Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 24048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
“Don’t be nervous,” he said.
Selma turned her attention to him. “You’re asking me not to be nervous?”
“There is no reason to be.”
She coughed, covered her mouth, and immediately took a sip of her coffee.
“I’m sorry, how can I not be?”
This did make him smile. At least she was now talking to him, which was a start.
“I’ve not given you any reason to be nervous, have I?”
She opened her mouth, closed it, and then shook her head.
“Trust me, there’s a lot I could have done to you, but I didn’t. You’re my wife, Selma, you don’t need to be nervous, I won’t hurt you.”
“No, you just put me in a room and leave me there.”
“Your father told me you’re aware of what he does, of who he is. You know who I am, and you know I have many enemies. As my wife, that puts you on the list of people for our enemies to hurt. I didn’t want you running away and falling into the wrong hands.”
“Oh,” Selma said. “I didn’t … think of that.”
“Your father can ship you off, but there are spies everywhere. Someone will know that I am married. They will know who you are. I will keep you safe, Selma.”
“So, running away is not an option?”
“No.”
“Noted,” she said. “So, what can I do?”
Drago stared at her, brow raised, waiting for her to elaborate.
She rolled her eyes, and it looked … sexy.
“If I promise not to run away or cause a fuss, can I come out of the bedroom?”
“Are you starting to get bored?”
She sighed. “It’s not just that, I’m not used to, you know, being locked in a room. Not even when I lived with Dad, he never locked me in a room.”
“Why did you leave?” Drago asked. “Why did he let you leave?”
“I…” She stopped and he noticed her moving her food around on the plate. “I saw some things I wished I hadn’t, and I knew it wasn’t the life for me. Dad agreed to let me leave. He did send guards with me, but they weren’t necessary. I hadn’t played a big part in his life. He had kept me hidden for a great deal of it.”
Yes, Drago had come to know of the secrets he’d kept. He had to wonder if she knew the teachers who tutored her were all dead.
George had cleaned up his tracks. His biggest mistake had been taking Selma to the party, where he had met her. There was no turning back now.
“I can make a deal with you.”
“A deal?” Selma asked.
“Yes, it’s simple really. You agree to be mine, give me a chance, and you can have anything you ever wanted. I think that is a pretty good offer, don’t you?”
Chapter Two
“What do you mean, to be yours?” Selma asked.
She didn’t want to be locked away in the bedroom again, or bored out of her mind. For as long as she could remember, she had always been busy. She’d always been active, much to her babysitters’ and tutors’ annoyance.
It had been a long time since she’d been so bored. She loved reading books, but they had always been something for her to do at the end of the night, to fall asleep to.
Drago looked at her. “What do you think it means?”
“Well, technically, I already belong to you. I mean, if that’s what you think marriage is all about.”
“I want you to be mine, Selma. I’m not looking for a marriage on paper. I want us to be together. I want to fuck you, make love to you, and share everything with you. I want to explore your body and spend hours with you screaming my name.”
Selma’s mouth fell open. She never had anyone speak to her so boldly. This was insane.
“I’m a virgin!” She didn’t know why she had blurted that out. “How am I supposed to do any of that when I don’t know how?”
She dropped her fork and slapped her hand across her mouth. How could she have been so foolish as to tell him the truth?
Since her father was a feared man with guards around all the time, and she was shy, there had been no boyfriends, no lovers, no nothing. All she had were books, and yes, some of them might have been a little steamy or even be described as erotic, but they were still hot. They certainly made her a little hot under the collar.
Now, though, she didn’t know what to do. The only kiss she had shared with a man was the one she had with Drago, after the priest declared them husband and wife. That was all.
Drago got to his feet and moved to step behind her. She gasped as his fingers stroked her hair back from her face and neck. He teased the strands beneath his fingers, and then caressed her neck. Before she could ask him what he was doing, his lips were on her neck, and he kissed her, hard.