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“You could have told me all this.” I stop trying to get free. “You can let me go now.”
“I don’t want to. And I would have, but you were busy with Lia yesterday, and I assumed you were sleeping in today. I also didn’t know you had access to a car.”
“Nico let me take Lia’s truck. I think he was hazing me.”
He grunts in annoyance. “I’ll speak with my brother about what’s appropriate.”
“Nico’s not the problem.” Anger bleeds from me slower the longer he holds me still and the more I let my brain process what he’s telling me. “When you say I can’t leave here alone…”
“I mean you’re not a prisoner, but you will need an escort.”
“Guards. Babysitters.”
“Yes, my love, men who will make sure you don’t get hurt. While you’re my wife, I plan on making sure you stay safe. Nobody in my life bleeds unless I order it.”
I struggle to stay calm. “Must be nice, having all that control.”
“You have no idea.” A dark shadow crosses his face for the briefest of moments until he tilts his chin up. “Where were you trying to go?”
“Home to visit my brother. I haven’t heard from him since the wedding.”
“Then I’ll take you tomorrow.”
“I don’t—” I start to argue, but realize it’s pointless. “You can send someone else.”
“No. I should pay my respects to your family. I’ll take you myself. But today I have problems to handle and it’ll have to wait. Can you do that, my love?”
I clench my jaw. I’m tempted to tell him to stop calling me that, but I like it and I’d miss it if he really did. “Fine. I can wait.”
“That’s a good girl.”
A shiver runs down my spine. What the hell? Why did that excite me?
It’s his stupid voice, that baritone rumble.
Sensual and gritty.
“You can let me go now.”
“What if I don’t want to?”
My breath comes faster. My breasts rise and fall, pressing to his chest. Our mouths are very close. But we’re not doing this, are we?
“Bass.”
He tightens his grip for one last moment before releasing me. I step away like he’s going to burn me if I remain close for another second, rubbing my wrist and rolling my shoulder. He sits back and watches.
“Tomorrow afternoon,” I tell him firmly.
“Whenever you like.”
“Good. Okay. I’m glad we straightened this out.” I hesitate, trying to find a way I can leave this conversation with my dignity intact, and realizing there isn’t one. “If there are any other rules I should be aware of, please make a list.”
“I’ll get it notarized too.”
I storm out of there and back to the master suite. But I swear, on the way upstairs, I hear Nico still howling with laughter.
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