He took her arm and led her to the couch, where he pushed her onto the cushions. He sat next to her. Close enough that his thigh pressed against hers. He was so much bigger than she was and it felt like he was looming over her as he talked. “Henry is my employee, not my friend.” He took the glass from her hand and set it on the coffee table, then turned to take her shoulder in his hands, pressing her into the cushions. He trailed his fingers down her arm. “Why are you asking me about Henry? You risk my jealousy, love, and I’d hate to lose Henry. We may not be friends, but I’ve known him a long time.”

“I don’t care about Henry,” she whispered, pressing her hand against his chest. “I just don’t understand how you can spend so much time with someone and not consider them a friend.”

He brought her hand to his lips, pressing a lingering kiss against the back of it, setting off sparks through her body. “I don’t allow weakness into my life very often, Yasmin. Doing that risks my ability to think clearly and make sound business decisions. My family and hundreds of employees count on my ability to run my business without distraction.”

She stared up at him, feeling as though she were finally getting to know something about the real him. He spoke of himself so rarely that the only thing she knew about him was that he had a terrible temper and he liked kidnapping women. Well, maybe not women, but definitely her.

“Am I a weakness?” she whispered.

He didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

“Then why didn’t you leave me alone?” She was genuinely curious. “You could’ve walked away from me and never looked back. End of distraction.”

He smiled and stroked his fingers down her cheek. “Whether or not I’m with you, you will always be a distraction. At least when I have you close, I know you’re safe and well cared for.”

“I don’t understand you,” she whispered.

“You’ve never known anyone like me before. If you had, then you’d belong to him and I’d be dead because once I met you, nothing could’ve stopped me from claiming you as mine except a bullet.”

It was barbaric, but it was honest.

He didn’t give her the chance to say anything else. He gripped her by the back of the head and lowered his face to hers, taking her mouth in a passionate kiss that had her gasping. He took advantage, pushing his tongue inside and filling her.

She groaned and clutched the cushions beside her, resisting the urge to wrap her arms around his neck. Maybe the alcohol wasn’t such a good idea. It was making her forget all her reasons for resisting him.

You were kidnapped, idiot! Her inner victim screamed in outrage.