Total pages in book: 209
Estimated words: 196085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 980(@200wpm)___ 784(@250wpm)___ 654(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 196085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 980(@200wpm)___ 784(@250wpm)___ 654(@300wpm)
And there I was, watching after him, wondering what the hell to do.
I pushed the wine glass across the table.
He asked me if I trusted him.
My stomach turned sour as I realized I had broken that trust yet again, in another way. The wine, I hadn’t even wanted it. I couldn’t even go one day without breaking the same rule that got all of us into this mess to start with.
7
The house was quiet when I slipped in through the back door. Every muscle in my body tensed as I tiptoed through the enormous house, fearful yet hopeful that I would find Adam and try to move past another day of unfortunate events.
He wasn’t in his office, or the bedroom, the kitchen or the great room. I was sure he would be waiting for me…his car was in the garage. But what if he was done? There was nothing worse than the silence. I would take almost any punishment, I just needed to hear his voice.
“Adam?” I called into the 12-foot ceilings of the entry, my voice echoing through the house.
“Yep. I’m right here.”
I spun as he stood along the ornate, curved iron railings of the upper walkway over the foyer, looking down, his dark suit still perfectly in place, his tie slightly loosened around his neck.
“I’m so sorry…” Tears quickly welled in my eyes as I frantically curled my fingers into fists, desperate not to cry.
“Disobedience. Dishonesty. Disrespect.” His deep voice intoned from above as he slipped his hands into his pockets.
My mind buzzed. How can I fix this?
“I know I screwed up. I thought I was doing the right thing, trying to keep him from calling the police. I should have called you. I know, I’m sorry.”
“You were disobedient by meeting with him and having a drink. You were dishonest because you lied to cover your tracks. You were disrespectful by not calling me first and telling me immediately when you got that delivery.”
“I know, you’re right on all of it.”
“You’ve made my head fucking turn inside out the last two days, right in the middle of probably the toughest shit I’ve had to slog through with my company. I’m a patient man, Angel, but I’m about at my limit.”
He shifted his weight and my heart almost stopped as he walked down the stairs. I knew in my own self-destructive way I was subconsciously pushing for him to leave. It’s something I’ve done my whole life. I push people. Push them and push them, trying to prove that they will leave.
I held my breath. I was sure his next words were going to be telling me it was over.
“You’re lucky I’m one of the toughest motherfuckers you’ll ever meet because I’m not giving up on us. We’re going to get through this. I’m a one-woman man, baby. And you’re that woman. There’s no one else for me. Not now, not ever. I’m a wolf. I mate for life, so let’s figure this shit out.”
He towered in front of me, his chest rising and falling. Filling the suit with each breath and his pulse throbbed in the vein on his forehead.
I stood straight, determined to do what I needed to do.
“What do we do? I’m sorry. I need to learn to think before I act. I’ve always been impulsive. I’ve always pushed people away. I know I have to work on me. My temper. The coping mechanisms I’ve developed to keep me safe. I have to trust you’ll listen, to know what’s good for me even when I don’t.” I hesitated. I messed up, but there was more. I needed to tell him all of it. “When I left today, I was planning to tell you I was done with this new…this new Daddy stuff with you.”
I swallowed hard, watching his face for any reaction, but He stood completely still. Intense and stoic as he listened.
“I need to tell you,” I said, “because I’m trying to trust you, Adam. I don’t want to keep secrets. I was ready to tell you it wasn’t going to work but…but, I just don’t think I understood it all. I was sure everyone would think we are weird. That you’re just a pervert. And for some reason, what everyone else might think mattered. But, now, I think I get it. And I’m ready to try.”
He nodded, watching my face, then took my hand in his. “Come here, follow me.”
He guided me into the back guest hallway. There were two large suites with attached bathrooms in this part of the house. We hardly ever came down here. The house was woefully large for us and we barely used a quarter of the rooms.
I followed as he opened the door to the largest of the guest suites. Inside was not what I expected. The entire room had been transformed. How and when he was able to do this without me knowing I had no idea.