Captive (Billionaire's Blood Slave 1) (The Billionaire's Blood Slave) by Rosa Steel Read Free Book Online

Captive
    Alice had never been so terrified, and her interview hadn’t even begun.
    The elevator she rode was taking what seemed like forever, and moved with the quiet hum of a ship in fog. Everywhere she looked she saw her own face in the mirrored doors, walls, even floor. The sight wasn’t reassuring at all. Her tangle of pale gold hair wanted to wave back around her face, even after an hour of straightening. A wayward curl even clung to the red arc of her lips, which she nervously brushed away. Her cheeks were flushed to a brilliant rose and her eyes were bright with fear. This was the interview of her life, but even the neat pencil skirt and perfectly applied makeup could not make her feel like a woman. When she looked in the mirror she saw a scared little girl, straight out of college.
    And it didn’t help to know that Gabriel Knight was waiting for her up there, one of the richest men in the world. His mysterious habits were legendary, and he had a reputation for cruelty to juniors that displeased him. He rarely hit the social scene, but in the course of her research for this job Alice had seen pictures. She wished she hadn’t. He couldn’t have been older than thirty, and even in those the little social pages photos with the bad flash she could tell he was gorgeous.
    Just what I need , she pouted, infuriated at herself and the world, a gorgeous, dangerous billionaire judging me. At that moment she would have given anything to be at home hiding under a blanket and watching reruns of Mork and Mindy. So what if she stayed a jobless? It couldn’t be worse than this.
    The elevator chimed. Her heart stopped, just for a second.
    After a deep breath, Alice wobbled on her new heels out of the elevator, stamping gracelessly out onto the marble floor of Knight Holdings’ top-floor office. She was more of a sneakers and jeans girl, if truth be told, but she had a business degree and the best grades of her year. You can do this. She told herself. This is what you worked for. For a second, she was ready for anything this corporate monster could throw her way.
    Her fears came tumbling back the instant she glanced around the office. The place was steel and marble, a gleaming palace of industry. Angular black furniture stood on a bare marble floor, un-softened by any decoration. Everything shone, forensically clean. The ceiling was a vast distance away and lit with cold, white bulbs, shining steel fixtures.
    In the center of this steel cathedral stood a towering desk, and behind it sat a secretary as clean and perfectly angled at the furniture.
    This is what he’s used to. It’s like a graveyard. Alice fought an urge to turn tail and run.
    Behind the desk, vast windows showed a glimmering view of her city at night, like field of stars spread across the plain. She’d lived here her whole life, but she’d never seen the lights like this before. This was the view of hawks, bats, and the uber-rich.
    The secretary glanced up. “Miss Doherty?”
    “Y…yes.” Alice hugged her bag to her chest, blushing furiously.
    “Mr. Knight is expecting you. Please go right in.”
    “Um, thank you.” Should she say something else? Too late now - she was already clicking her way to the huge oak and steel door indicated. Halfway there her feet fell on something smooth and soft. She looked down at a rug the colour of fresh blood, patterned with gold filigree. It absorbed her steps in complete silence. The door was closed tight; a huge old oak slab that looked like it had been taken from some completely different building. Now that she was close she could see that intricate carvings covered most of its surface. Her hand went to the steel handle and rested there, but inexorably Alice found herself staring at the carving instead of pushing it open.
    The craftsmanship was exquisite, showing delicate people and animals in a lush paradise. Buildings rose in the distance, strangely shaped and tiered, topped with icons too small to see. In the