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I’m not supposed to care. Wanting her, feeling for her, that only makes things more complicated. If I could silence the heat in my chest whenever she’s close, I would.
But I am a man, and I have my needs.
“I amnotyour woman.” She stares into my face, and I have to admit, I’m impressed. Even if she pisses me off. Most people would cower when I loom over them, but not Camille. “Just because we slept together one time—”
“And I went down on you earlier today,” I remind her.
She grimaces. “Right, that too, but that doesn’t mean I’m yours. I’m notanybody’s,” she says fiercely.
I let that sink in for a moment and take a slow, steady breath. I can understand why she might not like my choice of words, but this is how things are in my world. If I don’t lay claim to her then I don’t own her, and if she’s not all mine—
Then she’s fair game, and I can’t have that.
Not now that I dragged her into this mess and made her life harder.
“I promised you I could keep you safe, and I keep my promises,” I say and hold her gaze. “That was before I understood who exactly you were running from, but it doesn’t change anything. I can still make sure Conti never touches you again.”
“By taking me away? By owning me, like you’re a fucking caveman?” She’s working herself up into a rage. “I’m not going to let you throw me over your shoulder and drag me into your lair.”
“Does it look like I want to chain you up in some dungeon? Open your eyes, asteraki mu. I’m offering you luxury.”
“A golden cage is still a cage.”
“Oh, little bird, you’ll chirp for me, and you’ll love it.”
“Don’t be a bastard.”
“You have two choices: either attempt to run away or accept my protection. I will admit that instead of easing tensions, I inadvertently made them worse—but your ex-husband is a fucking asshole and he deserved to get punched in the face.”
“That doesn’t help,” she says through her teeth. “Although, yeah, I really enjoyed that part.”
“Conti is the kind of man that understands only one thing, and that’s power. If he thinks you’re available to be taken away then he will never stop trying. But if he understands you are mine, entirely mine, and far from his grasp, he’ll give up and move on. Or I’ll kill him. Either way.”
She rubs her face with both hands and shifts her stance, shoulders tilting back, drawing herself to her full height, all five-foot-nothing of her. “I don’t care if there’s a gun to my skull. I let myself beownedfor five years and I risked everything to get away from that. Do you really think I’m going to rush right back into the same situation?”
I step toward her quickly and she tries to jerk back, but I catch her wrist and hold it. I stare into her eyes, making sure she hears me as I lean closer. “I amnotyour ex-husband. When you are my wife, I will treat you with the dignity you deserve.”
“Then why are you grabbing onto me right now?”
I release her and she steps back, rubbing her wrist. I take beat to calm myself. Conti got me all worked up with that macho bullshit back at his place and now I’m losing control. I expected him to be reasonable, or at least to be amenable to discussing our situation, but the moment I saw his snide face, and heard him insult Camille right in front of me, I couldn’t help myself.
I have to break that little fuck’s jaw.
I only wish I’d done more.
Even with the witnesses, my life might be easier if I’d just put a bullet in his head.
That confrontation left my blood boiling, but I can’t take that out on her.
I let out a long breath and force myself to speak calmly. “There is no other option for you right now. What I’m offering will cause me considerable problems and pain, but I am willing to deal with all that if it means fulfilling my promise to you.”
“Why would you even want to marry me?” she grinds out. “You’re a total stranger.”
“You think Iwantto marry you? You think Iwantany of this? I love your taste, asteraki mu, but don’t misunderstand what is happening here. I am offering you a way to survive the coming nightmare only because it’s my fault you’re in it at all, and I believe in owning my mistakes. But I don’twantto be your husband any more than you want to be my wife.”
I turn away from her before I lose my temper again. I can’t stand out here arguing with her any longer—the more time we spend in front of the house, the more likely it is that someone on the staff will notice us and alert Sophia or Anissa to what’s going on, and that’s the last thing I need.
One fucking headache at a time.
