Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 87695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
She looks away. I can tell she’s afraid. “I was worried you’d think I wanted it.”
“Wanted it?”
“Like I was looking for a way out.”
“Aren’t you?” I step toward her. She looks up sharply. “Don’t pretend like I’m an idiot. I know you didn’t want this marriage. Neither of us planned it.”
“But that doesn’t mean I’m complaining to some note-leaving ghost about you.”
“What if you were?”
“I’m not, okay?” Anger sparks in her face. “I know my duty. My father made it clear that I’d have a good life, but one day I’d have to help the family like everyone else does. I didn’t want to marry you, but I was willing to do it.”
“And now you’re wishing you hadn’t.”
“That’s not what I said.”
“Then why did you hide the note?”
“I didn’t mean to!” She explodes at me, stalking forward. “Every time I tried to bring it up, we had sex instead, okay?! You keep distracting me and now I’m all mixed up and pissed off, but I never meant to lie to you.”
She stands right in front of me, tiny and beautiful and pissed to all hell. I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing anymore, but I’m on edge too.
It’s not her fault. Whoever left that note is the problem. Not my wife. I can blame her all I want, but it’ll only push her away and mess things up even worse, and that’s not what I want.
No, what I want is simple.
I pull her into me and crush my lips to hers.
She whimpers in surprise. I kiss her hard, greedy and angry and wanting her so badly it hurts. After a beat, she returns the kiss, just as deep and full. Our tongues mingle and I hold her tight, not caring about anything but her safety and what she needs.
And it becomes clear. Everything’s obvious. What I need to do. How I have to play this.
We break apart. She’s breathing fast. I stare down into her beautiful eyes and I’m surer than I’ve ever been.
“We’ll move into your place.”
That surprises her. She pulls back, looking confused. “What are you talking about?”
“You don’t want to live here. I don’t give a shit where we are. So let’s go back to your place.”
“But it’s not safe.”
“That’s the catch.”
“There’s always a catch.”
“I’m going to make it safe. Whatever improvements I want to make, I’m going to make.”
She hesitates, not happy about that one. I can’t really blame her. I’m giving myself a lot of license to make changes to her home.
“And we’ll stay there? You really mean it?”
“For as long as you want to.”
She chews her lip, coming around to the idea. “You’re not mad about the note?”
“I’m mad about the note, but I’m choosing not to take that out on you.”
“Smarter than you look,” she mutters before pulling away. “Alright, fine. You can upgrade the security. But nothing crazy.”
“I’ll do whatever needs doing to make sure you’re safe.” I lightly brush past her, heading to our bedroom.
“I don’t like the way you said that!”
She’s a smart woman, my wife.
Chapter 19
Alina
This is my nightmare.
I know I’ve had a comfortable and highly privileged life. I’m very aware of how spoiled I’ve been. That’s part of why I haven’t kicked and screamed about marrying Seamus.
It’s always been the deal. My father provides me anything I need and in exchange I marry the man of his choosing.
But this is too much.
“You’ve gone too far.” I storm into the extra bedroom. Seamus has been turning it into his own private study for the past week. So far it’s mostly just a desk, a bookshelf with a bunch of whiskey bottles on it, and a TV on the floor in the corner.
He pivots to look at me, leaning back in his chair. “What’s wrong, my darling wife?”
I throw a pile of clothes at him. Shirts, shorts, pants, a bunch of socks and underwear. It scatters across his floor. “Do you know where I got all that?”
“Goodwill?”
“The bathroom.” I step forward, jaw set. “Behind the door.”
“Oh, right. Makes sense. That’s where I put my dirty stuff.”
“On the floor?! In the bathroom!?”
“Would you prefer if it were on the floor in the kitchen?”
I throw up my hands. “I’d prefer it if you used the hamper like a normal human being.”
I can tell he’s trying not to smile, which only makes me even angrier. This isn’t funny at all.
Ever since he moved in, my world has been flipped on its head.
First, there was the construction. I put up with it since that was the agreement. He installed motion sensors, cameras, high-end locks, and this whole central processing system to keep it all synced up and running. It took me an entire afternoon to learn the stupid app. Getting into my own apartment is like breaking into Fort Knox or something. I know that’s the point, but still.