Page 56 of King of Wrath
“He set off a bomb?—”
“What?!?”
“At the Starlet. He’s on camera doing it.”
She stares at me, her mouth open. “But that means…”
“He’s going to prison, Nia. You’ll never see him again if you don’t want to.”
She shakes her head, rolling away from me and laying on her back on the narrow bed.
She’s still naked, one of arms lifting above her head as she stares up at the ceiling. I can’t help myself as I lay a light hand on her belly. I just want to keep her close.
Her skin slides like silk under my fingers and my chest aches. “Sweetheart?”
She shakes her head as she squeezes her eyes shut. “You really think your family can prosecute him?”
“Of course,” I say, my confidence in the answer pulling my shoulders straight.
“Of course,” she repeats and then she looks at me. “Your family has the power my family dreams of.”
“And what do you dream of?”
“Getting out,” she whispers. “Away from Toni. In a place where I’m safe.”
“I can give you that place,” I say before I can hold back the words.
She nods. “I was running away. I bought plane tickets and everything. No one is going to think I was stolen.”
My stomach dips. “Please believe me, sweetheart. I was never going to hurt you. I’m protecting you and that protection lasts for as long as you choose. Hell. For the rest of your life if you want.”
She looks at me then. “You really mean it? Like really, really mean it?”
I push up from the bed then. I was prepared for this moment. Sliding open one of my drawers, I fish for the box I know is at the back.
What I didn’t plan for was for this moment to be real. I bought this ring as a ploy. One more way to get Nia to trust me.
It makes me feel like shit that I’m still using this moment to gain her trust. But it’s not to hurt her, it’s to help her.
I swear…somewhere over the last week, I became this woman’s soldier.
I pull out the box, turning back to the bed.
There she lays, still naked, one arm over her head, the swell of her hips and her plump breasts on full display.
I stare at her, just drinking her in. How do I tell her that I’d do almost anything just to get to look at her? Touch her?
Shaking off my thoughts, I walk over with the box in hand, snapping open the lid. Inside is a three-and-a-half-carat near-flawless diamond set in platinum. She is meant for cool tones and this ring is perfect for her.
Her eyes flip down to the ring and then back up to my eyes. “You came prepared.”
It’s not a compliment. Her voice drops, becoming more guarded.
I lower myself onto my haunches next to the bed. “It was always my plan to give you whatever measure of protection you required.”
I know the first part is a lie. But the second…I mean every word.
Her brows lift as she nips at her lip. She turns on her side, her hand propping up her head, her blonde hair spilling down and pooling on the pillow. I reach out to run my fingers through the thickstrands, looking to reconnect with her, make this moment what it should be, not filled with guarded worry.