They only feared me.
This wasn’t his empire anymore.
It wasmine.
My angel grabbed my face, bringing my lips to hers. She was so fucking sweet, a taste of heaven. I kissed her back, my hands grabbing her hips, my fingers digging into her softness. She made me feel worthy—despite everything I had done. She still wanted me; she still let me have her. Claim her. Own her.
I groaned into her mouth, needing to drink the light out of her as I backed her into the entry table, the vase of flowers crashing to the ground. She mewled for me as my tongue dominated her mouth.
Mine. Mine. Mine.
My hand found her throat again, and the memory of her passing out flashed before my eyes. I remembered the panic in her eyes as I cut off her airway, the gut-wrenching regret that I felt after followed by a wave of panic.
What the fuck was wrong with me?
I didn’t deserve this—her. I was a monster, unworthy of the happiness she was offering me.
With a growl, I ripped away from her, turning my back to her as the sour taste of regret filled my mouth. She came around to my front without missing a beat, touching my face again.
“Don’t leave me. Don’t shut me out, Col,” she pleaded, tears in her eyes.
Never.
You don’t deserve this, Stevens.
But I want it.
I was beginning to wonder who the prisoner was here.
Her or me?
“We're running late,” I said, clearing my throat, trying to regain some composure as I pressed a hard kiss to the palm of her hand.
Spinning on my heels, I stepped outside and lit a cigarette. As I inhaled the smoke, my thoughts settled, allowing myself this short time of peace as my eyes fell closed in the bright sun. As the smoke drifted from my lips, I felt her presence beside me. The wind that drifted over the water was cooler than it had been in recent weeks, the first sign that autumn would be upon us soon. I favored that season over the others. During my childhood, the first cool day after summer felt like Christmas to me.
I'd never slept so contentedly, even if it was under a dump truck.
That same feeling of contentment settled around me like a warm blanket, promising happiness.Because of her. Her hand wrapped around my upper arm, and I smirked at her sudden comfort—her boldness. She wasn’t afraid to touch me, which was comical, considering the last person to touch me without my permission got their hand chopped off. But why would she need my permission when her touch was the only thing keeping me sane?
The ending of the game had begun, the ninth inning upon us, and I was up to bat. Romano was the pitcher, but he had no idea of the power behind my swing.
As I began walking to the boat, her grip on me tightened as she stumbled on the grass.
“Are you alright?” I asked, stopping to look at her as my cig hung from my lips. She laughed, such a sweet sound.
“Col, you and I both know I'm not much of a high heel girl…and the grass—whoa!”
She yelped as I scooped her up into my arms, carrying her to the boat as I made a mental note to have a concrete pathway installed, possibly some tulips to line it as well, my angel’s favorite flower. Yellow. Bright, just like her.
“I’ll get it taken care of, Karina,” I promised, holding her eyes.
As I helped her on the boat, the captain held out a blindfold forher. It was standard protocol. No one, outside a select few, could know the location of my home. However, the gesture still pissed me off to no end. She was not a prisoner. As my angel settled into her seat, I pulled my gun and pointed it in the seaman’s face.
“Put it away,” I growled, my finger resting on the trigger as the demon inside of me grew eager.
His bearded face paled as he stepped backwards, tripping over into the driver’s seat. I rolled my eyes as I inhaled my delicious toxins. “Sir, I apologize—I was—”
I flicked the butt of my cig into the water and pointed to my angel behind me. “She is to be treated with respect. She doesn’t require a blindfold because she's with me. You so much as look at her, you will have a bullet in your throat,” I growled, pressing the barrel of my gun under his chin.
