Page 54 of Deal with the Devil

His eyes snap to mine. “How?”

I shake my head. “Kane, this is your space. I feel like—like I’m invading.”

“You’re my wife.”

“But—”

“My wife, Nevaeh.”

I swallow hard, but say softly, “Okay, I understand. But see this from my perspective, Kane. Please.”

“I’m listening.” He looks like he’s teetering on frustration.

“I’ve only been in here once before. I have none of my things in here. I don’t even know which side of the bed is supposed to be mine?—”

He interrupts, “I sleep closest to the door.”

“Okay.” I press on, “I need a shower, because it’s been a long day and I feel sticky—I have nothing inyour bathroom. It’s all in my bathroom, in my bedroom.”

“We’ll move everything tomorrow.”

“Kane.”

“You can use my stuff tonight, Sunshine.” He quirks the first grin since we walked inside. “Think I’ll like you smelling like me.”

I huff. “I’m serious, Kane.”

“So am I.” He crowds me again. Again, my silly heart lurches. “I want me all over you, Nevaeh. Always. So every other man knows who you belong to.” He growls a low, possessive sound against my throat. “Soyouknow who you belong to.”

“And who do you belong to?” My breath hitches. My stomach—it’s in stitches. Knots. All twisted up for this man who isn’t really mine.

“You.”

Oh, heaven help me. This man is going to destroy me.

“Kane,” I protest. I’m not even sure what I’m protesting.

“You’re nervous, so I’m going to take over now, yeah?”

What?I hesitate, asking, “Take over?”

He says nothing as he takes my hand in his again, the tatted skin closing around my unmarked flesh. Then he’s pulling me deeper into his space, into a bathroom done completely in shades of black. Butwhat’s even more astonishing is the wall of glass that looks out over the private master balcony. The view is…

“Wow.”

“It’s privacy glass. No one can see in,” he assures me. I hadn’t even gotten there yet, too concentrated on the view of the shimmering dark sea reflecting the light of the moon over gentle ripples. “But if you don’t want to see out, this button will drop the blinds.”

“I’ve never seen a bathroom like this.” I marvel. “Not even in those home and garden magazines Mama loves.”

He chuckles. “You like it?”

“I love it.” I marvel at the big splash of green that sits outside to the far corner of the balcony. I’m not sure what kind of tree it is, but it’s done well in that pot to have grown that big.

I’m still marveling at the space when I feel Kane’s big presence at my back. My eyes lift to the mirror, and I see him standing behind me, a tremor threatening to split my heart in two—to cleave right through the middle of me.

We’re so completely different. Dark and light. Kane, in his black jeans, black fitted t-shirt, and black ink—me in the simple white sundress I’d worn to marry him in this morning. With the lights dimmed low, the ink on his tan skin and the way he towers over me, he looks massive. Beastly, almost.

I’ve never felt safer.

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