Page 18 of Tormented Kings
“Maybe you should just do it,” I whisper, hating the words as soon as they leave my mouth. “It’s not worth the trouble. I’m not worth the trouble.”
“Never,” he snarls. “I would never marry her. Even if you told me you and I would never be anything more, I still wouldn’t. I want to marry for love, not because someone else is forcing meto. It’s the one thing my mother has always wanted for me. She learned her lesson and paid big time for it. Told me that the only good thing that came out of that arrangement was me. And even though she had to go through a lot before she came out on top, she said it was worth it. I don’t need to marry for money and connections. I have more money than I’d ever know what to do with. What I need is you. Only you.”
I don’t pull away when he slides his fingers into the back of my hair and pulls me close. I take a shuddering breath as he leans in and kisses me softly before putting his forehead against mine. “I love you, Sadie. When will you understand that nothing else in the world matters to me?”
This is crazy. All of it. I hardly know Collin. Yet I find myself wanting to throw myself at him, tell him I want him too, that I care for him far more than I should.
I want him. I want him to be mine.
“I love you too,” I whisper, because I do. As crazy and fucked up as it is, I’m falling in love with Collin, one crazy thing he does after the other.
The night of the charity ball was a living nightmare for me. I’ve never felt so defeated and hurt by what I thought he did. I should have known better than to believe that monster. If Collin really did want to be with Connie, then his father wouldn’t see me as a threat or as someone who needs getting rid of.
“But–”
“Seriously, Sadie, enough with the buts, or I’ll be spanking yours,” he growls.
I laugh. “But–” I continue, a small bit of the darkness ebbing away. “It doesn’t make everything else in my life disappear.”
“I’ll deal with my father. I promise.”
“It’s not that.” I shake my head. “Yes, I love you. Yes, I’d love to be with you. But the fact is, as much as I hate it, you know how I feel about the other guys.”
“I don’t care,” he insists. “Be with them all if you want. I don’t care. As long as I have you, that’s all that matters.”
My brows shoot up, and I laugh in disbelief. “You? Mister-Caveman. Mister-don’t-touch-my-woman-and-growls-any-time-the-guys-so-much-as-look-at-me is okay sharing me with other people?”
“Not really,” he sighs. “I’m a possessive man, okay. I want you all to myself, yes. But this past weekend, it opened my eyes. I don’t want to lose you, Sadie. The fear I felt thinking you hated me—would never talk to me again—it was soul destroying. I was losing my mind.”
“Oh,” I whisper.
“So, if that means I have to share you with one or all three of the guys, I will. I’m not sure how we would make it work, but I will.”
“Really?” I ask, searching his eyes. “You’re not joking?”
“I’d never joke when it comes to my feelings for you,” he promises.
“Okay.” I blink, head spinning with all this new information.
“Look, don’t answer me now. Just think about it. You know where I stand. I’m not going anywhere. I will be finding a way to get my dad off our asses, and I will share you with the other guys.”
I just stare at him, unsure what to say.
“I gotta go, class starts in a few. But before I do, I need to know are we okay?” His eyes bore into mine. “Because I’m not leaving here until we are.”
It’s official, I’m crazy. I’m sitting side by side with this man on the crazy train. “We’re okay.”
The smile he gives me makes my whole body light up. “I’ll see you later, baby girl.” He leans in and presses a kiss to my forehead.
I watch him leave and can’t help the slow smile that slips onto my face. Did that really just happen?
Chapter 5
Sadie
For the rest of the day, all I can think about is Collin. That conversation did not go at all how I expected it to.
He says he’s willing to share me. That’s something that needs to be seen to be believed because Collin is very much as he said, a possessive man.