Instead of his hunger being sated after a night of sex with her, it had grown. He’d started hungering for her and for her alone. The thought of ever touching another woman suddenly disgusted him. All he wanted was Delilah. And Samson now knew why, even though he didn’t understand anything else.

He was falling for her, falling for a mortal.

TEN

Samson remembered the last betrayal all too vividly, a memory he’d banned from his mind. But now it all came back to him in every torrid detail …

Samson closed the entrance door quietly behind him and listened to any noise from upstairs. He heard the faint sound of Ilona’s voice and the trickling of water. She was taking a bath.

For the hundredth time this evening, he’d opened the little box he held in his hand and stared at the enormous diamond ring tucked into the green-velvet cushion. The stunning setting held a three-carat, brilliant round diamond of the highest clarity. The jeweler had assured him it was the best diamond money could buy.

His heart beating as loud as a drum in his ears, Samson moved up the stairs, careful to avoid those steps he knew creaked. He wanted to surprise her. She thought he’d be out on business for the night.

He silently opened the door to his bedroom. Ilona’s clothes were carelessly strewn on the bed.

“So he thinks. Uh huh.” She was on the phone, probably talking to a girlfriend. “Wait until we’re blood-bonded—things will change.” Ilona paused. Had she already guessed that he wanted to propose to her? He felt disappointed, deflated. He quietly approached the bathroom door which was ajar.

“And if I have to suck his dick one more time, I’m going to puke!”

Samson stopped cold at the words tearing through him. He couldn’t have heard right.

“Sure, that’s easy for you to say. You like sucking cock!”

Samson inhaled sharply. He felt as if an ice-cold hand clamped around his heart and squeezed tightly. He fought for air.

“I don’t care who sucks his dick when we’re blood-bonded, but it sure ain’t me. I can’t stand his hands all over me …”

Samson leaned against the wall when he felt nausea overwhelm him. It lasted but a second.

“You know what you have to do once I have access to all his assets.” His money. It was all she was after. That’s why she was with him: only for his money. Samson felt as if he had been punched in the stomach.

He heard her let out a frustrated huff. “You know as well as I do that once I’m blood-bonded with Samson, I have to be careful about guarding my mind. He’ll be able to read my thoughts. I can’t be caught thinking about this anymore, do you understand? That’s why you have to do it …Yes, that part about blood-bonding sucks. Why would anybody want to be able to constantly be in the other person’s head?”

Samson had heard enough. More than enough. With murderous intent, he flung the door open and walked into the bathroom, his steps slow yet determined. Ilona jerked her head around and instantly dropped the phone into the water.

“Samson,” she purred and pasted a fake smile on her face—a smile he’d seen a thousand times on her. Only now he recognized it for what it was. Acting. She’d been acting all along. Pretending to be in love with him, when all she wanted was access to his wealth.

With two steps he was by the bathtub. His hand gripped her neck of its own volition. She clawed at him instantly. Water spilled over the rim of the tub onto the marble floor.

“You heartless tramp. I should kill you, right here, right now.”

By her throat, he lifted her out of the water as she struggled against his iron grip. No matter. He was stronger, and his fury added to his strength.

Samson glanced at her naked body. His own body showed no reaction to her sensual curves anymore. No hard-on. No desire to touch her. Nothing.

He recognized the flash of fear in her eyes before his own hand opened and dropped her unceremoniously back into the tub. The water splashed around them.

“Get out! I would never blood-bond with someone like you. You’re trash, you’re nothing. You’re lucky you’re still alive. But don’t count on it staying that way. If you cross my path again, you might find yourself with a stake through the heart.”

She’d used him. All she wanted was to blood-bond with him so she’d have a right to what was his. All his wealth, all his power. How could he have been so blind?

After he threw her out of his house and out of his life that night, he’d shut down. He didn’t want anybody close to him. He knew it had been a mistake to trust her.