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“Absolutely. I’m many things but fool me once is enough.”
“That’s why you tried to escape.”
“Perhaps.” Just the way he was looking at me kept the electricity flowing. I found it fascinating that I felt freer around him than I had with anyone else in a very long time.
“You are correct in that my father was considered a self-made man. He was also a ruthless tyrant who required everything in his household to be a certain way. I value what he taught me, respecting the man and his business ethics.”
I wasn’t certain if he was trying to convince me or himself.
“If you’re attempting to garner control of an empire, why indulge me with entering into a deal? That’s what you really want. Isn’t it? You want to take over what he has, slowly watching his entire world crumble before your eyes. Please don’t try and tell me it’s not completely personal.” I offered him a sly smile, which brought another look of heated desire to his face.
“Be careful of what questions you ask. You might not like the answers.”
“I appreciate the truth in all things, Kendrick. I think you’re aware of that.”
He chortled before taking a sip of his wine. “You’re very astute. I think it’s fair to say getting to know each other even better will be… enjoyable.”
“Yes, it will be. I need to know what makes you tick, and I don’t mind admitting it.” It would seem I’d accepted the deal we’d made. Perhaps the shock and awe factor would be a delirious moment I wouldn’t get otherwise. But no matter what he thought, I would control the situation.
He took his time opening the box, not bothering yet to turn it around to face me. “To fully answer your question, Suzannah, I’m many things and have taken dozens of heinous actions, some of which I’m not proud of. However, in my line of work and the people my father did business with, violence was often necessary.”
“If that’s the case, then what aren’t you proud of?”
“I’m a brother, a son, a killer, a businessman, a martyr, and a sadist. What I’m not is a man who can tolerate violence or degradation of a woman under any circumstance.”
“But you don’t mind the thought of someone catching us in our moments of filthy sin?”
A slow smile spread across his face. “You are correct. There is a significant difference. Highlighting the fact I’m a very lucky man is a perk of being a sadistic beast, and allows me to show how much I appreciate my possession.” He rolled his finger from one side of my jaw to the other, his breathing more labored than before. “But if another man so much as looks at you in an inappropriate manner… They. Will. Die.”
His words stole my breath. I knew he meant them, and it thrilled me.
He never blinked as he leaned forward, brushing his lips back and forth across mine. The intimate moment was freeing in a way I couldn’t entirely understand. I should consider him my enemy, a man who planned on keeping me captive at least through the duration of the wedding events. Why did it seem so utterly exciting?
When he leaned back, he took the ring from the box, pulling my hand into his with the other. “You will make a beautiful bride.”
As he slipped the ring on my finger, the diamond sparkled in the candlelight.
“And make no mistake, Suzannah. Youwillmarry me.”
CHAPTER17
Kendrick
I wasn’t the kind of man to make impetuous decisions. I thought them through. I planned the cause and effect. I also endured the aftermath without issue because I’d calculated what that would look like. With her, with the princess of the Warrington kingdom, I’d drifted into unknown and unwanted territory.
The fact I’d told Suzannah in a blanket statement that she would marry me had surprised the hell out of both of us.
Yet I’d meant the words.
We would form the kind of alliance that would keep enemies on either side from daring to try to overthrow our power. I found it interesting that I would even consider having her rule by my side.
My queen.
As a businessman, combining forces would be an incredible opportunity for both of us, increasing our hold on the various markets we shared exponentially. But that hadn’t been a part of the initial plan, nor had I ever been the man to consider having a partner outside of the family. Why with her did everything seem so entirely different?
I thought about what I’d told her regarding women in control. Perhaps I’d allow her a place in the boardroom as my vice president. However, in the bedroom, she would forever surrender to my needs.
In another moment of surprise, she hadn’t acted appalled or repulsed as I’d expected, merely curious where my proclamation was going. That had allowed the time spent together to be much more enjoyable. The changes in her, the quiet resolve crumbling had been because of her realization I’d easily managed to unravel the tightly woven webbing she’d placed around herself as protection.
