“But a marriage contract wouldn’t stop me from running.”
“No. But it could guarantee peace. You would be safe with me. And I would be safe from Luca.”
“Or you just want to hurt him more by marrying me.”
He tilts his head to the side and nods. “There’s that too.” The dark glint in his eyes says that he’s not innocent at all. That marrying me isn’t purely for my benefit. It’s for his as well. “But think about it, Susanna. You could be my wife. We have a connection. You can’t deny it.”
He’s right. I can’t deny it. I want to be close to Gabriel. I want him to kiss me again. I want him to show me pleasure again. I want to be my own woman away from my family. Away from my immature past. I want to forge my own future.
But if I choose to be with Gabriel, that will mean breaking my sister’s heart. Gabriel and Luca are at war with each other. Can I really do this?
“Are you giving me a choice?” I ask. “Or are you going to make me marry you?”
“Say yes to me. I won’t force you.”
“Really?”
“I want to marry you because it’s a smart move. And yes, it will piss Luca off. But I also want to make you mine.”
His possessive words run over me. I know Gabriel means what he says. He has no reason to lie to me. I know how evil of a man he is.
But does he want me to be his because he’s selfish or does he want me for me?
“Do you like me?” I ask.
His eyes widen. It’s a rare moment when I can catch Gabriel off guard. “I wouldn’t have tasted your pussy if I didn’t.”
I flush. “Fine. But what I mean is, do you like me for me? My personality? Or do you just find me attractive? Do you just want to claim me as yours and once you’ve done that, dump me to the wayside?”
“If you were my wife, I wouldn’t let you go.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
He sighs, running his hand over his head. “I do like you, Susanna. It doesn’t make sense to me. You were supposed to only be a pawn in my game but you’ve become more. I do like you. And it’s not just to claim your innocence. You speak to me. You excite me. I want that in a wife.”
“Did you ever plan to get married one day?”
“No. So, I’ll be honest with you. I want to marry you to hurt Luca. I’m pissed that he thought he could dictate the terms of our deal. But I do want you. I do like you. Hell, I killed Chip for you.”
“Really?”
He leans in close to my lips. “I couldn’t stand the way he was touching you. Speaking to you like that. It’s why I killed him. I think of you as mine now. And I always protect my woman. But the question is: do you want to become my woman?”
I swallow hard. I want to be lost in Gabriel. I want to have status. Money. Fame. I want a man worthy of me.
I never thought I would find it in the man who kidnapped me.
“How much money do you have?” I ask.
“You can see this house. How much money do you think I have?”
“A lot. More than Luca?”
A slow smirk crosses his features. “Is this what it’s about? You want to beat your sister? Be better than her?”
“No.” Maybe. Yes. I have no idea. “But if I’m going to marry you, then I need to know that I’ll be powerful. That’s what I want. It’s what I’ve always wanted.”
He takes my face in his hands and I can’t help but lean into his touch. “You’ll be powerful at my side. I can promise you that. All you have to do is say yes to me. And then you’ll be let out of this cage. You’ll stand at my side. Be my wife.”
