dick is so damn hard I could use it as a sledgehammer. It throbs in my slacks and I want to fuck her right on the spot, but I don’t want her scared when I take her. She’s already going to hate it when she learns who she’s running from.
“Are you okay?” I ask her, looking down into her honey-colored eyes as if I’m not the one she needs to fear. Her chest heaves as her heart pounds from the fear. Her round eyes soften, and her lips part. Despite the danger, her eyes give away her instant attraction to me. Good. That’s exactly what I want.
She steals glances backward to see if there’s danger lurking. “No, um…are you single?” rushes out of her pretty lips.
“Um…yes.” Well, to anyone else but her, although she’s not aware of that fact at the moment; she will be, though.