He tosses me an annoyed look over his shoulder. “We’re making a statement today.”
I feel cold, like the blood has stopped moving through my body. I don’t move, I only sink further back against the door.
“Wear a nice dress,” he tells me. “Do your hair, put on makeup, play your part, Mik.”
“And if I don’t?” I question.
He gives me a stern look. “Don’t test me.”
My chest feels tight. I don’t have a lot of options right now. I’m lacking people who trust me, or even want me. If I run from him… he’ll just find me again. “It’s going to kill them.”
Doing what he wants will break my family, more than he already has. If I don’t do what he wants… My parents might lose their last daughter and I don’t know if they can take that either.
Neither option is a good one.
I rub a hand over my heart, hoping that the motion will soothe the ache rising in my chest. “I can’t.” I whisper, mostly to myself.
“You can, Mik.” He’s watching me through the mirror above his dresser while he finishes getting ready, rubbing cologne on his wrists, straightening his suit.
“Noah.” His name comes out whiny. Maybe I am whiny. I’m desperate. “Please.”
He whips around, his eyes burning a hole into me. He likes when I fight, but not about this. He wants me to listen to him, obey him, and I’m not doing that right now.
He’s making me choose, a choice between him and my family. Standing by his side will solidify that choice, and he knows it.
He picks up a small box from the dresser, rolling the thing in his palm while he thinks. When he does talk again, he’s vicious. “Put on a pretty dress, do your makeup, and wear this fucking ring.” He tosses the small black velvet box at me.
I don’t catch it and it falls to the floor, a soft thud hitting the hardwood. His eyes darken as he stalks over to me. He plucks the box from the floor opening it and pulling out the ornate diamond on a gold diamond encrusted band. The thing is huge, bigger than what I would have wanted if he would have asked.
“Put it on.” He growls, shoving the ring at me.
A sob lodges itself in my throat. “Don’t make me.” I whisper. Pleading with whatever shred of humanity he has left.
I loved this man in front of me at one point. Before, I think. Before, when it was easy. When being together was simple. Now, it’s hard. The lies, the past, everything is harder now. When I look at Noah Bancroft I only see danger.
For a while it was clouded, the danger was hidden beneath so many layers I mistook it for safety.
But I didn’t know then, what I know now.
I’m fisting my hands at my sides, the nails biting into my palms. I don’t know if I’m more afraid that he’ll force the ring on me or that I would willingly take it. He heaves a sigh, leaning forward and pressing his forehead against mine.
“Mik,” he whispers, his voice is deep and comforting to me. I have to work to not let myself fall under his spell again, because being under his spell is beautiful and warm and safe. It’s hard to separate the feelings of the past with the truth of the present. It’s hard not to let myself sink back into him. “I’m sorry things are like this,” he tells me. “You know I never want to hurt you.”
Somewhere deep down, I think that’s true. I alternate between thinking Noah’s a monster and thinking there’s a good person trapped inside that body.
“I need you,” he breathes. Warm lips touch my forehead, the featherlight kisses giving me goosebumps.
I hate when he’s sweet like this. It’s a trick, but my body responds to him. Heat traveling up my core from my low belly. My mind starts to switch tracks, starts to forget I’m in the presence of a monster.
His hands trace up the side of my body, my hands loosening as he grazes them. He leans down, kissing along my neck, under my chin.
“Noah—”
“Say yes.” He kisses my cheek, my lips, my forehead. “Say yes, Mik,” he whispers in my ear.
He lifts the ring up again, holding it in front of my face. No longer a threat, but a request.
Begrudgingly I extend my left hand for him, letting him slip the ring onto my finger. He kisses it once it’s there, then gives me a smug look.