Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
I want to fuck this woman more than I’ve ever wanted to fuck anyone before. But I can be patient, and I will.
“You can’t mean that,” she says softly It makes me pause.
“Mean what?”
“That you find me beautiful.”
I’m taken aback by her response. I can tell she’s sincere. I shake my head. We need to clear this up.
“There’s one thing you need to know about me, Caroline. I never say anything I don’t mean. I don’t mince words, and I don’t sugarcoat the truth.”
How could she not think she’s beautiful?
But she says nothing else as I make my way up the column of her neck to her lips. Bracing my hand against one side of her face, I cup her jaw and lower my mouth to hers.
She tastes delicious, sweet, and seductive, like the most delectable wine. Pungent and sweet, fruity and intoxicating. I take one sip and can’t stop, can’t pull away from her. She moans beneath me as I kiss her deeply, even as her body tenses. I wait until she arches into me, wanting more, before I pull away.
When I do, she opens her eyes and glares at me.
“I’m not sure I like the way you’re looking at me,” I tell her, pushing out of bed and getting to my feet. “There’s defiance laced in every part of your body.”
“Oh?” she throws back. “I suppose you’ll whip that out of me or something?”
She has no fucking idea.
I head to the bathroom and look over my shoulder at her, thinking before I respond.
“I have many methods, Caroline. And time will tell which works best. If I were you, I wouldn’t test me unless a part of you wants to be punished by me.” I open the door to the bathroom. “Then by all means, do it. Defy me and see where that lands you.”
I use the bathroom quickly, listening hard to the other side of the door, but there’s no movement or sound. When I come back in the room, a little bit of the fiery temper has faded from her gaze, and she licks her lips. I’d give anything to know what’s going on in that mind of hers. The woman runs deep, a veritable chasm of thoughts and emotions and intellect I’m eager to explore.
“May I please use the bathroom?” she asks politely.
I nod. “You may.” She watches as I retrieve the key, slip it in, and free her wrists. “Be quick about it. We need to go eat breakfast.”
She gets out on the side of the bed away from me, walks around in a large loop to avoid coming close, walks to the bathroom and shuts the door hard. Almost a slam, though not quite. She’s skirting the edge of defiance on purpose.
I shake my head to myself and stifle a chuckle. She’s so predictable it’s almost amusing. I dress before I open the dresser drawer and find some clothes for her. Nicolai told me Marissa would outfit her, and she’s done a good job. I choose a soft blue cotton dress and undergarments and lay them on the bed and wait for her. When she comes out of the bathroom I point silently to the clothes. I watch as she tugs them on and doesn’t question my choice. So there are areas where she chooses to draw the line. I note this well.
When she’s done, I gesture for her to have a seat. Nicolai said we had a choice to either eat with the brotherhood or eat privately, and I’m not sure I trust her well enough to bring her around the others.
“You may sit at the table until I tell you to get up,” I tell her. I wait until she sits obediently and places her hands in her lap before I check my messages.
Lev: Complications in San Diego. Call when you can.
I huff out an angry breath. Of course there are complications in San Diego. Why did I think my marriage to Caroline would actually go off without a hitch?
Caroline taps her foot and bites her lip while I text Lev back. I’ll call you after I eat breakfast. My stomach rumbles with hunger, and my irritation grows. I need to eat something before I bite someone’s head off, and the closest person to me is the woman I’ve married.
I look at her in silence, and she meets my steady gaze. I call her wife, and yet we’re as unalike as two people could be, as well as total strangers. At least I think so. The truth is, I don’t know anything about her.
Well, that’s easy enough to remedy. But not until I’ve put some damn food in me.
“Are you always angry?” she asks.
I look at her in surprise, because the question actually gives me pause. Her question doesn’t anger me. It’s honest, and not necessarily disrespectful. I’ll have questions for her, too.