Page 84 of Brutal Promise

“You’re being unreasonable. The Russian and Irish mafia in New York both have people hunting you. You would have been a sitting duck in New York, and you know it.” My fists clench as I control the urge to punch a wall. Surely she will see my reasoning and be logical.

“Over what? No one can tell me what these men want from me. We have no idea when this will be over, and I’m so tired.” Her voice fades away, demonstrating just how exhausting all this has been for her. I should’ve seen this coming. This is all new to her, and she’s gone from a life of freedom to one in a gilded cage. She slumps onto the edge of the bed.

“I can’t live in New York. I can’t call my aunt and tell her what’s going on. My only friend is thousands of miles away, and I have to live by rules I don’t understand,” she sobs. “I’ve lost everything meaningful in my life because of you.” Tears run down her face. She wipes them with the back of her hand, smearing her eye makeup.

She has a point. This is what we do to our women. It saddens me to see her distraught. My heart aches, but my mind is focused on her safety. I can’t cave to her demands. As much as I want to tell her what she wants to hear, I can’t. I’m a bastard for keeping secrets, but I know what’s best for her and what’s best for us.

“Alena will be here for the wedding,” I reply softly as I approach the bed. “Your aunt will be here as well. I’ve sent her encrypted messages introducing myself, and you’ll find emails from her on your phone. I’m routing your emails through servers that can’t be traced. You’re free to talk to her and Alena about the wedding. The venue has been announced and is public knowledge.”

“Why now? Couldn’t you do this before?” She raises her head and sniffles, wiping her nose on her sleeve.

I grab a tissue from the nightstand and hand it to her. She dabs at her nose. I lean over her and place a kiss on her forehead. “I could only do so much at the time. Besides, I wanted you to spend time with me without the interference of others saying you don’t know me well enough to get married. Your aunt has to believe we’re in love. The entire world has to believe we’re in love.”

“And do you?” She sniffles, staring at her hands.

“Do I what?”

“Love me?” She lifts her head to meet my gaze. Looking into her eyes, my walls come down.

“I do love you, Isabella. Why else would I go to such lengths to keep you safe and give up my freedom?”

A tear slips from her eye. She quickly dabs it away.

“Tell me now if you don’t love me, Isabella.” My voice is raw. I’m exposed, but I have to know where she stands.

“I love you, too,” she says. Her voice is soft as it fills my ears. I’m in disbelief but ecstatic.

I exhale. I didn’t even realize I was holding my breath while I was waiting for her answer. I hope she knows we’re not just fucking. I make love to her, and my heart is full of the promise of a new life with her beside me. She will keep me from slipping into the fray.

“Do you feel better?” I ask as I slip my arms around her and pull her into my chest.

“I guess.” She lays her head on my shoulder. I brush her hair away from her face.

“Good. I want to make love to you. You drive me to distraction, but that’s okay. You’re my light on the darkest night, and I won’t be denied,” I whisper into her ear.

She’s limp in my arms. Her blue-gray eyes are full of emotion as my lips descend upon her. I run my hand through her hair and pull her mouth into mine. We kiss and shed our clothing, throwing it about the room without thinking of anything but each other.

She lies on the bed, her breasts glistening under the soft light in the room. My cock is hard. I crawl onto the bed, slipping my fingers inside the woman I love. She’s wet and spreads her legs for me.

I pull my fingers out and grab my cock, lining him up at her entrance. I lean over her, and she places a hand next to the bluebird I had tattooed on my chest today.

“Is that?” Her eyes search mine.

“It’s for you, my love. You are my soul.”

I enter her, and my world becomes a kaleidoscope. Images, feelings, and what the future will hold all merge together in my head. Her folds are slick, welcoming me. I balance myself on one arm as I lay over her and grab her firm ass cheek with the other. She’s my woman. I’ll be damned if I go a day without sinking my cock in her. I thrust into her. She moans under me. Her breathing comes quicker.

When our eyes meet, It’s a meeting of souls. My heart may be black, but it’s there for her taking. We’re suspended in time as we share this special moment and meet each other halfway, letting our bodies do the talking.

She clutches at my biceps, and I feel her clit quicken as her head tilts back, and she screams my name when she comes. I thrust in her three more times, and my world explodes. I shudder under the intensity. It’s as if I’d been choked out. All my blood flows to my head in a rush. I give myself a minute to recover before I fall beside her. She’s given me the workout of a lifetime, and I’m satiated. For a man who has resumed his regimented days at the gym since we arrived, I should be embarrassed she kicked my ass. Instead, I smile and stare at the ceiling, enjoying the feel of her arm draped across my newly tatted chest.

“Before I forget, your wedding ring has an embedded microchip in case you’re ever taken, and we need to track you. It will only be on my devices, but it’s for your safety.” I turn and find Izzy’s body is relaxed. Her body is soft and warm. “With or without a microchip, I’ll always find you, Isabella. You are mine, forever.” She turns to face me and runs her fingers on the outskirts of the new tattoo.

“And you belong to me,” she whispers.

29

IZZY

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