But Charlotte had nothing with her to exchange except for her ring. Maybe that’s why I didn’t see it on her finger.
Or maybe he really did want something else from her … something I wanted to give to her …
I clench the glass in my hand so hard it almost shatters.
I shift in my seat and tap my fingers on the armrests.
Fuck. Why am I so fucking antsy?
I can’t stop thinking about her and all the things she went through … all the things I missed out on. All the things that guy could’ve done to her while I wasn’t there.
Making a face, I take a sip of my drink and mull it over. I wish I could go talk to her right now, but the timing isn’t right. We both need to cool off before I attempt to seduce her again. She may be my wife, but that doesn’t mean she’ll willingly allow me into her heart. I’ll have to fight for it … and fight for her I will, goddammit.
Now that she’s finally in my grasp again, I don’t intend to ever let her go. But how can I prevent her from escaping again? How do you stop a woman who doesn’t love you back from wanting to leave?
There’s only one way. I have to make her fall in love with me.
The question is … how?
I don’t have her notebook anymore, so I can’t look inside for clues. Of course, she had to go and throw it away. I should’ve copied it when I still had it in my possession.
Then again, cheaters never make a good impression … and I need this impression to last.
I take another sip of my drink, and I immediately see her smile in front of me again. The smile she gave that man and his little girl. She was stricken with grief when she had to leave them behind, and I don’t understand why. Did she fall in love with that little family so quickly?
Maybe he offered her something even I couldn’t … a real home. One where she wasn’t forced to live.
She sounded so distressed on the phone. As if she would’ve done anything to save that little girl. And she did. Just like that, she sacrificed herself to save that girl. As if her life meant nothing to her even when I know her freedom means the world to her. And she gave it all away for a child.
Nothing about this makes sense.
Still, I’m glad I could use the situation to my advantage. If that fucker Davis hadn’t kidnapped the girl, I would’ve never found out where Charlotte was. The girl was eager to tell me her address, and the rest is history.
But Davis went out of his way to get Charlotte back without informing me of his plans. My blood begins to boil. He was supposed to contact me if he found something, but of course, he didn’t listen. Well, I’ll make him fucking listen.
I fish my phone from my pocket and dial his number.
“Davis,” he says.
“You went behind my back and kidnapped that little girl,” I growl.
“Easton,” he says, clearing his throat. “I didn’t expect—”
“I don’t give a damn what you expected,” I bark. “You went behind my back and kidnapped a fucking girl without my consent?!”
“I don’t need your fucking consent to—”
“Yes, you fucking do!” I’m shouting into my phone so loud that my face turns red. “I decide what you do, where you fucking go, how you piss, and when you shit … And if you get to keep your fucking pitiful fat-ass life.”
It’s completely silent on the other end of the line.
“Or did you forget the deal you made with me?”
“I haven’t,” he says starkly.
“She’s mine. Mine to keep. Mine to find. You should’ve contacted me the minute you found her address.”
“I knew she wouldn’t come back to you without a bargaining chip,” he replies.
I grip my phone so hard it almost cracks. “Your plan was stupid, and you nearly got a little girl killed!”
He scoffs. “Since when do you care about kids?”
“That’s not the fucking point!” I bark back. “You’re playing with fire, Davis, and trust me … you don’t want to be the one to burn.”
I end the conversation before I lose my temper and chuck the phone into the fire. He’s not worth destroying my phone over. That fucker will get his comeuppance; I’ll make sure of it. Now that Charlotte’s back in my arms, I’ll send him a nice little gift … of his precious daughter toying with my stick.
I throw my phone onto the table and rub my forehead, trying to calm down. Only one thing will make me feel good right now … Charlotte.
I want her so badly. I’ve wanted to touch her since I laid my eyes on her in that guy’s home. I wanted to kiss her and mark her as my own right there with him watching. I wanted them both to know she’s mine forever. I wanted to grope her in the car, fuck her on the back seat, and lick her pussy until she came. I wanted to do it all …