Total pages in book: 19
Estimated words: 17638 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 88(@200wpm)___ 71(@250wpm)___ 59(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 17638 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 88(@200wpm)___ 71(@250wpm)___ 59(@300wpm)
The temptation to fuck her would overwhelm me if I did.
I’d definitely never allowed her to touch my cock, no matter how keenly I craved her small hands caressing my length.
I couldn’t despoil my innocent Valentina. She was far too pure and sweet to endure all the dark, perverted things I wanted to do to her.
That didn’t stop the cruel fantasies of binding her in place for my pleasure and making her scream my name as I marked her flesh in different ways. Sometimes, when we rode horses together, I thought about taking the whip in my hand and lashing her with it. I didn’t understand why I wanted to hurt her and cherish her at the same time, but my obsession drove me to the edge of sanity.
Now, I was calmer, finding some measure of peace as she trailed her soft fingers over my skin, tracing the contours of my muscles. I ran my hand through her hair, addicted to the way the silken strands fell through my fingers. She hummed and leaned into my touch, welcoming more.
“I love you.”
Her fervent declaration knifed through my chest, piercing my heart and twisting. Something hot and feral raced through my veins, and I settled my weight over her, pinning her down.
“What did you say?” I growled.
She blinked up at me, her chocolate eyes wide and earnest. “I love you,” she repeated.
She’d never said the words before.
My fingers bit into her wrists where I held them above her head. “Don’t say that,” I ground out.
“Why? I love you, Adrián.”
“Stop saying that!” I barked, even as the knife in my chest burned white-hot.
No one had ever told me they loved me. My mother had abandoned me when I was a baby, leaving me behind when she ran away from my father’s cruelty. And Vicente had certainly never expressed affection for me.
“But I do,” she insisted, not flinching away from my brutality. “I’m yours, Adrián. I’m yours, and I love you.”
A curse dropped from my lips, and heat pricked at the corners of my eyes.
Her brow wrinkled. “Why are you upset? Don’t you… Don’t you love me?”
“Of course I love you!” I shouted at her. “Of course I do,” I rasped, my voice dropping to something more ragged.
“Then why are you crying?”
I realized my cheeks were wet. “Because I have to let you go.” I spoke the truth I’d never wanted to acknowledge. For a year, I’d known it deep in my soul. But I was selfish and desperate for her, so I’d ignored it.
“What are you talking about?” she asked, her eyes wide with alarm. “I’m not going anywhere. I belong with you.”
“Because you’re not mine,” I seethed, my fingers tightening around her wrists. Wet heat dripped down from my face to splash on her cheek. “You belong to Vicente. I won’t let him have you,” I hissed. “You’re leaving this estate. I’m going to get you out.”
“You’re wrong,” she said fiercely. “I am yours. And you’re mine.”
“You have to leave.” The words caught in my throat as misery settled heavy in my gut. I didn’t know how to live without her anymore. I didn’t know if my heart could beat without hers.
“Then you’re coming with me,” she declared. I might be holding her down, but she didn’t cower and submit. She was still full of fire, determination. “I love you, Adrián. If I’m leaving, we’re going together.”
“I can’t,” I said tightly. “I’m Vicente’s heir. He won’t let me go. If I come with you, he’ll hunt us down.”
“Then let him try. I know you’ll keep me safe. I trust you with my life, Adrián. I can’t live without you.” Her fervent declaration echoed my own feelings.
“I can’t live without you, either.” The admission was drawn from deep in my soul. “I love you, Valentina.” I sealed my promise with a brutal kiss. I’d find a way to get her out. I wouldn’t let anyone have her, especially not my father.
Valentina was mine.
“Valentina, you’re late for breakfast.” Mariana’s peeved voice roused me, along with the sound of the bedroom door creaking open. “What the hell is going on here?” Her sharp exclamation jolted me awake.
Fuck! I rolled away from Valentina, stumbling to my feet. Sleep still fogged my mind, and my morning wood strained against my boxers. I’d never stayed with her this late into the morning, and now, we’d been discovered together.
I blinked hard and focused on Mariana. Her jaw gaped, her eyes dropping to my erection before narrowing.
“Wait until your father hears about this,” she hissed.
Before I could formulate a coherent thought, she raced out of the bedroom.
I cursed aloud, my gaze finding Valentina. Her dark eyes were wide with panic.
“Go,” she said, desperate. “Get out of here.”
“She’ll tell Vicente,” I said, my own voice heavy with horror. I didn’t know what my father would do, but it wouldn’t be anything good. “I can’t leave you.”