Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 125982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
They were both silent for a second. Then he took a deep breath, “I’m now in a position where I have to play a very visible leadership role while I also deal with the reality of you and your blood and staying in control with all these new emotions and what this all means. You need to try to understand that your life will be in danger if this gets out. Mine, too. I need you to let me protect you. You have to trust me. Surrender to what you’re feeling, to me; listen to your heart. Stop fighting what we both know you’re feeling so that I can do my job of keeping you safe while I also do what I need to do. If I don’t know that you’re safe it’s like a panic alarm in my head blaring at me. When you get your flight or fight response and I can’t see you it does crazy things to me, it makes me afraid. I have very little frame of reference for fear and it does things to me… ”
Surrender to him? A sensation like hot liquid coursed through her shoulders. She shook her head, “You knew what I was feeling, felt all of what I felt and yet you…you left me to wallow for that long? Did it make you feel awesome, knowing I was chained to your bed in agony? Because you craved, you wanted me to crave. That was heartless.”
He blinked at her and caressed her cheek, “I wanted to come to you a hundred times. Twenty times I stood right outside that door. I couldn’t. I felt everything, princess. All of it. Last night you screamed for me and it shredded me. I knew you were ready so that’s why I’m here. You needed time to process this. Look where we are now. Listen to you talking to me! I needed time, too. And each day I’m with you I think I get a little less heartless.”
She was reflective for a moment, “What now? Where are we now?”
“You, us, this thing between us…it’s turning a soulless vampire into someone who feels. Be patient with me, please. Please. For now just let me protect you. We’re both adjusting to feeling new things so let’s both try to remember that while I try to suss out this situation we’re in. I have things to tell you, to help you understand the gravity here.”
“The stuff vampire legends are made of. Explain what that means, please.”
He let out a deep breath, “Come. Let’s go have dinner downstairs. We have a lot to talk about.”
“But… the guys?”
“They’re both out tonight. It’s just us.”
“You said you needed to feed…”
“Mmm, anxious?” He smiled, “I’ll wait. You need to eat a real meal. Let’s get your strength up. You’ll need it later.” He winked then added, “And you probably need to be out of this room for a little while, too.”
Kyla’s belly took a nosedive at the idea of what could be in store for her later. She followed him out of the master suite. She felt like something was blossoming inside of her. It felt good. She was still unsure about so much but at least she felt like she was headed in the right direction.
-7-
The idea of leaving the master bedroom made her uneasy. Maybe because the last two times she did there weren’t exactly positive outcomes. He took her hand and led her down the hall. Her wrists tingled, thinking about the shackle and thinking about his insight into her brain. Invisible shackles.
She pushed that unpleasant thought away.
He stopped and pushed her up against the wall by the gate and ran his fingers through her hair and then pinned her with his hips. He looked down into her eyes,
“Hey…”
She lifted her chin to look up at him.
“You own me, too,” he said and tasted her lips briefly and then put his arms around her and embraced her. She sank into his chest and breathed in the comfort his scent gave her but said nothing. After a beat he took her hand and walked down the stairs with her. Her fingers tingled at his touch.
The house was definitely beautiful, she felt slightly more at ease with appreciating it. It felt like a Tuscan villa with all the iron work, stone, and arches. She followed him through an archway into a huge kitchen that blended the old world look with some modern touches. It had a stone exposed wall and a big fireplace but it also had stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. The vaulted ceiling had exposed beams. It was the biggest kitchen she had ever been in.
“It’s a nice night; I thought we’d eat in the courtyard. If you wanna go sit outside I’ll bring out the food.” He motioned toward arched double glass doors covered in ironwork that opened out into the courtyard.