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“Take me back to the St. Andrew’s cross. Prove it to me.”
“What?”
“I can’t even look at it without seeing you the way you were that night. You change when you’re in that mindset. Show me you’re not going to turn into that…monster with me. Show me you won’t kill me.”
I lifted even more, making sure not to put weight on her stomach. It was the only area on her body that I was worried about. My pulse increased as I scanned her face. The thought of restraining her was nice. Giving pain was always a treat, but what she was asking, I didn’t feel like doing. Even if she didn’t know, she was pregnant. It changed things now that she had my child in her stomach. My child.Mine.What if I hurt it on accident? What if I truly couldn’t stop once I started?
“Laura, watching you sleep that night, I was afraid of what I felt. I meant to kill you, but you saw me. I couldn’t. Yes, I like to bring you pain. I’ll definitely do it again at some point here soon. I won’t be able to help it. But I’m not going to take your life. I don’t think I can.”
“Then you shouldn’t have any trouble proving it to me. Besides.” She licked her lips, trailing her digits down my stomach. When she reached around my cock, my fingers dug into the mattress. “I like the idea of what we do. I like being cuffed, and I can take what you’ve given so far. I even like it to an extent. I trust you. Show me you can trust yourself.”
“Fuck.” A soft rumble left me as she began to stroke. I kissed her hard, forcing myself up despite that I didn’t want to bring her pain at the moment. Yes, it was fucking amazing that she enjoyed what I did, but I wasn’t in the mood. Or maybe somehow, I knew better. Despite the warnings, she needed this, and I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
“Up, wife. If you need proof, it’s yours.” I lowered enough to capture her mouth once more. “I think I’d do anything for you. I’d get you anything you wanted. I used to hate the idea of that, but I suddenly don’t mind. All you’d have to do is name it.”
“Anything?”
“Just ask.”
I lifted the top half of my body, following her up as she rose to her knees to face me. For a good minute she grew quiet. And me…I waited. I was still on guard. Still thinking she wanted my money. It was ingrained from my mother, and I couldn’t help it.
“You. The one I have right now. No made-up story between us. No tragic ending for me. Just you, a new beginning, and happiness. And maybe tulips on occasion.”
I smiled, relief assuring me this was right. “I’d fill every room in this apartment if that would make you happy.” I searched her face, swallowing hard as my mind schemed everything I knew of this place. Of my arrangement and contract with the Gardens. I was one of the lucky few who had a say on my path with a breeder. Not everyone did. It took money, and I had more than I knew what to do with. I just hadn’t read the fine print. I’d have to do that before I left again.
“There’s a chapel here. I’m not sure if it’s for show or if it’s legally binding. I never thought to look but—” I stopped. “You want the fairytale. If that’s the case, have the real me. Take it the most permanent way possible. My name. The status. It’s yours down here if you want it.”
“You’d marry me for real?”
“Aren’t we technically already married anyway? I told my mother we were.”
Her mouth flew open. “You did?”
“She hates the thought of me spending my time with anyone but her. Which I don’t understand. All she does is talk down to me the entire time anyway. When I told her I was leaving for a few days, she went into one of her fits. It wasn’t hard for her to see through me. Thing is, she’s wrong about you. You’re not after me for who I am. You don’t even know, but she doesn’t know that. Anyway, she got pretty pissy about it, and I put her back in her place. I had to. I never thought I’d do anything like this. That I’d find anyone but…I did. I found you, and we’re going to make this work. I told her we were married, Laura, and I meant it. We can go to the chapel and get married right now if you want.”
Sadness. It engulfed her features making me stroke her cheek with my thumb.
“What is it? Something changed. You’re upset.”
“I want to marry you, but not as the woman of your past. Would you marry Madeline? I want a fresh start and our own story. Our true story. I want to do this right. I don’t even know your name.”
“Edward.”
She smiled. “Edward. It’s perfect.”
“Edward and Madeline. That does have a ring to it. I think I might actually like that better.”
Her happiness was everything as her arms flew around my neck. I scooped her up, lifting and carrying her into what was supposed to be a living room.
“What would you think about helping me redecorate this place? A couch might be nice.”
“And bookshelves? Can we get two?”
“You can have as many as you want. Line the walls with them. Fill the shelves with every story your heart desires. You can never have too many books.”
I spoke the truth, but I was more scanning the room for a place to put her that would do the least amount of damage. I really didn’t want her wrists back in cuffs.
“You’re looking around. You’re not going to put me on the cross, are you?”
