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He raises his brow as we step off the elevator. “What did you tell Chloe about me?”
I grunt and stride for the front doors. “Nothing. I haven’t said a word about you to her yet.”
He snags my wrist, forcing me to stop. “I don’t want her to hate me.”
“She won’t hate you.” It’s not even a lie. Chloe isn’t like that. “Now tell me,” I say as the doorman ushers us out of the building, “why did you ask Grace to set me up on dates?”
When we’re on the sidewalk, Jay sighs and rubs the back of his neck. When he ducks his head, his hair falls forward slightly. It’s just enough to undo the perfection that almost moments before made him seem unhuman. As if the cold façade he’s worn all morning is slipping away before my eyes.
“You’re in danger. I told you that.” He holds out a hand, gesturing for me to slide into the waiting car ahead of him. Once he’s seated beside me, he continues. “I don’t want the Mob to know you’re the one I’ve been protecting all along. If you’re seen dating other men, and then we end up together as one of Grace’s matches, we can spin things so it looks like we just started dating.”
I close my eyes and slump back against the soft leather. I’m so tired. Emotionally and physically. “Fine.”
He squeezes my leg, but I don’t move. “No snarky comeback? No fight?” he says, a teasing tone to his voice. The man is giving me severe whiplash today.
His touch alone burns me in a way that makes me hate myself. How is it possible to hate him and yet love the feel of his hand on my body? Crave it, even.
I blow out a breath. “Just take me home, please.”
“I know you’re angry with me—”
“Angry?” I ask, finally opening my eyes so I can glare at him.
“Catherine, everything I’ve done has been for you.”
I laugh. Not this again. “You’ve got a funny way of showing it.”
“Just—fuck. Trust me, this is not the way I wanted you to agree to marry me, but please believe that everything I have to do over the next few weeks is to keep you safe. Because you’re the first thought I have when I wake up and the last thought I have at night. It’s been that way since the moment I met you.”
“Grace destroyed my family,” I whisper, trying so hard to ignore the desperate tone he constantly hits me with when we’re alone.
Jay runs his fingers over his forehead, rubbing aggressively. “She didn’t. Just trust me. You’ve got it all wrong.”
“Trust you?” I ask weakly. “Trust you? Jay, every time I trust you, I get burned. You told me you loved me and then you weaponized what Vanessa and Grace did to my family so you could take our business and force me into a marriage. Why the hell should I trust you?”
Jay’s face turns red. “Because you wouldn’t listen to me. You still aren’t. I didn’twantto do it. But you’re not safe. I need you to be safe. I seriously could give a fuck about the company.”
He clears his throat and pulls his hand away from my leg. The loss of his touch sends a chill through me the moment it’s gone. I hate how much I want that small touch. If I’m not careful, I’ll fall for his lies again. Falling for my future husband feels far more dangerous than taking on the Mob. He can worry about them, and I’ll work on protecting my heart.
“I want you to move in with me.”
I cough. “Excuse me? You just told me you want us to pretend we don’t know one another. There’s no way we can keep up this ruse if we live together.”
He sighs. “Fine. But you and Chloe need security.”
“I’ll call Frank,” I say, closing my eyes once again.
“The fuck you will,” he bites out. “You’ll end it.”
“End what?” I ask with a sigh. This conversation is going in circles.
“I won’t be made to look like a fool, Catherine. You’ll be my wife, and you won’t even look in the direction of another person. End your relationship with Frank.”
“What relationship?” I scoff, shifting in my seat to glare at him.
Jay presses so close I can feel his hot breath on me as his face reddens. “Any relationship you have. You’re mine going forward. Understood?”
When I don’t reply, his jaw tics. “Let’s be very clear, Catherine. The dates you go on? They arefake. You don’t look at another man. Or woman. Allow another man to touch you, Kitten, and he will die. Touch another person, and they will die. I’ve killed more than enough people during my life for you. I have no problem adding one more.”
