Hurt Me So Good by Joely Sue Burkhart Read Free Book Online Page B

calling to say she’d changed her mind. That she didn’t want to see him at all, let alone risk coming into his home. Stupid, he knew, because he’d been too careless to make sure she had his personal number so she could reach him. He’d told her to call if she had problems, but like an arrogant ass, hadn’t provided her with his line.
    “Hey, Mal. How’d the day go?”
    “We made amazing progress. Shiloh’s a fireball of boundless energy, and she had most of the details already thought out. She even has sketches for the hosted segments, including interview questions, which Georgia is eating up. It was just a matter of making a few final decisions now that Shiloh has our backing to proceed. You’ve made quite an acquisition in her, V, for yourself and VCONN.”
    He knew Mal too well not to recognize the tightness in her voice. “But?”
    “You should have warned her about Kimberly before we went to Silken.”
    He ran his hand through his damp hair and muttered a curse. “You’re right. I never thought about it. How’d that go over?”
    “Shiloh handled herself with class,” Mal admitted. “But there’s been a development that affects the show, and I’m not sure what you’ll think about it.” She hesitated, and Victor bit back the urge to reach through the phone and throttle her. “Kimberly wants a role on the show as a contestant.”
    Silently, he let possible outcomes play through his mind. He didn’t care one way or the other. After two years and the hope he’d found in Shiloh, he didn’t give a damn whether he saw Kimberly again, married or not. But how would Shiloh feel to have his ex on her show, competing for his affections? “This is a mess.”
    “You’re going to have to be very careful. On the surface, Shiloh is unsinkable and as gracious as a lady, but I saw the turmoil and doubt on her face when she looked at Kimberly. She sees her as competition, your not-too-distant past, and how can she possibly measure up?”
    “Shiloh is night and day different from her.”
    “Exactly,” Mal said. “So if you wanted to marry Kimberly, how can you possibly have serious affections for Shiloh?”
    “Fuck.”
    “That’s exactly what she’s going to think. That you only want her for the scene and what she can give you.”
    “What can I do to make sure she knows I’m serious?”
    Mal snorted. “You’re asking me? I don’t have any patience for hysterics and drama that some women seem to relish. Shiloh may be different, but I never understood why you wanted Kimberly, so I honestly can’t tell what you think about this new girl.”
    What did he feel for Shiloh? Temptation, certainly, and hope that she might not be afraid of his darker sides, but he hadn’t allowed himself to think beyond the possible scene they might play. Despite the initial attraction months ago, he’d only let himself contemplate claiming her today. He’d refused to even let the thought enter his mind, because once he decided that he wanted her, he’d be driven to win her at any cost by his competitive nature and his own damned pride.
    Deep down, he knew he’d spoken the truth when he’d told her she was his after the show, assuming she hadn’t bailed on him. It was too late for Shiloh to back out now; the Master had his entire will focused on her.
    “I might have given Kimberly a ring, but I never gave her my heart. I couldn’t risk letting her in that far without her seeing all my darkest most horrible secrets at the same time. She never knew the monstrosity I carry in me, Mal. I pretended for her.”
    “Why?” The shocked softness in his friend’s voice told him she was bewildered. “Why her?”
    His chest felt heavy and constricted. “I wanted to try and be the kind of man she wanted. Someone safer, gentler, kinder. I thought it would make me a better man to control and eliminate my darker urges. But I was wrong, so wrong. I’m worse now than I ever thought I could be. I want…” He growled out a curse