Chapter 16

Sixteen

XAVIER

Finally, I have her. She won’t truly be in it until I get a ring on her finger and a little Xavier in her belly. We’ll name him whatever she wants. But my DNA will drip from her cunt every single night. There won’t come a day when she’s not filled with me. And once I start getting her pregnant, there won’t come a year when she’s not until she can’t anymore.

It’s difficult to admit when I’m wrong, probably because it’s an event so rare I’m not used to it. But I fucked up. My mistake was underestimating her, just like everyone else does. Not anymore. Somehow, she’s forced her way inside me as much as I need to be in her. I’ll make a family with her even if she doesn’t want it now. Earning things is so overrated.

I take because of what was ripped from me.

Marissa won’t have to want for anything. I’ll be the best boyfriend, the best lover, the best husband… I’ll satisfy every whim that crosses her mind before it even does. I know her. Better than she knows herself.

Her taste, her scent, her laugh. Her dreams and goals.

The way she slightly holds her tongue while studying. When she thinks I’m not paying attention and she scans my face to read my expression. A tiny scar I found on her right ankle from the first time she was shaving. How she forgets her umbrella on rainy days. When she’s almost out of her favorite chocolate. It’s all I think about.

Classes have always come easy. Logic, math, data. I’m a natural. “Business acumen” is what my father’s colleagues would say. It just makes sense.

Boring.

This woman is anything but. And I’ll spend the rest of my life getting to know her and anticipating her every move.

It’s been a few months of being a couple, which is good for me. The time has allowed me to understand her habits better. Like when our alarms go off, I pretend I’m still sleeping, but I actually watched her for most of the night. I have to in order to make sure she’s getting good rest because she kicks off the blanket, then gets these little goosebumps everywhere. My job is to tuck her back in.

Every morning, I wake her by ravishing her pussy with my teeth and tongue until she comes, then finish inside her before we share a shower together. Once I memorized what products she uses at her place, I bought them all in bulk and put them on the shelves for her to use here. Hurriedly, I finish up first, so I can prepare her an omelet in the manor kitchen just the way she likes it, then carry the tray up to my room.

“Here, beautiful. You want yogurt today?” I ask, tapping on the bathroom door frame as she finishes putting on her Yves Saint Laurent mascara (shade black) in the mirror.

Pausing, she gives me a smile through the reflection. “Mmm, that sounds perfect! Yeah.”

Figured. On the third week of her cycle, she always seems to crave yogurt or some type of weird cheese. Setting up the dishes on my study table, I pour water for us and scan my phone for any updates. Nothing in weeks. Maybe that’s a good thing.

“God, this is so perfect,” she says, taking a bite of her breakfast. “You spoil me.”

“Not enough.” Taking a sip of water, I shovel in some food myself, then ask, “How’s your advisor meetings with Ms. Savitri been working out?”

“Absolutely amazing. I still don’t know why someone so famous came to Northview, but she’s helped me gain so much insight into my projects.” She gives a little laugh, then swallows a bite. “I’ve started to see things the way she does and notice differences in my light composition. For once, I feel excited to showcase Choices.”

Reaching across the table, I stroke my thumb over her hand. “You should be. It’s impressive.” Gretchen Savitri was a tough one to encourage to join the staff at our university, but after I showed her Marissa’s work, she was interested. It also helped that after she agreed, I paid her a ten-year salary in cash up front to move immediately. Nice lady. And one whose work Marissa has admired for years.

“Did you know she asked me to call her Gretchen? Like we’re friends! Last week, she said my project was ‘a subtle whirl on common themes’ and even left a comment underneath the wood photo that said, ‘sparkling in its use of natural light’ and ‘raw with fresh emotionalism.’ I really feel like I’m improving.”

Watching my woman sparkle with pride is all I’ve wanted for her. To feel special. To recognize what an absolute treasure she is. No one else can compare.

I’m so fucked.

Now, instead of trying to destroy her, I’m saving her pieces and putting them back together.

Or maybe it’s the other way around.

“Dinner with Mom tonight?” I ask, pulling on my jacket. After breakfast, I drop her off at the fine arts building while I meet Big G at the gym. Marissa and I reconvene for lunch before afternoon classes, then again to study together in the library. If I don’t take her to a fancy restaurant for dinner, then it’s her parents’ on Wednesdays, though her father has been absent lately. That’s going to be an issue soon.

“Yeah…” Hesitating, she reaches for her bag, but I snatch it first and throw it over my shoulder, then lead her by the hand to the garage. “Um…I’m sorry Dad hasn’t been around. He says he’s been really busy. You know, with work.” Her deep green eyes enthrall me as she waits for my approval of her. It’s my favorite thing about her. How very willing she is to please me. And how obedient she is. My cock thickens as I help her into the passenger seat, then buckle her seatbelt for her.

“That’s okay.” Placing my lips to her forehead, I close her door, then slip behind the wheel. “We’ll catch up another time.”

Maybe he’s just as aware as I am how much we need to avoid each other. Now that things have changed, my plan has fallen apart and reformed into something different. For the first time in a long time, I feel out of control.

My leash belongs to the kitten sitting next to me.