Beyond(45)
“I don’t like her and that sucks because she’s now one of my people,” I say, throwing my arm over my eyes. “She disrespected me by trying to touch you.”
His hand touches my thigh. “Stop being angry baby.”
“I’m staying here tonight,” I announce. “I just want to be alone.”
His face falls.
“You mean you just want to be away from me,” he replies in a dry tone. “My mother always told me that when I got married, to never let my wife go to bed angry. Besides, I don’t want to sleep without you.”
Dane rarely mentions his parents so I’m surprised by him bringing his mother up. I know that they died when the virus first hit our country.
“Dane--”
“Let me hold you,” he says quietly. “Please.”
It’s the please that gets me.
“Okay,” I whisper.
He carries me in his arms like a bride, and walks back to our room.
When he holds me close against his body, he whispers, “I love you and only you. I only see you. I only feel you. I could search the whole fuckin’ world and there would be no one else for me.”
“Dane--”
“You have no reason to worry about me in that way Olivia,” he says. “I don’t think a man ever loved a woman as much as I do you.”
He really made it hard to be angry at him, didn’t he?
“I’ll handle her,” I say, strength in my tone. “And you don’t step in.”
He kisses my temple. “You’re missing the point here baby. I don’t care for her any more than I care for any other woman in this castle, okay? But yes, whatever you want.”
I sigh. “It’s hard to stay angry at you.”
“You can stay angry all you want. I just don’t want you being hurt, especially when it’s me causing it. If it was someone else, I’d kick their ass.”
“Dane.”
“Yes?”
“Kiss me,” I demand.
He does, and the world melts away.
When I approach Jordan the next morning, the last thing I thought I’d find her doing would be having sex.
With Wyatt.
With the door wide open.
“Holy shit!” I gasp, turning around and closing my eyes. “You could close the damn door!”
“I like the thrill of being caught,” she says, laughing behind me. I turn around to find them now both covered. Wyatt has the sheets up to his chin, and it makes me want to laugh. Jordan on the other hand, has one breast out like she’s proud it’s there.
“I heard you tried to hit on my husband,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest. “I’ve thought long and hard about how to react to this, and I’ve come up with one solution.”
“What?” she asks, a little wearily. “You can’t do anything to me.”
I grin evilly, flashing my teeth. “Do it again and we will fight. Hand to hand, with weapons, with fucking mud I don’t care. But I will make you hurt.”
She gulps.
I smirk. “What do you say Jordan?”
“I won’t go near Dane,” she whispers. “He didn’t want me anyway, okay? I’m with Wyatt now. He actually wants me. I’m sorry.”
“You should be,” I tell her. “I can be the best friend you’ll ever have or your worst enemy. Choose wisely which place you want.”
She nods, looking sincere.
“Oh and Wyatt,” I say, looking to him. “You’re a good man. She fucks with you, let me know.”
Wyatt smiles at me then and I find myself smiling back at him. “I’ll handle her Olivia.”
“You do that,” I reply, nodding my head at him.
The arrow hits its mark.
“I’m going to be even better than you one day,” Regan announces.
Grinning at him, I turn and hand him my bow. “Come on, show me what you’ve got.”
Happily, he takes my bow, which is much too big for him, and attempts to shoot the mark. I’m about to help him out when Sam calls my name. Turning to him, I lift my chin in answer.
“Dane wants you,” he says, with an amused look on his face.
I swap bows with Regan and run my hand through his hair. “Can we continue this lesson later?”
He nods. “Sure Olivia. I’ll practice with my bow until then.”
Such a good kid.
If anything happened to Dane, I’d want Regan to lead in the future.
I catch up to Sam, walking side by side with him. Staring at his profile I ask, “What’s going on?”
He shrugs, but a grin plays on his lips. “Dane told me to bring you to him, so that’s what I’m doing.”
“I don’t like surprises,” I sigh.