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Avoiding my gaze, he cleared his throat and said, “Yeah, sure. I can do that.”
I rolled my eyes. He was clearly smitten with Jewel. Even though I was gunning to fuck his girl, I was suddenly irritated. “Don’t you want to know what’s wrong with your fiancée?”
His eyes darted to mine and then away again.
“No,” he retorted with a stubborn tilt of his chin. “She’s the enemy. I don’t trust her, and you know me. Once I make up my mind about someone, I don’t change it. I’m not like you, making decisions based on my fucking emotions. I was ordered to marry her, so I’m doing what I was told. Nothing more, nothing less. I didn’t make that decision freely, and while it may not be her fault, it’s her family’s fault. That’s the way it is. Anyway, she’s not my type.” His eyes drifted toward Jewel, where they stayed. “Since the beginning, she was more yours than mine.”
What the hell did he mean by that? I was too focused on Cat and what I was about to do to concentrate on Nicu’s strange comment.
As pissed off as I was at the way he treated Cat, his declaration sealed the deal. I was taking her from him. He didn’t deserve her. He’d make her miserable. Cat was marrying him out of duty, but she didn’t know him like I did. He would break her and I was going to save her from that fate. If it meant that I’d have to marry her, so be it. That was the natural consequence to a blood bond anyway.
He turned toward me, his expression crafty. “You seem to have developed quite a rapport with her. Ironic, isn’t it?”
My eyes snapped to his. “What the hell do you mean by that?”
“Only that it was your responsibility to marry her first. I was a stopgap measure to save the contract, but we all know those Popescu dogs preferred you.”
Distracted, I caught sight of Cat winding her way between the couches with Jewel behind her. The low cut of her dress exposed the dimples right above her ass cheeks. Goddammit! How had I not noticed how much that dress exposed of her back? Every cell in my body strained to cover her with my jacket. I saw red. My mind emptied of all thoughts but one. Carry out the blood bond.
“Whatever, I don’t have time for this shit. Just make sure you get Jewel home safe,” I commanded and stalked off as I yanked my jacket down my arms. “You can do that much, can’t you?”
Meeting her halfway to the exit, I grabbed her elbow and tossed my jacket over her shoulders. Mumbling a good night to Jewel, I crowded Cat into the stairway leading downstairs.
As we waited for the car, I wrapped her into my arms and pulled her into my chest. She nuzzled into the base of my throat, gliding her nose up and down in a way that was tipping me right into a place of insatiable greed. My other hand fell to her ass, squeezing her firm bottom in public, as I muttered out complaints about her backless dress. I should’ve kept my hands off her, at least until we were alone, but I was done fighting with myself. After weeks of dancing around each other, innocent and accidental touches here and there, I had direct access to her and I wasn’t about to let go.
She trembled slightly in my hold.
I bent my head down, snuggling her close to me. “You okay?”
“I-I’m scared,” she replied.
“Shhh, I’m going to take care of you, Cat. You know I wouldn’t touch you unless I’d make good on it.”
“I know,” she paused a beat, “but maybe we should go to your brother and my parents first.”
I dropped a kiss on the crown of her head. “You’re such a good girl, and I love that about you. I love that you want to do what’s right and know how to follow orders. That’s critical to being my partner, but you also have your own mind and a spine. Those are going to come in handy. It takes guts to do what we’re about to do. Once it’s done, no one will be able to argue against us, no matter how angry or disappointed they might be with us,” I explained.
“The blood bond,” she stated simply.
“Yes,” I breathed out. “It’s the only way.”
She nodded into my chest. I caressed her long tresses. Grabbing them, I tilted her head back until her eyes were on me. “Trust me, beautiful. There’s no way I’m going to let anyone hurt you, understand?”
Licking her dry lips, she nodded. That was all the consent I needed.
A sleek black Ferrari rolled up on the curb where we were standing. She tilted her head to the side, inspecting my car.
“Only Italian for me. Like my suits,” I clarified.
“Such arrogance,” she replied with a huff.
I gave her a shrug as I caught the keys the valet tossed in my direction.
“We can afford it,” I affirmed, “so why not enjoy it? And don’t worry, I have every intention of pampering you as well,” I teased as I opened the passenger door.
Her body stiffened as she slipped into the seat. She locked eyes on me. “I don’t need your wealth,” she replied.
My brows furrowed at the edginess in her tone. My joke had touched a nerve. I knew the Popescus were proud, and sensitive about their status, but it would be my duty to provide for her, and I’d take it seriously. Leaning down, I pressed a kiss against her temple.
“Good to know. Anything else we need to clear out of the way?” I asked lightly.
Forehead crinkling adorably, her mouth pursed in a cute bow and she shook her head solemnly.
In a tone brooking no argument, I finished, “Then let’s do this.”
