Chapter 44

44

Edward

"I’m not who you think I am."

"So you keep saying."

"I can’t be redeemed, Belle. There are things in my past, things I've done, things which were done to me… Things that cannot be undone."

"Tell me, Eddie, I want to know everything. I can help, Eddie."

"And if I don’t want you to?"

She swallows.

"If I don’t want to share them with you, what then?"

Her features pale, and her eyes take on a hurt look. And when she glances away, it’s as if the sun has been hidden by an eclipse. A-n-d this is me. The bastard who cannot help but hurt her. I saw her at Angarrack, witnessed the happiness on her face, her friendliness as she spoke to that woman. Her exuberance as she skipped along to take a picture in front of the lights.

And then, I came along and spoiled it all. I was suspicious of that woman, of everyone near her. It's ingrained in me to be cautious, and she’s right; it's because of the incident. Could I come out and tell her that? No. Could I have been more reticent, more withdrawn through the journey? Of course, not.

I thought I'd learn to lower my walls, to give in to her wants, her needs, to share my past, the events that formed me. I want to dig out my heart and lay it at her feet. I want to shatter the last remaining barriers around my soul and give her a peek. I want to show her I can be the kind of man she'll flourish with. The kind who will compliment her, who will be her partner, her other half. Who will not hold her back. Who will be worthy of her trust. I want…a present and a future with her. The kind I could never imagine for myself. I want her. Only her. And when she finds out what I’ve done to bring her to me, she's going to hate me. And I have to tell her everything. It’s the least I can do. If I were a better man, I’d let her leave me… But I’m not. Instead, I've brought her to the one place where it won’t be easy for her to leave.

"I’m sorry," I force out the words. "Sorry I hurt you."

When she continues to stare straight ahead, I run my fingers through my hair.

"This is who I am, Belle. I’m not the kind given to romantic gestures and?—"

"You took me to see one of the most famous Christmas light displays in the country when you couldn’t stand being there. You gave me your grandmother’s engagement ring. You picked out our wedding rings. You’re wrong, Edward." She stabs a finger at me. "You are the most romantic person I know. You know, instinctively, how to please me. If you’d only let yourself be and stop hiding behind that alpha-holish, brutish, don’t-give-a-damn-front."

I scoff. "I brought you to the middle of nowhere for your honeymoon. I don’t think that’s romantic."

"Is this place special to you or not?" She scowls.

When I don’t reply, she snorts. "That’s what I thought. Bet you’ve never brought anyone else here."

Again, I stay quiet, and she throws up her hands. "That’s what I mean. Your every gesture is romantic."

"My spanking you was romantic?’

"Yes."

"My withholding orgasms was romantic?"

"You promised you’ll make up for it when I earn them."

"My making you crawl was romantic?"

She swallows, then nods. "It was demeaning and derogatory and, it turned me on," she whispers.

"I didn’t hear you."

"It turned me on, okay?" she yells.

Satisfaction slithers through my veins. "What else turned you on?" I ask with interest.

"Everything. Everything you did. Everything you do. How you treat my body like it’s your possession. How you order me around. How your voice goes all deep and dominating when you order me around. How you eat me out like it’s your favorite dessert."

"It’s better than that," I admit.

"How you squeeze my tits like it's your favorite sport."

"It’s more thrilling, actually."

"How you look at my butt like it’s not disgusting."

"It’s not."

"But I’m so big. All my life, I’ve been teased about it. It’s why my stepmother and stepsisters didn’t want anything to do with me. They acted like I was contagious. Like if they ate with me, or spent time with me, they’d become fat, too."

"And if I ever meet them, I’ll set them straight. How dare they shame you like that."

"For a while, I thought I was contagious, too, you know? I’d hide in my room. I wouldn’t eat in front of anyone. That old thing about a fat person caught eating…" Her eyes gleam with unshed tears.

"And your father never did anything?"

"He was never around. He was drowning his sorrows in his work," she admits.

"Just for that, I should hold back from this merger. I shouldn’t transfer the funds he needs to save his company."

"No, don’t do that." She reaches out and touches my shoulder, and a shot of lust zips to my groin. I move away, only because if I don’t, I’m likely to unsnap her seatbelt and haul her over to me, and I don’t want to ravish her here, in the front seat of a car. Also, I wouldn’t be able to stick to my plan of edging her. I wouldn’t be able to hold back, and I must. I need to bring her body to the brink, and then hold back, and do it over and over again, so when she finally comes, the orgasm will be the single most moving experience she’s ever had. Which means, I need to hold myself back, too.

Her features crumple, and I know she thinks it’s because I don’t want to touch her, but that’s so far from the truth it’s laughable. I should set her mind at ease, but I also know if I don’t, when I finally touch her, it’s going to be doubly pleasurable. So, I school my features into a mask and narrow my gaze on her.

"Give me one reason I shouldn’t teach that man a lesson. A man who stood by and let your life be turned into a living hell. A man who didn't hesitate to barter you."

She winces again, then sets her jaw. "Because…I would never forgive myself if his business fell apart because of me. It’s his life. Besides, all of those employees depend on him for support. I will not be responsible for them losing their livelihoods."

I stare at her. And keep staring. The seconds tick by. She shifts in her seat, looks away, then back at me. Sitting here, in this enclosed space with her, her scent intensifies by the minute, and my cock extends by the second. My pants are so tight, I’m sure I won’t be able to walk properly, and I need to, if I need to get her in safely.

"Fine," I snap.

"Fine?" She blinks.

"You want me to go through with the takeover of your father’s company; I’ll do it."

Then, I push the door open and step out. Pausing only to adjust myself, I walk around and open the door to her side. "Coming?"