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Now it was my turn to smile. “It would seem we have no problems with our physical interactions. Call it a perk of the alliance.” After making a few turns, I felt positive we weren’t being followed. It was still risky to allow her to gather a few things, but I doubted whoever the fucker was wanted to tangle with me, especially in the middle of a school full of people. What I didn’t like was that the connection had been made between us.
Danger was looming all around us. Fuck. I hadn’t thought this out very well.
“What we share will never be an alliance. I don’t share alliances with assholes and liars.”
“What else would you call it?” The girl knew how to throw barbs with the best of them. That made my cock stay hard as a rock.
“Blackmail.”
I chuckled and continued with my original plan, heading toward the university, pulling up in the parking lot of her dorm a couple of minutes later. When she stared out the window, horrified that I knew so much about her, I craved her as much as before. “I know everything about you and your family, Raven. Every detail. No one can truly hide who and what they are.”
“From insidious predators like you.”
“You’re in danger, Raven. That’s a simple fact.”
“Because I’m with you.”
“Yes, but also because of your father’s position.”
“Which is why you’re using it. That will likely land you in prison for the rest of your life. It is a federal crime to abduct an agent’s child.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to explain to her the full reason why she’d become my possession. No, it wasn’t time yet.
“We’ll gather a few things. I’ll purchase the rest. Whatever you need. You’ll be provided with a credit card with no spending limit. You’ll also have run of my house. We’ll talk later. But make no mistake. You will obey me.” I gave her a stern enough look she seemed to shrink back, fear returning.
“You really think someone is following us?” Her voice was entirely different, some of the fire vanishing.
“I don’t know for certain but I’m not hanging around to find out. I have enemies in every state, every city.”
“And I’m a weakness. Jesus,” she said as if still trying to process she was no longer just a university student. She shifted as far against the passenger seat as possible, her nerves obviously kicking in. “You really are a horrible man.”
“You have no idea.”
“I can’t believe you’d pay me that much money for a lie. There must be more to this. I will find out. I’m very resourceful.” She continued to search my eyes. She certainly wouldn’t like or understand the answers. Plus, the truth could destroy her. Ordinarily, that wouldn’t bother me. However, with her, there was something about her innocence that continued to reel me in.
“I would have paid you more because you’re very special, Raven. That’s what you’re worth to me.” I glanced out the windshield, trying to remain patient. Her ragged breathing continued.
“Let me guess. I’m required to sleep in your bed, pretending I give a shit about a man who obviously wants to destroy me.”
“I have no desire to destroy you, Raven.” But someone else certainly would.
Her look was suddenly far away, sadness creeping into her seafaring eyes. “You already have.”
The comment was said in passing, but it struck me as the reality of what I was doing. To her. My life as well. I could never love her, not the way she’d dreamt about over the years. And she would hate me until the day I took my last breath. Our relationship was no Camelot. There would be no happy ever after.
“Answer the question. Am I moving into your bedroom, sharing your closet?”
Jesus Christ. How was I going to get through to her that our time was running out?
“Yes. That goes without saying. You will act as if the sun rises and sets around our brilliantly short and beautiful love affair. That includes with your entire family, Raven. Anything else will breach the terms of what will be a formal contract.”
“Meaning what?”
“Meaning the terms of the original verbal contract will stand. I’ll have your family assassinated if you try and escape or if you break the terms in another way. Now, let’s go.”
“Hold on. As usual, you’re trying to ensure that there’s nothing I can feel for you but hatred. That saddens me, Arman. Underneath the façade is a good man.”
“Don’t fool yourself, Raven. Your first assessment of my character was accurate. And as usual, you forget that what we’ve already shared was mutual. You will be my wife. You will surrender to my needs.” What I found even more surprising than the awakening of my soul from her touch was the fact I wanted to be a good man. For my daughter. And for the woman who’d be my wife.
