Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 106312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 532(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 532(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
When his eye—yes, only one because the other is swollen shut—finds mine, he moans something that sounds like an attempted apology. I look back at Eli, who is watching me expectantly.
“You remember our friend, right?”
“Yes,” I say, slightly confused as to why he’s even here. He’s a nobody. What is this, some knight in shining armor bullshit?
“Good.” Eli reaches under his suit jacket and pulls out a gun. His gaze remains on me as he aims it at the man and shoots him in the chest twice. The man crumples to the floor, dead, most likely put out of his misery from whatever satanic torture he was going through up until now. “I told you last night that you now belong to me. And that means in every sense of the word. If someone moves against you, I take it personally. If someone so much as looks in your direction, I’ll remove their eyes and feed them to them.”
The man is twisted in thinking this is what I meant by a love letter, and the declaration is far from gentle poetry. But if Eli is good at one thing, it’s making a point.
“Now, Kitten, let’s discuss a deal. One that might get you out of this alive.” He puts the gun on the table within reaching distance from me and starts to eat again.
CHAPTER 17
Eli
The unfortunate man who thought he could provoke my property gets dragged out. We continue to eat as she stares at me with that less-than-grateful expression. Taking a sip of my wine, I lean back and take her in.
“What do you want from me?” she asks.
“I want you to marry me,” I say matter-of-factly.
She scoffs, and it looks as if she’s about to laugh until she notices the serious expression on my face.
“Marry you?” She shakes her head in disbelief. “That’s definitely never going to happen.” She goes to stand, and I tap the table twice.
“You’ll sit down if you ever want to see those guns again,” I say curtly. She freezes as if suddenly remembering why she came here in the first place.
She reluctantly lowers back on the chair.
When Hawke first suggested the idea that I marry her, the others thought he was an idiot. And although I don’t disagree with them about that most of the time, this might be his greatest idea. It’s so crazy; it might work. This little tigress might be the answer I’ve been looking for all along. I can keep her close, flush out her client, and inherit my family business all at the same time.
The kingdom will finally be mine. And I’ll decide how to deal with my new wife afterward.
Punish her. Definitely punish her.
“I don’t want to marry you. I don’t even like you,” she scoffs.
“That’s perfectly fine; you just have to pretend you do around my family.”
“Your family?” she chokes out.
“Did I stutter? Yes, my family.”
“Are you that out of your fucking mind? I’m the person who, at any moment, is going to kill you. I don’t like being in the same room as you, let alone marry you. How about we agree I make your death quick, and in return, you give me my guns back now.”
Her attempt at negotiation is amusing, and I try not to smile. Jewel is one of few who can actually keep me entertained. Her quick wit is attractive, and her delusion of having any control of this situation is… cute.
Reaching into my pocket, I pull out a box, then slide it across the table to her. She immediately looks like she wants to puke.
“Marry me, and I will return your guns four months after.”
She shakes her head in absolute shock. “You’re out of your fucking mind if you think we can survive playing happy couple for more than a day. Why don’t you marry princess Michelle? She seems submissive enough to be your type.”
A wave of irritation rolls through me at the mention of Michelle. I don’t and have never, cared for the woman. I haven’t even seen her since this infuriating little tigress came into my life as subtly as a wrecking ball.
But she’s disposable, I remind myself. That’s the only reason she’s perfect for this role. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.
“My type is irrelevant. I have an objective in mind, and you are cornered with no other place to run. This isn’t a negotiation. This is an offer for you to stay alive for another day.”
I can see her sorting through her options in her head. Good, she is, at the very least, an intelligent woman. She’ll know what’s best for her.
“You could just kill me after the wedding,” she says, giving me a shrewd look.
“As you could kill me before the wedding. Come now, Kitten, doesn’t this sound thrilling? Don’t you want to dance with the devil a little before you get married?”