Page 35 of Wild Heart
“And I came along and ruined your plans,” he mutters.
It’s true. He did. But I don’t regret it. The last few days have been the best of my life, and he saved me from going through with my hare-brained scheme.
“And so I became the target, your way out.”
I’m taken aback by what he says. Does he think this isn’t real? By the hurt look in his eyes, he does. “What has my father been telling you?”
“That you’re smart, and you realized if you were already married you wouldn’t have to marry Bruno.”
The audacity of it makes me suck in my breath.
“And you believed him?”
By the anger and hurt on Raiden’s face, I know the answer. After everything we shared, after the intimacy of the last few days, he thinks I would do that to him.
“You think I was faking my feelings for you?”
Anger bubbles up inside me. How deep is his love for me if he thinks I would do something like that to him, and how dare my father put such nonsense in his head.
The anger ignites something in me. My blood heats, and anger flares in my eyes.
“You men always think you can control me. You think I would swap one loveless marriage for another? You think I don’t have a heart with feelings? That I don’t want to be loved? You think you can decide who I marry without giving me a choice?”
At least Raiden has the good grace to look sheepish. He backs up as I stalk toward him, but I’m so angry at him my finger digs into his chest with every point.
“Do you think I would say yes and marry you if I didn’t want to? My father thinks he controls me. But the truth is I would never go through with that marriage. If we were in the church, I would say no when the priest asked. But that would embarrass my father. I thought it was better if the Moretti family called it off, if they thought I was unsuitable. I won’t agree to something as sacred as marriage unless it’s my choice.”
The fight has gone out of Raiden’s expression, and now he looks miserable.
“You think I said yes to you so I wouldn’t be able to marry someone else? It’s not true. I said yes because I’ve been in love with you ever since I saw you in the club that night. For two years, I’ve waited to grow up enough to be the kind of woman you need by your side. For two years, I’ve thought about you every time I went to bed. I’ve dreamed about you. I’ve touched myself thinking about you. I said yes because I don’t want to live another day without you by my side. I said yes because I love you.”
We’re both breathing hard, and he cups my hand in his cheeks.
“Isabella, I never knew… Why did you never call me? You had my number?”
“Because I wasn’t ready. I didn’t think you’d be interested in a girl. And I didn’t want you to save me. I wanted to save myself.”
He chuckles and presses his lips to mine.
“My fiery princess. You don’t need saving from anything.”
“My father thinks differently. He sees enemies in every shadow, and I don’t know if he’s right to be cautious or if he’s paranoid because of my mother’s death. I don’t know if he’ll ever let me be free.”
I slump against Raiden, and he wraps his arms around me.
“He loves you too much.” Raiden kisses the top of my head. “He’s downstairs. Let’s see him together and tell him that we’re still getting married.”
My heart feels heavy. I don’t know how my father will take it, but if I have to choose, I choose Raiden every time.
We head downstairs, and I find my father admiring the vintage bike on the wall while a bearded man who I think is called Vintage tells him all about the parts. My father seems genuinely interested, and I stop short to watch him talking with the man. In another life he could be happy with the simple things, good coffee and conversation.
When he sees me, he smiles in relief and envelopes me in his big arms.
“Isabella, I was so worried.”
His look tells me we’ll discuss it more in private, but the relief on his face is real.
His gaze darts to where I’m clasping Raiden’s hand, and a flash of surprise goes through his features.
