Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
“That was worst case,” I told her. “I doubt that I’ll meet my end for tonight. I didn’t tell you that to upset you, Shakespeare. I told you so you’d understand that my silence doesn’t mean what you think. And the necklace,” I smirked with a shake of my head. “You wrote the damn book, baby. How did you not understand the meaning behind it?”
She stilled, and I could see her mind working. As it began to sink in—what that necklace had meant—the slight O of her lips made me want to grab her and slam my mouth down on hers. But fucking her like an animal against the nearest hard surface wasn’t what she needed … yet.
“You … did you read all my books?” she asked hesitantly.
I nodded. “I couldn’t hear your voice, so I read your words. Several times, in fact.”
She blew out a breath as her eyes began to fill up with tears. “Oh,” she whispered. “Oh.”
I waited for her to say more and had to literally grit my teeth as I fought the urge to go take her in my arms.
“So, the books,” she said as her eyes scanned my face.
I nodded. “Yeah.”
Lifting both hands, she wiped at her cheeks as a small laugh bubbled out of her. “It was you. I thought—I didn’t know what to think. Those are … they’re rare. I know because I did research on them when writing the book.”
I nodded. They were fucking rare and not cheap to secure. But I loved seeing them on the camera when I checked her apartment. Sitting there on her shelf, displayed. She was proud of them.
Her hand went to her bare neck, where the necklace I had given her would have looked stunning. But I assumed it was still shoved in the back of that drawer she’d put it in.
“The necklace, it was … it was because …” Her brows drew together as she studied me.
“Because it was his promise of forever, a symbol of his love, and he didn’t want her wearing that on her finger. He wanted it near her heart to remind her she owned his,” I finished for her. The shit was that romantic bullshit women loved and what had made her millions. But I liked the idea of it.
“Forever?” she asked, hope finally shining in her pretty eyes.
I nodded. However long that might be for me. But I didn’t say that. It would put a damper on things, and I wanted her happy tonight. I had making up to do.
When she said nothing more but wiped at more tears, I closed the space she’d put between us.
She had to tilt her head back further to look at me when I pulled her against me.
“You don’t believe in forever. You’ve told me a million times that men get tired of one, uh …”
“Cunt,” I provided, biting back a grin.
She nodded. “Yes, that. They get bored and want someone new. They like variety. No commitment.”
I’d said a lot of shit that I believed.
“Yeah, Shakespeare, I did. But you went and fucking stole my soul, baby. Changed the rules. Now, all I can see or want is you.”
The corners of her mouth began to curl up in a smile. God, I loved that smile. I’d seen little of it lately. I’d made a man disappear because he had some claim on her. My possessiveness had kicked in first. It took my heart a moment to catch up.
I touched the spot where the eight carat sapphire would rest if she had worn the necklace. “After tonight, when we fuck, I want you naked with my promise of forever right here.”
She bit her bottom lip nervously. “I almost wore it tonight, but, well, it’s expensive. I was scared of wearing it on the subway. If I wear it out in public, I might get mugged.”
Grinning, I bent my head and pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth, unable to hold back any longer. “I have insurance on it,” I assured her.
“But,” she breathed, turning her head to give me better access, “I don’t want to ever lose it.”
“You won’t.”
She let out a small, breathy laugh as I nipped at her bottom lip with my teeth. “This is New York City. Mugging is a thing.”
I tugged her closer and brushed my lips against the soft spot just below her ear. “Baby, if someone is stupid enough to take it off you, I’ll hunt them down, retrieve it, and kill them.”
Her body stiffened, and she pulled back so she could see my face. There was a frown between her brows. “Don’t say that. You’re not killing anyone.”
Eh, well, that was one thing I couldn’t promise her. I didn’t get a choice in that matter. But right now, we were going to let that fact go.