Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 110824 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110824 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
“I…uh…realized something while we were apart, Victor.”
He rises up off the bed, coming to stand in front of me. His hands brush down my arms, sending goose bumps over my body. I want to fall into him, but I manage to keep from it—barely.
“What’s that, my beautiful Gia?” he asks, his voice thick with desire and so soft it wraps around me, seducing me almost as much as his touch.
“Not once in all the time that I’ve spent with you have I ever felt like I was in danger. Not once. I’ve never had that. Not since the accident and to a certain extent even before it. I’ve always known instinctively that I’m safe with you.”
“Gia,” he groans, but I keep going.
“It may just be a small part of the reason I love you, but it shouldn’t be overlooked how hugely important it is. When Sam tried to kiss me—”
He lets out an inhuman growl.
I step into him, pressing my body against his, trying to calm him. “When he did that, I felt repulsion, fear, and that familiar panic. Those are things I’ve never felt around you. From day one, all I felt when I was around you was safe.”
“That’s because you are, baby. You always will be.”
“I know, but that day in Sam’s office, even feeling all of those negative emotions, I knew that I wouldn’t be a victim any longer. I knew it because I was absolutely positive that you would always come to rescue me.”
“Fuck,” he hisses, holding me tighter. His lips drop down so there’s just a small still breath between us. “I will, Gia. I swear to you right now. I will always come for you. You’re my world, woman. I’ll always come for you.”
“Victor.”
“I will baby, I always will,” he vows before his lips touch mine and I completely surrender.
victor
. . .
When Gia said she wanted our marriage to be fake, I was gutted. I want her tied to me. Plus, as stupid as Samuil Levkin is, I know that a public show of our power and taking revenge for my woman so everyone can see she’s off limits is indeed needed. If it ever came out that the two of us weren’t actually married, it could undermine everything. If there is one thing I know about secrets, they always have a way of getting out and seeing the light of day. I will have to think about how to convince her, but for now, I’m just going to be grateful that she told me she loves and trusts me.
I have my woman in my arms in nothing but her underwear and right now, that feels like a miracle. I’m going to enjoy it and deal with the rest after I remind her that she belongs to me.
And I belong to her.
I’m so proud of her, but what makes it better is that she’s proud of herself. I could tell her that the reason she wasn’t totally afraid might have been more to do with the source of the threat. I may not like it, but she likes and trusts Sam—even if he undermined that with his stunt. Still, I keep my mouth shut because it doesn’t matter. I like that she’s feeling more confident, and I’m never going to allow another man to get near her. Gia will go nowhere unless I’m there, or someone I trust is in place and that person is trained to protect her.
For now, however, my only job is to concentrate on the beautiful woman in front of me and completely making her mine. I believe the only way to prove what we are to one another is to show her she can crave and enjoy me sexually. In her mind, that’s our biggest stumbling block. It’s time I put that irrational fear to rest.
I step back and her gaze is shy, but slowly moves upward so she’s looking me in the eyes. I trace my fingers over the straps of her bra. “You still have too many clothes on, sweetheart.”
“Not as many as you,” she breathes, biting her lip as she watches me.
I grin at her as I step back. I gather my shirt in my hands, swooping it upwards, pulling it off with relative ease. I watch as she stares at me, her eyes eating me up.
“You’ve seen me without a shirt before, Kitten.”
“Can I…”
“Can you what?”
“Touch you.”
Her words are soft, as if she’s barely breathing. She’s nervous, but she’s not backing down. I still don’t see how this gorgeous woman before me could think she’s weak. Gia is strong as hell—and mine. She’s all mine.
“You can do anything you want to me, Kitten. I’m completely yours.”
She looks up at me, giving me the sweetest smile. “You really are.”
“Always have been. It just took you a while to figure it out,” I add with a grin.