Page 51 of Surprise Pregnancy for Villain

Get your mind out of the gutter, Nicki! You need to talk to him.

I shake my head and retain my focus. With a deep breath, I turn to Ezio and ask him, “When you said earlier that you liked me, what did you mean by that?”

“Huh?” He looks genuinely confused as he dries his hair with another towel.

“You said earlier that you ‘don’t do this for anyone’,” I repeat. “What do you mean by that?”

“It means I like you,” he says as if it were the most obvious answer.

I was right — Ezio isn’t a master when it comes to talking about his feelings. He removes his towel and slips into bed naked. He starts kissing me again, but this time, I stop him.

“Come on, Nicki,” he mutters.

“No making out,” I insist. “This is important.”

“I don’t understand,” he says. “I already told you I liked you. Is there an issue?”

“Look, I’m really into you, Ezio. I want to know if you likelikeme or is this only about the sex? Are you going to toss me by the wayside when this is over?”

He gives me a long, gaping stare. “Where did that concern come from, Nicki?”

“I don’t want to be another man’s property.”

“What?”

“However temporary it might be.”

Ezio mouth flies shut. He pushes up to a sitting position. “I don’t understand. Have I ever treated you like property?”

“Not yet…”

“Are you serious?”

“Ezio, I gave myself to you without knowing who you are. What you want. I don’t know if what you feel for me will last beyond this bed. As much as I want to escape my father’s clutches, I’d rather go back to him than be in a situation where I feel unsure.”

“So, you’d rather agree to an abusive marriage than take a chance with me.”

“That’s not what I’m saying.”

“Enlighten me then, Nicki.”

I push up to sit, leaning over on my arms to face him directly. “I want to know how you feel about me.”

“Haven’t I been showing you that?”

“I need to hear you say it.”

Ezio shakes his head. “What you need is a fight, for whatever reason that’s unclear to me. I won’t give that to you.”

He gets off the bed, and I stare at his broad back, anger surging through me. “Just admit it, Ezio. You only want me for sex. When this is over, you’ll just toss me aside. That’s what you all do in our world.”

Ezio sighs. “Well, you already know, right?”

My eyes sting with incoming tears. “Finally, some honesty.”

“Nicki.” Ezio turns around. His expression looks pained. “That came out wrong. Let’s start over—”

“No. I really want to be alone right now.”

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