BILLIONAIRE'S POSSESSION: A DANGEROUS CRAVING

r 5: I

IA'S

yself to let him go yet. I was still the good woman he needed me to be. I

l was he treat

ealized that there were gaps in our lives that we used to

otice when Mildred walked in till she bumped

ing water hit my skin. The teacup slipped from my hand and I watched in h

ek. "She attacked me! Aunt Beat

already descending upon me, her face twisted with ra

s expression one of shock and revulsion

the room with fury blazing in his eyes.

utterly at a loss. How could I mak

reddened foot. "She threw the cup at

ounding on her. "You poured

ck. "I will not have this sort of violence and discord in m

ed to speak. When he finally found his voice, it was low and dangerous. "

d even as the words left my lips, but I couldn't h

d and unflinching

laughter echoing behind me as I hurried down the hall towards the back door. My skin

errace when Derek appeared, slamming the

t sort of explanation do you have for your monstrous behavi

"It was an accident, I swear! She threw that

eet, gentle Mildred acting with such violence unprovoked? It's

of my protests. "But I love you, Derek! Surely you

weighing the truth of my words. "You claim to love me," he said at last,

ek, please, you must believe how much you mean to me. These months together,

just a fraction. "Do you

allen completely, desperately in love with you, Derek. Let me show you, properly, with

w set in a hard line once more. "It's too late for that now. Aft

a bucket of ice water. "Wh...what? No

treated my family, the people I cherish most in this world." He paused, shame flickering in his eyes. "And perh

feelings for me were...were less than genuine?" I could scar

the very ground had fallen away beneath my feet. This...this passion between us that I'd poured my hear

fting my chin, I struggled to compose myself. "Ve

didn't want to hear it. Turning on my heel, I strode back towards the d

words playing on an agonizing loop inside my head. By the time I regained some semblance of coherent thought, I

my heart and soul to Derek. Clearly, our love--if one could even call it that on his side--was never meant to survive. Not with Mi

ings for me were as hol

so sure of the connection between us, so convinced that I'd finally discovered the once-in-a-lif

d conversations over candle-lit dinners, stolen kisses in secl

ring completely. Derek had made his position clear, no matter how heart-rending his r

rang be

rtment. Now." E

e out...I just wanted

nt you. He only wanted someone that would fill the vo

ay anything I he

chen to get the door and then the next thing was Mildred

ront of her was Estefan, looking as majestic as his name. His hair was neatly jelled to

He said simply, leaving n

know Estefan from somewhere? "Do come in though,

more than enough to send chills down a person's spine. Mildred turned

id I d

at I quickly hid. With sudden fury b

the rest of the f

ce asked with interest in her eyes. Derek looked at him with perplex

ke to stay for dinner?" Aunt Beatric

ting me from the ground. I yelped, stunn

to put me down. His grip on me tightened as

? Cause I own her from today." The way his tone lowered sent shivers down my spine. Eve

r." Derek said, stepping forwar

inister in them, I knew it held a warning

e house. "You are the most stubborn headed bird I've

eat, then entered from the other side. He took my wounded hand

m to death." His tone lowe

ght the sight of a gun and that stunned me in more ways than not. I looked

down, you cut off his wings firs

lexed. What does it h