At Your Mercy (VIP The Pink Collection, #1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Our sexual escapade could have been more
comfortable on this gigantic satin bed," I say while laying my head
on Jax's bare chest.
    "Ivy, remember, I was trying to go slow until
you jumped me." He laughs, and I can't help but join him. I love
his contagious laughter.
    "Now I know where the grand spiral staircase
leads to. I would have never thought that there were four bedrooms
in here. I plan on being pampered. We will spend time in the hot
tub before we land."
    He laughs, and my head bobbles from the act
of it. "I promise," he says while twirling a curly red lock.
"Aren't we getting demanding now?"
    "Am I?" I say, looking up into his blue
eyes.
    Jax's expression becomes serious. "Ivy, I
want more than … this." He waves his arm in the direction of where
I just had the hottest sex ever. "You are special to me. We were so
young, but now I know as a man, what I was feeling back then was
love."
    Oh, no. Love? Why does he have to get all
sentimental on me so soon after sex? No regrets, Ivy. He is a
good man.
    "Jax, I feel so different with you. I don't
have to put up the façade of being resilient and emotionally
detached. You make me feel safe and secure. But still all of this
doesn't matter because I'm no good-"
    Bending down toward me, he lays a soft kiss
on my lips. We say nothing more. All you hear is our matching
breaths as we fade into the lull of sleep.
    ***
    There is no conversation during the car ride
home while we hold hands the entire time. Can he sense that this
will be the last time we see each other? As we pull up to my condo,
I turn to him and smile. It will be the last time I see his
gorgeous face. Taking my index finger, I trace his jawline. Slowly
I move toward his lips, and he grabs my frizzy red hair, a
reflection of our time together in the hot tub. Jax's kiss is
urgent. As if he's trying to convey a message to me. All I can do
is keep my sensitive, bruised lips on his, savoring his touch.
    Stepping out of the car, our eyes never
wander from one another. I take a deep breath and release air still
left in my chest full of ache. Finally breaking eye contact, I turn
to walk towards the entrance of my building.
    I knew I was leading him on the moment I
acknowledged my feelings for him. It was selfish of me. Doesn't
matter either way. It still doesn't change the fact that love isn't
immune to lies, betrayal, or deceit. I won't be like my mother,
loving a man more than herself. I will not be at the mercy of a
man.
     

Chapter Five
    The past week, I haven't slept well. Jax had
left numerous messages on my cell phone and texted me daily. I feel
awful giving in to him. I led him on. That is something I have
never done to a man.
    Holding my cell phone, I muddle over whether
I should call him and apologize. I hear my mother's voice
again.
    The moment you have in your heart this
extraordinary thing called love, and feel the depth, the delight,
the ecstasy of it, you will discover that, for you, the world is
transformed.
    The phone rings. Violet's name appears on my
screen. I really don't want to talk now.
    "Hi, Violet," I say with no excitement.
    "Geez, I get no love from you, huh?"
    "Sorry. Just tired is all," I say, hoping to
sound realistic. I feel bad that I'm not excited to hear from her.
The client I had before Jax lasted three months. I didn't have to
first meet at VIP when I was hired for Jax. So it's been a while
since we've seen one another.
    "Well, another client has called for
services, and you are a good match for him. Can you meet me at the
office so we can go over the details?" She sounds too excited. I
know she recently hired a few new Companions because VIP is getting
new business clients like crazy.
    "I'll be there in an hour."
    "Great. See you soon, Ivy."
    A new client. I'm still stuck on my last one.
I've got to move forward and let my feelings for Jax subside. But why does my chest ache? I feel alone. Really alone for the
first time in my life. This won't be easy.
    ***
    Violet has remodeled her