That Nick was a possessive man didn't surprise her. After all, she was used to seeing him take things to extremes, but that she was turned on by the way he was possessive of her, now that she hadn't expected. “I think... I think I'd better go...” she barely murmured. “Do you want to go, Val?” he asked, his voice full of innuendo. “Why?” “Because you woke up too sexy and I woke up too weak. And if I don't leave now, I'll end up doing what I swore and swore I wouldn't do!” she answered, feeling her legs turning to Jell-O. “And what would that be, Valeria?” asked Nick, resting a forearm on the door, over her head, and leaning over her. “You know what it would be, because you'd be right on top of me!” she growled before giving him the most violent and quickest kiss ever and almost running out of his office. She really looked like she was going to fall over at any moment and her heart was pounding in her ears. What had that been? Why had Nick done that? It couldn't be just because he

Valeria was walking hand in hand with Alice as they toured her new school. She had been called out of the blue because her application had been approved, so she had taken the day to take the girl and see if she liked the school. But as they explored the facilities and Alice met other children, Valeria hadn't been able to stop thinking about Nick's jealousy after lunch with Andrew the day before. It was like he was back to being the old, cold, and ruthless Nick. And she definitely didn't like that. “Mom?” Alice walked over to the bench where Valeria had been sitting for a minute. “Yes, honey?” “I like it here. I really like it a lot,” said Alice with a twinkle in her eye that Valeria had never seen before. “Really, baby? Oh, I’m so happy! Well then, from tomorrow you'll be attending classes here. It’s decided!” Valeria exclaimed, and Alice hugged her. “How do you want to celebrate?” “Umm… can we have lunch with Nick?” asked the girl, and Valeria nodded. “Sure, let's go.” They we

In other circumstances Nick would have run off with Valeria to the nearest hospital, but as soon as they had left the event hall, the girl's face had completely relaxed, and she never winced again as she watched him drive. So Nick didn't think twice about steering the car toward his apartment. He opened the passenger door and carried her in her arms again as they rode up in the elevator. He did his best to maintain control as they entered the apartment and placed her gently on the couch. He pulled off her heels, caressing her ankles and.... “I'll get some ice,” he whispered, going to the fridge and returning in a few seconds with a bag of ice gel. “Hold it for a moment.” He put the bag against Valeria's ankle and loosened his tie. Valeria watched him take it off and then take off his suit... and swallowed hard, feeling the tickle building in her lower abdomen. “Are you in a lot of pain?” Nick asked, closing his warm palm around her ankle. “What?” she replied, distracted. Nick le

“I think I'd better go...” Miranda murmured in a soft voice as she stood up. “Yes, you'd better leave.” “Valeria!” Nick gave her an ugly look, and Valeria shot him an angry glare. Miranda Jones left that office knowing that she had accomplished half of her goal. She might not know how to make Nicholas Bennet fall in love with her again, but she knew all his demons and knew exactly how to use them against him. She headed for the elevator, and her smile expanded when she ran into Anna before she got there. The woman beckoned her into her office. “You're all smiley,” Anna told her. “I left Nicky and Valeria fighting in the main office, so yes, I'm very happy,” Miranda replied. “Do you want to keep it that way?” Anna asked, and Miranda leaned forward in her chair. “Of course.” “Do you think they'll be fighting long enough?” “Yes, why?” Miranda asked curiously. “Because if you use your time and influence well, I can help you make Valeria Williams disappear from Mr. Bennet's life..

Nick's face became a mask of coldness as he looked at the memory Valeria had placed in his hand. “What is this?” he growled at her. “These are the recordings from the security cameras in the hallway to my office.” “Who gave this to you, Valeria?” Nick roared. “Did you allow Andrew Davies access to my office security?” “I didn't allow anything!” she answered equally angry. “And your offices don't have any security! Andrew got the recordings. He didn't tell me how and I didn't ask him. But I accepted them even if they came from him because he seems to be the only one who cares about what happened.” “Do you think I don't care?” Nick said, visibly irritated. “So you did do your research?” Valeria questioned him. “You know what's on those recordings and you didn't say anything? You didn't do anything?” Nick frowned uncomprehendingly. “IT said that those recordings were corrupted. That someone erased ten minutes of the recording from the camera in your office—” “Yes, but they didn't