“Then you’ll have to work extra hard at behaving to avoid thatnow, won’t you?”
I looked at him indisbelief, but then it suddenly clicked.
“Oooh, I get it, now. It finally all makes sense,” I said,crossing my arms over my chest as I stared him down. He gave me alook of caution, but I could tell he was curious about my suddenrevelation. “G-string thongs and barely-there dresses?” I laughed.“Nice try, but if you think the risk of exposing myself down therewill deter me from fighting you, then you are very wrong. Icouldn’t care less who sees when it comes to mysurvival.”
Darren stared downat me, that devious sexy shark-like grin of his plastered all overhis face, and it quickly made me uncomfortable. I hadprobablyoversteppedmy boundaries again. Fucking A.
“You might not care now,” he said with a smirk, “but that’sonly because I haven’t told you what will happen should anyone everlay their foolish eyes on what’s mine.” His voice suddenly becamelow and dangerous as he stepped closer to me, and I couldn’t helpbut find myself backing right into a wall. Fear crept into my chestas Darren’s eyes gleamed with possessiveness and I suddenly wantedto run again.
Darren brought hishand up to my face, cupping my cheek in an almost too tight gripwhile those ocean blue eyes blazed down at me. My crossed armsslowly around me until I was unconsciously hugging myself,clutching anything I could.
“I’d kill them, Jaden,” he finally said with absolutecertainty. “Any man who is ever stupid enough to touch, speak, oreven look at you without my permission will not live another day.And if I find out it was because you broke my rules and allowed itto happen, I will make you watch.”
I gulped back myfear, trying hard to find the ability to make my tongueworkagainwhile my stomachtwisted into itself.
“You would kill your own men,” I stated. It was meant to be aquestion, but it came out as a simplefact.
“Yes,” he said seriously, his thumb running across my cheek.“Because if anyone should know better, it’sthem.”
I was silent for amoment, taking in everything that he just said. IfIwasn’tcareful, Icould very easily be responsible for someone else’s death. Itobviously wouldn’t take very much to set Darren off and I reallydidn’t want to spend a single second of my time watching himtorture and kill someone to punish me. Then again, maybe I couldjust inadvertently get him to kill all of his guards or anyone elseI didn’t like for that matter, but I doubted that wouldwork.
But then somethingelse came across my mind. He couldn’t control the eyes of every manI came into contact with. I couldn’t imagine he would keep me onhis estate for the rest of my life. If he planned to marry mesomeday, then surely he would trust me enough to want to take meout in public, right?
“But … how could you possibly control something like that?Eventually, I’ll be seen, especially if you plan to marry me.Unless … you intend on never letting me off the estate?” I askedwith concerned sorrow in my eyes. God, please, no. I couldn’t spendthe remainder of my life in this house.
Darren’s eyesflashed with regret, but it was gone before I could barely registerit. He released a slow, even breath through his nose before hefinally spoke.
“I don’t plan to let you leave the estate foraverylong time,” hesaid. “And even longer before I even think about taking you out inpublic, if ever.”
I nodded then,looking away as a small tear dripped down my cheek. I don’t knowwhy, but I suddenly felt more grief and hopelessness than I hadexpected. I shouldn’t have been surprised. Even if it was ten yearsfrom now and I had given Darren everything he wanted, he stillprobably wouldn’t trust me.
Darren’s thumbwiped the tear from my cheek, and I sniffed back the remaindersthat wanted to fall with it. “Why are you crying?” heasked.
“Because, even after I’ve given you everything, the marriageyou want, thesonsyou expect, even after I’ve sacrificed my soul to you, youwill still never trust me. And I don’t want to spend the rest of mylife hidden away from the world because ofthat.”
I looked up at himwith torment in my eyes. How could he expect me to live a happylife if I were confined to one singular acre of the world? I wouldalways remain a prisoner, no matter what my status was tohim.
“I don’t trust anyone, Jaden,” he replied. “That’s the world Ilive in. But if you’re afraid I won’t let you out in public becauseI don’t trust you, then you’re misunderstanding me. I’m more thanconfident in upholding your compliance in front of a crowd, butthat’s not what concerns me.”
I looked back upat him with teary eyes I fought to withhold.
“I want to keep you hidden because outside of these protectivewalls is a dangerous world I want to shield you from. My world iscruel and ruthless and once it discovers you, you will become atarget for my enemies. Unfortunately, your manifestation isunavoidable, especially after you become my wife, but what can besomewhat avoided is the threat that comes with it. Your safety isof the highest priority to me, Jaden, and if that means locking youaway from the world for the rest of your life, then so beit.”
Suddenly, I feltsmall, helpless, and vulnerable, but in myhead,I was none of these. I was strong,capable, and a total fucking badass when I wanted to be. But whensomeone spoke of me as anything but, as the complete opposite, ofsomeone weak and in need of constant protection, I felt like shit.I felt useless, like a child who needed watching to make sure theydidn’t accidentally spill the milk or trip over their untied shoes.This wasn’t me. I deserved more respect thanthat.
I supposed Ishould appreciate his concern, but it was just an insult. I wasn’ta child. I might just be slightly bigger than one, but I could holdmy own and Darren had to acknowledge that. Otherwise, I’d spend therest of his life, however many years he had left, proving himwrong.
ChapterNineteen
Wager
I wasn’t a hugebaseball fan, but the moment we entered the kitchen and I saw thegame on the flat-screen TV hanging on the wall, I was suddenly theDetroit Tiger’s biggest fan. Opening day was one of the grandestdays of the year and Jordan and I would usually skip out of work,go downtown, and get wastedforit. I’d threaten the guys who harassed us, and we’d have afantastic time.Timeslikethis, I missed Jordan the most. Whenever I needed a laugh, she wasthere with an endless supply.
Darren and I satdown at the kitchen island where two dinner plates were set. Thegamewas atthe beginningof the first inning and I leaned over the counter intently towatch, rubbing my temples toeasea headachethat was growing into a migraine. I wasacutely aware that if I happened to lean over too far, I wouldexpose my ass, and since I wasn’t ready to witness the bloodshedthat would occur from my exposure, I decided it was in my bestinterest to follow Darren’s rules. I wasn’t a fan of goingcommando, but I supposed at this point, I didn’t have achoice.
“Headache?” Darrensuddenly asked me.
“Mmhmm.” I nodded, closing my eyes.
