BOUND BY LOVE AND BLACKMAIL

ita'

re body

im Da

man who had seen me - all of me - just last night, who had seen me vulnerable

son's

aw Joachim's smug grin, the knowing glint in his eyes, I

ad frame radiating barely restrained irritatio

uit. "Last I checked, I have every right to be here. Or have

efferson's t

wo predators in the wild, and I was s

Joachim turned his gaze on me, slow

, his voice rich with amusement. "Y

iffe

curling into fists at his sides. "Sh

He turned to me, his eyes flicking down my body be

to let him rattle me, but my heart was slamming a

eth in a grin that sent a shiver down my spin

ded a ha

But Joachim held my hand just a little too long, just tight enough for his thumb t

murmured, his grip lin

his presence looming. "Yo

g my hand. "Relax, brothe

was clenched so tight I thoug

ff as if he had all the time in the world. But just before disappearing thr

en he

ath hi

on exhaled sharply, running a h

?" he asked,

forced myself to no

asn

rrowing slightly, but he did not press

ying to process what had just happened. My mind

he passenger seat, I blurte

ed. "That is an

d to hi

For a long moment, I thought he wouldn't

to get her hands on the Danvers fortune. When she gave birth to Joachim, she thought she had sealed her plac

ed. "No

in my father's eyes, he is nothing more than the product of a mistake. And

stomach. That explained th

the second he saw me. He knew I was with Jefferson now. A

going to l

t, I bare

touch, the way he had looked at me lik

ere filled with fragmented images-Joachim's hands on my skin, Jefferson's

ngled in my sheets, my b

ed into the office the next mor

's chair, legs crossed, loo

ort, my hear

l are you doi

sweetheart. Just g

ed toward my desk, but he sp

efferso

on the chair's ar

ed. "That we a

mach d

et his gaze. "Nothing

d his head. "

es

, excruciating moment. T

djusting his suit. "Because I

n, and Jefferson stepped in. His sharp gaze immed

of my chair," Jeff

smirked and rose gracefully to

I'm just keeping

e, his gaze lingerin

around,

that, he

ll the way out before he turned

d he say

sita

appened t

n the truth, he would call off this arrangement, and I'

t smile and said,

convinced, but

s voice. "If Joachim ever does anything

lowed.

n me for another moment

ched out and tucked a loose strand of hair

d in a

" His voice was low, posse

e skyro

s in

t sure I co