Page 60 of Bought By Santa

My fingers absentmindedly trace the contours of my engagement ring, a stunning piece of artistry that seems to mock me with its weight. An intricate band of white gold twists around a diamond so large it easily catches the light from the screen on my phone, even after switching off the flashlight.

I need to understand the man I’m supposed to marry—the man who commands fear and respect in equal measure. My resolve hardens as I rise from the couch, the diary tucked under my arm, and find my way through the sprawling apartment that feels more like a fortress with each step. The hallways are silent, but I feel eyes on me, watching, always watching.

Finally, I reach his office, the door closed. I knock once, and as I wait for Nick to reply, I start wondering if he’s even home. Most days, he disappears after breakfast. Sometimes he tells me about meetings he has, but that’s mostly when he has to leave the apartment. I don’t actually know what he’s doing when he’s here.

“Nick?” I call as I knock once more, but instead of waiting, I push the handle down.

Last night he gave me a damn engagement ring and said he loves me, I take that to mean I don’t have to stand out here waiting for an audience.

Chapter 21

The Breeder

As I enter the office, I find him sitting at his desk, his hands interlaced behind his head. He’s smirking like me being here is amusing to him, and for some reason, that rubs me the wrong way. “Took you long enough to make up your mind,” he drawls, pointing at his laptop that’s facing him.

I walk around the desk and look at the screen, which shows the place where I just stood while knocking. “You watched me?”I ask, incredulously. “So you knew it was me. Why didn’t you say I could come in?”

Shrugging, he replies, “I shouldn’t have to. You’re going to be my wife, Kitten. Everything I own is yours, including my heart.”

“But what does that mean?” I ask. “If you think that means I’ll allow your dad to stick his fingers inside my vagina you better think again.” For good measure, I slam Sienna’s diary down on the desk.

Arching an eyebrow, he looks up at me with anger twisting his normally handsome features. “What did you just say?” His tone is low, dangerously so.

Instead of letting him intimidate me, I start rambling about the diary entries I’ve just read, repeating that I refuse to let Caspian or anyone else touch me. “And you can forget about selling me. I might be yours, Nicklas, but that’s it. I’m not a toy you can share around, and I’m definitely not entertainment for the entire family.”

The more I talk, the more worked up I get. As I continue to rant, my tone grows louder until I’m shouting at him. I know it’s not actually him I’m upset with, yet I can’t make myself stop. I have all these confusing feelings warring inside me, making it impossible to sort through anything. So instead of even trying, I just lash out.

“Are you done?” he asks when I pause to take a deep breath.

“Done?” I scream. “I’ll show you fucking done.”

I grab the nearest object—a heavy paperweight—and hurl it across the room. It shatters against the wall, pieces scattering across the floor, but he doesn’t move, doesn’t even blink. Unable to stop, I reach for anything within my grasp—books, pens, a glass that explodes into shards when it hits the ground.

Each crash echoes my own breaking heart. “Why won’t you say something?!” I’m shrieking now, the words raw and ragged. Myhands are trembling, tugging at my hair as if I can tear the pain out of my skull.

But he just sits there, behind his desk, his face a mask of stone. The silence between us is unbearable, choking me, and all I want is for him to react, to show me something—anything—that he feels this too. That he can see how desperately I need him to put me back together.

“Please, Nicklas,” I whisper, my voice hoarse and broken. “Please, just… say something. Do something. I need you. I need you to care.” I collapse onto the floor, my strength leaving me as the sobs take over, shaking me to my core.

My knees barely hit the floor before he’s out of his chair, looming over me. Grabbing my arm, he pulls me onto my feet and quickly pushes me up against the wall. “Now you’re done,” he rasps, his eyes no longer uncaring. “You can accuse me of many things, and you’ll probably be right. But the one thing you don’t get to question is how much I care for you, Hellcat. I’ve told you that you’re mine. I’ve told the world that you’re mine. I’ve put a damn ring on your finger. What more can I do?”

“Tell me you won’t let your dad—”

“Stop!” he roars. Anger rolls off him in palpable waves, but I refuse to cower. “I refuse to believe you actually want an answer to that.”

“Why?” I scream back.

Lifting his hand, he wraps it around my throat and squeezes. “Do you know what I did after you fell asleep last night? I killed the sorry son of a bitch who touched you at the party. That’s two men I’ve killed for you, Kitten. And you know what? I’ll kill two a day, every hour, every fucking minute if that’s what it takes for you to finally understand that you. Are. Mine!”

The way my breath hitches has nothing to do with his hold on me, and everything to do with the dark and alluring words he speaks. “You killed for me again?” I ask, licking my lips.

He nods. “And I’ll continue to do it. But the one thing I won’t fucking tolerate, is you basically asking if I’m going to allow my dad to touch you in any way. Ask me again, and I’ll take it out on your ass.”

I whimper—honest to God whimper.

A dark chuckle leaves him. “Maybe you want me to?”

Do I? I don’t know, maybe… but no. That’s not why I came in here. Shaking my head, I say, “Your mom’s—”

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