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Later, she’ll see it for what it is.

Later, she’ll thank me.

Later, I’ll get to fuck my captive. The girl I paid for.

The girl I’m training to become a killer.

29

JAMES

Lying in bed awake at night is pointless.

Work. Plotting. Late-night meetings. There’s always something to do instead of lying in my bed, looking around the dark room. Doing nothing.

Only tonight I’m not by myself. I’m not really doing anything.

I have my bandaged arm wrapped around my woman. The one who cut through my skin. Who applied skin glue to patch me up.

I feel the weight of her leg across mine, her breath on my chest.

She gives meaning to my life that has nothing to do with work.

There’s a purpose to this moment.

Hugging her. Comforting her in her sleep. Keeping the world at bay while she’s dreaming. While she’s at her most vulnerable.

Who the hell is this person I’ve turned into?

Rain pelts against the windows. Harsh and unforgiving.

Nothing wakes her up. She doesn’t so much as stir while I protect her.

While I’m back to plotting.

Camden is the least of my worries. He’s less known than his father. Less connected.

Everyone welcomed him at the auction and in our firm because of Oliver. If he were to vanish off the face of the earth once Oliver is gone, no one would care.

His disappearance would be a news item for a week or two.

There and gone.

Oliver, on the other hand, they’ll hunt him down. They’ll be terrified of my reaction. Even more scared of his retribution, in case he resurfaces.

I stroke Ophelia’s soft hair. Her tresses part between my fingers. She snuggles closer to me, mumbling in that sweet voice of hers. She’s no longer scared of me. Nightmares about her big, bad captor have ended.

I welcome it, tightening my grip on her. I no longer need her constant fear.

When I’m balls deep inside her, yes. When we’re awake and need to be on the lookout for our enemies, yes again.

She can rest now.

I’ve got her.

While she sleeps, I run through the mental notes in my head. The list of people who most likely won’t overlook Oliver’s disappearance.

The NYPD officials and the police chief. The district attorney. A few FBI agents. Anyone who might pose a threat and take Oliver’s side.