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My assistant was mentally fourteen and consequently a “Swiftie.”
Poor fella still hadn’t realized there was no room in her life for a man who wasn’t me.
If I couldn’t have her, no one else could. And I wanted her. Oh yes. Her body anyway. Not that I ever gave her the slightest indication I was attracted to her.
I yanked out my pocket book of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and scowled at one of my favorite lines to soothe my anger. “I am not crazy; my reality is just different from yours.”
“What do you want, then?” I actually stomped, losing my patience. “You.” “I beg your pardon?” I misheard him. I must’ve. “If I’m going to break the law and likely a few fucking families standing in line for this bullshit experimental trial, I want your life in exchange for saving your mother’s. It’s symbolic, symmetrical, and one of the very few things money can’t buy me.”
“You, as in you become my wife. You wear my ring. You live under my roof. You take my name. You suck my cock.” He paused, examining his fingers in sheer boredom. “You bear my children. I’m thinking four, minimum. We’re bound to make mistakes on the first few before we create someone worthy to inherit the company. Oh.” He snapped his fingers. “Maintaining my friendships. Socializing is my least favorite pastime. Rhyland’s and Row’s wives seem to like you. Keep up our appearances.”
“Stop right there.” He raised his palm. “Nobody gets to call my future wife a slut other than me.”
“One, this is exclusive. You dump your little boyfriend as soon as you walk out of here. Two, you act like you don’t detest me in public. Three, do not hire anyone to assassinate me. If you want to kill me, do it yourself.”
“Good, you’re watching the game. Who is winning?” “Your ego.”
“What’s the magic word?” I didn’t have an appetite anyway. Besides, I was eager for Cal and Dylan to go back to their partners to try to defuse the situation. “Immediately?” he tried. I rolled my eyes. “No.” A half-human, half-feral grumble came from the other end of the line. “So?” I coaxed sweetly. “Magic word?” “Abracadabra.” “Try again.” “Alakazam?” “No.” “Hocus-pocus? Open sesame? Daimon? Voilà? Sim sala bim? Fidelio? It largely depends on the period and culture. A little guidance wouldn’t hurt.”
“If you’ll excuse me, I have to get my soul sucked by the ghoul I’m marrying.” I
“You will have to choose an engagement ring fit for the wife of a respected billionaire.” “I’m marrying a respected billionaire?” I lurched forward, placing a hand on my rib cage. “I thought I was marrying you.”
“You’re making a grave mistake, Apricity.” “Apricity?” I whipped my head his way. “The warmth of the sun in winter.” He smirked fiendishly. “It was what popped into my head when I saw you for the first time. There’d been a snowstorm. It was freezing. And you looked…” His eyes rested on the faint pulse of my neck. “Well, hot
“Now, now, Apricity. I’d strongly advise you stop squirming before my cock bursts out on its own accord and gives your ass the spanking it truly deserves,” I whispered into the shell of her ear.
“I hate you,” she whispered. “Your tight nipples against my forearms are telling me a different story.”
“Because you’re the only thing I’ve ever wanted and couldn’t buy,”
“Never truly cared.” “And you do now?” Fuck, no. But you seem to care an awful lot about social niceties, and I’d love to skip to the part where your thighs are pressed so hard against my
“Wear something modest, unless you want your dress stained by other people’s blood.”
“If I could feel love…I think I’d love the hell out of our kids.”
“Listen to me carefully, Gia. I am yours. All of me belongs to you. My body—yours. Brain—yours. Money—yours. Kingdom—yours. Every inch. Every cell. Every atom. Every single breath has your name on it.” “And your heart?” Her voice came out scratchy and thick, eyes glittering with tears. “Is it mine too?” “Oh, Apricity.” I plastered my forehead to hers, gathering her into my arms. “If I had a heart to give, it would be yours. Without question.”
“I killed for you.” His lips twisted around the confession. “And I’d do it all over again without a second thought. Killing. Dying. Stealing. Torturing. There is not a red line in this world I wouldn’t cross for you.”
“Don’t cry.” Kiss. “I’ll do anything to make you happy.” Kiss. “Rearrange constellations.” Kiss. “Pluck the moon from the sky.” Kiss. “I’ll buy you the fucking sun, Apricity.” Kiss.
“My real name is Gabriel,” he croaked, his silken voice coming from the depth of his soul. My heart stopped. “Gabriel Doe. And he—I—we love you. We’ve loved you from the first moment we saw you.”
“I can’t stand it. When I love someone, I lose them. I can’t lose you.” “You won’t lose me.” I flattened my palm to his damp back. “I mean…you will, eventually, to death, I suppose.” “Don’t be so sure,” he muttered. “You’d be surprised at the sum I’m willing to pay to make sure you’re immortal.”
“What’s the difference?” “Because I used to put my happiness before yours and thought I’d never let you go. I am now willing to let you go if it’s what makes you happy.” His head hung between his shoulders. “Your happiness comes before mine. You can leave if it suits you. I won’t stop you. I’ll sign the papers.”
“I love you.” I held his jaw in my hands, enunciating each word slowly. “I’ve always loved you. You are my White Rabbit. I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth and back, no matter how terrible and awful the world you led me to is. I think there’s something wrong with me. Because even when I tried to convince myself I hated you, I never could walk away.”
