“I believe the right title is mob boss’ wife, not crime boss,” he uttered, his face giving nothing away.
If I was confused and frustrated before, I was getting to the ‘livid’ mark now.
“You ruined my life! I had things going on for me, and you just yank everything out of my hands because my dad owes you,” I bit out. “I hate you!”
His gaze remained steady. Like he had been expecting all that, and he couldn’t be less affected.
Bracing myself for the kind of roughness I’d only heard about, I clenched my teeth as I looked up to meet his face again.
“Just get it over with. There’s no point in stalling,” I dropped.
I’d just swallow my pain and anger while he did as he pleased. I wouldn’t die. Cowering away from him was the one thing I didn’t want to do. Ever.
“Get what over with?” A slight crease formed between his eyes.
My shoulders slumped as I released a stupefied sigh.
“You made me your wife, forcefully, might I add. I’m sure you can’t wait to claim…have sex, whatever.”
The last response I expected was what he gave me.
He smiled.
Not a full smile; more like an upturning of the right corner of his lips. But I’d be lying if I said it didn’t surprise me that he had the ability to show such a human emotion. That the sight didn’t make him look more ordinary, and that it didn’t have a teeny weeny softening effect on me.
Then, very slowly, he circled me, making me feel like an antique about to be auctioned at a trade fair. I held on to my defiant energy as if my life depended on it, as his presence threatened to envelop me.
He was standing in front of me again. Closer this time. Close enough for me to feel his cool breath on my skin.
“Do you want to have sex?”
Garnering courage, I nodded as I said, “Yes.”
His smile was closer to a full one, this time.
“Emilia,” he practically crooned as his right hand caressed my hair and slid down to tuck a wavy tendril behind my ear.
Hearing my name sound like secret worship made me swallow.
“Look at me,” he instructed, his soft tone not concealing the confidence beneath his words. I did as he said. “Fear me if you will, but don’t lie to me. You think obedience is what I want. You’re wrong. All I want is the truth.”
I blinked, not having the slightest idea of what to say.
“You hate me, and the last thing you want is my hands on your body, I know that much,” he declared, with that deep searching look on his face again. “I have never forced a lady to my bed; I won’t do it to you, either. We will only make love when you want it. Until then…I am a very patient man.”
“I’ll never be ready,” I retorted, shaking my head as I took a step back.
“You will be,” he answered, his voice cool. “Soon.”
The power and confidence his concise words exuded annoyed and magnetized me at the same time. It was devastating that my anger and resentment still had an allowance for me to notice his restraint, something I might have liked in him if we had met in a different situation. It didn’t block my eyes from taking in his sculpted chin and the streaks of silver around the edges of his dark, short hair.
“What did you marry me for, then?” I questioned.
“Your father owes me millions, and you’re more valuable alive, beside me here,” he replied in a flat tone.
“Right,” I muttered before folding my arms and adding, “Well, my dad will be here for me soon, I hope you know that.”
He looked at me like he knew I didn’t fully believe that myself.
