Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 82881 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82881 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Running my hands through my hair when I step into the shower, I’m furious about giving so much of myself to him. He doesn’t deserve it. And when I tried to take it back, he just laughed and decided to make me come instead.
And damn, it was good.
So fucking good.
I know for certain that when I sleep tonight, my dreams will all center on him, and that annoys me so much more than I can say.
Running my hands down my body, I remember how he tied my wrists behind my back, how he stopped me from talking by gagging me.
Everything was somehow so perfect.
He seems so sure of himself, so arrogant in the way he assumes that I want anything more from him than sex. But it was only months ago that I said I’d never let him touch me, wasn’t it? Now it’s all I crave, and it’s becoming harder to remain mad at him.
He wants to marry me one day? I don’t want marriage; that’s the last thing in this life that I would ever want. Why would I want a man to control me or have any type of hold on me? I am my own woman and boss.
Yet when he does stifle my control in the bedroom, I feel free for the first time.
Fuck, my head’s a mess as I consider Meredith’s words. Is he using me?
But hasn’t she done the same all my life?
Or am I simply making an excuse for a man who I’ve undeniably somehow let slither a tendril into my heart.
Fuck. I’ve really fucked up.
My phone rings, and I ignore it. Usually, I would run to it, hoping it would be Alek. But tonight, I don’t want to know.
I don’t want to hear the outside noise or opinions of others on how I should live my life. It was perfect only months ago, and now it feels like it’s falling apart, no matter what way I try to direct it.
Besides all my riches, empire, and power, do I want anything more in life?
I’ve never really thought about it before. But now I am.
CHAPTER 35
River
The only thing keeping me tied to New York is Anya. And I fucking refuse to give up on her.
She’s avoiding me—I know she is—but she can’t avoid me forever. I know all her little ins and outs now. I know the night she works, the days she goes out to shop. And the days she doesn’t leave the house.
It might’ve only been a day since I saw her last, but I’m done with this back-and-forth runaway shit. I’m certainly not going to wait a week like I did last time. Little by little, I’ll wear her down. Not because I want to see her fire dim but because I want her to admit that she’s made for me. I just need to make her realize I don’t want to take her power or empire away. I just want to be in her world.
Some may call it stalking, but I call it being efficient.
I want to maximize every opportunity I have with her, which is exactly why I’m walking into Cartier, her favorite jeweler, again.
When I step inside, Clay and Vance are standing stoically near the back of the store. She’s definitely here.
The sales assistant eyes me, evidently recognizing me from the last time I was here.
“Do you have an appointment, sir?” she asks, and makes a pointed look at Michael, who looms over my shoulder.
“Yes, my soon-to-be wife is seeing someone in here,” I say.
Her eyes light up. “Who is your fiancée?”
“Anya Ivanov.”
“Oh, Miss Anya never told us she was engaged. Would you like to join her?” she asks, a lot less frightened of our intrusion, which says wonders if she thinks so highly of my she-devil. Then again, she’s probably one of the most frequent patrons here.
“Sit. Stay. Drink champagne, and don’t scare anyone,” I instruct Michael. Anya might think business between us is done, but it’s not.
And she still has my fucking car.
The saleswoman walks me to a back room, Anya’s pair of guard dogs not overly impressed to see me. The feeling is mutual. Anya twists in her chair, and her eyes narrow as the jeweler showing her some diamonds looks up, surprised.
“Anya, sweetheart, you didn’t wait for me.” I step inside and lean down to kiss her cheek. She doesn’t pull away when I do, and I linger a second longer than necessary.
“Please, have a seat,” The jeweler says, seeming surprised that Anya has any friends, let alone a male one. I take the chair next to Anya. I eye her hand, thinking of grabbing it, but she pulls it away, as if reading my thoughts. I hold in a chuckle.
“More diamonds?” I ask her, leaning over to look at the tennis bracelet she’s currently eyeing, only to see she’s wearing the last gift I sent her.