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“I’ll take you myself. I already told you I would.” I set my hand at her lower back and nudge her forward.
“I want to go with my brother,” she says, not budging.
“He can be there. That’s fine. But I’ll be there too. Let’s go.” I shift my grip to her arm to march her out, wanting her safely inside the house.
“What’s your problem? Why are you being like this?” She tries to pull free, but I lift her into the backseat of the SUV. Odin closes his hand over my arm, and I turn to him, surprised.
“Don’t hurt her.”
“I’m not hurting her.” I face him, blocking Madelena’s exit with my body. “I’m trying to get her home where I can ensure her safety. Go.”
He steps toward me like he’s looking for a fight, which would be idiotic on his part, but I think I’ll engage. Why the fuck not?
“I and only I will decide how I keep my wife safe. Now go before I beat your ass.”
“Don’t touch him!” Madelena says from behind me, hands on my shoulders.
“Walk away, Odin,” I tell him.
“Go, Odin. I’ll call you,” she says.
Odin glances at his sister.
“You heard her,” I say.
“Odin, please,” Madelena says to which he reluctantly responds, giving me one final glare before turning and walking away. “Fucking bully,” she mutters once I climb into the SUV.
I close my hand over her thigh, squeeze. “Like I told him, and I’ve told you enough times, you should know it by now: I’ll do whatever I need to do to keep you safe.” One of my men closes my door and we’re off. Madelena folds her arms across her chest and keeps her gaze out the window.
I’ll wait until we’re home to talk to her. Besides, my mind is busy trying to connect all the goddamned dots. But once we’re in the house, Madelena walks up the stairs without looking back. I follow her into our bedroom and close the door.
“You okay?” I ask her, watching her slip off her shoes and draw the blankets back. I think she’s going to ignore me, but she drops the blanket, shakes her head, and stalks across the room to stand nose-to-nose with me.
“I want the Santos back from yesterday. From the days before. I don’t like being here in Avarice with you. You’re different when you’re here. You turn into a fucking bully, and I’ve dealt with enough of those in my life that I don’t need another one! I won’t have it!”
She spins on her heel to walk away but I capture her arm and stop her. She sets her hands against my chest to keep distance between us.
“You asked me what my problem was, so I’ll tell you what it is. I’m a husband trying to protect his wife. If you think that’s bullying, so be it. You’re mine, Madelena. I brought you into my world, a world you don’t know. And when it comes to your safety, I will make the decisions because I am the one out of the two of us equipped to do so.”
“Whether I like it or not?”
“Whether you like it or not.”
“See that’s the thing. You did bring me into your world. You forced me into it. Why couldn’t you just leave me alone? Just let me live my life without you?”
Her words hit their mark. They wound, but they also infuriate. “You want a life without me?” I tug her closer. “Is that how shallow your words are? Because I didn’t think love worked that way.”
“Let me go.”
“Am I wrong? Does telling someone you love them mean nothing to you? Are those words just lip service? Empty and meaningless? Tell me. I’m fucking dying to know.”
“I’m tired, Santos.”
“Yeah, I think you are. But we’re in this together now, Little Kitty. You’re mine, and whether you like it or not, I’m yours.”
“Whether I like it or not. Again.”
“Correct.”
