Read His Every Desire for Free Online

if somebody had warned her, she’d still be living a relatively happy life in New York, instead of trapped here, all but a prisoner.
    Even when Vincent wasn’t around, and that was often, she was watched. The four days a week he spent in New York City should have been a little less stressful, but it was worse…because all the servants watched her. He paid them well—everything she did was reported back to him. Every trip to the gym, everything she wore, everything she ate, everything she said.
    Closing her eyes, she felt the tears as they slid down her cheeks. If she had to fall in love and marry a criminal, why couldn’t it have been Joel? She didn’t know what kind of business Joel was in, but it couldn’t be completely legit. Legit businessmen didn’t do business with men like Vincent Grainger.
    At least Joel didn’t seem to want to see her hurt. And…he seemed to care. She saw something in his eyes when he looked at her, something…soft. Something sweet. He wanted her, but sometimes, the way he looked at her, she wondered if it was more.
    All Vincent wanted was to hurt her. And take everything that she called her own. Like Mama’s money.
    The money…hell, he wanted the money. Maybe she’d give it to him. So long as it was in the form of a remembrance gift. She’d scatter the money on his grave.
    Reaching up, she touched her fingers to the nasty bruise, wincing as pain streaked through her. There was another ache, deep and low in her belly. The tender flesh of her vagina felt bruised and torn. She wasn’t bleeding this time, although he had put her in that condition before.
    Part of her wondered, wasn’t he even the slightest bit worried about Joel?
    Swallowing, she shoved that thought out of her head. She had to do this. By herself. If she was ever going to be strong enough, she had to leave Vincent on her own.
    She’d been planning for months, ever since that cloudy day when Joel had asked her to come to him, to leave Vincent.
    She’d planned on doing just that, letting him take care of her and Mama.
    Part of her, even then, had known that she would leave Vincent. Joel gave her strength. But it was important that she do this alone. She had to know she could.
    Because while Joel wanted her now, he may not want her forever, and then she’d have to know how to take care of herself.
    And Vincent—as soon as he thought she was helpless, he’d come after her.
    So she’d been planning, researching…and now it was time.
    Rising, she moved to the elaborate curio cabinet across from her and took down one picture. Their wedding picture.
    The étagère across the room held two photo albums, things the housekeeper liked to put together, pretending that this was a nice, normal home. Three years of marriage…and her mark on this house was in a handful of photo albums, and the blood that washed down the drain after Vincent was done beating her.
    Taking those few things, she left the living room, moving tiredly up the stairs—soon. One way or another, soon it would be over.
    * * * * *
    Joel’s skin prickled as he sped closer to the Grainger mansion.
    He’d been gone five days. It should have been safe. Hell, Vincent spent most of his time in New York anyway. It should have been safe.
    There was so fucking much he had to do, he should have stayed longer—but fear had made him rush back.
    Tracy…she’d been hurt.
    Insane fury went through him at the thought, and he prayed he was being paranoid. Not because he didn’t want to hurt Grainger. He did. Badly. But he didn’t want to see her bruised…he’d promised her.
    As he used his personal key at the front door, he could hear the voices.
    Simmonds wasn’t there to open it, and that alone meant something was wrong.
    The very first thing he heard was Vincent’s low voice as he said, “Tracy, you are going to be very, very sorry for this…and I want you here to enjoy every second. Get your ass to your rooms.”
    Joel ran into the grand room in time to see