Page 27 of Theirs to Corrupt
The realization that he means this crashes a wave of panic over me.
I take a step back, needing space, needing air, but the fact I can’t escape makes the walls close in around me. I’m being suffocated by the sheer absurdity of his proposal.
My thoughts scatter, and all I can think about is how wrong this is. How utterly impossible. I can’t marry him. I barely know him, and what I do know terrifies me. He’s the exact thing I’m running from. “No…” My voice trembles. “This is crazy.”
I turn away from him, looking out the window, desperate to escape that insanity that’s pressing down on me.
But there’s no way out.
“Accept it.”
I can feel his gaze on me, sharp and determined, and I swing back to face him.
Why me?The question burns in my mind, and before I can stop myself, I blurt out the question. “Why me?” I shake my head. “You can have any woman on the planet. In fact you’ve already had half of them. Why would you want to marryme?”
He takes a couple of steps toward me, coming closer but not threateningly so.
I tip my head back up to him, trying to find something,anything,in his expression to make sense of this.
His eyes—cold, searingly blue—are locked on me.
He takes yet another step in my direction.
Though he could reach out and touch me, he doesn’t.
“This isn’t about what I want, Tessa. It’s about what you need.”
His statement knifes down my spine. “No. I don’t need marriage.” To anyone. Especially him. Using logic, I state the obvious. “I don’t belong in your world.”
“You do,” he counters, his voice flat, inviting no argument. “More than you know.”
He reaches out then, and his fingers brush lightly against my arm. His touch rocks a shockwave of heat through me.
“You belong with me, Tessa. Now and forever.” His voice is low and firm, leaving no room for argument.
For a flicker of a moment, there’s a softness in his eyes, something that’s not calculating.
I want to pull away, to reject everything he’s saying, but I’m rooted to the spot, frozen by the certainty in his gaze and the sheer force of his powerful, masculine presence.
Link gently takes my shoulders, making it impossible to breathe. His grip is strong and sure but not painful.
I could escape if I wanted, but I don’t try.
Slowly he leans toward me.
He won’t try to kiss me.Right?
And if he does, I’ll shove him away.
Right?
“You’re mine, Tessa.” His voice is a rough whisper. “Soon you’ll accept that.”
His possessive statement swamps me with emotions I don’t know how to handle.
And then, with a sharp inhalation, he releases me and takes a step back.
Whatever gentleness I thought I saw earlier is gone, buried beneath his steel facade.