Page 17 of Cayden

“I am not going anywhere with you.” She told him haughtily.

“You think you have a choice?”

She started to ignore him, but instinct warned her that he was on the brink of exploding.

“I should say goodbye to…”

“Not bloody likely.” Practically shoving her arms into the coat, he hustled her out of the room, by gripping her tight and steering her through the crowd. He did not seem to care that they were garnering a lot of attention.

“What’s that about?” Alberto asked his wife as he came to stand next to her.

“Jealousy.” Marianne sighed softly. “And another story for the eager looking reporter from ‘Tell All’ to write.”

Out in the chilly night air, Blair struggled to regain her composure as Cayden's grip on her arm remained unyielding. The valet came running to claim the key fob while they waited. Cayden’s anger was palpable, a storm barely contained beneath the surface of his usually composed demeanor and Blair thought it prudent to remain silent.

Once inside the car, the silence was deafening. Blair could feel the tension radiating off him in waves. She wanted to confront him, demand an explanation for his rash behavior, but the words caught in her throat. Instead, she stared out of the window, watching the city lights blur as they sped away from the party.

“Where are we going?” She demanded when the tension became too much for her to bear.

“Just shut the hell up!” He snapped. “Do you have any idea how close I was to losing control back there?” Cayden’s voice was low, but the intensity of his fury was unmistakable.

Blair turned to face him, her own anger bubbling up. “And what right did you have to drag me out of there like that?”

His eyes blazed as they met hers. “I could not stand to see him touch you. Not Clive, not anyone. You belong to me.”

Her breath hitched at his words, a mix of anger and something else she could not quite define. “You cannot control me, Cayden. I am not some possession you can claim.”

“You’re mine.” He repeated, his voice dangerously low. “Don’t you ever forget that.”

Clamping her mouth shut, she turned her head away to stare out at the blur of lights as the city faded behind them. A frown touched her forehead when she noticed they were going in the opposite direction from the manor. He was driving fast and very soon the city was behind them, the lights giving way to a more rural area.

“Where are you taking me?” She turned her head to look at him and his profile had her catching her breath. His face was harsh and taut, his mouth tight. His knuckles gripping the steering wheel had turned white.

“Are you attracted to him?”

“What?”

“My brother. The way you two were carrying on earlier, leaves me to wonder if something is going on.”

She simply stared at him. “Have you gone mad?”

He slid a glance at her, his eyes lingering on her lips and for some reason, which made him even more furious. “What are you wearing under that scrap you call a dress?”

“A nude colored teddy.”

“When did you buy it?” He asked tightly.

“When we were in Italy.”

“And you decided to wear it to entice the men at the party, including my brother.”

Her eyes flashed. “I wore it because I liked it. I certainly do not need to entice anyone. Including you.”

He did not answer, and she saw when he touched the left turn signal that took them towards a gravelly road with trees towering on both sides.

“Where are we?”

“Somewhere we can be alone.” His mouth twisted as he slowed the vehicle down. “We need to go over some rules.” He brought the vehicle to a halt outside a very rustic looking cabin. “One – this is the first and last time you will be wearing that dress.”

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