Page 42 of Captive Bride

Isobel shuffles her feet, looking around the room.

I laugh. Did Isobel expect this place to be a hole in the wall dive? My family has money—as much of it or more than her own family. We’re fucking billionaires, and I live in style.

I want her bad, but I won’t force that. She needs to want me, too.

Hopefully she does soon, because my cock is so rock hard.

I can smell her perfume lingering around her. The way a strand of blonde hair hangs in her face makes it hard to keep my hands to myself.

“Your hair…it’s soft,” I say, reaching out and pushing the golden lock behind her ear. “Better now,” I whisper.

She didn’t smack me, so maybe that’s a good sign.

“I want to go home. If you let me go, I’ll never tell my family who it was that kidnapped me. Okay?” she asks, trying to make a deal for herself.

I trace my finger over the dark oak table in the foyer, trying hard to contain a laugh. It would be rude of me to make fun of Isobel.

“No, but thank you for being worried about me getting in trouble,” I say.

I care about this woman. Even if there was a way to let her go, I wouldn’t. I want her here with me.

I’m hoping to make her feel something about me, something akin to what I feel for her. I thought she did, but this kidnapping has changed the way she looked at me. She doesn’t trust me anymore.

Benny’s in the kitchen making a sandwich. The guy only ever thinks about food.

“Fridge is fully stocked with food for us. Even some of those fancy little bottles of imported water,” he calls out.

I shake my head, laughing. It’s a water bottle, not a bottle of Dom Perignon.

I exhale sharply, my eyes never diverting from Isobel. Her beauty holds me captive.

“Give it a chance here. I won’t hurt you. I promise,” I whisper.

I have a reputation to protect. I don’t need anyone thinking that I’m going soft because Isobel is beautiful. But goddamn, she’s luminescent.

“I won’t give it a chance...ever,” Isobel says.

I know this will be rough for her, but I can’t let her go.

I listen to the sound of the rain hitting the roof. It’s always been one of my favorite sounds. Well, that and thunderstorms, and the sound of a woman crying my name as I thrust into her.

I digress. I already know that Isobel’s the one, and I won’t be thinking about another woman anytime soon.

“Benny will show you to the tower in the east wing. Yes, you’ll be locked in your room,” I say.

Isobel opens her mouth but shuts it quick.

I won’t take any chances on her escaping.

And I want to kiss her, but I can’t. Not now.

I don’t want Benny or Merc to think that I can’t be trusted. I don’t anyone to know the feelings I have for her.

I hope that in due time, she’ll understand that this is all for business, nothing personal. And most of all, she needs to know that I would never hurt her.

“Locked in a tower? Am I Rapunzel?” Isobel laughs wickedly.

I know sarcasm when I hear it.

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