Page 33 of Captive Bride

Tristan

The rain is falling, making me drenched.

I don’t fucking care.

My energy is laser-focused…on her.

This kidnapping better go according to plan, or there’ll be hell to pay.

I’m waiting in the back alley of the Capulet fortress.

This is so unlike me. I don’t really go out of my way to break into places. I have men to do that for me.

But tonight is different. She has to see it’s me.

I tried to earn her trust so that she wouldn’t be afraid when I come pounding on her door. But something tells me Isobel Capulet is not gonna be too happy when she finds out I’m a Montague.

Benny waits with me in the alleyway, and soon, Merc is opening the door from the inside.

We have guys everywhere. It’s almost sad how shallow loyalties lie. Wave some money in front of a person, and they’ll switch sides in an instant.

But I’m not complaining. Tonight, these spies of ours have really come in handy.

I go into the building and leave Merc and Benny to sort out the details of how we’re gonna get home. One of the bodyguards tells me which apartment she’s in, and I go find her.

Soon, I’m standing in front of her apartment door, and I find myself having to take a deep breath.

She just does that to me. She’s electrifying, and she sets my heart on fire.

What can I say? She’s the most beautiful goddamn thing I’ve ever seen in my life.

I knock on the door and don’t hear anything, so I knock louder.

And then I think, What am I doing knocking on her door? I’m here to kidnap her. I might as well break the damn thing down to get what I want—her.

And so I pound on the door, and something just tells me she’s in there. It’s too quiet. I realize this might be her worst nightmare coming true, but I have hope that when she sees it me, things will change.

If she’s a good girl, she’ll go with me willingly. Otherwise, we’ll have to do things the hard way.

I knock one more time and then easily bust the door in. I see her standing there with a white blanket wrapped around her shoulders, and her eyes widen to see that it’s me.

Then things start to register. She sees that I’m a potential enemy, and she takes a step back as though anything could keep me from her now.

Fuck me.

Is it possible that she looks more gorgeous wrapped in a blanket than she does wearing a ten thousand-dollar dress?

She’s a sight for sore eyes. I never expected to see her like this, undressed and vulnerable. I have to fight the urge to snatch the blanket off to see her beautiful body uncovered.

“What are you doing here?” she demands.

I smile at her in a devilish way. The moment has come for her to find out.

“I’m here to help you make your escape.”

“Um, you could’ve just knocked. I was gonna answer it.”

“I’m impatient,” I shrug. “Now come with me.”