Vol. 2: Captivated - Chapter 22

Mia

At the door, I turned slightly to see what he was up to. When I saw him getting up from the bed and heading my way, I sucked in my breath. My whole being tingled, and I hastily slipped into the bathroom.

My body sparked with a thrill when I saw him charging toward me with a dark look in his eyes. I quickly shut the door in his face and then locked it as he grabbed the handle.

My body shook and buzzed, and my heart raced as I stared at the closed door, James on the other side. I felt the urge to laugh and found it hard to hold back. I managed somehow as I stood there. I’d just provoked James Maxwell and thought what a wonderful feeling it was.

He banged his palm on the door as he ordered loudly, “Mia, open the door!”

I took a step back and slowly smiled. I didn’t reply to his demand as I waited to see what he’d do next.

“Mia?” His voice was louder this time and more demanding. “I said open the door, Mia. You’re not getting away, sweetheart.”

I nervously bit my lower lip as I clutched the bedsheet against me. Shit! My body was still buzzing. What the heck is wrong with me? The thought of being chased by James and then getting caught and ravished was exciting. Was that even normal?

No, it couldn’t be. I needed to cool down. James needed to cool down.

“Go and calm yourself down in your own shower, James,” I said loudly. I hoped he didn’t hear the nervousness in my voice.

His reply was a sarcastic chuckle. Then came another bang at the door that made me jump, in both consternation and exhilaration.

Was this part of our game too? I wondered. Heck, he did want me to refuse him, and I was doing just that and enjoying it too.

“I said open the door, Mia,” he demanded again, his voice rough and dark.

I shut my eyes, knowing he must be very frustrated indeed. And why wouldn’t he be? Especially with what I’d glimpsed of him as he marched toward me. His manhood was fully aroused and sticking out like a…

I tried to shut the image out of my mind, but it was so hard. Was it even possible for a man’s thing to become that big? It was just ridiculous. I wondered if most were like his.

I licked my dry lip and tried very hard to calm down, knowing what that giant thing could do to me. I was still flustered when I realized it was quiet on the other side of the door.

Curious, I took a step toward the door and leaned in to listen carefully. Nothing. All was quiet on the other side. James, I presumed, had left.

So he finally gave up? I would have thought he was more persistent than that.

Much more relaxed now, I threw away the bedsheet and headed into the shower. There, I turned it on and then stepped in, allowing my body to be rinsed clean. Once I was all wet, I picked up my own shower gel I’d brought along from home and squeezed a big drop onto a shower sponge.

As I continued to clean myself and inhale the sweet frangipani scent, I wondered if Mr. Maxwell always liked to have his house stocked. As I’d discovered yesterday, there was enough food to feed a small family for a week, as well as bathroom essentials such as spare toothbrushes and toothpaste. In a way, I felt quite blessed staying in his apartment.

Suddenly, my mind drifted off to Andy again, and my high spirits disappeared.

“Soon, Andy, you’ll be free of that Matt person,” I whispered under my breath as I allowed the water from the shower to pound down on me. Today I’d get to see him for the first time in months.

With a big fluffy white towel wrapped securely around me, I stepped back out into the bedroom. Sure enough, James wasn’t around, and I quickly went in search of my backpack to find my clothes. After retrieving panties, a bra, a pair of jeans that was obviously ripped about the legs, and, of course, a loose T-shirt that was also damaged by that naughty canine Alfie, I rushed back into the bathroom and got dressed. A few minutes later, as I stared wide-eyed at myself, I wanted to laugh. I looked like some street-rock chick, wearing a ripped shirt and jeans with long wet, wavy black hair. I shrugged my shoulders and thought I looked rather fetching.

Turning on my heel, I headed out the door. As I went down the stairs, I smelled coffee and bacon. James must have been cooking breakfast again.

I found him in the kitchen transferring crispy bacon from a frying pan onto plates.

“Good morning, sunshine,” he said, eyeing me with interest as I descended the last few steps.

The word sunshine tugged something deep within my heart, and I felt weak in the knees.

“Morning,” I replied as I hopped onto a barstool.

He poured me a cup of coffee.

