Page 89 of Bad Little Bride

My eyes fall to the massive bulge in his slacks, stretching the expensive material to its max, and when there’s a little twitchbehind the zipper, my tongue accidently slides across my lips. Instantly, I wince, my finger coming up to dab at my lower one.

“You made yourself bleed,” he tells me. “I’m tempted to punish you for it.”

I say nothing, just stare at those heated eyes.

“You look good in our bed, Little Bride,” he says, an unexpected softness woven in his raspy tone. “I think I got the green right.”

I frown in question, and he motions to the comforter. “Your eyes, they have many shades. I believe I captured them all.”

My heart beats a little harder, so I look away.

He hums, walking over to the far wall. When a flash catches my attention, I look to see he’s turned on the giant fireplace making up several feet in the center of the wall. Even the flames are green, though he changes them to a soft pink, and as he does, the entire room begins to glow with a matching trim, hidden LED lights coming to life and creating the perfect scene. I can imagine lying naked by the fire, a good book in hand, and the buttery blankets draped over my legs…a certain dark hazel-eyed man at my back, toying with my hair before taking it in his fist, if only to whisper the words on the page into my ear. Yes, I can see it now. He would enjoy reading to me, toying with me as he did. I think he would like that.

I know I would like that.

“It’s gorgeous, Enzo,” I have to admit.

“It was designed just for you,” he says, disappearing into the bathroom and coming back with a black silk bag. He steps up to the fire, pressing a button, and the glass casing pulls back. “In fact, most of the rooms in this house were gutted and redone, beginning the day I left you on that island.”

I’m speechless, slowly sitting up in the bed because I have the ridiculous need to see him better. “Why?”

He smiles to himself, eyes locked on the flames. “I was hoping the answer to that would be obvious, but how could it be when your armor only grows thicker.” His attention moves back to me then, and with one single blink, his entire expression changes.

He goes stone-cold. Indifferent. He goes into business mode. “Let’s get this over with, shall we?”

I’m too dazed, too thrown off by this moment of whiplash to follow, so I simply watch as he unties the small sash on the silk bag, pulling out three small, black compacts, and my heart falls to my feet.

“Enzo—”

“If you think making me believe you’re unable to give me an heir would be enough for me to let you go, you’re wrong.” He speaks with zero emotion, just an underlining sense of certainty. “I don’t know how many times I have to say it, but there is no escape for you. I am your refuge, your asylum, your home.”

His words sink deep, deeper than I care to admit, but they don’t cut. Not in the slightest.

No, they’re kindling to the dying flame our little rendezvous this evening nearly extinguished, bringing to life the fire that I never should have allowed to be snuffed out, as unintentional as it was.

Just like that, I remember who I am and the situation I’m in, and you know what?

Fuck him.

I climb to my feet, my dress falling back into place along my thighs. He wants to talk. Fine. Let’s see if the heated bastard can handle the cold, hard truth.

“That’s not why I asked for those.”

“Do not lie to me.” Anger blankets his features now and he takes a step forward. “You signed a contract that said youhadto give me an heir or I could void the agreement, no questions. I amtelling you right now I will not. Baby or no baby. I want you. I will keep you, so I’ll say it again. Do not lie to me. Own it.”

His wrath grows with every word, even more so as he takes in the utter ease in which I stand before him.

So I shrug a careless shoulder, bending my hip to go for total nonchalance. “I’m not lying.”

“No?!”

“Nope.”

“Then why?” he rages.

“You wanna know why,husband?” I lift my brows. “I’ll tell you.”

I move toward him with unhurried steps, noting the way his hands shake at his sides, and I don’t stop until we are toe-to-toe, his head dipped, my neck stretched back.

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