Flesh: Part Seven (The Flesh Series Book 7) Read Online Free Page B

protect me, but the choice is out
of his hands.
    I press my back
against the car seat, thinking. My mind is a mess of confusion as I
try to process my feelings and also consider what would be the best
thing to do. He's right about Lucian hurting me over and over again.
There's no relationship potential there, just sex. Lucian already
thinks he has me hooked in, that he can use me as a sex vending
machine. Whether I get into a relationship with Derrick or not, that
needs to stop.
    "I want to do
this for us," I tell him. "There has to be a way to keep
Lucian as a client without giving in to him."
    "There's not."
Derrick shakes his head. "It's gone way past that point. When
you went out with him this past weekend, it was proof that he has you
right where he wants you. Guys like him don't take no for an answer,
not without pitching a fit."
    He's got that right.
It didn't take long for me to realize that the word no isn't in
Lucian Reddick's vocabulary. He's a master of seduction and getting
what he wants. It's almost infuriating how many times I've fallen for
it.
    "You have to
let me try. That's all I ask."
    "And what if
you fail?" his voice is laced with desperation. I can clearly
hear that he doesn't want me sleeping with Lucian again—for any
reason.
    "Then I'll end
the contract with him myself." I feel a tightness in my chest.
The thought of never seeing Lucian again hurts me somehow. It's
probably just because he's so beautiful though, the type of man I'll
never have a chance of being with again.
    My heart knows that
letting him go is the right thing to do. I just need to convince my
body of that.

CHAPTER THREE

    I've felt nervous
every single time I've stood on Lucian Reddick's doorstep. Never like
this though. Tonight, it seems like so much more is at stake than
just my job. If I cave in to Lucian's demands, I'll hurt Derrick
greatly. More than that, he might not want me anymore. Why would he?
It would be like I had made my decision, like I had chosen between
them.
    Logic would put me
on Derrick's side every single time. But Lucian has an incredible
talent for zapping all of my logic away, for whittling me down to
nothing but carnal desire and instinct. I hate him for it, but it's
also a large part of his appeal.
    "Miss
Underwood." Lucian beams at me when he opens the door.
    Holy shit, he's half
naked again. That's not going to make things any easier.
    I do my best to keep
my gaze locked on his face as I step inside. Anything below that, and
I'm going to start getting those horrible stirrings again—desire
to see him naked—desire to feel him between my legs.
    "You should put
on a shirt," I grumpily comment as I head to the dining room to
boot up my tablet.
    Today, we'll be
going over furniture selections for the rest of the house. It helps
to put my mind at ease to know that the process is almost halfway
over. If he didn't want to personally go pick out the furniture with
me, it would be more than that. All I'd have to do is order the
furniture, have the old furniture removed and be there when the new
furniture was delivered and placed. Things are never that easy with
Lucian Reddick though. Never.
    For the next thirty
minutes, we go over all the selections I've made. Lucian is more
nit-picky than usual, and I tolerate it, feeling tense the entire
time. I know that the meeting will eventually melt down into
something sexual. It always does.
    We finish working,
and I begin shoving my tablet back in my purse. Lucian stands, and I
feel my entire body go on edge, fearing that he's going to try to
touch me.
    "Would you like
something to drink?" he asks.
    "No, thank you.
I spent all day yesterday recovering from a hangover. The thought of
ingesting alcohol isn't exactly appealing right now." I secure
the tablet and pull my purse strap over my shoulder before getting up
to leave.
    "Something to
eat, then?" His blue eyes already look dark. It's their
pre-lustful state. He's trying to get me to stay so he can seduce