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I want to know what he gains by being married to me. I could ask him how long I have to be trapped in a loveless marriage to him. However, none of those are what is bothering me the most.
When it comes to what he gains and how long I have to be with him, I already expect the worst.
It’s the freedom he is giving me that seems to get under my skin.
“Why did you let me go to the performance tonight?” I twist in my seat to face him, leaning against the door.
Christian takes my leg, running his hands up and down my calf. Everywhere he touches makes my nerves feel like they’re on fire.
He inspects the bandage on my leg before pealing a corner off and looking at the cut beneath.
“You’re a pawn in a chess game you don’t need to understand,” he says, leaning closer to get a good look. “There’s no sign of infection but you have to make sure you clean it again when we get home tonight.”
He puts the bandage back in place but leaves my foot in his lap.
His hand strokes up and down my leg but he doesn’t seem to even notice he is doing it. And I’m not going to ask him to stop either.
Even if he scares me, there is no denying the chemistry between us. The way I feel when he touches me is the same way I feel when I perform.
“I’ll make sure I clean it again.” I pull away from him, needing a clear head. “What do you mean, I’m a pawn?”
“I’m not going to go there with you right now,” he says, his tone stern. “You don’t need to know about all the monsters that lurk in the dark. Just know that you are safe with me.”
“Are you going to let me keep performing?” I change the subject, knowing that it’s not good to press right now.
If there is one thing a lifetime of people-pleasing has taught me, it’s when to back off.
Christian has a look in his eyes that says he isn’t going to tell me what’s going on behind the scenes. The last thing I want to do is make him angry when I have no idea what he’s capable of.
“Yes,” he says without giving it a second thought. “You’re amazing up there. I’ve never seen a performance quite like it. You have a way of connecting with the audience that makes me feel like I was part of the show. It was something else entirely.”
My cheeks warm and butterflies erupt in my stomach. “Do you really think that?”
“I have no reason to lie to you, Zoe. You were so good up there. I’m sure that one of the agents is going to contact you soon. Someone is going to want to sign you before another label has the chance to snatch you up.”
I shift in my seat, shaking my head. “That’s not going to happen. I’m good, but I’m not that good. I don’t have enough time to really work on music. My family wants me to focus on building another career for myself.”
“Good news,” Christian says with a boyish smile. He leans closer to me, his face inches from mine. “You’re no longer with them. You can do whatever the hell you want.”
“As long as it’s alright with you.”
His gaze darkens and drops to my mouth. “You would like that, wouldn’t you? Someone to take charge and tell you what to do. You want someone who is going to tell you that it’s okay to go after what you want.”
I don’t know what to say.
The car seems to grow a thousand degrees hotter as he closes the distance between us.
His mouth moves against mine as his hands slide up my legs.
Then, he grabs me before he lifts me and moves me to his lap.
Straddling him is a whole new sensation.
He grins as he pulls away to look up at me.
“If I’m going to be the one to tell you what to do, then I want you to ride my face. Right now.”
“What?” My mouth drops open, and my cheeks feel like they’re on fire.
