in place while staring down at her. Her body starts to tremble, and I know I’m scaring, her but maybe that’s what she needs. I’m tired of her being a brat. Tired of her being ungrateful for all I’ve done, for us, for her.
A coldness sweeps through me. How dare she say she’s not mine. She has been and always will be mine.
“You. Are. Mine!” I growl into her face. “I’ve killed for you, bled for you, sacrificed everything for you. You will be whatever I want you to be.”
“I never asked you to do any of that!! I never wanted this. I never wanted you!” Just like that, I snap. My patience is gone. All I feel at this moment is anger. Burning, red hot anger. My vision blurs for a fraction of a second.
I release her nape and sink my fingers into the silky strands of hair. With a fist full of hair, I tilt her head back, forcing her to see me, really see me. Her big, blue eyes fill with fear, but I’m too far gone to give a shit. I’m done. Lifting her hands, she plants them against my chest and pushes against me, but I’m a fucking mountain and don’t budge, not even an inch.
“It’s never been your choice and never will be. Fight me all you want. Cry. Beg. Plead.” Looking down, my eyes catch on her pulse, and I lean in, licking the sensitive skin, tasting her fear. “I’ll die before you’re ever free of me.”
“You’re hurting me,” Dove whimpers, struggling against my grasp. I’m tempted to shove up her nightgown and rip her panties off of her. To teach her a lesson. If I knew I could stop there, I would. But I know I wouldn’t be able to. Not even as she begs me to, so I do the last thing I want. I let her go. I release my hold on her hair and take a step back.
“I hate you!” Angry pants slip from her lips, and I can feel my own rage boiling over. I need to leave this room, get away from her.
“Hate me all you want, but that doesn’t change anything. You’re still mine, and you’re still going to be here even when the anger passes. So, hate me. It doesn’t change a damn thing.”
Leaving the room, I feel like I’m drowning in my own rage. When I reach the library, I close the door behind me and sit down in one of the chairs. I hold my head in my hands for a long time, trying to get my breathing and mind back on track.
Needing to think about something else, I walk over to the safe, punch in the code and pull out the computer and phone. Dealing with some shit from the outside world should help. I set everything up and then check my email and messages. There are numerous messages from Christian, and I feel all the better about my choice of kidnapping Dove with each one that I read.
Christian: Bring me the girl, and I’ll spare you.
Christian: I’ve sent my men to find and kill both you and the girl. You’re a good kid, Zane, but you don’t fuck with the mob.
Christian: Where the fuck is the girl?
Christian: You’re dead.
There are at least a dozen more texts just like these. Some mentioning torture and rape if I don’t give both of us up. I’m not afraid though. They’ll never find Dove here. Never suspect that I’ve hidden her. They don’t know who she is to me. Just like I don’t know who Dove is to Christian, but I’ll figure it out. Nothing remains a secret for long in the world we live in.
Some corrupt asshole will take the money I offer him for information. It’s happened before, and it will happen again. We just need to lay low for a while, and then I can reach out to some people and get the ball rolling.
I check the surveillance on Dove’s apartment. I’m not shocked to find the place completely ransacked. If she could see how her apartment looks right now, she’d be devastated, or maybe she would finally believe me that she is here for her own protection.
I’ve rescued her from the darkness, saved her the heartbreak. She should be thanking me instead of fighting me. Thinking about what she said angers me more, and I shut my thoughts down completely.
Locking up the computer and phone, I try to think of what