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He doesn’t waste time lying or making excuses, and why would he? That’s not how he’s programmed. Instead, his jaw sets with determination as he crosses to the dresser.
After gathering the clothes I’ve laid out for the trip, he slowly turns, watching me thoughtfully. “Do you remember when I said I was going to help you overcome your insecurities?”
“Yes,” I breathe, afraid where this is going.
He walks over to me and drops them on the bed. “This is me, giving you a chance to reclaim your power, not just from those who’ve belittled you, but from yourself.”
“And hiding my makeup from me was the best option?” I ask, incredulous.
He raises a skeptical brow. “Would you have agreed to go without it?”
No… I wouldn’t have.
Frustration builds, at him, at me, and when he gently reaches for me, I bat his hands away. “I’m not going anywhere with you. Especially not like this.”
I square off with him in nothing but my bra and panties, completely exposed by the daylight that’s pouring through my bedroom window. But nothing makes me feel more naked than that earnest, unyielding stare.
“Kendricks aren’t liars, Molly, and that’s exactly what you’re doing every time you cover yourself up.”
My heart swells to the point of bursting, but whether it’s from the declaration that I’m a Kendrick or the impossibility of what he’s wanting, I can’t be sure.
Begrudgingly, Rowan swipes my clothes off the bed and offers them to me. “Get dressed, please.”
I try to reason with him as I haphazardly tug them on. “Whatever you’re wanting from me, I won’t do it. I can’t do it.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, kitten.” I’m breathing heavily when he tenderly smooths his thumb across my mark. Starting above my brow, he traces each jagged edge along my forehead, temple, and cheek. “I know you can.”
A sense of despair coats my rising panic, and what little composure I had left shatters as desperately, I utter, “Why are you doing this?”
Cupping my face in his hands, he drags my gaze to his. “Last night, I was captivated by a woman who gave me confidence and authenticity. But today, I find you hiding her behind a façade.” He slowly shakes his head, his tone stern as if he’s angry on my behalf. “It’s a copout, Molly. A fucking injustice to the beautiful person you are inside and out, and I won’t let you diminish yourself any longer.”
Tears sting the backs of my eyes. “I opened up to you. I trusted you with my greatest fear, my biggest insecurity, and now you’re asking me to put it on display.”
“Because I’ve seen you,” he says gruffly. “Not just your marks, but who you are underneath them, and I’ll be damned if by the end of this, you don’t see that, too.” His words wreak havoc on my aching heart. “If you want people to respect you, to stop calling you names and looking down their noses at you, then you need to earn that respect from yourself first.”
I know what he’s doing. Pushing me outside of my comfort zone. Challenging me exactly as he has from the beginning. But I haven’t been in public without covering my birthmarks in years, and the thought of doing so now grasps me with terror.
As if sensing it, he lowers those strong hands to my neck, massaging gently. “I’ll make you a deal. No one knows who you are where we’re going. Let this be a test—your final lesson—and if you hate it, I’ll give you your bag back the moment we get home. You have my word.”
“You don’t understand what you’re asking of me.” Frustrated, my face flushes, and I swallow twice before I can speak again. “Confidence is one thing, but this is more than I can handle.”
He’s unbearably gentle when he kisses the crown of my head, giving me glimpses of the man I gave my body to last night. “You can handle this, and so much more. Trust me.”
I scoff. “How could I possibly trust you after this?”
“Sir, we’re all set,” Reginald says from the door. He pauses when he sees us locked in a battle of wills. “Is everything all right?”
“Perfect,” Rowan answers before bending to fix the wrinkled bottom of my shirt. His eyes flick upward before he straightens. “Now, are we showing the world those claws of yours, or not?”
I know if I fought to stay, he’d let me.
But the question is… am I going to let me?
My fists flex at my sides as I jerk my chin up. “There’s a damn good chance I’ll never forgive you for this.”
He crosses his arms, stance wide with satisfaction lifting his lips. “Claws it is.”
We’re escorted outside, past the gardens, and the other wings of the manor I’ve yet to explore until we reach the sleek black car that’s waiting to take us to the private airstrip.
