We shared the same level of obsession.
The intensity of my gaze pierced him. “Tonight I’m going into the city to have dinner with my dad, and I’ll be there for a while. While I’m gone, you won’t bother doing anything, right? ”
He pretended not to understand and asked, “Like what?”
“You must not scare her again. After last night, I think she’s starting to see things my way. No longer is she afraid of you. Stop trying to undo all of our hard work! ”
As a result, he frowned. “You misjudge her. She’s got the strength to handle me, despite her fragile appearance. The two of us were well within her capabilities. ”
“Matthew, please stop trying to force me to decide. Stop it. ”
His scowl grew deeper, but I could see the pain in his eyes. “You don’t want to share her with me, do you? Seriously, you think I’d try to harm her? ”
I exhaled a sigh of relief. ” Believe me, you would never harm her. You just don’t get her, though. Not in the same way that I do.”
“If anyone doesn’t get it, it’s you. Your preoccupation with who or what she “should be” has made you completely blind to the real her. You imagine her to be the angelic savior you need to escape your dreary existence. Even if she’s faultless, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t want a relationship with you. ”
My heart was squeezing with yearning, and for the first time, I began to have my doubts. She’s been… different ever since I captured her and told her I was going to keep her. It seemed like her attention was wandering at times when she was with me.
Mathew, sensing my hesitation, insisted, “You know I’m right.”
Sometimes she acts cold toward me because I haven’t regained her trust. It will be some time before she trusts me again. By lying to her, I betrayed her.
Towards me, he cocked his head. “And how long has she been acting coldly? ”
“Since we kidnapped her, of course.”
“During the first few days of your relationship, she didn’t act cold or distant. I noticed how she stared at you. I could hear her shrieking during her orgasms. Have you checked to see if her withdrawal began at a later time? ”
“Perhaps after she saw my sketches.”
When I heard that, my stomach lurched. If that’s the case, it makes sense that she’s trying to put some space between us and the terrifying thing she witnessed.
“She wants it, Nicola.”
“Do not continue. Not wanting to lose her because I scared her off. Matthew, I absolutely must have her. Do you not understand? ”
He calmed down, his previously icy demeanor melting away. ” Naturally, I agree. I’ve witnessed both your “without her” and “with her”. ”
“You’re making sense, and I do understand. I still think you’re wrong about her, though. ”
I finally said, “I don’t want her to be sad when she wakes up.”
I was able to wrap up the conversation because he nodded.
Upstairs, I left him in the kitchen. To the fullest extent possible, I intended to savor my time with Emily before I had to leave. Even though she was safe, I was hesitant to go into the city after the threat she had received.
I had to eliminate the danger at its source. If Emily is the target, then my dad is the one who is being attacked; this is an attempt to scare us. My father’s enemies would make subtle power plays until things erupted into an all-out war because no one in the family wanted to strike first.
As much as I hoped it wouldn’t come to this, if they got within striking distance of Emily, I would do whatever it took to protect her.
I quietly unlocked my bedroom door and stepped inside. It would have been rude of me to wake her up unduly. But I needed to see her, needed to touch her. I was as dependent on her as Mathew had been on his girlfriend.
While gently kissing her ivory cheek, I brushed her sable hair out of her face. She hummed joyfully and stretched out like a yawning kitten. Her cuteness actually hurt my feelings. I could never have enough of her supple body, her sounds of pleasure as I reverently stroked her skin, or her screams of ecstasy as I pinned her down and fucked her hard.
The idea of shackling her tortured me, and visions of her writhing in my ropes burned into my brain.
The alluring mental image was quickly pushed from my mind.
The bond we shared was more than enough to satisfy me for the next ten lifetimes. While I had her in my arms, I didn’t need any naughty playthings.
She opened her pretty blue eyes and mumbled, “Good morning,” as her lips curled into a tiny smile.
“Have a beautiful day, Sweetheart. ”
My father’s plans would have to be rescheduled if she was still distressed from last night, but I wouldn’t leave her side until her anxiety subsided.