Craving My Ruthless Ceo novel Chapter 63

Chapter 63: Stay Out of My Personal Life

ANNA’S POV

Every single word out of Roman’s mouth made everything worse.

I stared at him across that massive desk, my hands curled into fists. The urge to slap that carefully stoic expression off his face was overwhelming.

“This is the best I can offer you.”

His voice was devoid of any emotion, like he was closing a business deal he no longer found interesting.

Unbelievable.

This arrogant, emotionally stunted, cold-hearted man.

Last night, he’d had his fingers inside me. Had whispered in my ear that I was his. Had made me come so hard I’d seen stars. The heat in his eyes, the possessiveness in his touch, it had all felt so real.

And now?

Now he sat there in his expensive suit, behind his expensive desk, reducing what happened between us to a problem that could be solved with his checkbook.

My chest burned with fury so intense I could barely breathe. I wanted to scream at him. Wanted to tell him exactly what kind of heartless, arrogant fool he was.

But then a petty idea formed, one I liked a little too much.

If he wanted to play games, I could play too. And I’d make sure he regretted every cruel word that had just left his mouth.

A slow smile spread across my face.

“You want to know what I really want?”

His posture shifted slightly. That arrogant, smug look settled over his features as he leaned back in his chair, spreading his arms across the armrests.

Of course he looked pleased with himself. He thought he’d won. Thought money would fix everything.

“Tell me.”

Two words. Delivered with such confidence, such certainty that he could give me whatever I asked for.

I was going to enjoy this.

“I need your word that you’ll follow through and not bail.”

His eyes narrowed slightly. The smugness shifted.

Good.

“Anna, I don’t make promises without knowing what it entails.” His fingers drummed once on the armrest. “But I would see it through if I agree to it.”

Not good enough.

I crossed my arms, holding his gaze. “You said compensation. You made promises of benefits. So say yes.”

The corner of his mouth tightened. He didn’t like being cornered, didn’t like not having all the information before committing.

Too bad.

“What exactly are you asking for?”

“Your word. Yes or no.”

The silence stretched between us. I could see him calculating, trying to figure out what trap I was setting. His dark eyes searched my face for clues.

1/4

Successfully unlocked!

Chapter 63 Stay Out of My Personal Life

Finally, he let out a low grumble. “Fine. I give you my word.”

Perfect.

“I want you to stay out of my personal life.” I paused, letting each word land with precision. “And that includes whatever relationship I choose to have with Laurent.”

The change in him was instant.

His entire body went rigid. The casual lean vanished as he sat forward, his hands gripping the edge of his desk. His eyes flashed with something dark and possessive.

“No.”

The word came out hard. Final.

But I wasn’t done.

“No?” I tilted my head. “You just gave me your word.”

“Anna.” His voice dropped to a dangerous level. “No. I can’t agree to that.”

There it was. The anger he’d been trying so hard to hide, laid bare.

My heart hammered in my chest, but I kept my expression calm. Detached. The way he’d been moments ago.

“You gave your word, Mr. Blackwood. Or does that mean nothing to you?”

His mouth hardened into a grim line. “So you plan to date him? Really?”

The anger dripped from every syllable.

I shrugged, keeping my tone light. “Whatever relationship I plan to have with Laurent is none of your business.”

“To hell it isn’t.”

He stood abruptly, his chair rolling back. His hands were fisted at his sides, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

“You made it clear last night was a mistake.” I kept my voice steady even as satisfaction curled through me. “I agree. A big mistake. One I regret.”

That last part was a lie, but watching his face darken made it worth it.

“You regret it.”

Not a question. A statement laced with fury.

“Completely. So there’s no reason for you to concern yourself with my personal choices. You wanted professional boundaries. Well, this is what that looks like.”

“Anna.”

“Unless.” I paused, watching him carefully. “Unless you’re saying last night meant something different to you than what you claimed?”

The trap was set.

He could either admit he’d lied, that it had meant something, or he could stick to his story and let me do whatever I wanted with Laurent.

Either way, I won.

His hands flexed, opening and closing. The war playing out across his face was almost beautiful. Anger battling pride. Possessiveness fighting control.

“Even if it was a mistake,” he ground out. “That doesn’t mean I want you.”

“Want me what? To move on? To find someone who actually knows how to treat me with basic human decency?”

“Laurent doesn’t care about you. He only wants.”

“What?” I stepped closer to his desk. “The same thing you wanted? At least he’d probably call the next day instead of offering me a compensation package.”

2/4

Chapter 63: Stay Out of My Personal Life

His face hardened. “That’s not.”

“Not what? You’re the one who reduced what happened to a breach of conduct that needed to be managed. So manage this. Stay out of my personal life like you promised.”

“I can’t.”

The admission came out rough, almost desperate.

“Why not?”

“Because.” He ran a hand through his hair, the careful control he always maintained fracturing. “Because the thought of him touching you, kissing you, it makes me want to.”

“Want to what?”

He didn’t answer. Just stared at me with those dark, turbulent eyes.

“Say it,” I pushed. “Tell me the real reason you can’t agree.”

“You know the reason.”

“I want to hear you say it.”

“No.”

Back to that. One word, thrown up like a shield.

I sighed, shaking my head. “You gave me your word. Or are you going back on that already? How very professional of you.”

His hands gripped the edge of his desk so hard his knuckles went white. “Anna, don’t do this.”

“Do what? Hold you to your promise? Accept the professional boundaries you insisted on? Move on with my life like you clearly want me to?”

“I don’t want you to have anything to do with Laurent,” he bit out.

“Then what do you want?”

The question hung in the air between us.

He opened his mouth, then closed it. The internal battle raging across his features would have been amusing if it wasn’t so pathetic.

He couldn’t say it. Couldn’t admit what this was, what we were.

Fine.

“Your word, Mr. Blackwood. You’ll stay out of my personal life, including whatever relationship I choose to have with Laurent or anyone else. Yes or no?”

Every muscle in his body screamed resistance. His face was rigid, his eyes blazing with barely contained fury.

“Yes.”

The word came out strangled, forced through gritted teeth.

“Good. Then we have an understanding.”

I turned toward the door, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst from my chest.

“Anna.”

I paused but didn’t turn around. “Yes, Mr. Blackwood?”

Silence.

I could feel his eyes boring into my back. Could practically hear the war raging inside him.

When he didn’t say anything else, I continued to the door.

“If that’s all, I have work to do.”

I walked out before he could respond, closing the door behind me with a soft click.

3/4

Chapter 63: Stay Out of My Personal Life

The moment I was alone in the hallway, I leaned back against the wall and let out a shaky breath.

My hands were trembling. My heart raced. Adrenaline coursed through my veins.

Good heavens.

That had been reckless and probably foolish, but it had felt good.

He was furious. So clearly, obviously furious that he could barely function. Every carefully constructed wall he’ d built had crumbled the moment I mentioned Laurent.

And now he’d have to sit with that. Have to watch me potentially move on, talk to other men, live my life, while being bound by his own promise not to interfere.

Let him suffer the way I’d suffered last night when he’d torn my heart out with his cruelty.

Let him feel what it was like to want something, someone, and not be able to have it.

A smile tugged at my lips despite the chaos in my chest.

He wanted to play games. He wanted to pretend last night didn’t mean anything.

Well, two could play at that.

And I had a feeling I was better at it than he realized.

Because unlike him, I wasn’t afraid of my feelings. I knew exactly what I wanted, what last night had meant to

But if Roman Blackwood needed to learn the hard way that you can’t just use people and then discard them when things get complicated?

4/4

回

Subscribe