Bleeding Heart (Captured Miracle Book 2)(31)

“Love,” his eyes were tortured. “I’m telling you I’m sorry for everything I put you through and have yet to put you through. I’m sorry that you were the one caught in the middle of this, but now that I have you, I won’t let you go. I can’t let you go - and one day, I know you’re going to hate me. I just hope that you will find it in your heart to forgive me.”

He cupped my face in his large hand and I felt my body still. My breathing wasn’t easy and I felt so awfully torn inside - because I knew what his words meant. I knew what he was telling me - that he still planned to take revenge on my father for actions I still did not understand. I heard his words, I understood them, but I couldn’t accept them. I still had a month to make him love me enough to choose me over his need for revenge. I still had time to show him that forgiveness is the only way he will find the ability to heal the scars my father left in his wake.

“Calix,” I leaned into his palm. “I need you to kiss me.”

Surprise flashed in his eyes, but it didn’t take long before he’d reined in his shock and leaned down to press his lips against mine. Like always, his mouth against mine banished all thoughts, insecurity, and every fear from my mind. I was left completely open to him and I let him see into me as I kissed him with all the passion I had inside of me - my kiss speaking words I couldn’t manage to voice. When he pulled back, his eyes were filled with emotions I had yet to see in the cobalt depths of his eyes.

“You’re beautiful, love.” The sound of his voice was coarse. “I knew you were beautiful when I watched you, learned you for two years. But I didn’t know you were this beautiful. I didn’t know you were so innocent. I never guessed, for even a moment, that you were so pure.” His lashes fanned his cheekbones as his eyes fluttered closed and he breathed in deep. “I never thought you could mean so much - that you would ever become my most precious belonging.”

His words were a bittersweet kind of beautiful that I felt in my heart and in the corner of my eyes where the wet of my tears stung. He thought I was beautiful - and there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that he cherished my innocence - my purity - because it was my innocence and that very purity he now possessed to do with as he pleased. He owned me. I may be precious to him, but I was still nothing more than his belonging.

Calix lowered himself into the seat across from me as the plane began to move and I struggled to restrain my tears as I smiled at him through the soft sheen of moisture in my eyes. I was in love with this man - this monster who owned me heart and soul. And I knew, that even to save myself, I wouldn’t run from him.





Chapter 10

“Another glass of champagne, love?” Calix asked from where he was seated across from me. He’d dimmed the lights low, and we’d drank as we talked about sweet nothings. In the back of my mind, I continued to hear his words, and it was those words I was trying to drown as I held my empty glass out to him.

“Please.” I said softly and I watched as he poured the liquid into the glass.

He raised a brow as he watched me bring the glass to my lips. “Have you ever drunk to the point of inebriation, Nova?”

I shook my head, because I hadn’t. I had never, not in my twenty-one years, gotten floor-licking drunk. I’d also never had the desire as I did now. “No.”

“I think this will be your last glass, love.” He said firmly. “I don’t want you to have a headache tomorrow.”

“Okay.” I replied as I turned to stare out the window at the navy infinity of sky beyond the window. We’d been flying for hours and although I hadn’t been told the time, I knew by my internal clock that it was very early morning. I was exhausted both mentally and physically.

Placing the glass to my lips, I took a long drink until there was nothing left to drink in the glass before handing it to Calix. I could see by the scrutiny in his eyes that he was worried about me, but he also wasn’t going to say anything. And that was a good thing, because I didn’t think my drunk mouth was really all that tight-lipped. I didn’t want to say something I would later regret. I was tired, my eyes were heavy, and my mind felt fuzzy and a little dizzy. There was no doubt in my mind that I was drunk.

Yep, I was floor-licking drunk.

Calix unfolded from the seat across from me with the glasses in his hand and he walked away. I didn’t think too much on it as I allowed my weighted lids to close. And then I was asleep.



My body shifted. Something hard and warm moved against me and I groggily opened my eyes to see Calix. I was in his arms and he was walking - where?