Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 32402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 162(@200wpm)___ 130(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 162(@200wpm)___ 130(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
Jane was one of a kind. He wanted to make memories with her.
“Then it’s agreed. You marry Jane, and when that happens, we take care of Morello once and for all,” Nikolai said.
Chapter Nine
“Tell me how you imagined your life?”
Jane frowned and tilted her head back to look at Alexey. They had just had sex in the living room across the coffee table. They moved to the dining room table, and then he’d taken her out in the hallway, and before they fell asleep, they made love in bed. This morning, she had woken up to Alexey’s lips, and they made love just moments ago.
“What do you mean?”
“Growing up, how did you imagine your life?”
She frowned. “This is a random question. Okay, fine, but don’t go all weepy on me now. For my younger years, the only thing I wanted was a family. A couple of parents who loved me. That is all I wanted. My own bedroom. My own space. Parents who told me they loved me every night, and would tuck me in, maybe read me a bedtime story. That was all I wanted.”
“And now?”
She sighed. “I’d like to be able to go outside without risk of being killed, that would be good. I don’t know. I think when nothing happens and your wishes don’t come true time and time again, you stop thinking about what you could want and just live with it.”
“So, if I told you that you could have anything in the world, what would it be?”
Jane frowned. “Where is all this coming from?”
“It’s just a fun conversation. Come on, I’m listening.”
“Okay, fine, but then you’ve got to answer this question as well.” She waited for him to nod, then she sat up and pulled the blanket to cover her naked body.
This time, Alexey didn’t try to fight her. Every other time she tried to cover herself, he wouldn’t let her. He must really want this conversation.
“Ideally—and this is a dream, okay—I would have a husband and a nice big house we could decorate for Halloween and Christmas. Even Easter, I think that would be cool. We’d have a bunch of kids, because I’d have a big family of brothers and sisters, and everyone was loyal and loved, and a husband that adored me, who I could rely on, and who would want to come home to me every night. Who wouldn’t mind waking up next to me. That’s what I would love.”
“How about we give that a try?”
“What do you mean?” Jane asked.
Alexey reached behind him and presented her with a square velvet box. “I can’t promise you it will always be good. I’m not going to change who I am, and it’s tough. We’re going to have people wanting to kill us, but I can give you a house, kids, and a man who will come home to you every night, who wants to wake up to you every single morning.”
“Alexey, what is this?” she asked.
“I am asking you to marry me, Jane. I want you to marry me, and I want to give you all those things.”
She was shocked. Her mouth fell open and she couldn’t believe what was happening. This was the most bizarre feeling in the world.
“You want to marry me?”
“Yes, Jane, I want to marry you.”
The ring was so beautiful and looked so delicate. She nibbled her lip. She had no choice but to pinch herself to wonder if this was all a dream.
Alexey held her hand in his and offered her a smile. “This is real. This is not a dream. I’m asking you to marry me.”
“But you barely know me.”
“I know enough.”
She looked at the ring, and it terrified her. “I don’t know anything about your life. There’s someone wanting to kill me. You need to marry someone your friends approve of, who will also make you look good. I can’t do that.”
Jane expected him to retract his proposal. Instead, he cupped her face once again and stared into her eyes. She was unable to look away.
“You’re the only person I want to marry, and I don’t give a flying fuck what anyone else says or thinks. You’re my life, Jane. Marry me. You’re the person I’m asking, or is this your way of rejecting me?”
“I’m not rejecting you. I’m just giving you a chance to back out.”
“I don’t want to.”
She couldn’t believe this was happening. He wanted to marry her. People who were supposed to be loving and wanted a daughter didn’t want her. She’d seen the ugly in so many people, and they had all turned and rejected her because she didn’t match their ideal.
By some strange twist of fate, she’d been brought to Alexey, and now he was asking her to marry him.
“Someone wants to kill me,” she said.
“Join the club. There are a lot of people who would love to see me dead.” He smiled at her. “No one is going to kill you. I won’t let it happen.” And then he kissed her, and she always found it so hard to resist his kisses. This wasn’t down to her not wanting him. She did, more than she cared to admit.