We reach the back of the house and I snarl, “What I do is my business. If I want to marry, I will, and there’s nothing you can do about it. I have my reasons and they’re mine to know.”
“No, Tobias, your reasons affect every single one of us who trail after you and obey your commands. You’re wrong to do this and you know it. Why drag a poor innocent girl into this—family? You’ll destroy her in seconds and you’re better than that.”
I take a deep breath because right now I want to kill this irritating woman, but she’s all I’ve got, so I measure my response carefully.
Sighing, I turn to face her and say evenly, “What’s your problem?”
“Excuse me?”
“Your problem. Since the moment you found out about my plans, you’ve been bitching about it. I thought you’d be pleased to have another woman around the place. I thought you’d be happy that I had the distraction and I thought you’d be on my side because you’re the only family I have left.”
She shakes her head and I see the emotion in her eyes as she leans back against the wall and sighs. “I want you to be happy, god knows I want it more than anything but this—it’s not right. You’ve turned into a machine and you think you can control everything, even love.”
“Who said anything about love?”
She steps toward me and takes my arm. “You need love, Tobias. I need love. We all need it and you have made it your business to cancel any love in our lives because you can’t deal with the pain it brings.”
“Enough!”
I turn away because this conversation is over as far as I’m concerned. Her voice follows me inside. “Please, I’m begging you, set the poor girl free, it’s not fair on either of you.”
I slam the door and stride to my room, and I hope for their sakes nobody steps in my way. Love—she knows nothing. Love is the greatest weapon that can slay a man to the bone. It strips him bare and leaves him with nothing. Love destroys an otherwise strong man and renders him an idiot, and there is no room in my life for love—ever. Sophia knows this, they all know what love did and she dares preach to me about letting it in again. I will never love again and will spend my life hardening my heart against it. I don’t need it and I don’t want it and it concerns me to think she does.
As I reach the stairs to my private suite of rooms, I stand for a while to calm down. Fucking sister, she’s ruined my good mood with her talk of love.
Thinking of the woman waiting in my bed soothes my anger—a little. She intrigues me. So vulnerable and afraid, and yet she has a strength inside her that has carried her through life. Every knock she’s taken, she stood right up again and carried on. It must have hurt being used by her parents all her life. Given to two men to play a part, with no regard for her feelings at all. That was what drew me to Anastasia Johnson in the first place, and when I discovered the woman inside her, I liked what I saw very much. Sophia’s wrong, Anastasia is perfect for me in every way and where I was interested in her for only one thing before, that changed when I saw her at the window in her wedding gown. Now I want her in every sense of the word, and I’m not one to hang around.
Feeling calmer, I head toward my bedroom. Her sister left with Stone an hour ago, so I expect she is settled in by now.
As I walk into my personal space, I note the subdued lighting and the sense of calm all around. I feel impatient to see her and head to my bedroom, hoping she is still wearing the dress because I want to peel every delicious layer of silk off that body that begs me to come and get it and I want to take my time.
As I walk into the room, she is standing by the window with a glass of what looks like champagne in her hand and without turning around says, “You promised I’d have my own room.”
The sight of her standing with her back to me, with the silk fabric clinging to her curves, does something strange to me that I have never felt before. I want this woman more than anything I’ve ever wanted before, and I’ve wanted a lot. Women throw themselves at me and it’s no fun anymore, but this—this is different and I like every minute of it.
“You have your own room.”
I speak softly as if I’m afraid I’ll scare the exotic creature who stands before me and as she turns, the blood roars to my cock as I see the goddess standing before me. The diamonds glitter and her chest heaves and those baby blue eyes are filled with anger and disappointment. I can’t stop staring at her because I have never seen the like of her before and she sets the glass down and says defiantly, “Then you’re in my room.”
“No darling, this is our room. Your room that I promised you is next door filled with your things and a few surprises. You see, always remember when negotiating a contract to pay attention to the finer details. In this case, I have delivered what I promised because you didn’t stipulate what room you desired.”
Her eyes flash and for the first time I see the steel running through her veins as she hisses, “You bastard. You know full well what I meant.”
“I did, I will not deny that. Maybe you will learn a valuable lesson from this.”
She turns and slips on her shoes and says tightly, “Then I’ll return home. Please call me a cab because I am not staying here, in this bed, with you.”
She makes to pass me and I reach out and grab her arm and say firmly, “I told you little bird, you have no freedom outside of these walls. You are my wife whether you like it or not and that means sleeping in my bed.”
She makes to slap me hard across the face and I grab her arm and relish the fear enter her eyes. Then I pull her roughly toward me and whisper, “I also told you that I would not harm you. If you think I’m the sort of man to force himself on a woman, then you don’t know me. Relax, my love, because sleep is the only thing I have in mind. Think for a moment, how would it look, my bride spending her wedding night back at her childhood home. We made a deal and you signed on the dotted line. It would be all over the gutter press if we spent our wedding night apart and that includes inside this house. So, back down and accept this is how it’s going to be and for the record, my little bird, I said you would beg for it first and the only question that remains is how long that will take you?”
