My father looked at me in shock. He’d been on me from the moment he walked into my office. Someone opened their mouth about my Dove to him. Likely someone from security since we share the same people. My dad has wanted me to get married for years because he wants grandchildren. The problem with him, though, is he doesn’t care if I stay with the woman I marry, just as long as he gets grandchildren and I have an ironclad prenup.
I don’t need a fucking prenup.
Dove doesn’t say a word. She’s likely worried I’ll make good on my threat to keep her from talking. I knew it wouldn’t take much. She’s always falling into me when I kiss her. She melts my coldness with her light, shining on areas of my heart I didn’t know I had in me. I love that about her.
In my arms she’s tense and mad, but I’ll take it over the tears. They almost broke me. It was made worse because I know it was something I’d done put them there. I know she heard what my father said about me. She may have heard some other things, too. I need to get things straight with her and to be straight with her. I’ve been hiding my urges from her because I was scared they’d send her running. It looks like my time is up.
“Take the garage,” I tell the driver. Dove might try to run from me when we open the car door. I don’t need a scene in front of the building.
“Yes, sir.”
“Does he work for you?” she asks softly. She turns a little, looking up at me through her thick, dark lashes.
“Yes.”
“Did you put him in the flower shop to spy on me?”
“Yes.”
She lets out a breath and relaxes a little more into me. I feel some of the tension leave my body at her speaking to me. How long can I keep her locked away before people would start to notice? More crazy thoughts about how to keep her to myself and no one finding out flood my mind.
Fuck, I’ve gone off the deep end. Maybe I could get her to stay on her own.
I move her hair out of the way and start kissing her neck. “Beau,” she warns, but she tilts her head to let me have her. Her brain is telling her one thing, but her body knows it belongs to me.
“Sir,” I hear John say, reminding me we aren’t alone. How easily I get lost in her. I see we’re in the garage, and John comes around to open my door. His mouth is set in a hard line.
I’d gone off on him when he’d lost her in the subway. I had to call in a few favors to get her phone tracked so that I could find her. I didn’t want her wandering around the city all alone. Worse, alone on the subway. Someone could snatch her up and try and take her from me. I don’t know how she’s been out in the world this long without having been touched before. That’s everyone else’s loss because no one else will ever put hands on her but me.
I slide Dove off my lap and then help her out of the car. I think she’s going to fight me, but she follows. She does try and pull her hand from mine, but I have it in a gentle yet unbreakable hold. She does a cute little huff that has me fighting a smile as we wait for the elevator.
We step onto the elevator and Dove keeps her eyes on her feet. I pull her to me, unable to stand the distance. “Sunshine, I promise I’m going to explain everything.”
“I don’t want to hear about all your lovers,” she snaps, her eyes finally coming to meet mine. She glares at me, and I hate that I’ve made her so angry.
“What are you talking about?” I ask.
The elevator opens and she starts to stomp off but can’t go too far with my hand holding hers. She stops when she makes it only a few feet, lets out a little gasp.
My home is covered in flowers and balloons. There are lit candles lining every surface and nothing is untouched. It looks like Valentine’s Day exploded in here.
She’s shocked into silence, before she turns around. “Is this for me?”
“Who else would it be for?”
“Probably one of the many women you’ve got all over town.” Her words come out with a bite. I don’t like seeing her angry. It doesn’t suit her. She’s made of smiles and sunshine. I have to change this.
I grab her with my arm and turn us around, pinning her to the wall. She tries to push at my chest, but I’m unmovable. I take both her wrists and cuff them with one hand above her head.