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“She’s not equal!” Michael shouted. And everyone fell silent. Dammit, I wished I could see their faces. “She will never be equal!” he went on. “She will always mean more than you.”
well shit
“Where do you think you’re going?” I folded my arms over my chest. “I don’t flaunt myself for the enjoyment of men.” His chest shook with a laugh behind me. “Well, good. Happy to hear it, because I’m the only man whose attention you should be trying to get, and baby, you got it years ago while wearing another man’s clothes.” He kissed my temple, his hot breath sending chills down my spine. “So, you can imagine how fucking beautiful you are to me right now wearing mine.”
Fuck you. Maybe she was actually choosing them or maybe she thought she could keep Damon away from us if she left, but I was done trying to be the man I thought I should be. The man I was in high school. No begging. If she liked men who took, I could take.
I glanced at Banks and then back at him. “You have a daughter,” I pointed out. His eyes flashed to me, I heard Banks suck in a breath, and goddamn, I nearly smiled. “And I don’t care if she walks down the aisle in those grungy jeans she’s wearing right now,” I told him. “Get her ass to the church tonight, and you have my word that I won’t hurt your son. But if she’s not there . . .”
“You may not,” I replied, “but Damon does. He cares about her very much, doesn’t he? You could be dead in five years, but I’ll have your son—and sole heir—exactly where I want him.” I met Banks’ eyes. “If I have her.” He took something I loved today. Now I’d take what he loved.
“I wanted this,” I told her, looking in her eyes. She paused. “For no other reason than I wanted you.” I threaded my fingers through hers, brushing against the band on her finger. I’d get her an engagement ring next week. Even though we were never engaged. Maybe she’d like to pick it out, actually. “Damon knew what a treasure you were, and he loves you. But he won’t keep me from you.” I tipped up her chin to meet my eyes. “This isn’t about him or the hotel or your father. I want you.”
“I think I’ll keep you,” I told her instead. “And no one keeps me from you. Got it?” I kissed her chin, trailing kisses along her jaw. “Not your father, not your brother, not your men.” I squeezed her ass again, pulling her in deep. “I want your smart-ass mouth.” I kissed her lips. “I want every memory you’re going to make from now on.” I kissed her forehead. “And I want this.” I gripped her, yanking her into me as I bit her neck. “In the car, on this table at breakfast tomorrow, everywhere . . .”
“Absolutely not!” I shouted. “I have just as much right to see him. If anyone can calm him down, it’s me. We’re not staying here and making cupcakes while the men go off hunting! If you think—” Kai grabbed me, wrapping his arms around my torso, under my arms, and lifting me up. “I love you,”
“And he can send me to prison again for a very long time. I’m not letting that happen now that I’ve found you. Please.”
God, the future looked so different now. These were things I thought would never be my life. Instead of the direct line in front of me—a tunnel—my future seemed more like turning in a circle to find a road and instead finding only meadows and hills and mountains. So much to explore. No set path. I could walk and never step in the same spot twice. But, for some reason, that didn’t really scare me. I wanted to dream again.
And then he leaned into her right ear, and she reared back but then stilled as if listening. I couldn’t see his mouth, but his jaw appeared to be moving. And she wasn’t pushing him away. Was he whispering to her? I watched her eyes, pinched together in fury, sharpen, and then, all of a sudden, her chest caved as her body froze. Her gaze fell, and she just stood there like she couldn’t move. Damon straightened back up and looked down at her, releasing her. “Fuck the world, Rika. You’re welcome.”
what did he say
“You treated her like a dog!” Kai bellowed, his worried eyes flashing to me. “You hurt her.” I swallowed the massive lump in my throat. I knew Damon treated me badly, even though I hated facing that fact. I’d just made excuses for it. He’s not well. He’s alone. He needs someone he can trust. I loved him. What was I supposed to do? I could make him better. Right? But if the sacrifices only come from one side, it’s time to face the truth. He was hurting me.
“We didn’t choose Rika over you,” he told him calmly. “Or Banks.” He leaned in, his tone firm. “You left us.”
“No, she was hurting us.” Damon pushed himself to his feet, struggling to square his shoulders. “And you stopped her. End of story.” “So, she was fine when I left the hotel?” Kai challenged him. “Was she fine when you left the hotel?” Damon held Kai’s eyes, giving nothing away as the silence stretched between them, and I knew . . . I just knew . . . She was dead.
“Did you ever love me?” I asked. He slowly approached me, staring hard. “Love is pain, Nik,” he told me. “It’s never felt good.” “Not even my love?” He dropped his eyes, shaking his head. “I don’t want to hurt you. Anymore,” he added. “That’s all I know.”
Everyone thought he was inhuman. Incapable of feeling. Resistant to emotion. Sick. Unwell. A machine. No. He felt everything. He never shunned an emotion. Not one. He knew that letting it run its course was the only way to get rid of it. Shame. Fear. Anger. Love. Worry. Sadness. Betrayal. Guilt. He owned every single one.
But there was another who still very much deserved what was coming to her and who still needed to be dealt with. She was next.
