Page 37 of Captivated By Him

And, screw him.

I’m grateful for the help he’s given me, but I’m not going to bend the knee for him. I’d rather be on my own then squashed beneath anyone’s thumb.

When he enters the kitchen area, I’m screwing the lid on the mayo jar. He heaves a heavy sigh then drops his keys on the kitchen island on his way to the refrigerator behind me. The door opens then closes and then a beer bottle cap is tossed on the countertop near me.

When I look up at him, he’s turned away, walking toward the large industrial windows overlooking the street below. He puts one hand on his hip while bringing the beer up to his lips with the other.

He’s wearing a light blue button-down shirt tucked neatly into his black slacks. The custom fit of his clothing gives me a clear view of his lean muscular physique. A part of me wants to go to him, to wrap my arms around his waist and hug him, to help alleviate the tension building in his back.

“I was hungry,” I say as I slice the knife through my sandwich, cutting it corner to corner.

“I was clear on where you were to wait.” He sounds distant, tired.

“You were gone a long time.” I quietly place the knife down beside my plate. The ham sandwich no longer looks appetizing.

“What’s wrong?” I ask when he only shakes his head and takes another sip of his beer. “You can’t be surprised to find me down here.”

“I’m not.” He turns to me, his lips fixed in a deep frown.

“What happened after I left?” He’s looking entirely too serious for a man who’s a little irritated by me not sitting in a damn bedroom waiting on him.

He moves back to the island and puts his beer on the counter. “You’re not going to like it.”

My jaw tenses. “Did Henry come back?”

“No, nothing like that.” He slides closer to me. “But he might. He didn’t exactly look so happy about you working for me. Piotr said it looked bad, made Henry think you planned everything so you could run back here.”

“Henry doesn’t know you and I have any history.” Henry doesn’t know the first thing about me. I was nothing but a possession to him.

“It doesn’t matter what he knows. What matters is what he thinks he knows. What Piotr thinks he knows.”

I lean my hip against the counter. “I have no ties with them. I’ve never worked for them and I owe them nothing. Why don’t they just leave me alone?”

“I’m not sure, but the fact remains you’re still not out of the woods yet.”

I blow out a hard breath.

“So, in order to keep you safe. In order to make sure you can have the full protection of the Staszek family.” He slips his hand beneath my hair, cupping my cheek. “You and I have to get married.”

My first instinct is to laugh. The second reaction is to pull away, but he’s got a good grip on me.

“No. Absolutely not. You’re insane.”

“It’s not a question, Nicole. My father won’t intervene on your behalf a second time unless you’re my wife.”

I shove his hand away and step away from him. “Fine. I don’t need the protection of your family. I’ll just go. I can head to Wisconsin or Michigan. Or California. I don’t have to stay in Chicago.”

“If Henry wants you, he’ll find you. Running away changes nothing.”

“But if I’m married to you, it will?”

“If you’re married to me then he’ll be put on a leash.”

“Look.” I shove my hands through my hair and pull it up off my neck. It’s too hot in here. “This isn’t your problem. Or your father’s. I’ll go and then you won’t have to worry about it.”

He grabs my elbow when I try to leave and yanks me back to him. The anger I saw in him at the club has returned, twofold. His lips are pressed together in a thin line, his eyes darkened to nearly black. “It is my problem, Nicole. Do you really think I could just let you wander off not knowing if you’re safe?”

“I’m releasing you from any duty you seem to feel. I’m fine on my own.”

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