“Thanks,” I said.

“You’re welcome,” he stated, smiling.

He appeared to be in a fine mood after what happened in the bedroom only twenty minutes ago. I eyed him with interest, too, as I raised the hot cup of coffee to my lips. I noted his dark hair was wet and that he had on a pair of jeans and a simple T-shirt. Despite the fact he wasn’t in a suit, he still looked handsome as hell.

After the thorough examination of his person, I decided he must have had a cold shower to cool himself down as I’d suggested. Oddly enough, I felt a little disappointed about that, and I had no idea why.

He placed a plate in front of me. In it was a portion of scrambled eggs, three pieces of crispy bacon, and two slices of toast. I blushed as I stared at the delicious meal.

“Thanks,” I said, thinking I should have been the one who did the cooking since I was the freeloader after all.

I’d always cooked back home for both myself and Andy. I was quite an excellent cook even though I wasn’t allowed to show off my talents at the restaurant. The reason? I was a girl and I wasn’t a chef from a prestigious school and, therefore, must not know how to even fry an egg.

At least Andy appreciated my food, and that was good enough for me.

“What’s wrong?” James queried.

“Huh?” I raised my eyes to him. “Nothing. Um, I was just thinking about Andy.”

He snorted. “Andy again, huh?”

He looked a little pissed at the mention of my brother. Then I thought I’d better remind him of his promise. “You said you’d take me to see—”

“I got it. I got it.” He took a sip of his own coffee.

I returned my attention to my meal and then started eagerly eating. I was surprised that I was actually hungry.

The sound of a male chuckle reached my ears, and I raised my face with a questioning look. “What?”

James said, “Did I tire you out that much?”

The moment I understood the meaning behind his words, my face reddened with embarrassment. “You’re a beast, James. How can you be so energetic?”

“I’m a man, Mia,” he stated as if that were obvious and would explain his wolfish behavior in bed and the need to spread his seed. “Now move in closer so I can kiss you.”

I paused and put down my knife and fork. Then I straightened my back. As I leaned toward him, I noted the smirk on his face, as if to tell me I was a very obedient child indeed.

I stopped and said, “No.”

His eyes lit with fire in an instant. I knew it was dangerous to disobey him. But heck, I couldn’t resist. I flew off the barstool before he had the chance to grab me. Then I raced farther away from him. When I stopped in the middle of the living area and faced him, I noted he was in the process of coming after me. I panicked, but at the same time, I felt this sort of thrilling excitement within me too.

What was wrong with me? Why did I feel so excited all of a sudden?

I said, “You told me to disobey you. So I’m doing just that.”

He stopped in his tracks at my blunt statement, and then a slow smile spread across his face. He suddenly looked so dark and dangerous that I knew the game had only just begun and he was the one in charge. My body shuddered with delight at the thought that soon he’d make me do things I didn’t want to do but had to, that I had no choice in the matter, and what really mattered was that I obeyed his every command. Shit! Was it normal to feel enthusiastic about that?

James came around the counter and headed toward me. When I saw him fully, I sucked in my breath.

Shit! Shit! Shit! Oh, Mother of God! He hadn’t cooled down at all. The bulge in his pants was still there, and I cursed myself for not noticing it earlier.

Well, I reasoned with myself, how could I have noticed when he was standing behind the kitchen cabinets? I couldn’t possibly see the lower half of his body. And now he was ready to stamp his mark on me again.

I’d only met him two days ago and we’d only signed the contract yesterday. Already he’d taken me three times, once straight after the contract yesterday and twice last night. Now so early in the morning, he was going to do it again?

“James?” I whispered, my throat suddenly dry as dust.

His response was, “I love that smell on you, Mia. What is it?”

“Huh?” I was confused. God, I couldn’t think straight.

He was making his way toward me like a predator hunting its prey. I felt quite helpless and trapped, yet quite lovely too. My body became weak and willing as I took a step back.

“Mia? Tell me what’s that smell on you,” he demanded again, coming closer toward me.

Even in this state of bewilderment, I was still going to provoke him, as he’d ordered me to do.

I held my head high and haughtily said, “Find out yourself.”