Page 146 of Corrupted Pleasure

She nodded, her throat bobbing and tears shone in her eyes.

“Same,” she rasped.

“I trust you, Davina.” It might be stupid but I really did. “The Russians are coming, and they’ll come after everything I care for.” Our relationship shifted quickly. It wasn’t just sex but trust was there too. “I have enough money. No strings attached. You take what you need for your school. I just want you and my family safe.

“You are overprotective.”

“You got that right.” I wouldn’t apologize for keeping my family safe, and I knew she appreciated it. She might have liked giving me a hard time about it, but she liked being protected. “I want to keep you safe.”

“Don’t worry, my hubby,” she teased affectionately. “I appreciate your protectiveness. And if someone ever attempts to kidnap me, I’ll throw you bread crumbs.”

“Bread crumbs?”

“A trail for you to follow,” she clarified.

“I know what it means, Céile. But if you pay attention to the fairy tales, you’ll remember that bread crumbs are eaten.”

Davina chuckled in disbelief. “I didn’t mean it literally. But if you want to be specific, let me think about it.” She got quiet and she hummed for a few seconds. “Okay, I’ll drop pieces of my clothing.”

I frowned at that weird logic. “Clothing?”

“Yes, I’ll drop my bra. My panties. Maybe my socks.”

I growled. “If you’re kidnapped, you better keep your clothes on. I’ll always find you. And I’ll kill the fucker who dares to take you.”

She chuckled softly. “Well, that’s intense.” She thought I was kidding, but I was dead serious. “How about you? If someone kidnaps you, how will I know where to find you?”

Her question surprised me. “You care enough to come for me?”

“Of course! Now tell me how to find you,” she demanded. “If someone kidnaps you.”

“Baby, if someone kidnaps me, it means I’m dead.” Because I’d never let anyone take me alive. And my enemies knew it. Either they’d be dead or I’d be dead.

“You better not be dead.” Her soft voice trembled. “I didn’t marry you just to become a widow.”

“Not even death will keep me away from you,” I growled. “Every inch of you is mine. In life and death.”

“Aye then. In life and death, I’m yours.” I grinned at her agreement. I loved when she gave in. ”Let’s just talk about lighter subjects like us practicing the act of making a baby,” she rasped softly and damn if my cock didn’t jump at the possibilities.

I stifled a chuckle. My wife had a peculiar way of changing the subject. But I loved her suggestion.

My wife would be waiting for me at home. For the rest of my life.

CHAPTER56

Davina

Iyawned, exhaustion heavy in my bones. Needless to say, I got only a few hours of sleep. Wynter got even less sleep.

We’d been at this for hours. It was almost eleven in the morning and I was eager to get to Liam, then head to see my grandfather.

But Wynter begged for another ten minutes, and I couldn’t deny her. Wynter was nothing if not a perfectionist. Though something was off. She was stressed as fuck and it was showing in her skating. As always, she woke up at four in the morning. Went for her regular jog. Then she did Pilates and a workout session. By eight o’clock, she was ready to head to the rink.

We’d piled into the Jeep and then headed for Northwell Health Ice Center. It was where the New York Islanders practiced and they were more than familiar with Wynter’s long figure skating career.

She’d been skating for the past two and a half hours. She worked on her technical elements - jumps, triple Salchows, spins, more jumps. But more often than not, she’d fall. I had seen her skate for the past four years and have seen videos of her skating since she was a kid. She rarely if ever fell. Yet today, it kept happening.

Another fall.