I release her and she stands looking so furious I just stare at her in awe. She is impressive, beautiful and everything I could ever want from a woman. Yes, this day is turning out to be better than expected because now the chase is on and I’m a hunter by nature and always get my prey.
Chapter 12
Anastasia
I go to my room. Not the one I thought I’d be spending the night in, but the one he agreed was mine. I’ll show him he can’t call the shots and try to twist the terms of our contract. Bastard!
If I could lock the door, I would, but there isn’t one, so I drag a chair over the door and wedge the handle under it. Then I rip the diamonds from around my neck and the tiara from my hair. I am so angry I almost can’t breathe as I think of ways to inflict a long, slow, painful death on the back stabbing bastard I just married.
Still muttering curses under my breath, I step out of my wedding gown and scrunch it into a ball and throw it angrily across the room. Then I rip the underwear off and grab my sweatpants and sweatshirt from the cupboard that somebody arranged so neatly. Quickly, I take my hair down and let it fall around my shoulders and then sit like a petulant child on the small couch that occupies the corner of the room.
Drawing my knees to my chest, I wrap my arms around them and allow emotion to have its moment. The tears fall freely as I find myself in a situation completely out of my control.
I feel so alone and when Angel left; it tore my heart out because that signified the end of everything I knew. Now I’m stuck in a gilded cage with a back stabbing bastard and I have no one.
I’m not sure how long I sit crying for before I realize nobody has even tried to check on me. I may as well have saved myself the trouble because he hasn’t tried to get in once. Wiping my tears away, it dawns on me that maybe he does have some sense of fairness and wil
l respect the fact I’m in my own space and leave me alone.
So, I curl up on the couch and settle down because if he thinks I’m going in there and sleeping with him, then he’s got another thing coming.
My aching limbs wake me in the early hours along with my throbbing ankle. The pain is intense and I realize I don’t have any painkillers, or even water to drink and feel a little dehydrated. Stretching out, I wince as the pain hits me and I curse my bad luck. Great, now I’ll have to sneak out of here and look for something to take the edge off my pain.
There are no windows in the walk-in closet, so I don’t even know what time it is. Erring on the side of caution, I drag the chair away from the door, grateful for the soft carpet that absorbs the sound and quietly open the door. The bathroom is bathed in a ghostly light as I pass through the large space toward the bedroom door. Gingerly, I open it and see the room’s in darkness. It’s so dark I can’t see if he’s sleeping and listen out for any signs of life.
I can’t hear anything and just tiptoe in the direction of the door and hope to god he doesn’t wake up and see me.
I manage to negotiate the bedroom and find my way to the little room off it that is also as black as the night sky. My ankle is killing me, reminding me that the earlier pain killers are now a distant memory, and I creep toward the door to the stairs.
My heart thumps with fear as I carefully open it and hope to god, I don’t miss my footing and stumble down them. My adrenalin levels are running high as I reach the bottom step and the passageway on the level below. Now I’m here, I feel a little afraid. It feels wrong to be creeping through his house in the dead of the night, but I have needs that I can’t ignore.
It’s difficult to find my way in a strange home, but I head downstairs hoping to find the kitchen to get what I need.
It’s so dark, but there are a few lights to aid my progress as I tiptoe stealthily through the house.
It feels like an adventure and I’m relishing it because my life has been as dull as ditch water up until this point.
As my feet touch the marble floor of the hallway, I feel euphoric. I made it.
Now I just need to find the kitchen.
As I walk through the large open space, I stare around me in wonder. This place - it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Who lives like this?
Each door opens into an impressive room that I wish I had longer to explore, but I’m on a mission that can’t wait.
Finally, I reach the kitchen and then stare in disbelief as Tobias faces me from the huge breakfast bar that dominates the room and says firmly, “There are two Tylenol and a glass of water here for you. Mrs Billings has left you a sandwich because you must be hungry and there’s coffee in the pot.”
My mouth falls open because it’s obvious he was expecting me. Then I notice that he has changed and my mouth falls open for a different reason. He’s wearing black sweat pants with a tight-fitting t-shirt. His huge biceps are resting on the counter and they are totally covered with black intricate tattoos that must have been painful to create. His hair is slightly messy on top and the stubble on his jaw is sexy as hell. He is barefoot and sits in his home like a sleeping tiger because his eyes flash with power as he directs the full force of it to me.
He points to the seat across from him and says firmly, “Sit. You must be hungry and in pain.”
I say nothing and just head toward him because even I know I’d be a fool to ignore my own needs. As I slip onto the stool, he slides the water toward me and says, “Take the pills then make sure you eat.”
My stomach growls, reminding me I’ve neglected it and the sight and smell of the sandwich is too much and I fall on it like a ravenous beast. I don’t look at him, acknowledge him, or speak because as far as I’m concerned, he has to earn it first. Then again, I feel a little foolish because from the moment we met he has been nothing short of a gentleman. He may have tricked me with the room, but aside from that he has behaved impeccably and catered to my every need. I feel a little bad as he sits beside me staring at his laptop and remember my manners and say softly, “Thank you.”
