Page 53 of Sacred Vow

“You can’t marry me, Andrei. You need to marry a woman who is used to all this.” She waves her hands around the room. “Someone who understands your world, who is beautiful and can host huge dinner parties and all that other stuff. Someone who won’t care if you leave in the middle of the night for a meeting and who won’t question you when you come home with blood on your collar.”

“You’re beautiful, Isolde.” Her cheeks burn with the compliment. But it’s not really a compliment, it’s simply the truth. She’s fucking gorgeous. “I don’t want a woman who won’t care if I leave her in the middle of the night. And I would be bored with a woman who never questioned me.”

I don’t want anyone else.

I want her.

Only her.

And I won’t stop until I get what I want.

I take a step in her direction, around the couch. Every step she takes in retreat makes my cock harder. I’ll chase her if she needs it, but I’ll catch her. And I’ll capture her. And I’ll possess her in the end.

“All right.” She takes cover behind a chair. “How about this. You give me a week. I’ll try to get my memory back, and if I do and you say I have to marry you still, I will. But if the memory doesn’t put me in any more danger, you let me go. No more chasing. No more tracking me down. And no more punishments.”

“I don’t make deals.” I take another step. The chair blocks me from her.

“That’s not true. You make deals all the time.” She points at me. “It’s like your whole thing. Make a deal with me.”

“No.” I stop when the chair touches my legs.

“No?”

“That’s what I said.”

“You can’t say no.”

“I just did.”

She’s getting flustered, and it’s fucking intoxicating.

“Be serious.” She shifts from one foot to the other, trying to play with my mind. Will she go to the left, the right? It doesn’t matter. I’ll catch her either direction.

I’ll always catch her.

“Do you think I’m a joking sort of guy?” I push back my suit jacket, hooking my hands on my hips. Her eyes dart to the gun I have strapped at my side.

I hadn’t intended for her to see it, but I have her full attention now.

“No. I guess not.” Her throat works as she swallows hard, dragging her eyes back to mine.

“I’m not making a deal, but I will give you time to adjust to the idea. I won’t drag you in front of a judge tomorrow. I won’t even bring one here. I’ll give you until the weekend.” I’m being more gracious than I need to be, and it’s all because I’m chasing that fucking smile of hers.

“The weekend?”

“Yes. Saturday afternoon.” Unless things get more heated, but I’ll deal with that bridge once it’s on fire.

“And if I’m able to get my memory back?”

I lift a shoulder. “Doesn’t matter. I’ve made my decision. You’ll marry me.”

“And you always get what you want?” She’s trying to sound snarky, but it comes out with a little tremor to her voice.

“Always.” I nod.

“Even if I don’t want to marry you?” Her dilated pupils aren’t giving me the same information as her mouth.

“I made a vow to always keep you safe.”

---