Her mouth pops open, and her eyes widen in shock. For a moment she just stares at me, processing the information I just gave her. “W-what do you mean?”
“You’re a smart girl. You know what it means.” I let her draw her own conclusions.
“You scared them away?”
I shrug, deciding not to tell her that I murdered a few of them. “I mean, you could say that, yes. I made sure they didn’t come back for another date. Some I even made sure they never made it to the date to begin with.” Yes, I’m a fucking asshole, but nothing and no one is going to touch or taint what’s mine.
Dove is pure white snow, and I wasn’t going to let some fucking asshole piss all over her. The guys she went on dates with were pigs and only wanted to get between her legs. No way was I going to watch that shit go down.
“All this time, I thought there was something wrong with me…” Sadness coats her voice, but quickly her eyes turn to fire, and she shakes her head angrily. Her statement brings my own anger down a couple of pegs. “I thought they didn’t want me. That I was ugly and unlovable. I thought there was something wrong with me!”
Fuck me. Shit, I didn’t expect it to turn into this. The hurt in her words, it’s like a knife piercing me in the chest. Reaching for her, all I want to do is comfort her, but when my fingers graze her hand, she pulls away. She’s looking at me like I’ve ruined her life, but doesn’t she see that I’ve only made it better?
With a tight chest, I say, “I’m sorry, Dove. I only did it to protect you. I wasn’t trying to hurt you. You aren’t any of those things. You’re perfect.”
She moves off the bed, putting too much distance between us.
“Don’t lie to me! You did it because you’re selfish and didn’t want me to fall in love with someone else before you had the chance to kidnap me. You wanted me alone because if you can’t have me, no one can? Isn’t that right?”
It takes every ounce of self-restraint I have not to grab her and throw her back onto the bed. To tie her up and keep her bound to this bed with me. Yes, everything she just said is true. No one can have her, only me. Yes, I’ve been selfish, and yes, I wanted her to be alone in a way. I never intended for her to feel as if she was at fault though, but there isn’t anything I can do about that now. Nothing of the past matters. She’s mine.
Anger fills my voice when I speak. “It wouldn’t have mattered if you had found someone. I would’ve disposed of him and took you anyway. You’re mine, don’t you see that?”
Dove’s tiny hands form into fists, and her body vibrates with unbridled anger. I wonder if she’s going to punch me, act out on her rage?
“I’m not yours! I’m a human being with feelings. Not a pet or a thing. I am not, nor will I ever be yours!”
As soon as the words are out of her mouth, I’m off the bed and across the room. My heart races in my chest, and I don’t think. I just react. Gripping Dove by the back of the neck, I hold her in place while staring down at her. Her body starts to tremble, and I know I’m scaring, her but maybe that’s what she needs. I’m tired of her being a brat. Tired of her being ungrateful for all I’ve done, for us, for her.
A coldness sweeps through me. How dare she say she’s not mine. She has been and always will be mine.
“You. Are. Mine!” I growl into her face. “I’ve killed for you, bled for you, sacrificed everything for you. You will be whatever I want you to be.”
“I never asked you to do any of that!! I never wanted this. I never wanted you!” Just like that, I snap. My patience is gone. All I feel at this moment is anger. Burning, red hot anger. My vision blurs for a fraction of a second.
I release her nape and sink my fingers into the silky strands of hair. With a fist full of hair, I tilt her head back, forcing her to see me, really see me. Her big, blue eyes fill with fear, but I’m too far gone to give a shit. I’m done. Lifting her hands, she plants them against my chest and pushes against me, but I’m a fucking mountain and don’t budge, not even an inch.
“It’s never been your choice and never will be. Fight me all you want. Cry. Beg. Plead.” Looking down, my eyes catch on her pulse, and I lean in, licking the sensitive skin, tasting her fear. “I’ll die before you’re ever free of me.”