He looks up with questions in his eyes and I half smile.
“For the wedding, I never thanked you. It was beautiful.”
He leans back and looks at me with those deep, dark eyes and I feel as if I’m drowning.
Then he nods. “You’re welcome.”
He looks back to his computer and I take a sip of the coffee he poured for me and say. “And thank you for the lovely closet. You have been very generous.”
Again, he just looks up and nods. “It was my wedding gift to you.”
I stare at him in surprise and he laughs softly. “Sorry it wasn’t wrapped.”
I say nothing and just sip the hot drink, feeling a lot calmer than I did before and just a little foolish.
He looks down again and I wonder what he’s working on so late at night.
I try again. “Couldn’t you sleep?”
“I was waiting for you.”
“Me?”
Sighing, he snaps the laptop shut and stares at me with a twinkle in his eye that makes my breath hitch. “I knew you would come out eventually for food or some form of pain relief. I just waited here until you did.”
“Am I really so predictable?”
“Yes.”
He grins to take the sting from his words and I laugh softly.
Looking around, I stare in awe at the huge decadent kitchen that stretches the width of the entire house. It’s like a great hall filled with expensive gadgets and handmade carpentry. Granite worktops gleam and the chrome and stainless-steel shine and the chandeliers that hang from the ceiling sparkle in the lamplight.
I nod toward his computer. “Do you always work into the night?”
“Mostly.”
I stare at him in surprise and he shrugs. “I can’t sleep. It’s a problem that I gave up trying to solve years ago. Mainly I work in my bedroom suite but knew you’d be needing this so brought it downstairs.”
I feel bad and again a little ashamed and he says softly, “Don’t.”
“What?” I look at him in surprise and he smiles softly. “Don’t feel bad because you had every right to be angry.”
I’m not sure what to say because this man is surprising me with every word spoken.
“You are nothing like I imagined you to be.”
He laughs. “That’s good to know.”
“Why is it?”
“Because I know my reputation, Anastasia, and it’s not a good one. To be honest, I was intrigued to find you agreed to this wedding at all. Then I met your mother and I understood.”
He winks and I laugh a little and he says huskily, “It’s good to hear you laugh.”
“Is it?”
“Contrary to what you may think, little bird, I only want what’s best for you. Now, at the risk of you storming back to the closet, may I suggest you get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow and need to be up early.”
“Why, what’s happening?”
I feel the nerves return and his eyes flash as he stands and takes my hand, pulling me with him.
“I told you, tomorrow we go on our honeymoon. You asked me what I was working on so late into the night. It was the arrangements for our trip. Now we need to rest.”
“But…”
He pulls me along with him and I fight hard to get a breath. Honeymoon? What on earth is he playing at?
However, it soon dawns on me that I have a more urgent problem to deal with first because it appears that my new husband has decided he also needs to sleep and as we approach the bedroom, I feel the anxiety grip me hard.
We head into the room and I feel the nerves return as he nods toward the bed, “Which side do you sleep on?”
I feel so embarrassed and shrug, “You choose.”
I swallow hard as he pulls his shirt off and my mouth waters as I see the strong chest decorated with even more tattoos and the perfect six pack dancing before my eyes.
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He winks and says cheekily, “Don’t worry, I’ll keep the pants on, for tonight, anyway.”
I feel myself blushing as he pulls back the sheets and says with a challenge in his eyes, “In.”
Swallowing hard, I decide to just suck it up and quickly jump into the bed and edge as close to the side as possible, still fully dressed.
It appears to amuse him because he laughs softly and turns out the lamp, saying with amusement, “Sleep well my darling.”
Now the room is in darkness, I can start to relax. The bed is huge and he could be in the next room given the space between us. Maybe I was overreacting. After all, he’s right. How would it look? It didn’t mean he was going to pounce on me. I feel the heat tearing through me as I think about what that would mean. He wouldn’t be so happy then when he discovers his new bride is totally clueless about how to please a man. I’m guessing he wouldn’t feel lucky and the tears burn behind my eyes as I feel such a failure. I must be the oldest virgin in town because to my knowledge everyone else started years ago. I was saving myself, but for what? Now I may never know because it would mean begging this man to do the wicked deed and I would rather die than beg for something so… embarrassing.
I lie on my back and grip the sheet tightly to my body and listen out for any indication he sleeps. There is none and I lie like a frozen statue until somehow, against all the odds, I drift into a troubled sleep.
Chapter 13
Tobias
I wake early, as usual. However, for the first time in my life, I’m not alone. For a while, I just stare at my new bride. Her face has relaxed as she sleeps and as I watch her even breathing and the slight flush to her cheeks, I feel emotions I thought were lost to me. She seems so vulnerable and fragile and as if one touch could break her. Her blonde hair frames her face and those natural red lips are plump and desirable. She even bites them in her sleep and my cock twitches with undisguised impatience. Last night didn’t go as planned, and I have to remind myself to be patient. Good things come to those who wait, and she is definitely worth waiting for.
Completing Beauty: Books 1-3 Page 23
