Page 43 of Bound in Promise
“What happened, princess?” I ask, trying to think past the roar in my blood. Every second that ticks by, every day that passes, is another step closer to the moment I have to cut her loose so she can have the freedom to start her new chapter.
While her new life starts, I’ll be working on clean-up, observing who succeeds Angelo and finding out whether they’re still hunting for us. And if they are, I’ll handle that too.
“The trust fund’s been released,” she beams excitedly, and I’m a bit confused. She’s been walking around under her own personal storm cloud for days. I’ve wanted to wipe the sullen expression from her face and give her something else to think about, but the last week has been fucked up almost beyond belief. My desperate wish to keep her, to own this woman in every way I can, has been nearly irresistible. I keep telling myself I’ve corrupted her enough, that I should step back and set her free the moment I can.
The longer this goes on, the more complicated things get. It will be hard enough to drop her off at her new Parisian flat and never see her again. She’s young, talented, and beautiful. Tying her to me is just another way to keep her caged, to set limits on the life she could live. Somewhere out there is a prick who won’t deserve her but will nevertheless treat her well.
If not, I’ll kill him.
“That’s great, princess,” I mumble distractedly. Now I need to call Enzo back and give him the green light. There’s nothing stopping me from taking care of Lombardi and boarding a plane to jump across the pond ASAP. “You’ll need to pack.”
Her blue eyes darken as she steps closer. “This… It doesn’t have to go how we planned.”
“In what way?”
I don’t need her to tell me she wants me. In fact, I’m praying to everything holy that she doesn’t, because otherwise I’ll never leave.
“Paris,” she replies. “I can go with you to Portofino?—”
“No,” I cut in, slicing my hand through the air as her smile fades. “Paris is your dream. You’ve had enough stolen from you already.”
“Dreams can change.”
I clear my throat, feeling it tighten in response to her clear invitation. She might think she cares for me, but I’ve been the only constant in her life over the last few weeks, the unwavering anchor in the storm that Angelo and Liam created. She’ll find her feet and learn to stand on her own again. She doesn’t need me. And I’m not ready to settle down in one place, not until I know all the threats to her are taken care of.
“You should call Ellie,” I pause, reconsidering. “Or maybe you should wait and call from the plane. I’d rather not risk the call being intercepted.”
Victoria doesn’t take her eyes off my face. I know it’s obvious that I’m changing the subject to avoid talking about a shared future.
I’m no good for her.
I’ve said it before, and I’d rather not say it again. But I will if she needs the reminder.
“Dante… You can keep ignoring what’s between us, but you can’t stop me from telling you how much I care about you.”
Fuck me.
I nod, clenching my fingers into tight fists at my side. There’s a sharp pain piercing my heart over and over again. An actual knife wound to the chest doesn’t hurt this badly. I haven’t felt this fucking miserable over a woman since Gabriella. I hate comparing her to Victoria, hate using her as any kind of yardstick, but she’s the only experience I have with this.
With heartbreak.
“I care about you, too, princess.” I nod toward the house. “Are you done making?—”
“Stop,” she orders, voice low, narrowing her eyes at me. “Let me speak. I know you don’t want to hear this, but I have to say it. I might not get another opportunity. Not with the way you’re racing to get rid of me.”
“Speak, then,” I grit out. Her words will change nothing… and everything. She’s ruined me for anyone else. I used to think the same about Gabriella, but Victoria is a fiercer woman than my ex ever was, despite being years younger.
“I love you,” she declares, stealing my next breath. My knees buckle and I just barely manage to keep standing. “I tried not to. I always knew what this was to you. I know you don’t want a long-term relationship, that you have your reasons. I’m telling you they’re trivial, that they don’t matter to me. I’d follow you anywhere and be happy. I’d literally do anything for you. Nothing makes me happier than being in your arms, than feeling your eyes on me.” She pauses, breathing hard and waving her hand between us. “This was never supposed to happen. But it did.”
“Princess—”
“Please don’t try to convince me that what I feel in my heart isn’t real. I know I’m younger than you. That you don’t think I could possibly know what I want out of life. But I’m proud to be married to you. Hearing you call me yours… I’m completely content with being your wife, with knowing you will possess me and protect me at any cost. I will always stay loyal to you. There isn’t anyone else I could possibly want.”
My body erases the space between us, but my hands are still fisted tight. This is torture. She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. The most precious thing I’ve ever touched. This woman drives me absolutely crazy with lust and happiness. I knew I was a lucky bastard to have her and I don’t want anyone else to feel the way I do standing by her side.
“You are the best decision I ever made,” I tell her, my blood pumping furiously in my veins. My heart skitters and swerves with my next words. “I’ll never regret you, princess. You’ll always be the one thing I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”
“Then why stop? Why not change course?—”
