Her fingers spread over my bare chest with that greediness I love about her. “We’re going off topic. You should know what my brother said to me.”
“Okay, tell me then.”
“I’m free.” Fresh tears fill her eyes and the tip of her nose turns red again.
“Free from what?”
“From some lecherous old man wanting to marry and breed me. From that horrible mafia life. From a family that’s always treated me like an outsider.” She lifts her chin and I’m filled with fresh awe at her courage. “My life’s my own now. That bullet fest at my wedding, Marco had it all staged. Even you pulling me outof it, it was to make it look like someone kidnapped me, then killed me. For revenge on him.”
Another hiccup interrupts then she continues. “He faked my death without even telling me.Iris Moretti,that pathetic girl who always wants to be loved, always wanted to belong, is forever gone. Except…” she shakes, and I pull her to me.
She’s soft and warm in my embrace. I want her big, brave, generous heart in my keeping like I’ve never wanted anything in my life. I want to shower her with happiness and joy and pleasure. I want so much that it’s fucking scary. And yet, it’s not scary either, if she would just let me in. I press a kiss to her temple. “Except what, sweetheart?”
Her cheek is hot and damp against my chest. “I can never see him again, Elias. I can never see my brother again. The only one who’s ever loved me.”
My heart, thumping and thundering, has now moved into my throat and it’s a damn feat to get words past it. But I have to say them, release them, give them shape and form. “That’s not true, baby girl.”
“It is. Your boss Aiden and his wife are going to pick me up in two days. He said they’ll have a new identity, passport and cash for me, that I can stay with them in Montana for a few months before I decide where I want to go. I have all this freedom but nowhere to go, no one to call mine. Again.”
“You aren’t listening to me, Princess. It’s not true and?—”
“You’re the one not listening, Elias Sharif,” she says, pushing away from my hold. “That phone call means you can return me, be rid of me, never see me ever again. In fact, you could tell your boss to come tomorrow and then you can return to your precious solitary life. If you give me a map and directions, I could set off now. There’s still some sunlight left. Like this could be the last time you set eyes on me and?—”
I press a hand to her mouth. “And I could help you check off one more thing on your alphabet list.”
Her eyes search mine but there’s something else there too. Something that sets my soul on fire in a fierce, I’m-alive way. Something that recognizes the strength of the connection, the pull of the bond between us.
She pulls my hand off her mouth, fingers tight on my wrist. Her eyes dance with excitement. “Which one?”
“Primal Play,” I say, a plan consolidating in my mind. If I want to win my princess, I have to do it her way. Play her game. Show her that I can be whatever she needs me to be, forever. End what she started in the best way possible.
“I don’t know what it means. I just heard one of my?—”
“Stepsisters say it,” I say, biting the inside of my cheek. “It means,” I thrust a hand through my hair, “something that evokes all those primal feelings and instincts in us. Like you decide to leave me tonight, walk out the door right now but I would chase you. Run you down out there. And when I catch you, I’ll take you in a primal way.”
Her chest rises and falls, her entire body vibrating. “And what? I’ll check the letter P off, wipe your cum from my thighs and walk to the nearest town?”
“You’re getting mouthy, Princess.”
“Well, youhavechanged me.”
I want to kiss her so badly for admitting that and yet, I want to play it this way. I have to.
Soppy, sentimental words don't come naturally to me and right now, after what I said about keeping her if she fell pregnant, after she just told me she has nowhere to go, they'd ring hollow anyway.
She wouldn't believe them. I have to show her first.
I want her to understand that I’d chase her to the ends of the earth because I love her. Because I need her. Because she’s mine.And when I claim her, I want to do it in a way that neither of us will forget for the rest of our lives.
“I don’t know what you might do after, Princess. Like you said, you’re a free woman now. Now, do you want to play or not?”
“It’s on, mountain man.” The stubborn, brave creature that is my woman lifts her chin. “You have to give me a half hour head start. Remember I’m a fat, naive, fragile mafia princess.”
“Nothing about you is fragile, sweetheart.” I reach past her and push the cabin door open. The cold mountain air rushes in. “Now run, Princess."
12
IRIS
