A Traditional Daddy. Arabella Kingsley

      Chapter 3

      The billionaire wanted her and he was going to take her whether her husband wanted him to or not. She would belong to him. It was simply a matter of time. It was like playing chess for the ultimate prize. He just had to execute one perfect careful move to steal his opponent’s Queen and win the game.

      Alexander had deliberately entered the house unannounced with the key Ross had given him to use if he or Scarlett were not present when he came to stay at short notice. He walked up the sweeping staircase and was just about to walk around the corner into the hallway of bedrooms when he stopped and stepped back seeing Scarlet walking along it to her bedroom. He observed unnoticed behind the wall for a moment taking in her soft curves. He wanted her to reach her door before he approached so they could talk in private in her room and he could assist her in packing her things. Then he would immediately take her from the house and draw her into the safety of his arms and under his protection. She was just about to open the door when he walked towards her causing her to turn startled to face him.

      He smiled to himself taking in the sexy curves of the petite female form in front of him. His eyes momentarily drifted downwards to the pert plump bottom deliciously molded like a juicy peach for his viewing pleasure inside the mid-length black pencil skirt. He felt his hands itch at his sides as he pictured himself roughly removing the skirt, pulling down those lacy black panties, he had no doubt she would be wearing underneath, and slapping that delicious mound of flesh watching it jump and quiver, turning a hot rosy pink while she lay helpless over his knee trapped and completely in his power. And boy, did she deserve a spanking. Why the hell hadn’t she called him? He’d told her last time they were together that he expected her to call if Ross hurt her again. The man was a control freak.

      He remembered when Scarlett had taken it upon herself to make them an impromptu dinner one night. She liked to cook, like him. They’d stood chatting in the large conservatory kitchen while she made a risotto. Ross did his best to undermine her the whole time, commenting on her technique of chopping the vegetables, how she stirred the damn food in the pan, moving it from one hob ring to the other because in his eyes she had it on the wrong one. The whole time was spent criticizing his wife, snatching the vegetables from her like a child to chop them because she was too slow or doing it incorrectly in his eyes. He always stood his tall frame in front of her as though to block her out from existence. It was an effort to bite his tongue but every now and then Alexander made a sly sarcastic comment about his European Manager. If he hadn’t been so damn good at his job and not financially supporting Scarlett, he would have punched him out for talking to her like that and fired him on the spot. Scarlett deserved so much better than that man yet she stayed with him and was loyal because she had sworn vows to him. The bastard had broken her down with his mental cruelty making her feel as if every time he shouted at her, which was most of the time, it was always her fault.

      It had taken all of Alexander’s strength to do as she asked and leave her to deal with him and make decisions about her own life after he had broken Ross away from her after he’d shouted and sworn at her in public, physically pushing her out of a shop because, according to him, the spoiled brat had wanted to go home. There were rumors of infidelity but Ross had always been able to talk his way out of them and convince her otherwise. When Alexander had caught them fighting and Ross had pushed her to the floor, Alexander had expected her to leave Ross, perhaps even take him up on his offer of assistance to help her do so. But for some reason he couldn’t fathom, she had begged him to let Ross keep his job and now they were five months down the road and she still hadn’t walked out on the womanizer and gambler.

      Now Ross had become violent, Alexander wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Whether she liked it or not he was going to take charge and force her to confront what Ross had done to her. She was coming home with him even if he had to spank her and throw her over his shoulder to carry her out. He had Ross Blackwood exactly where he wanted him and there would be nothing he could do to prevent him from taking his wife. Time to tell her about her new life.

      “Alexander, I didn’t realize you were here I…”

      Her speech was halted when he moved close to cup her face in his hands and possessively kiss her. To his satisfaction she didn’t try to push him away and responded. He swept his hand around her back and pulled her close. He heard her sigh with deep pleasure and when the kiss came to a natural end she rested her head on his shoulder making him tighten his embrace loving the feel of her in his arms. There was no pretense this time, no sleight of hand flirting. He had made his declaration of love in the most primitive of terms and whatever her actions afterward, he now had confirmation his love was returned just as he had believed it would be.

      He stroked his fingers through her long curled black hair and kissed the top of her head. His actions speaking much louder than his words could have done at that moment.

      “Why are you here? We didn’t expect you until Friday,” she whispered pressing her face against his chest.

      He prickled at her use of the word we.

      “I came for you. I came to take you away with me.”

      She sighed.

      “I can’t go back to the States with you. I have to stay here. You don’t understand.”

      Alexander cupped her chin and raised her face up to his.

      “I don’t understand. He treats you like crap, Scarlett.” It was an effort to keep calm. “I know he is having an affair, honey. I met her today. I am not leaving this house without you. We don’t have to go to the States, I will take you back to my residence in the Lake District.”

      “I can’t go. Believe me I want to. But you will be making a big mistake with me.”

      “What in the hell are you talking about?” he demanded. “There is no one I want more than you. I knew from the moment I saw you I wasn’t going to rest until you belonged to me. You never belonged with him.”

      She pressed her delicate hands against his chest and looked up at him with those beautiful baby blue eyes. She was so beautiful, so fragile it took all of his strength not to kiss her again, sweep her up into his arms and carry her to his room to make love to her right there and then.

      “I am older than you for a start and you are so handsome. All those beautiful tall, skinny models I have seen you with. I can’t match up to them. I am only five feet, three inches, with curves and baggage.”

      He caught her chin and shook his head at her.

      “I am not going to listen to you put yourself down. You out class every one of those vaporless women I dated. I am not the only man who believes you are a beautiful intelligent woman. Damn it, Scarlett you must see the way men look at you. I do. They make me jealous every time they do. Not one man in the room could take his eyes off you in that long off the shoulder black dress you wore at the New Year’s party.”

      She smiled looking at him in awe.

      “You really are perfect, aren’t you? I wish we’d met earlier then… I’m sorry. I can’t come with you.”

      He gave her a confused look realizing she was keeping something from him.

      “What are you hiding from