Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 114260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 571(@200wpm)___ 457(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 571(@200wpm)___ 457(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
I knew it was only a matter of time before we had this discussion.
“I did.”
She pushes my wrists, but she can’t move me. I double down and hold her more firmly. “And what, Cain? Here we are, and it’s almost Christmastime, and what have we done along those lines?”
Ah. It makes sense to me now.
“Did we talk about a timeframe, Violet?”
She narrows her eyes at me. “Stop being an asshole and get the fuck off of me.”
“Answer me.”
I hold her harder until she growls and reluctantly admits, “No.”
“And you forgot something else, sweetheart. Didn’t you?”
She tries to look away again, but my fingers on her chin yank her eyes back to mine. “Didn’t you?”
She inhales, then pushes her breath out and juts her chin. “I did.”
“Tell me, Violet.”
She clenches her jaw and doesn’t speak.
I lean in closer, my grip tighter. “You fucking tell me or I’ll make you, and you know exactly how.”
She shivers. She won’t admit it, but even angry she’s aroused when I threaten to dominate her.
“Fine. Fine. I… I promised you that…” she blinks, and her voice is a little choked. “I promised you that I was yours.”
I lean down closer and kiss her cheek. Her eyes flutter closed, and a cool breeze stirs over us.
“We made a deal, Miss Price. And I won’t let you forget it.”
She opens her eyes. The look she gives me stabs my heart. “You won’t let me forget my promise to you, but what about your promise to me? Cain, I can’t stand it anymore.”
“Can’t stand what?”
Her eyes plead with me. “Let me up, and I’ll explain. You’re heavy.”
I let her go and sit on the ground beside her. She pouts, rubbing her wrists. “I’ve had it. Every fucking job we do that has nothing to do with why I came here. Fucking check the identity of a new hire. Done. Follow the cheating ex of your millionaire playboy’s bestie. Done. Vet the legitimacy of a potential business partner for some god-awful billionaire and his harem. Done. Find the arsonist responsible for a crime. Done. I half expected Fontaina to ask you to babysit her daughter on her next goddamn tour, and the worst of it? I would’ve expected you to accept!”
When I cringe at that, she nods. “Exactly.”
“My bad, then.”
She drags her knees to her chest and buries her head on them. “I remind you why I’m here, and all you’ve got is ‘my bad?’ No apology?”
“I don’t owe you an apology.”
She leaps to her feet, and I half expect her to smack me upside the head with the cudgel, but I’m quicker than she is. In one quick movement, I’ve swept her off her feet and I’m carrying her back up to the house.
“Put me down! Put me fucking down!”
“No. I have to show you something.”
“You can’t show me while I’m on my own two damn feet?”
I don’t say anything for long minutes while I carry her back to the house.
“Violet.”
Sometimes the sound of my voice when I call her name is enough for her to settle down. She sighs, a little of the fight draining out of her. “What?”
“I asked you if you trusted me.”
She nods, again trying to look away. Her face turns away from mine. “Yes.”
“And do you remember what you said to me?”
We’d sat in bed, her curled up on my lap after target practice, a week after we found Skylar. “Do you trust me?” I’d asked her.
She blows out a breath. “I said there’s no one in the world I trust more. But that was before.”
“Before what?” We’ve almost reached the top of the hill. The bright beam of yellow light from the kitchen casts a welcoming glow on the path before me.
“Before I… knew you would take so long.”
I almost laugh at that. I would, if she wasn’t so damn serious.
“Do you trust me now?”
She thinks before she speaks, but it doesn’t disappoint me. I like that she only speaks the truth. It gives strength and merit to her words.
“I do.”
I wasn’t ready to show her anything. I wanted more information before I let her in, because I don’t want to give her false hope. But it’s time.
We reach the back door. I settle her to the ground and take her by the hand.
“Then follow me.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Violet
Damn right he should’ve talked to me.
He’s got to go and play the damn trust card on me.
No fair.
Of course I trust him. There’s no one in the world I trust more than him, but I’m not a patient girl. I’ve never even pretended to be any different than I am.
I don’t trust people easily, but when you’ve been through what Cain and I have together… things are different.
I knew it the first time I looked into his eyes after he’d killed a man. There was a stark honesty and fearlessness I’d never seen in another human.