Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80564 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80564 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
In the back of my mind, I curse the fact that I couldn’t have met her before Renee, before the child, before I made the decisions that brought me to the place I am now. What would have happened then? My dick jerks against the zipper of my jeans, because I know what would have happened. I would have owned her body and made damned sure she never even thought to look elsewhere for a man.
“Rest, Kitten. I need to go back up top and see if I can see signs of any company.”
She doesn’t answer, and it pisses me off that she’s making me feel guilty. She’s my prisoner damn it. Mine to do with what I want, and in any way I want. Excitement courses through my system at that thought.
I end up spending the entire day up top. I needed to clear my head. I was right; the woman is under my skin. I am starting to think I’ll never get free, like she will always be there, and today, I found I missed her. I wish I had never touched her. Maybe if I hadn’t touched her or tasted her…maybe then she wouldn’t weigh so heavily on my brain. Tomorrow, I will let her go, I decide again. I’m giving myself whiplash with the way I keep changing my own damn mind. The woman has me going in circles, and I’m starting to get dizzy. I have to let her go. It’s best for both of us. Decision made; I head back to the bunker and check on her.
I barely make it off the bottom rung before she pipes up.
“How nice of you to come back and check on me,” she snaps.
I have to bite the inside of my jaw to keep from smiling. She really doesn’t know how to guard her attitude, and I like everything about it. It all tempts me to show her exactly who is in charge.
“Miss me?”
“Like a toothache. To think I liked you before your hearing. Just goes to show you reality never lives up to the dream.”
“Did you dream of me, Kitten?”
That snaps her mouth shut or at least, I thought it would. I was apparently wrong.
“I think it’s only fair to warn you, Max, you are an asshole.”
“You’re tempting me, sweetheart.”
“Yeah well, you’re pissing me off so I’d say we were even.”
“You do get that you are my hostage, right?” I ask because apparently she needs reminding.
“I offered to help you! You dick! What happens? You chain me up and leave me alone again! I specifically asked you not to! I even said please!”
“I told you I’d be back! I had to make sure you didn’t escape! Remember? Hostage?”
“I told you I would help you!”
“And, I told you I’d be back,” I stress again.
“What would have happened to me if one of those men from the prison had found me while you were gone, Max? You left me helpless!” She growls.
She might have a point there, and I curse my stupidity. Still, she’s way too stubborn for her own good.
“You need to stop pushing me.”
“You need to stop leaving me alone!”
I grab her by the back of her neck and pull her face up to me so that our lips are just a breath away from each other. Even then, even knowing what I’ve done in my life, it is not fear in her eyes. It’s excitement.
“You’re playing with fire.” Her tongue slips from between her lips and rubs gently against the bottom one. Her beautiful hazel eyes are glowing and so fucking intense. “You should be praying that I leave you alone, woman.”
“I know,” she breathes.
“Then, why aren’t you?”
“Hell if I know, Max.”
“This can’t happen, Tess.”
“I know.”
“I’m going to take you into town tomorrow and drop you off. I have to.” Even telling her that hurts. It’s true though. If we react this strongly to each other after only two days, what the hell would it be like to be near her longer? I can’t chance it. When I clearly see the disappointment in her eyes, I hate myself. For the first time since I took that fucker’s life, I regret my decision. Tess offers a promise of a better life, of a life worth living. It’s too late.
“Okay, Max,” she whispers, and the remorse in her eyes cuts me wide open.
“Tess…”
“You could kiss me goodbye.”
“It might not stop at that,” I tell her in complete honesty.
“I’m not sure I care.”
“You should. You’re tempting fate, Kitten.”
“Are you going to talk all evening or kiss me?”
“You don’t like talking?”
“When you grab a lady like you just did, you kind of promise her something...”
My lips crash into hers, stopping her words and swallowing them. My tongue angrily takes over her mouth because I am angry. I’m angry at her for letting me do this, and I’m angry at the world for giving me everything I ever wanted; when it’s too late. Most of all, I’m angry at myself. If I had known Tess was waiting for me, things would have been different. When we pull away from each other, I watch as those emerald eyes of hers slowly open, shining at me and promising me things I can’t have.