Page 58 of Command and Control: GHOST Operative

It doesn't seem like that's what's going to happen.

Julieanne squints at me, like she's trying to see more. "Why is all my stuff here, Vincent?"

"I told you I was having your things shipped here." It’s not the answer she wants, but I can’t give her that. I don’t know how.

She scoffs, throwing both hands out to gesture at the piles behind her. "I thought you were going to send some of my clothes and my toothbrush." She turns and looks at the stacks again, like they might be different than they were. "This iseverythingfrom my condo. You literally packed up my whole life and sent it here." Her eyes slide back to me, narrowing. "Except for my fucking computers."

I stand tall under her scrutiny. I'm not ashamed of what I did, and I sure as fuck won't take it back. "Your computers are in Alaska, they're just not here."

Her outstretched arms bend, bringing both hands to rest on her head. "So, what? I'm just gonna sit here in your house?" She shakes her head. "What about my job? What about my kids? What about my mortgage?"

"Your mortgage is paid." I shrug. "You spoke with your sons this morning. I assume they're fine." I unzip my coat, intending to go inside. "And you don't need your job anymore."

She stares at me, mouth hanging open, eyes wide. "I do need my job. I have two boys to help put through college. I have to work to do that, Vincent." Her hands drop, the tip of her chin lifting. "And since you won't hire me atGHOST, I need to work somewhere, and I need my computer to do that."

I take a breath, knowing what I'm about to say isn't going to go over well. "You don't work for them anymore. Your letter of resignation has already been sent." I ignore the shrill screech of outrage she makes and continue. "The mortgage on your condo has been paid off and it's being put up for sale tomorrow morning. The rest of your sons’ tuition is paid for the year and next year will be paid as soon as they choose their courses."

Julieanne gapes at me. "You can't just come into my life and make all those decisions for me."

I nod. "I can, and I did." I step closer, falling back into my old ways even though I know they don't work on her. "You've made your choices, Julieanne. I tried to warn you, and you chose not to listen, so now you have to live with them."

This is all her doing. If only she’d stayed in her lane, none of this would've happened. She would still be in her little condo, baking her little cookies, getting herself off with her little pink fucking vibrator.

Which reminds me.

I march over to the pile of furniture, shoving items aside so I can get to the one I want. After ripping the protective plastic away, I grab the drawer of her nightstand, yanking it all the way out before turning to go inside.

Julieanne follows behind me, slamming the door as she goes. "Vincent."

I ignore her. She can yell and scream all she wants, but what's done is done.

And she's not fucking leaving me. Not ever.

"Vincent." Her voice gets louder, but I don't slow down. I go straight into my bedroom—our bedroom—and dump the drawer out onto the bed. It's the same drawer the prick I shot in the dick had open when I was at her condo, and it wasn't hard to guess what was inside.

I'm still a little surprised at the variety in front of me.

"Vincent." Julieanne is right behind me now, her voice sharp.

I slowly turn to face her, ignoring the growing throb in my cock as I stare her down.

She blows out a frustrated breath. "This isn't how shit works. You know that, right?"

I stay silent because this is how shit is going to work.

She comes closer, continuing to glare at me. "What did you think was going to happen? Did you think you were just going to ship all my stuff here and I would just sweetly sit in your house for the rest of my life? Have you met me?" She continues closing the space between us, expression incredulous. "I get you've been alone for a very long time, but this is not how you start a relationship."

"This isn't a relationship, Angel Face." I finally give in, grabbing her and pulling her body against mine. I brace one hand around her throat, using it to tilt her head back so she continues meeting my gaze. "You aremine. You belongtome. You belongwithme." It's unhinged, even I know that, but it's how it will always have to be. “I can't be with someone halfway, Jules. I need all or nothing, and you had your chance to choose nothing." Leaning closer, I bring my eyes level with hers. "The second you spread those perfect fucking thighs so I could watch you push that pink vibrator into your pretty pink pussy, you made your choice."

Julieanne’s lips part on a gasp and her eyelids drop in arousal. "You can't possess someone, Vincent."

"Wrong." She doesn't understand. Hasn't seen what it's been like for me. "I have been fucking possessed since the day you showed up on my computer screen. I didn't admit it. Not to anyone. But that doesn’t make it any less true." I stroke my thumb against the racing thrum of her pulse. "I fought it. Did everything I could to distract myself." I huff out a bitter laugh at my own stupidity. "I fucking picked a fight with one of the few men I trust, hoping it would keep me from thinking about you. Keep me from hunting you down." I shake my head. "It didn't work. Nothing worked." Every day brought me closer and closer to the edge. An edge I couldn't avoid, in spite of my best efforts. "I changed my house for you, Jules. Put in a second sink. Added a fucking bathtub. And I made excuses for all of that too." It was so easy at the time to explain it all away. To let myself think I hadn't already gone over.

But I had. It was already too fucking late.

"And then, when I couldn't fucking take it anymore, I went to find you. Thinking I could scare you off. Force myself to have to leave you alone." I rock my jaw from side to side, my already hard dick is thickening almost to the point of pain. "But then you left thefuckingblinds open." I’m so close now our noses barely touch. "Forme. Because you wantedmeto see you." My voice is rough, my breathing ragged. "And I knew there was no way I could ever walk away from you.” The warmth of her breath puffs across my skin as she pants, her body sagging into mine. "If that's not possession, I don't know what the fuck is."

Julieanne's eyes move over my face. "I wasn'ttrying to—"

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