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“Keep quiet,” I whisper yell at him. “Don’t try to stop me, or I’ll shoot your ass.” Ms. Kittles turns toward him and hisses. I might talk a big game, but she enforces it. Gray learned that the hard way once when he tried to pick her up.
“Mrs. Knight, please go back to your room. Mr. Knight has everything handled,” Gray whispers while motioning me with his hands.
I put my hand out, signaling for him to keep quiet, and continue to creep down the hall. He goes to say something else but I point to the gun I’m holding in my other hand. I know he’s not allowed to touch me, so he can’t really stop me. Luke has specific rules for the guards. They’re to protect me but not lay one finger on me. Only Luke’s allowed to touch me.
I hear voices as I descend the stairs. They get a little louder as I reach the living room. I remain out of sight, trying to hear. It only takes me a few seconds to realize that the voices are those of my parents. Fear shoots through me at what their presence here means. My whole body goes still.
“We want our daughter to come back home,” I can hear my mother’s whiney voice proclaim. She sounds like someone when they hold their nose and try and talk, but high-pitched too. God, it’s been nice not having to hear that voice. I didn't realize how much I loathed it until now. It makes my skin crawl, but there’s more, too. Not just the revulsion, but something far worse. Hope. Hope that she misses me, that she wants to see me because she loves me. I hold my breath as I creep closer.
“Is that so?” Luke responds, ice in his tone.
My heart starts to pound. I won’t allow myself to believe he’d give me back. Over his dead body, which won't be happening because I love that man and onlyIcan kill him. Still, some weird emotions are bubbling up inside me. My hand tightens around the gun.
“Someone has made a better offer. I’m sure you’ve already grown tired of her, no?” my father responds. I swallow. That stings. I hate that it does, but it still hurts.
My hopes are dashed just as quickly as they rose. They don’t want to see me. They want to use me.
“I was sure you would’ve called us by now. She’s nuts. That girl is no good to a man like you,” my mother huffs, sounding annoyed that she’s had to come here to retrieve me. “But it doesn’t matter. We’re not leaving here without her.” I hear multiple clicks letting me know that guns have been drawn. My heart stills for a minute as I realize Luke really is in danger.
“If you ever speak about my wife the way you just did, I will have your tongue cut out.” Luke’s thunderous voice makes me jump. “You will not disrespect her in her home. You’ve done enough of that. Did you think you could come here and take her from me? That she’d want to leave me?”
My parents don’t say a word. The room is completely silent until Luke speaks again. “She chooses what she wants, not me and definitely not you.” His words warm my heart. Because it’s true, Luke loves me, and he encourages me to choose what I want.
I choose to stay here and to protect my husband.
I flick the safety off and round the corner with my gun drawn.
15
LUKE
“You can’t have me back.” Cassandra enters the sitting room, gun in hand, her eyes full of her particular brand of fury. A vengeful beauty.
“Sweetheart.” Her mother adopts what I suppose she thinks is a warm expression. “We are so sorry about all this. We made a mistake.” Selene stalks over to her, paying no mind to the gun in Cassandra’s hand.
I ease my hand into my pocket where my gun waits. The two hired killers the Carlisles brought with them stand uneasily near the wide windows, their guns drawn. Usually, they wouldn’t have made it through the gate, but a quick chat with Clayton convinced me that bloodshed might be beneficial in this instance. Let them come. Let them see what awaits them if they ever try to destroy their daughter’s happiness.
“A mistake?” Cassandra lowers the gun to her side as her mother stops in front of her.
“Yes.” Selene reaches out and strokes Cassandra’s hair.
My vixen flinches, and I force myself to stand my ground instead of slapping the bitch’s hand away. Even though I’m protective, I know this is something my bride must do on her own. It’s the only way she can heal, can truly put her past away and live in the present with me.
“Selling me to Luke Knight was a mistake?”
“We didn’tsellyou.” Her mother harrumphs. “We thought he’d be a good match for you. But now that I see you, I can tell you need to come home. We love you, baby. We’ll take care of you, protect you from this asshole that’s keeping you prisoner.”
“It makes sense.” Cassandra nods.
My heart seems to go cold at her words, and I hold my breath.
“Of course it does!” Selene crows.
“No.” Cassandra meets her gaze. “It makes sense that you believed my tutors over me. That you sold me. That you’ve come here to shake down my husband for more money or sell me to some other man. All of it makes sense now.”
Selene’s face falls as I let out my breath.
“You never loved me.” Cassandra’s eyes water, but she holds her head high. “I kept thinking you might, you know? Maybe if I dressed how you wanted and stayed in my room and did what you said. Maybe then you’d love me. But you never did. I was nothing more than a way for you to live your dreams, and you’d happily sell all mine just to make it happen for you.”
