Page 60 of Jetmir

A dark smile tugged on my lips. “I’ve been patient enough, but no more. We exchanged vows in front of every god and priest. It’s time we honor them.”

“The marriage was annulled,” she rasped, her eyes wide like she was seeing the devil in me for the first time. It was always here, lurking in the shadows, but now it had been unleashed.

“You didn't think I’d give you up, did you now?” I retorted wryly, unwilling to admit that her lawyer never got the chance to file the final paperwork because he was locked up in my house. “If your family wanted to keep you safe, they should have chained you up and thrown away the keys.”

She had fucking left me, moved on without a second goddamn thought. Meanwhile, all I did was think about getting her back.

Her eyes narrowed to slits. “You’ve caused enough damage. I want nothing to do with you.”

“Jesus,” Elira muttered behind me. I didn’t even realize she’d been following. “This will end even worse than last time.”

Taking two marble steps at a time, I went into the bedroom that was connected to my own suite, fully stocked with clothes and personal-care items, and was designated to be Anya’s until she found her way back to my bed. It had a large balcony that wrapped around the corner of the house and views of the ocean and dense forest. There would be no way to escape this devil’s lair.

I placed her on the bed, her slim body slumping against the soft mattress while Dozer waited patiently to be picked up and deposited at her feet.

“Welcome home, wife,” I said, rougher than I intended as I lifted the Frenchie and issued a command. “Lie down.”

He did as instructed, slotting in next to her.

“Stop bossing around my dog,” she snapped.

“Our dog, my darling wife. What’s mine is yours and what’s yours is mine.”

“Like hell it is.”

“Go to sleep. Tomorrow I’ll show you around our house and the island.”

“This isn’t my home,” she argued. “You can’t do this, Jetmir. Take me back right now before anyone notices I’m gone,” she demanded, though her voice was too breathless. Too throaty.

I traced a finger down her slim throat. God, how she tempted me. “From now on, I’m your home. Just like you’re mine,” I drawled. “I won’t repeat your family’s mistake, and if you try to run, I’ll tie you up with rosaries.”

Fuck, my cock strained against my pants, eager to finally taste her after all this time. I couldn’t fucking stand another woman’s touch, and three goddamn years was a long fucking time to remain abstinent. My fist only went so far.

“You’re not my home,” she hissed. “You’re the enemy.”

My hand curled, pressing into the sides of her neck. She didn’t push me away, though something dark flashed in her eyes. Fuck, it turned me on even more.

“You look pretty with my hand around your throat,” I purred, wrapping my fingers tighter.

The glare she gave me would have frozen a man with a heart. Luckily for me, she ripped my heart out when she left me.

Before I did something regretful and unforgivable, I released her and headed for the door.

“Go to sleep, my angel, and dream of me,” I said darkly. “Don’t say another word, or I’ll consider crawling into your bed and making you scream my name all night long.”

I closed the door behind me right as I heard her soft gasp.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

ANYA

His eyes burned with that same old heat, but something else lived there too: an irrational obsession. He wasn’t the same man anymore. And I wasn’t the same woman.

The dark sky outside matched the darkness in him. Anxiety ran rampant through me, my heart hammering against my ribs.

Don’t think about our love. Don’t think about all we shared.

I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping it would quiet my mind.