Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71832 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71832 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
She doesn’t move. It’s like she’s trapped here, unable to bring herself to open that door. Her jaw works, stunned.
I feast on her. I stare at my Ash, eyes roaming down her body, my blood thrumming to the beat of her breathing.
God, I’ve been picturing this moment in my head for so long, and now that it’s here, now that she’s standing in front of me looking more perfect than I ever could’ve dreamed, it’s like my life finally makes sense.
Everything I’ve done.
Everyone I’ve hurt, everyone I’ve killed.
It all brought me here.
This is the culmination of a decade.
And she doesn’t even know it.
“You’re fucking insane,” she says, eyes going wide.
Not an ideal response. Also, not entirely wrong.
“I’m making you a fair offer,” I say, putting a little growl in my tone as frustration threatens to overwhelm me. I’m not great at the self-control thing. “You give me your hand in marriage, and I give you everything you could ever ask for.”
“But I don’t understand why the hell you’d want to marry me to begin with.” She drops her hand from the doorknob, which is a good sign at least.
She’s not running and screaming.
Although she should be.
I’m the creature from her under her bed. The monster she’s always been sure was lurking in wait.
She was right. I have been waiting.
I let out a breath, carefully considering what to tell her. “My father is sick,” I say after a short pause. “Very sick. Lung cancer.”
Her eyes widen. “Oh. Shit.”
“I’m the oldest brother.” I turn from her, pacing slightly. “Ever since I was a child, there have always been certain assumptions about the course of my life. It was assumed that I’d grow up in the organization. I’d learn to run and manage the business from the top levels of the hierarchy. I’d manage my own crew as a way to learn how it’s done. My father’s been training me for this day since I was a teenager, and now it’s nearly here. He’s dying, and when he does, I’ll take over.”
“That sounds… honestly, it sounds crazy. And horrible.” She chews a thumbnail. “I’m sorry.”
I smile slightly. She has no idea. “All of that training was necessary. Someone had to be in position to hold the family together and to take over when my father passes, and it’s going to be me. But as the years have gone on, one obvious problem’s plagued everything.”
“Let me guess.” She steps forward, glaring. “You’re a single man, but you need a good obedient little wife to pump out babies and make you look respectable. Is that it?”
I give her a wolfish smile. She’s spot on. “I always knew you were smart.”
She rolls her eyes. “Absolutely not. I think I’d rather the guys that killed my family cut my throat than turn myself into arm candy for a mobster.”
“But you’d be such sweet candy,” I say, purring with a sudden piercing desire. My blood’s boiling with need for her, and she has no clue, no fucking clue how badly I’ve wanted this and how much willpower it’s taking to keep myself from crossing a line.
Her cheeks turn pink. “Don’t start flirting with me, it’s not going to help.”
“I’m making you an offer. Think of it as a business proposition if that would make it easier. I need a wife before it’s time for me to take over the family business, and you need a man that can keep you safe and provide everything you need. You and I, we’re perfect.”
More perfect then she’ll ever know.
“No, absolutely not. You and I are awful, we’re polar opposites, and there’s no way I’m going to randomly marry you.” She laughs again, on the edge of hysterics. “Take me to the hospital, please.”
“No.” I advance on her. Prowling like a cat. Thrumming with need as my steps take me closer. “Accept my offer.”
She backs up until she thumps against the door. “Does that work? You just give me that smoldering look and say, ‘accept my offer’ with that low voice and you think I’m going to do whatever you want?”
I stop inches in front of her, leaning down slightly. “Yes.”
“Too bad.” She puts her hands on my chest as if she’s going to shove me away, but instead, she just—leaves them there.
Her fingers dig into my muscles and her eyes lock onto my lips. “I don’t want anything to do with you. There’s a reason I walked away from my family. What makes you think I’ll throw myself back into the deep end by marrying the exact thing I tried so hard to escape?”
“For the same reason you’re staring at me like you want me to grab your hair and bury your mouth with mine.”
Her eyes widen. “I absolutely do not—”
“You can lie to me, but can you lie to yourself? Can you stand there, breathing hard, looking like you want to wrap your legs around my face, and really try to believe that you don’t want me?”