Caught for Christmas Read Online Free PDF Page A

sorry.”
    “For what?”
    For not being the girl you needed, a girl who would be good enough for you. “For proving you right.”
    His expression is grave, his hands almost gentle as he takes the bag from me. I hold tight for a second, a fleeting rebellion, before letting it go. I feel almost naked without it, exposed.
    West nods toward the desk—and the wing-back chair behind it. “Have a seat, Bianca.”
    The chair is comfortable when I sink down into it, and I have no doubt it’s expensive. But it might as well be a prison cell to me, the wide leather wings blocking me in as effectively as steel bars. Especially when I spot the duct tape sitting on the desk.
    My eyes widen. “Wow, you came prepared. You really are a Boy Scout.”
    He gives a wry smile and sets the bag down against the wall. “Don’t think that means I’m going to take it easy on you.”
    “Who are you going to call?” My voice is hoarse, exposing my weakness, but I have to know. “The cops? Or Ivan?”
    “Neither,” he says simply.
    Shock is a cold rush from my heart to my toes. I know what some men in his position would do. Most men, really. They would take advantage. I’m about to be in a vulnerable position. I’ll be at his mercy. He could touch me. He could fuck me. And no one would believe me—or even care.
    I never thought he would do that to me. He wouldn’t…
    Would he? I can’t be sure.
    The sound of duct tape ripping from the roll snaps my attention to him. He places it over my wrist, smoothing the silver tape along the butter-soft leather. He’s taping me to the chair.
    It’s over my black long-sleeved T-shirt, but tight enough that I can’t wriggle free.
    He pulls another piece of tape out. “So what was it?” he asks almost conversationally. “Drugs? Gambling?”
    My lips tighten. I hate for West to think of me like that, that I would have gotten myself into this mess. Maisie and Jeb are the ones crazy enough to steal from the fucking mafia.
    But in another way I did get myself into this. I went along with this plan even though it was too soon.
    Even though it’s wrong.
    Even though it’s immoral and screws over the very people who have been my friends the past few months. That’s why I’ll never get to be with West, why I’ll never deserve him. I could dream of his strong hands and whispered words. I could imagine my silver-blonde hair over his dark chocolate skin as I worked my way down his body. And that’s all I’ll ever have—those dirty-sweet dreams.
    We would have been beautiful together.
    I can’t ruin him like this. “You don’t want to do this,” I whisper.
    He smooths the last piece of tape over the chair, locking me in. “Do what?”
    “Touch me.” He would hate himself after. He isn’t that kind of man. I wasn’t wrong about him. I may have pushed him into doing something drastic with my mixed signals and then breaking in here. But if he touches me like this, while I’m tied up, he’ll only hate himself later.
    A short laugh. “I want to do a lot more than touch you, Bianca. And I think I’ve earned that right, don’t you?”
    There’s a lump in my throat. “Not like this. Not while I’m tied up.”
    Are you sure about that, Bee? Didn’t you taunt him for being too good? Now he’s offering to be bad. The voice in my head sounds too much like Maisie for comfort.
    He runs a dark finger down my cheek. “There’s no better time. Now you can’t run away.”
    With every word, the room seems to shrink, the bonds seem to get tighter. The air seems to get sucked out of the basement. There’s nothing here but me and him, floating in a black void. No escape.
    My fists tighten, and I tug against the tape. Nothing happens. “You can’t do this.”
    His smile is hard, but his words are gentle. “How are you going to stop me?”
    “West, please.” I don’t know why I’m fighting so hard, why I’m near tears. I never expected him to take advantage of me. I’m supposed to be tougher