Page 74 of The Hermit

“No. I like the view.”

“You can’t see shit. There’s only clouds.”

Suddenly, the whole plane shakes as we hit turbulence, and I let out a squeak.

“Don’t worry,” Dominik says. “We have parachutes on board.”

“I’ve never done that before, so I’ll probably just splat to death.”

He chuckles again, and this time I look at him.

“There’s no way I’ll ever let you jump on your own. I’ll strap you to me.”

I’m quickly realizing that the man I married is overly possessive and protective, completely the opposite of what I thought when I met him.

But just with me.

When he talks to others, I see how he struggles not to lose his temper and how quickly he gets annoyed.

Before I stop the question, I ask, “Have you ever been in love?”

He shakes his head. “I’ve never met someone who interested me.”

Until me.

The thought has satisfaction trickling into my chest, and a smile spreads over my face.

The private jet descends, and soon, we touch down on the runway.

“Have you been in love?” Dominik asks.

I shake my head. “No. I wasn’t allowed to date, and Braden was my first relationship, if you can even call it that.”

Dominik leans his head closer to me. “I’m sorry he was your first.”

His words have a significant impact on me, and I can only nod.

The aircraft comes to a stop, and before I can reach for my seat belt, Dominik unfastens it.

“Let’s get out of here.” He gets up and only glances in Evinka’s direction, saying, “Be safe out there.”

She gives him a chin lift and waves at me.

“See you,” I say while rushing after Dominik, noticing James hurrying to bring our luggage.

When I descend the stairs, Dominik is already halfway to the Hummer. I watch as he glances around the area, then opens the passenger door.

“Good God,” I mutter when I reach him. “In a hurry much?”

“Definitely,” he grumbles while I climb into the passenger seat.

He shuts the door and walks around the front to the driver's side while James loads our luggage into the trunk. The poor guard hardly gets time to shut it before Dominik starts the engine and pulls away.

“Why the hurry?” I ask.

“My social battery is depleted,” he answers, and only when we turn onto the main road does he seem to relax a little.

“Is it really that difficult for you to be around people?” I ask.

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