Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 114584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
“I don’t know what you consider to be normal, but yes, if that’s what will make you happy–”
“Yes!” She jumps up from her seat and rushes forward and into my arms. “Can we go right now?”
“I guess now is as good a time as any.” Worry worms its way through my body, and I have to tell myself to calm down. It’s just a date. What the hell could possibly happen?
The hostess leads us to a secluded table in the darkest corner of the restaurant, just as I asked. I keep Elena’s hand wrapped up in my own, pulling her close to my side. I’ve got two guns strapped to the inside of my jacket, and a knife at each ankle. I might be overly prepared, but if something does happen, I want to know that I can protect us.
Elena is beaming, smiling from ear to ear. She chose a simple but elegant dress for dinner, and I haven’t been able to keep my eyes off her.
“Does this match up with your idea of a date?”
“Yes! It’s perfect.” Her eyes gleam with joy, and I find my own lips tipping up at the sides.
The waitress comes over, and I order food for both of us, along with a bottle of wine. When she walks away, leaving us alone, I turn my attention back to Elena.
“I thought if it would make you happy, maybe Marie could return to the mansion, and work for me. I know you miss her, and if it makes you return to your normal self.”
Elena giggles, and the sound zings straight to my cock. “Are you bargaining with me, husband?”
“It’s not a bargain. All I want is for you to be happy. She obviously makes you happy. Therefore, I will have her brought back to the mansion.”
“I would love that. I won’t lie. I was really angry when you ended our honeymoon and sent her away.” She peers down at the tablecloth as if she’s too ashamed to look at me.
“I’ll make it up to you,” I promise, and the waitress walks in with the bottle of wine, then. She pours us two glasses and leaves the bottle sitting in a bath of ice on the table.
“To new beginnings,” I toast, staring into Elena’s dark green eyes.
Our glasses clink together, and my gaze is drawn to her full pink lips as they touch the rim of the wine glass. I want to taste them, bite them, mark her, so everyone knows she is mine. The possessiveness I feel toward her is something I doubt will ever fade.
My need to lock her up and keep her away from everyone outweighs all logical thinking. Every part of me says lock her in the cage and throw the key away, but in doing so, I take the very things I love so much about her and squeeze the life right out of them.
When it comes to Elena, I know I would do anything to keep her by my side. Is that love? Or is what I’m feeling just an abnormal need for control?
I know she loves me now, but will she still love me when I end her father’s life?
When all the dominoes fall, and the blood of my enemy is shed, will she still want me? I guess only time will tell. It doesn’t matter. I’ll never let her go, never let her leave me.
“This is nice, normal. I wish we could do this more often,” she whispers, taking another sip of her wine.
“As soon as your father is taken care of, we can. After the incident on the island, I thought someone had gotten to you. I was reliving the moment you fell down the stairs at the mansion. I never want to feel that way again.” I reach for her hand without thought and cling to it.
“It doesn’t have to be that way. I can tell my father to leave us alone, tell him that I want to be with you and to stop trying to take me away.”
I almost laugh. “It doesn’t work like that. Your father is as determined to get you back as I am to keep you. This will only end in bloodshed. There is no other way around it. Your father never should’ve gone back on our agreement.”
Elena’s face sours. “I don’t want either of you to get hurt.”
She doesn’t know how horrible of a man her father is. The difference between him and me is that I don’t pretend or hide what I do from Elena. She knows I’m a killer, a criminal that has done horrible things. Her father spent his entire life sheltering her.
The waitress interrupts us, bringing our food to the table, stopping me from responding to what she’s said. Then again, maybe the waitress appearing isn’t such a bad thing. I don’t want to ruin our date any further with talks of her father.