Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 53880 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53880 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
Pulling me into the kiss, he presses his tongue past my lips, conquering, tasting, possessing. My body melts in the morning breeze. As I dance my tongue with his, moaning in pleasure. One kiss, yet so powerful in what it does to my body.
His words, however…
His declaration of love decimates my soul.
Though sitting, I feel as if I’ll lose my balance and fall into the man who captures my very breath with his. My body hums to life as jolts of electricity sizzle through me while Nick sears his lips to mine.
“Tell me not to love you,” he mumbles against my parted mouth. “Tell me I’m mad. Tell me this kind of love is insane. Demand sanity from me.”
“I can’t because I love you too. I love you so much. A mad love, an insane love, and I never want to feel sanity again.”
It is an insane love. So much so that I break away from him, shaking my head. I wipe at my lips as if I can take away the words of love. I want to turn back time, go back to when Nick and I just accepted our inevitable futures.
“But nothing has changed,” I say softly, feeling the tears burn the back of my eyes.
“Everything has changed,” he says, still holding my hand tightly, refusing to let me pull away any further.
“I’m still promised to the Sidorovs. I know what happened last night, but… I can’t see how anything has changed. They are going to still expect me to wed Pavel.”
“It’s taken care of,” he states.
“What is?”
“You won’t be marrying Pavel, a Sidorov, or anyone else against your will. I took care of that, and as far as you are concerned, there are no more ties to you with the Sidorovs ever again.”
“Did you do something to Pavel? Is that why he didn’t show up to the engagement party?”
Lifting his eyebrow and cocking his head, he says, “Me? Why would you think I’d do anything to that weasel of a boy?”
“You did, didn’t you?”
Nick lifts his hand in oath. “I didn’t lay a finger on him.”
“Did you have Harrison do it?”
“Let’s just say the boy was a cheap payoff. He hasn’t learned the art of negotiations yet.” Nick grimaces. “But you’ll have to see his skinny ass at Wonderland. However, that’s the price we have to pay.”
I smirk and shake my head. “I guess it shouldn’t surprise me that you figured out a way to fix the mistake—my mistake—again.”
“And I’d do it over and over, if need be,” he says.
“But what about my father? It’s not like he’s going to be all right with you and me and… or is he? Maybe he could care less.”
The words pain me to say because they’re true. He doesn’t care. He never did. But… Nick does. He just declared his love and—
“Do you care what he thinks?” Nick asks. “Truly?”
I pause, taking the time to really consider his question. Do I care? Does it matter what Bryant wants, or how he sees me? Does he control my future or even my present?
No. Fuck him.
“If you would have asked me this question the first night we met, I would have told you that I do care. Very much so. But a lot has happened since then. He’s shown me who he really is. And you’ve shown me…”
“I’ve shown you what?” Nick pushes, clearly listening to every single word I say with a focus no one has ever had toward me and my words before.
“You’ve shown me what it’s like to be cared about. To truly be protected. To feel that sense of belonging to someone’s heart.” I give him a warm smile and add, “You’ve taught me to be a queen. I no longer feel like a victim. Bryant and his lack of love and acceptance made me feel weak and needy. Never again. I don’t care if I never see that man again.”
“You became a queen all on your own,” he says. “I’ve just had the pleasure of watching you become her.”
“Why?” I ask. “Why do this all for me? Why love me? You could have any woman in the world. I see how the women at Wonderland lust after you.”
“I want you.” His statement is firm, unyielding. “I want royalty. I want the queen.”
My smile grows with his comment as my face heats, but I still have to continue with my own questions and concerns. “Queen or not… I’ve been nothing but trouble. Why aren’t you running as far away from me as you can? I’ve brought you nothing but chaos.”
“I fucking love chaos.”
He yanks my chair next to his and slams his mouth to mine. Not liking anything between us, Nick lifts me up and carries us to a chaise lounge that rests by the sparkling pool.
I cling to his shoulders as I press my tongue even deeper, needing a connection to this man as if my life depends on it. I have never hungered for something so badly in my life. One kiss. One touch. One fuck. That is all I need to feel alive again. To feel normal and free.