Total pages in book: 225
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
My nipples show, but my bikini area is somewhat subdued by the underwear that came with it.
I’ve taken my hair out of the updo and it’s down around my shoulders in soft waves. Grace Steele’s hair girl did my hair with intention in this way so that it would look good both up and later down with minimal primping from me. Not that I feel the need to primp. What I do feel the need to do is carefully follow my new husband’s directions after today’s terrifying realizations. Anger and fear take up equal space in my mind right now.
No, Derek’s threats aren’t empty.
Yes, he’s even more dangerous, more unhinged than I thought. And I already thought it was bad.
Twice, he’s had guns pointed at Adam.
And now, Alannah and Craig, too.
Thank God Alannah sounded okay when I talked to her. Her voice was shaky, I know she’s affected, but in true Alannah fashion she’s more worried about me than herself. Though she’d probably say the same thing about me.
I know I’m about to get dicked down because while I’m not conceited, even I can say I look pretty sexy in this getup. Then again, Derek looks at me like he would lick caked mud off my body just to prove he wants me.
He’s sitting on the bed, back to the headboard, legs crossed while casually talking on his phone when I come out.
His eyes hit me and his expression changes. His face looks like stone all of a sudden, so fear wins out over anger.
“That’s it. Gotta go,” he says, then ends his call and puts the phone down.
He rises.
“Get the fuck over here.”
My heart skips a beat; my bare feet are frozen to the plush carpet.
He doesn’t wait.
His long strides eat up the space between us and I back up, but hit the bathroom door with my behind as Derek takes my face into both hands.
“Do you have a clue how happy I am right now?” He demands in a low, rumbling near-growl. “These straps… like that night we met.”
And then he lets out an actual growl as he fuses his mouth with mine.
I go weak in the knees, lightheaded, and just as fast, he’s released my mouth.
“You’re fucking breathtaking. Beautiful. And you’re mine, Chloe. Mine, baby.” His expression softens. “I wanna devour you.”
I swallow. Yes, I believe he does.
He rubs his nose along mine as his palm skates down my face, over my shoulder, and then down my arm until he clasps my hand in his and brings it to his mouth, pressing a kiss to it.
“My rings on your finger, my name attached to you now. Fuck yeah. The way you looked at me as you walked down that aisle to me was everything, wife. Everything. You looked in my eyes and you saw it, didn’t you? You saw I’d do anything to have you. You know that, right? That I’ll do anything for you? The look on your face as you walked to me made me think you’ve finally clued in. And I know you’re scared, but I’m gonna prove to you that you’ve got nothing to be afraid of as long as you let me do my job of being your husband.”
My heart is pounding so hard I’m afraid it’s going to run out of steam.
“Being your husband is the first job I’ve really, really wanted, Chloe. I like goals. I like hitting them. And my goal on a daily basis for the rest of my life is providing for you, protecting you, and making you happy. Fuck, I like that. A daily checklist. Is my wife safe, happy, and have I fucked her yet today? We’ve got the dream, you know? Being together, being everything to one another.”
He waits as if I’m going to have a response to this.
When it becomes obvious that I don’t have a reply, he presses his lips to my hand again and then presses my palm to his face and leans into it. “I know you’re afraid, but you don’t need to be. I’ve talked the talk, now I’ll walk the walk, little bunny. I hope you clued in on that walk to me today, that you have a man who will worship you until the day I die. Who will ravish you every fucking day until I’m too old to do it. Who will go to any and all extremes to have you, to keep you. To let you know that I take my job very seriously. I’m the luckiest man on the planet. I get to give you everything you dreamt about having when you felt all that aching, all that loneliness, the rejection. I’m so glad I get to make you happy.”
“Stop,” I plead, brokenly, unable to take much more of this.
“Okay. I’ll stop. Instead of continuing to talk about making you happy, how about I get down to doing it?”