Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 97557 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97557 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Leaning forward, I place one knee on the bed and inch closer. "I can see the pink blush on your cheeks, Little Prey. Have you been thinking about it? About us?"
She straightens her shoulders and looks away. "Of course I haven't. I don't... there's nothing..." She stops speaking then and keeps her gaze averted.
"Little Prey," I taunt, climbing across the bed to reach her.
Once I’m close enough, I gently stroke her cheek, and her eyes flutter closed. I don’t like how ill at ease she is with my touch now, but I don’t comment on it, either. There will be plenty of time to reacquaint her with my hands. For now, the fact that she isn’t running from me is satisfying enough.
"There is no denying you enjoyed the things I did to you in the woods and in our bed. I know you enjoyed taking from me, claiming me. None of that changes the fact that we are partners in this. We can do this."
She leans away from me, and I hate it. I hate her reaction to my proximity.
I want her to want me as badly as I want her. I want her to see me as the hero, instead of the monster she claims I am. I want her to know she can come to me no matter what, and even if I am a monster in her eyes, I’ll always be her monster.
Unable to let her slip further away, I grasp her upper arms and pull her against me, needing her closer. "Like it or not, we are together, and we’re stuck with each other. It'll be easier for both of us if you try to understand the direness of the situation, and maybe be a little more fucking agreeable."
Her eyes snap open, and I spot that old familiar fire there. The woman who shredded my clothes and my heart at the same time appears, giving me newfound hope.
"Agreeable? Are you kidding me? You've kept me locked up for a week like a captive, and now you're dragging me to your bed like a caveman. Who do you think you are?"
I can't help but grin at her—there’s my spitfire. The firecracker. Maybe Yanov didn’t snuff out all her light after all. Tipping her chin up, I stare into her pretty blue eyes. "There you are, Little Prey. I wasn’t sure if you were still in there or not? It’s nice to see you.”
“You infuriate me.” She doesn’t smile, but her lips twitch. She wants to.
“The feeling is mutual.” I smirk. “And to answer your question, you know who I am. I’m your husband. Your protector. If I want to drag you to the ends of the earth and back again then I will. Wherever you are is where I will be.”
Again she withdraws, tunneling back into herself. She walks over to the fireplace, and I have to force myself to keep my distance. “If all you want is my compliance then you have it, but this isn’t real. I don’t want to stay in this room with you. I think it would be better if I stayed with Drew and Bel for the time being.”
I try to remind myself that her rejection is okay, but my heart and head war with the idea this marriage was forced upon her, so I have to be patient. It’s hard, when I know deep down she wants me, wants us. She’s just afraid. Afraid of the future, of me, of the secrets I’m still keeping. I want to tell her the truth about that night, but I can’t risk losing her, not anymore than I already have.
Exploding on her won't help, either. I have no other choice but to sit inside my feelings. To give her the time she needs to come to terms with the situation. At least until I can’t anymore.
I shove the anger, the fear, the need to control and possess her, as far down as I can and I slip into the cold mask I wore for the months I'd spent seeing her everyday but not touching her.
She senses the change in me immediately, her eyes narrowing with suspicion as she studies me like a bug under a microscope. Keep watching, Little Prey. Keep trying to figure me out.
Like she hasn’t listened to a word I’ve been saying, she keeps pushing. “You can’t make me stay here. I promise I’ll go stay with Bel and Drew, or at the Mill, and I’ll be safe there.”
Why can’t she see how this is killing me? The tether of my patience snaps, all at once.
"This isn't good enough for you?" I question, hearing the neutral coldness in my tone. "Fine."
Charging forward, I take her by the hips, lift her off her feet, and toss her over my shoulder. Then I barrel into my bedroom, slamming the door in the other room behind me while she pounds her tiny little fists into my back.