Calix took in a breath. “You’re marrying me tomorrow, Nova, whether or not you’ve admitted to wanting to. And if you stop fighting it, I believe you might actually find happiness.”
I knew I would find happiness with Calix. As a matter of fact, there was no doubt in my mind that I would find happiness with this man - my captor. However, I replied. “All I want from you, Calix, is the chance to contact my mom. I just want to tell her that I’m not hurting - that I am happy, and that this was my choice.”
Calix tightened his jaw. “I can’t allow you to contact her until I believe you’re happy with me, love.”
I knew he expected me to argue, but I didn’t. I don’t really know why I didn’t argue with him or demand to know the reasoning behind his statement. I don’t know why I nodded my head and said. “I know.”
I could tell that Calix also didn’t know why I didn’t bother arguing his decision. But I think I was just tired. I knew the path my future was taking and I didn’t see much of a way to change it. Calix was my future as far as I was concerned. And I’d always been big on searching for the silver linings. So, right now, I was telling myself that I did care for this monster. I did feel intimately comfortable in his presence, and I did want to know him better, deeper, intimately. Calix was a monster, but as of tomorrow, he was just as much my monster as I was his prey.
Chapter 6
I awoke early to the sounds of voices filtering into the room from the open doors of the balcony. The sky was colored in shades of pinks and oranges that were streaming in through the sheer bronze curtains.
I blinked, curious about the voices that were really quite loud, obnoxiously so, for the time of morning and then I stilled. I remembered, not quite sure how I could have forgotten, that today was the day I was marrying Calix McKnight.
My blood ran cold and I stiffened beneath Calix’s warm weight. I was lying on my stomach with one leg lifted out to the side and Calix was sprawled against my back, his leg hooked upward with mine. It didn’t seem to matter which position I fell asleep in, by morning, Calix never failed to be completely wrapped around me.
Knowing that if I were to try and move, I’d wake him, I didn’t move. I needed a moment - or maybe I needed a few moments to wrap my mind around the events that would without a doubt transpire today. And what happened after today? What would we be doing? Were we going on a honeymoon? How the hell hadn’t I thought to inquire about this?
His deep voice startled me when he spoke. “Relax, love.”
“You’re awake.” I stated dumbfounded.
“I am.” His hand slipped beneath my stomach, tightening his hold on me as though suspecting I wanted nothing more than to run. “Been awake for a while now.”
“Oh,” I mumbled and then tensed as I remembered that he didn’t like that word. “Um, I - um,”
“Nova,” Calix spoke my name slowly. “Calm down.”
I buried my face into my hands as the trembling set in, infecting every inch of my body. Calix moved his body over mine, pressing little kisses over the skin of my shoulder and back. Jeez, if these were what people called wedding jitters or cold feet or whatever, then I didn’t know why the hell they went ahead with the ‘I do’s’. I was freaking terrified!
I gasped. “Calix,”
“Love,” he replied soothingly.
“Please,” I whispered. “I need air.”
He stiffened, before finally pushing away from my back. I didn’t wait for him to fully release me before I shoved myself up onto my palms, darting off the bed. I was running, naked, to the balcony. Oh, but goodness graciousness, I needed air!
Just as I reached out to push through the bronze curtains, I felt thick arms wrap around my waist, slamming my back into a very hard front.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Calix growled against my temple as I shook, like a leaf, in his arms. “You’re fucking ass-naked!”
“Oh God,” I gasped a deep breath of air. “Oh my God.”
“Nova?” The anger in his voice was quickly fading into something that sounded more like concern. Deep concern. So deep, one might even relate it to fear-filled worry. “Shhh, baby.”
My hands webbed over his, which were splayed across my bare belly. My fingers curled inward, my nails biting into the flesh covering his fingers. And then I gave a small, panicked cry - as I thought of everything I had lost in the past two weeks. I felt trapped. I was trapped - I knew this. My mind knew this and my body was aware - but I really felt it today. The air moving through my lungs felt thick - so dense, I couldn’t get enough.