Page 262 of Hateful Games

She blinks, exhaling roughly as if my words reached a deeper part of her. She may not be living under her father’s thumb, but his twisted and choking hold on her for years still lingers. No matter how long it takes, I’ll free her of them.

She sheepishly replies, “It’s become a habit.”

“I know.”

“I love driving at night on the highway. Especially to lift my mood and forget all the worries. I would take Raghu’s help to sneak out past the bodyguards or my dad.”

Raising her hand to mine, I kiss the back of her palm and say, “No more sneaking out. We’ll go whenever you wish. Besides, someone has to drive all the sports cars they recently bought.”

Her curls sway as she laughs and embarrassingly admits, “I thought you’d back out, Nova. I should’ve known better.”

“I should’ve known better than to piss you off. I’m just glad you didn’t burn them.”

“I’m never living that one down, am I?”

“Afraid not, little hellion.”

Playfully smacking my shoulder, she jumps down from the counter. Placing her plate in the sink, she excitedly turns to me. “If we go now, we can catch my fave ice cream truck along the highway.”

The stool scrapes on the floor as I stand.

“Do you want to take them?” I flick my chin toward the dogs, who perk up from their nap at the sound of ice cream.

“Why? Is it because you secretly adore them?”

“I would rather they don’t destroy the house while we’re gone.”

“I don’t ever lie, my ass.”

“You itching for a spanking, sweetheart?” I tease, reaching for her.

She skirts away with a smirk. “I’m sore, remember?”

“If we didn’t have to go now, I’d show you just how sore you aren’t.” Caging her against the island, I bend to bite where her neck meets her collarbone. I suck hard until it’ll leave a mark before soothing the sting with my tongue. Her gaze is half-lidded, burning with lust when I pull back.

I love that I put the look there.

That the pain I saw when I found her is gone and she chose to be vulnerable with me. To let me take care of her. Conquering the world, taking my legacy to new heights didn’t bring as much contentedness and satisfaction as making her smile tonight did.

Every single best memory of my life paled to this moment.

Her staring at me with desire, trust, and mischief.

“Pick whichever car you want to drive,” I tell her. “I’ll get changed and meet you outside.”

Chapter Sixty-seven

Rosalie

I think it’s the first time in my life I’ve set an early alarm.

Or it’s been so long that I can’t even remember.

Whatever the reason, I’m proud of myself when I rise to it instead of listening to my first instinct of silencing it. Along with throwing my phone far away. The side next to me is empty, Nova’s musky and masculine scent lingering strongly.

A huge girly smile fights its way through, making me hide my face in his pillow.

Last night was wonderfully dreamy, despite Veer’s sudden loss. Even though I suspected there was a chance, it still crushed me gravely. I couldn’t even say a proper goodbye because they had to bury him. The next two dogs, one a young pup and the other a badly injured ten-year-old, had their own heartbreaking incidents that brought tears to my eyes.

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