Page 84 of Malicious Wedding

“Carson can go to hell.”

I turn and storm out of the room.

Chapter36

Ash

I’m terrified as I pound on his door.

Nobody’s on the block. No Fitz, no soldiers. I halfway expect him not to answer, but the second after I knock twice, the familiar sound of the bolt slamming back into its housing makes me jump.

“You can come in,” he says over the intercom.

“No, thanks. If you want to talk, you can talk to me here.” I move back down the stoop and stand on the sidewalk, hands on my hips.

He appears a moment later. Carson, my gorgeous Carson. My breath catches and my heart stutters, as confused as I feel. He’s wearing slacks, a button-down, the top three buttons undone, the sleeves rolled to show off his forearms like he knew I was on the way and wanted to make himself look as much like sex incarnate as possible. I blink rapidly, trying not to look at his messy hair, his full lips, that incredibly intense stare he levels on me.

I spent a few days in this man’s bed, and I feel like I haven’t left it since.

“I missed you,” he says, his voice low and resonant.

I flinch, turning to the side. “Don’t try anything, okay? If you come down off that stoop, I’ll scream until your neighbors come out.” I glance at him, jaw set. “Do you understand?”

His smirk makes my blood turn to ice water. “Do you really think I don’t own this entire block?”

My mouth works, but I shake my head, clearing it. He’s trying to fuck with me, but I won’t let him. I hold up the ring instead. “It’s a nice trick, what you keep doing.”

“Thank you.”

“How’d you find it this time?”

“Contacts at the water station. Took a lot of money and a lot of manpower. Please don’t do that again. They’ll be angry with me, and I’ll be forced to buy the whole place.”

“You really would, wouldn’t you?” I sigh and toss the ring at him. “I don’t want it.”

He catches it. “But it’s yours.” He throws it back.

Despite myself, I let it fall into my palms. I squeeze them shut. “Why won’t you leave me alone?”

“You know why.” He comes down a step.

“Stop it. I told you not to come closer.”

“You said not to come down off the stoop.” He comes down another step. “I have one more to go.”

“Please, Carson. Please, can you just leave me alone? You lied to me. You manipulated me. I can’t trust myself with you.”

“Then don’t.” His tone is plaintive. Almost begging. “Trust that I have your best interests at heart. Trust that I’ll never hurt you, and I’ll never let harm come to those you care about. Trust that I love you deeply, in a way you may never understand.”

“You’re mentally unstable.”

“I acknowledge that and don’t deny it.”

“I should run screaming.”

“Probably. But you won’t.” He moves down to the last step but doesn’t come onto the sidewalk.

Following my wishes yet again.

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