Page 67 of Pretty Pink Poison
Later that day, he showed back up to work in my room.
And he didn’t leave. He sat in the same room and told me I could do what I wanted, but that he’d be working there as much as possible.
“Are you babysitting me?”
“No. I’m keeping you companywhilewatching you. You wanted a change. This is it.”
“Well… I think I sort of overcame the silence.” I felt my heart start beating faster. Was he going to be here all the time? Could I handle him sitting there in his perfect suits with his overwhelming presence working all day while I just sat around? “Maybe I need my space now. I mean, how long are you going to work here?”
“All day.” He shrugged. “And my penthouse will be next to yours now. They’re moving my belongings.”
“What? Why?” I think I was in a state of shock.
“Why not? I can work there the same as I could downstairs. They’re moving my office and—”
“Your office is huge down there! You have rows and rows of skulls and—”
“All being moved. It’ll look the same. It’s no matter.” Just like that, he uprooted himself. “Why worry about it?”
“Um… well, for starters, you avoided me for a freaking year!” I sounded hysterical as I accused him.
He didn’t let me lash out with no retort though. “And then you proceeded to make it clear I couldn’t do that anymore. Recall how you did that?”
I snapped my mouth shut, not really sure I was comfortable talking about that yet.
“Don’t want to share?” He lifted a brow and then proceeded to stand and put all his work materials aside before he came over to me and placed both hands on either side of my hips on the bed so he could meet me at eye level. “Fine I will. You made it clear I couldn’t ignore you anymore by cutting yourself enough that you were lying in your own blood, Pink. I found you lying in that beautiful crimson color that’s supposed to stay inside you, give you life, and turn the parts of you pink that I like so much.Inyou. Not outside of you.”
“That’s a bit graphic.” I looked away from him and stuck out my bottom lip.
“Well, imagine seeing it then.” His jaw ticked. “Imagine seeing a person you care about in that state.”
I hummed. “You sure you care about me beyond the fact that I’m marrying your brother?”
“Rafe wants you better. That’s all.”
“Does he know we’re fucking?” I asked, because quite frankly, at this point he’d have to have some sort of clue.
“We’re not.” Bane finally looked up and his glare could have made a lesser person wither.
“Fine.” I scoffed. “We’re not. Does he know that his soon-to-be bride sleeps with a masked man whenever he graces her with his presence? That I fuck men with the lights out? That a masked man helped me burn down my childhood home?”
“If you never see the face of the men you hook up with, there’s no real evidence it’s me,” he said, like that was the perfect alibi. And then he continued, “As for your home, your parents were more than willing to have me buy it before you burned it down.”
“You bought my childhood home?” I squeaked, “Before we got there?”
“I told you they wanted to sell it. And I wasn’t sure whether you would want it.” He sighed and glanced up at me. “Am I going to get any work done in here?”
“You chose to work in here! And then you expect me to be quiet after you admitted to buying the home I burned down. You pretty much let me burn a million of your dollars!”
“It was two mil. But yes.”
“What the hell?” I screamed, throwing up my hands. “Why did you let me burn it down?!”
“Because it bothered you. And you felt better after. Am I right? Or was that just the masked man fucking you in the field?”
“I can’t believe you. The masked man we don’t know the identity of, right?” I sneered because he was being ridiculous.
“Exactly.”
