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He leaned over, gently removing the ginger and even stranger than the rest of what had occurred was that once again, I felt a strange sense of loss. I wasn’t certain what that was telling me about myself, but whatever it was, it terrified me more than spending time with my… husband.
I couldn’t take my eyes off him, frozen by the way he was looking at me.
I knew he was going to ravage me.
And there was nothing that I could do.
Not now.
Not ever.
He’d just made his claim once again, only I’d never get another chance to escape.
CHAPTER 16
Daniel
Having power had certain responsibilities and it often came with a hefty price tag including the loss of family and friends. I wasn’t the kind of man who gave a shit about people in general. They were just cogs in a machine, often nothing more than a hindrance. However, there had been times when the most unassuming individuals had provided information necessary for a mission’s success.
Even if they’d had no intention of providing it.
This was one of those times.
The threat had been real, but the single incident had also been the beginning of a story, and it was my responsibility to unlock the riddle held inside a padlocked box. That’s what my instinct was telling me, although I wasn’t certain why. I moved from the window overlooking the garden, realizing that I also wasn’t the kind of man to overlook the obvious, which was that Ronin had orchestrated the assassination attempt all on his own.
Or so I’d wanted to believe. I wasn’t entirely certain since my attempt at having a nice long chat with Liam for a second time had failed, the man disappearing. He’d simply faded into the shadows. Now I was left feeling like a fucking fool, the family’s reputation taking a hit.
That wasn’t the only thing remaining on my mind.
Maria.
The draw to her was both electrifying and crippling. The combination was destructive, yet I couldn’t get her out of my system. What was it they said about when opposites were attracted like moths to a flame? Fireworks. In our case, it was more like explosives ready to go off given the hair triggers.
I’d left her locked in her room for another twenty-four hours as an additional form of punishment, only allowing my employee to bring her breadsticks, a single apple, and bottles of water for nourishment. I’d refused to see or talk to her, had tried to push the beauty out of my mind while I’d scoured the streets of Kansas City to learn information and hunt down the bastards responsible.
I’d failed miserably on both counts, storming back home and throwing a tantrum like some fucked-up kid. It was as if I’d become the sick fuck I’d been at eighteen, before civility had returned. Now I knew there was no escaping the past and who I was and there was no denying the pulse of life and new surge of excitement was all because of the stunning raven-haired beauty.
Christ.
She was supposed to mean nothing to me, but here I was watching her like some primal beast lurking in the shadows. I flexed my hand, not even satisfied that I’d beaten two men for denying me information. My hand ached, which was what I deserved.
Maria remained sleeping, the rise and fall of her chest indicating she was resting peacefully. I moved to the chair near the bed, sitting down then crossing my legs. I’d been here for almost two hours, resisting waking her so I could defile her luscious body all over again. She deserved what little peace I could provide.
Was there such a thing as stalking your own wife?
Maybe so since the statement I’d uttered after spanking her had been completely true, brutally so. We knew nothing about each other. I’d never wanted to get to know a woman I was dating. What I learned over the years was that most women needed to feel wanted.
I grabbed the bottle of whiskey I’d brought with me, pouring another half glass, resisting pitching it across the room.
I could certainly understand women were entirely different than men, requiring more hand holding and romance. Who didn’t crave being the object of someone’s desire? It was a natural instinct in most human behavior, even if I was only but so human. How many times had I been called a beast over the years? More times than I could count. I’d like to think it was because they’d gotten to know the real man inside, but the truth was I hadn’t confided anything about who I was to anyone. My family knew of course, but aside from that, I preferred my privacy.
Strangely, the fact I’d been lonely hadn’t dawned on me until the moment I’d realized the woman I’d married had fled my house out of fear and frustration. Sitting here with only a candle lit, the huge moon nothing but a soft blue haze given the excessive clouds, it was almost all I could think about.
Well, if I had to be completely honest with myself, I’d be forced to admit that wasn’t entirely true. I couldn’t get Maria and what little she’d said out of my mind. The woman was rebellious, more than most, but that I would have expected. What I hadn’t anticipated was the sense that she was so entirely different from everything I’d read online. Maria Rossi had been seen jet-setting with all the beautiful people, showing up in the most fashionable nightclubs in several countries, fashion shows in Paris. She’d even made a trip to LA for a movie premiere.
I’d thought about contacting Diego Santos, asking if he’d met her before. I wasn’t certain why it seemed appropriate or necessary, but I couldn’t remove the thought that marrying me had completely changed her.
Or had it?
