Page 29 of Dark Wolf Soul
“You’re not scary.”
It’s not exactly true, but I can’t bring myself to explain that Grey scares me in ways that have nothing to do with physical harm.
His mouth tightens. “Guess I’m not trying hard enough.”
“Apparently, you’re not supposed to be trying at all,” I point out. “According to the new plan, you’re supposed to be convincing me to marry you.”
I expect him to rant or get pissed all over again. Something involving backing away from me because I really need some space right now. But he only leans closer, cocking his head to one side in a smug sort of challenge as his closeness sucks all the air from between us.
“Is that what you want, princess? For me to convince you to want me?”
My heart stutters at the way he looks at me now. Hungry. Like a predator who wants to eat me—and in this particular case, I might just want to be eaten.
I think of the lap dance, and it pisses me off.
“You already tried that, and it didn’t work,” I toss back.
His smirk tells me he knows exactly what I’m talking about—and recognizes the lie for what it is. “I’d say it worked pretty well considering you’re sitting here now.”
I glare. “Only because you kidnapped me afterward.”
“You made it so easy, darlin’,” he drawls. “Running slow and then pretending to faint so I’d have to carry you against my naked body.” He winks, and my temper spikes. “Was it as good for you as it was for me?”
Heat shoots through me at his words, but I refuse to acknowledge my body’s reaction. “You abducted me from my home,” I snap. “Tied me up and threw me in your trunk. No, it was not good for me.”
“Home, huh? And what exactly is waiting for you back there?”
“Friends,” I snap. “And people who need me.”
“Right. You keep telling yourself that while you sit in this luxury penthouse in a city your family practically owns. Your life is so terrible, isn’t it?”
“You know what? I take it all back. You’re a complete asshole.”
His smirk widens, but it’s more a flash of teeth than a smile, like he’s reminding me what a predator he really is. “You keep acting like I’m supposed to be some saint, but the proof is right in front of you, darling.” His voice twists with sarcasm on the last word. “Your future husband is as dark-hearted as they come. Better get used to it.”
12
GREY
From the balcony of my bedroom, I stare out over the twinkling city lights. One hand grips the railing with more force than necessary. With the other, I take a sip of the whiskey I’ve been nursing for an hour. From up here, the twinkling city of Indigo Hills looks harmless, but I know better. I’m not nearly as naïve as my father thinks I am, which is why I saw this coming from the moment he first tracked me down a month ago.
I knew then he wouldn’t let me walk away as easily as he promised. There’s never just one favor with him. I assumed all along he’d do something fucked up to keep me reeled into his schemes. To punish me for mine. Still, I never thought he’d pull some shit like this.
Marriage.
To a Giovanni?
He can go fuck himself.
Unfortunately, I know him well enough to know, if I refuse, he’ll just find someone else who’ll go along with his crazy, fucked up plan. His threat about killing me is empty. He knows it and I know it. He’ll torture me, make me wish I was dead, but he won’t kill me.
The real threat is what he’ll do to Lexi. I don’t need my wolf’s sixth sense to know he’s already realized I care what happens to her.
The moment I stepped between them earlier, I gave away my weakness, and the game has barely even started.
I take another drink, staring blindly at the twinkling lights of the city I once called home. Indigo Hills isn’t a bad place for most of its residents. Whatever monster he might be personally, Franco at least sees to that. The economy is thriving, employment is up, and the community is tight-knit. Or it has been until recently.
Something is happening behind the scenes, and no one knows what. All we know for sure is that things have started to slip. First, a business owner got roughed up for not paying enough “taxes” to his “local representative.” Then, four elementary schools lost their funding for their music and arts programs. An audit of the city planner’s office showed that the budget was reallocated to the Giovanni Foundation, which is Franco’s smokescreen for discretionary spending on himself and his hired men.
