Ruthless King

“You seem shocked.”

Yeah. She was.

“I just want you to be safe, Jilly. I should have led with that, huh? That’s why I had another light installed. And why someone from my . . . team will come over to fix and upgrade the security system on Saturday morning. All right?”

Saturday morning?

No sleeping in for her, huh?

“What time will they be here?” she asked.

Wait. That wasn’t what she’d intended to say. What she should tell him is that she’d handle it all herself.

But then she’d have to pay for it. And she wouldn’t know who to use.

Plus, hadn’t she just told herself not to fight him on things?

“Is ten all right?” he asked.

“Okay.”

“Good. Now, the Chinese food is getting cold. Can we go in?”

8

So.

This was a bit strange.

Two nights in a row, she’d sat at this table with scary, gorgeous Regent Malone.

Only this time, they were eating Chinese that he’d bought. To eat. With her.

What kind of alternate universe was this?

She snuck glimpses at him. God, he was gorgeous with all that dark hair with streaks gray and a short beard. There were lines around his slate-gray eyes. How old was he now? Thirty-nine? Forty?

Not that it mattered. Because those lines and the gray hair only added to his appeal.

He grew sexier with each year that passed.

Meanwhile, she had bags under her eyes that took a ton of concealer to hide, and her butt seemed to grow rounder with every day that passed.

This food was probably not doing her any favors. Neither was the rice pudding she’d had for lunch.

But it was comfort food. And it made her feel better.

Less alone.

You’re not alone right now . . . maybe you could push him onto the floor, climb on top of him, strip off that shirt and lick every . . . sexy . . . inch . . .

Friends. He wants to be friends.

He doesn’t want you to act out every dirty fantasy you’ve ever read about on him.

It was seriously too bad because he had the dominance to really pull it off.

She sighed sadly.