Page 65 of Under Your Scars

“I know what you meant,” I snap back. “I get it. I just…I hate feeling like a burden to you and a price tag to him.”

“You’re not a burden to me.” He takes my cheeks in his hands and makes me look up at him. “You’re my everything, and I just want you all to myself.”

“What if he wants something stupid like ten million dollars for me?”

“Then I’ll have ten million less dollars but something that’s worth a hell of a lot more than that.”

He always knows the right things to say to make my entire body tingle. He always talks about me like I’m the most precious part of his life. He leans down to kiss me softly. “If I’m not back by the time you get off, Gavin will take you home to pack your things. You’re going to love Greece, and I have a surprise for you when we get there.”

“A surprise? What kind of surprise?”

“A big one.”

Dissatisfied with his answer, I playfully huff. He kisses me again and then leaves. I finish out my day by sending the last of the rejection emails, scrolling through Instagram, and taking an extra-long lunch. Dating the CEO has many perks, but it feels sleezy to waste my days away doing the bare minimum when I’m trying so hard to build my career. I probably shouldn’t make a habit of it and try to find some real work to do.

I call Gavin to pick me up early, and he takes me home. I check what the weather is like in Greece in October and pack accordingly. Looks like the temperature will be pretty mild, so I pack some jeans, a few nice dresses, a jumpsuit, and a couple sweaters in case it gets chilly. I find my passport buried deep in a box in my closet and make sure to put it in my purse for easy access.

My phone dings with a text message.

Christian: It’s done.I’ll pick you up tomorrow at 6.

Me: Too early.You better bring coffee.

Christian: You got it,gorgeous.

Me: Which part of Greece?

Christian: Mykonos.

Me: Mykonos! I’ve always wanted to go there!

Christian: Then you’re going to love the surprise.

There isn’t a single part of him that isn’t insanely perfect. It’s so unfair. I don’t even think he realizes just what an amazing partner he is. I don’t know how I got so lucky. I’ve only known him for a few weeks, but at this point, it feels like the life I had before him was a prologue and I’m dying to turn to the next page to start the rest of our fairytale.

“What’s got you so smiley, angel?”

I let out a startled scream and turn on the floor. I clutch my hand to my chest and suck in several deep breaths, trying to catch my heart before it leaps out onto the floor. I blink up at the Silencer, looking down at me with an amused glint in his eyes.

“Jesus Christ, you asshole! You scared the shit out of me! What the fuck is the matter with you?”

“Oh angel, you don’t know how much I miss hearing you pretend you aren’t happy to see me,” he teases, and my eyes roll so far back in my head it hurts. “I’m here because we have unfinished business and you’ve been avoiding me. You wanted to talk, so here I am.”

“I changed my mind,” I tell him, cocking my head to the side and giving him a seething scowl. “Now get out.”

“Not how this works, angel,” he says, kneeling down to cage me between his legs. I lean so far back to get away from him that I’m flat on the floor and he’s holding himself over me by his elbows, barely supporting his weight. I struggle to breathe as his massive frame crushes me. “Tell me.”

“I want something in return first.” His eyes widen in playful excitement. I push on his chest but he doesn’t move an inch.

“You’re negotiating with me?” he asks. “Okay, I’ll bite. What do you want, baby?”

“I want you to leave me alone!”

He laughs menacingly. “No. Try again.”

“Fine,” I sneer. “Tell me your real eye color, then. Give me a part of you that no one else has.”

He stares at me for a long while, as if to question himself how I know he’s wearing colored contacts. “You don’t get it, do you? You have every part of me already.”