Page 82 of Captive Vows
I stopped short, staring ahead.
“You realize that all your bullshit excuses about being scared?—”
“I’m not making excuses! And if I did, they wouldn’t be bullshit.”
“Fine. Your stupid-as-fuck reasons to be scared about this situation.” He scoffed. “You’ve got it all wrong. What, you’re afraid that if you have a son, he’ll turn into a killing machine like me?”
He had me there. I watched him, unafraid now. He was still on my shit list, but it wasn’t like he could re-kidnap me for his father.
“You worry about having a boy because what, he’ll turn into a robotic monster? Like me? Every concern you have is basically an insult against me.”
“So?” I shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t like you.”
“And I’m not nuts about putting up with you, either.” He stepped into my view, blocking the cityscape as the nightlife kicked in down below. “But I see how much my father enjoys you in his life. For that matter, I’ll tolerate you. That’s how I can call your bluff about your worries.Iam also Luka’s son. I’m his heir. And look, I’ve turned out all right.”
I gave him a droll stare. “That depends on who you’re asking.”
“Oh, get over it.”
“Get over your kidnapping me?”
“Hey, you wouldn’t have met my father if I hadn’t. You wouldn’t have this baby in you.”
I refused to admit he had good points. But the end wasn’t justifying the means in my book.
“I kill. I hunt down targets. No, I haven’t been a fucking angel, but you know what else? I love my family. I fight for my family. In doing that, Iamworking for the greater good—just one that’s not ordained and acceptable per the commoners in society.”
I looked away before facing him again. I wasn’t going to spend the night rethinking my opinions about good versus bad. I had opened my eyes—a lot—since being here.
“And if she’s a daughter? She’ll be sent to some man like a thing to possess?”
He shook his head. “If this is a baby girl, he’ll be over the fucking moon to have a princess in his life. Like the sister I never met when my mother was killed.” He sighed, frowning at me. “But you are supposed to be his queen. In case you can’t get it through your thick skull, he wantsyouat his side again. Not as a thing, but as his partner.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” I replied, giving up on this conversation to walk away.
Lingering to talk to him wasn’t happening. He was poking and prying too close to the truth.
That maybe, just maybe, I had it all right.
That Luka might have room in his heart for me after all.
I’ll be damned if I have to ask.
He can show me if I matter.
I refused to seek him out and be the one to grovel for even a single second.
31
LUKA
My moodiness worsened.
My patience was shot.
No matter what I tried, I couldn’t sleep well anymore.
The longer Gabriella didn’t come to me and apologize for hiding this pregnancy, the more strained things got in the house.
