Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 76820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
I watch as her confusion grows and turn to face her. “As I’ve said before, it would be nice to know you can survive in the world once I let you go.”
Slowly she shakes her head. “You’re the weirdest kidnapper.”
Laughing, I continue to unpack the books.
Every time I think we’re done, Rosalie changes her mind, and we start all over. First, the books are standing back to back, then they’re in piles.
Finally, when some are stacked on top of each other and others are standing, I ask, “Happy?”
“Yes.”
For the second time since I took her, a smile spreads over her face, transforming her into an otherworldly being. But the instant she notices I’m staring at her, the smile fades away, and it feels as if the sun is setting on my world.
“You have a beautiful smile, Little Rose,” I compliment her.
Just like earlier, an uncomfortable expression settles on her face.
“I know it’s going to take time, but one day you’ll realize I’m a man of my word.”
She turns her gaze to the books. “Don’t hold your breath.”
I step closer to her, and when I wrap my hand around the back of her neck, her lips part, and her pupils dilate.
She might hate me, but deep down, a part of her is attracted to me.
I stare into her eyes and watch as her breaths speed up. With her full attention on me, I say, “It doesn’t matter where you run to, Little Rose, I’ll always find you.”
I lift my other hand and frame her face. A million emotions flash through her eyes as I lean forward and press a kiss on her forehead. I take a deep breath of her soft natural scent. “Until I’m ready to let you go, you’re mine.”
Her breath hitches, and when I pull back, she frowns at me. “I’ll never be yours. Don’t talk about me as if I’m something you can possess.”
My fingers brush over the flush on her cheek, then I step away from her. “I saved your life, which means you belong to me.”
Anger explodes in her eyes. “Like hell! You and the rest of the Priesthood attacked my home, killed my family, and kidnapped me.”
There’s so much sorrow and hatred on her face, it makes me think she’ll never see me as anything but her enemy.
Rosalie presses her hand to her heart as she exclaims, “You didn’t save me, Viktor. You destroyed me.”
I stare at her for a moment before I say, “I don’t care if I have to be the villain in your story. At least I’ll keep you alive, and it’s the only thing that matters.”
She takes desperate breaths, then points to the door. “I’m done talking. Just leave.”
Hoping she’ll calm down before tonight so I can at least give her the puppy, I leave the bedroom and shut the door behind me.
She just needs time to realize everything I’ve done for her the past week was in her best interest. I have three years, so I’m not going to push her to accept me as her friend.
We did kill her family, and if someone did that to me, I’d want them dead.
The thought has me realizing that Rosalie will probably always see me as the enemy.
My phone starts to ring, and pulling it out of my pocket, I see Luca’s name flashing on the screen.
“Hey,” I answer as I take the stairs down to the living area.
“I haven’t heard from you in a while. Everything good?”
“Yes, I just made sure Rosalie got settled. What’s new on your end?” I walk into the study and take a seat behind my desk.
“Nothing new.” Luca pauses, then asks, “Are you really going to keep the girl?”
“She’s no longer a girl,” I reply as I type in the passwords on all my apps. “It’s her birthday today. She’s eighteen.”
“Jesus, Viktor. Should I be worried?”
When I chuckle, the warning is clear in the sound. “Did you seriously just ask me that?”
“Sorry.” Luca sighs. “It’s just so unlike you to do something like this.”
“Stop worrying about it.”
I search everywhere to check if Rosalie has been reported missing, but there’s nothing.
I shake my head. “You know what’s sad?”
“What?”
“No one even knows Rosalie is missing.”
“Yeah, that sucks.”
I hack into the security footage for Barnes and Noble and rewind to the time we were there.
“I have to go,” I say as my eyes focus on Rosalie’s face while she’s taking book after book off the shelf.
“Okay. Will I see you Friday night?”
“Yeah.”
We hang up, and I relax back in the chair, watching the footage of earlier. I take in all the emotions flashing over her beautiful face as she looks at the books.
The protective and possessive feelings I’ve had since I laid eyes on Rosalie have only grown over the past five days. It’s surreal how quickly I got used to having her in my space.