He smirks, holding a hand up between us. Placing my palm in his, he spins me around gently, pulling my back into his chest. “It’ll ruin the magic, darling.” Preston’s hand brushes my hip. “For some reason, I want to keep impressing you.”
His arm snakes around my side, a gold chain dangling from his fingertips in front of me. I inhale a sharp breath.
It’s my collar.
I reach up, taking the gold jewelry in my hand. And I say jewelry, because there’s no longer a lock on it with the tracking device anymore. Instead, there’s a black gemstone that reflects the blue sky above us, and a clasp that allows me to take it off if I want.
He's giving me the choice, and that notion has butterfly wings fluttering in my stomach.
It's breathtaking.
Preston’s hands cup my arms, his hot breath skimming across my neck before he plants a kiss on my shoulder. “Do you like it?”
I nod, trying to keep my emotions in check. “What about the tracking device?”
“I had it replaced with a black sapphire. I don’t want you to have any doubts if you decide to stay. I want you to trust me.”
I hold the chain in my palm. “Will you put it on me?”
With his arm wrapped around my front, his fingertips brush against my hand to pick it up before he wraps it around my neck, securing the clasp. Clutching the bouquet to my chest, he moves the sapphire to rest on the dip between my collarbones.
Turning on my heels, I stare up at him, gliding my fingers over the metal. “Is it crazy to say I’ve missed wearing it?”
I follow the movement of his tongue wetting his bottom lip. “That’s a dangerous thing to say to me, darling. It’s putting images in my head of all the things I could give you to mark you as mine.”
THIRTY-FIVE | KATE
The fire dancing in the propane heater beside our table soaks into my skin. Somewhere above us, stars twinkle and dance. I may not be able to see them through the string lights weaving above us on the private rooftop of the restaurant Preston reserved for our date tonight, but I can feel them.
Every detail, down to letting me pick my dress, has made this the most magical night of my life.
Yet that imposter stirs deep down, reminding me I’m no longer protected behind the walls of the estate. Whereas it used to be potent and suffocating, it’s dull now, knowing that my knife is strapped to my thigh and I have the control to put up a fight if a situation arises. Preston may be with me, along with several of his men who are guarding the door and outside the restaurant, yet I can’t completely quell the anxiousness that pops in my veins like my blood is carbonated.
Inhaling a deep breath, I remind myself I’m okay. I’m content. I’m happy for the first time in a long time, and nobody—not even the thought of wondering where Xander is in the world—will keep me from this feeling.
The waiter pours a gentle amount of Merlot into Preston’s glass, letting him taste it. Preston swirls it around his glass before taking a sip. He gives the waiter an approving nod. The young man fills both our glasses, sets the bottle on the table, and leaves us. Soft classical music plays over the speakers, filling the silence between us.
I grab my wine glass, taking a sip as the rich, fruity notes hit my taste buds. “So,” I start. “I know you said I shouldn’t ruin the magic, but you seem to know everything about me. How did you know I’ve been wanting to come to this restaurant since I moved to Lachlan Harbor?”
His lips arch. God, he is dashing and dangerous in that dark suit. “Just my luck, I guess. And I don’t know everything about you. But I want to.” I feel the sincerity in his tone.
He brought me to the fanciest, authentic Italian joint on Main Street. Apparently, the Lachlans are their lobster supplier, and Preston personally knows the executive chef. I'm not surprised, considering I’ve learned they cater to the entire town and most of the state, while their lobster business and Lachlan Park are a front for their true one.
I’ve walked past this place several times when I’ve been downtown. Kinda embarrassing to say I’ve peered through the windows like a child looking into a fish tank, taking in the sophisticated, dimly lit space with warm tones whenever I could—imagining what it must be like to have the money to eat at and afford a place like this. I’ve always run with enough money to stay afloat. Food and housing were the necessities.
This place would’ve cost almost every penny.
I’d say my nose print might still be on the glass, but this restaurant is impeccable. They probably wiped that off the second I left it.
My comfort level with him settles a little more. “What do you want to know?”
“You said you’ve been running for a year. What about your parents and your sister? Have you talked to them?” I glare at him playfully. He takes a sip with a cunning expression, saying into his glass, “I said I don't knoweverything.”
I give him a melancholy grin. “It’s been about seven months since I’ve talked to them. I’d give anything to hear their voices— To let them know I’m okay. I ditched my phone when I ran, so I only contacted them from my motel rooms for a while, until I realized how dangerous it was. I don’t expect Xander to hurt them, but he’s crafty with finding me. I wouldn’t put it past him to break into their house and look at the phone records.”
His tone is strained. “They couldn’t do anything about your situation?”
“They tried,” I respond honestly. “Especially my older sister, Natalie. She went to law enforcement with me. Tried to help me press charges. But when that didn’t work, she helped me get a restraining order. That only taunted him more. Was another piece of the game he found so thrilling.”
