I try to quiet my mind. Try to give into my exhaustion.
I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in days, and with all the crying I’ve done, I’m beyond tired.
But every little interaction I’ve had with James replays behind my eyes.
My brain connecting the pieces.
James pushed me away when he could have had me and he’s been stalking me ever since.
Why is he stalking me?
Why did he push me away?
Is it because of my father? Like Simon said? Did he push me away because of my father, and now that my father is dead—
I don’t hear the door to the guest bedroom swing open, but a beam of light from the hallway suddenly hits me in the face. I blink my eyes open long enough to see James’s dark form standing in the doorway then quickly close them and pretend to be sleeping.
Doing my best to keep my breathing steady and even, my ears strain, listening, as I sense him walking silently in the room. Moving as if he’s one with the shadows.
The light behind my closed eyes darkens a few seconds later, and I know he’s looming over me because all the little hairs on my body stand on end, pointing in his direction like he’s magnet.
Even now, my body is drawn to him despite all the shit in my head.
Time slows to a standstill as he stands beside the bed.
A shiver crawls down my spine as I feel the weight of his eyes upon me.
Is he going to do something psycho? Like try to smother me in my sleep?
Just as I have that thought, the covers are suddenly ripped off me.
I shriek and flail as he grabs me and hauls me up in his arms.
“What are you doing?!” I demand.
Squeezing me against his chest, his nostrils flare before he grumbles like he’s annoyed, “Carrying you to our bed.”
There’s that word again. Not his. Not mine.
Ours.
“I’m perfectly happy with this bed!” I protest as he carries me out of the room and into his.
Jaw tightening, James doesn’t respond. He just marches right up to his bed and dumps me on it.
Landing on my hands and stomach, I push up and brush the hair out of my eyes.
Only to see James standing beside me, unbuttoning and removing his suit jacket.
A little nervous thrill courses through my body.
And it’s wrong, so very wrong.
I shouldn’t find the sight of him removing his suit jacket thrilling. Especially when I’m afraid he might kill me.
But there’s something about his hands that’s incredibly sexy.
Fuck, I’m seriously losing it.
What is this man doing to me?
I’ve never found a man’s hands sexy before. They’re just hands…
But other men don’t have hands like his. Not only big and strong, but incredibly deft as they flick through his buttons.
Hating myself for what I’m thinking, what I’m feeling, I start to scoot off the bed, totally intending to make a run for it when he stops me with a warning.
“I wouldn’t do that.”
Tossing his suit jacket onto a chair, he begins to work on the cufflinks on his white shirt.
I tip my chin up and give him my best glare, hoping it will hide how anxious I am. “I’m not sleeping in here with you.”
Cufflinks removed, James loosens the tie at his throat and says, “This isn’t up for discussion.”
I gasp at his audacity. “Excuse me?!”
Who the hell died and made him my—
Fuck.
I shove that thought away and keep my ass firmly planted on the bed.
Tugging his black tie out of his collar, there’s no hint of humor in his eyes.
No hint of a smirk on his lips as he says seriously, “It’s not up for discussion, Sophia. You’ll sleep where I tell you to.”
I gasp again, sucking it in shrilly this time, ready to lay into him.
“I saw what you did to the window.”
Shit.
All the steam goes out of me, chilled by the worry that he might punish or hurt me for that.
James looks thoughtfully down at the black tie in his hand, as if he’s considering using it for something.
My heart and thoughts go wild.
He better not be thinking about tying me up or something else stupid.
“You tried to run, Sophia. You tried to run from me, the man who is keeping you safe.”
He looks up at me and there’s so much anger in his eyes and on his face, it takes my breath away.
He’s delusional. Utterly delusional.
Somehow he’s managed to convince himself that he truly is keeping me safe. There’s no doubt about it, he actually believes it.
He’s living in some strange fantasyland.
If anything, he’s put me in extreme danger. I was safe before he showed up, protected my father’s shield. That’s probably gone now after what he did to Trent.
At best, I’ll be considered an accomplice to whatever he’s up to. At worst, I’ll be considered a traitor to the family I’ve known all my life.