Page 56 of The Predator
Turning my attention back to the car, I continue walking until I’ve reached Elyse. Then I tug open the door and help her inside before climbing in behind her. I can still hear my pulse thundering in my ears, a mixture of adrenaline, and rage leads me.
The driver pulls away, and I glance towards Elyse, realizing she’s not buckled in yet. Shifting, I grab the seat belt and fasten it quickly.
She peers over at me, her eyebrows pinched together with confusion. "Why did you do that?"
"I wanted to make sure you’re safe."
"From a car accident? The speed limit is twenty-five all through town."
"Not particularly. Mainly, me.” I lick my lips, eyeing her once more, my mouth watering as I take in the milky white flesh of her legs. “You have no idea what I want to do to you right now. That fucking dress is driving me crazy. I want to slice it off of you inch by silky inch. Pull back all the fabric and kiss every inch of your skin."
She gulps loud enough I can hear her. “Uhhh, okay.”
Needing something else to focus my attention on beside undressing her and fucking her like a mad man in the backseat I gently pull her wrist up so I can inspect her flesh in the low light.
A ball of anger tightens in my gut. The skin is bright pink where her father touched her, but I don’t see any bruises. "Did he touch you anywhere else?"
She shakes her head. "He didn’t have time. You came out before he could get much more than a few nasty words in. What...was he talking about… when he said the deal?"
I sigh and scan her features, the makeup, the hairstyle. "Did you go out with Drew like this?"
She huffs, no doubt at my change of subject. "No, of course not. Bel had me change before I came to get you so we could...you know...show a united front."
Gently I slick a lock of her hand between my fingers. "She's a smart one, my sister."
"She definitely is, but so are you. Smart at evading. Tell me the truth. What…what was the deal about?” she presses.
Shit.I don’t want to lie to her, but I don’t want to send her into a spiral of feelings, either. "Nothing. It's nothing."
She swats my hand away and leans into the door away from me. Shaking her head, she stares at me with disappointment. "No, you don’t get to do that. You can’t just say it’s nothing, when I know it really is. I’m tired of being left in the dark, Sebastian.”
I meet her eyes now, smoked out from the makeup. Fuck, she’s so pretty. Even with tears in her eyes. "Look, I don't want to talk about it. It doesn’t matter. He doesn’t matter. Whatever deal he was offering wasn't something I'd ever consider, so it doesn't bear talking about. I can’t share something with you that I know nothing about. That’s how little I care about him, and what he has to say."
She wraps her arms tight around her middle, and turns to stare out the window. "I want to believe that but I can’t. Is therereally any point in all of this if you don’t intend to tell me things? You keep saying we’re a team, that we need to present ourselves as a united front.”
"Yes, and we do. We are."
"Well, it doesn’t feel like we’re a team. If we were, I wouldn't be sidelined by things my father says. I’d be prepared. I’m your wife, the person you’re supposed to trust no matter what but you can’t even trust to tell me something so small, something that has nothing to do with you at all?”
I turn to face her more fully, tucking my leg beneath the other. "Anything that has to do with you has to do with me. I'm trying to keep you safe, Ely. I made it clear from the beginning: your safety is always my priority. Over your feelings, over my feelings, over everything."
"So we aren’t a team? I don’t get a say? You'll make the decisions and I’ll just be expected to follow along and play the good little wife when you need me."
I huff out a breath and scrub a hand down my face. "I don't expect you to play anything. I expect you to be my wife, and that's it. Let me take care of you, keep you safe, and spoil you. Let me give you the life you've only ever dreamed of having. I want to be a team. I want to confide in you and I will, but when it comes to protecting you, both physically and mentally, there is nothing I won’t do.”
It's her turn to huff, and I watch as her breath fogs the glass beside her. After a few moments the tension between us eases and the pressure on my chest lifts. I want to say something, anything to make things better but I don’t know what to say.
"We cooked dinner." She announces, her voice cutting through the silence.
A smile tugs at my lips. Elyse is strong, determined, and stubborn as a mule, but she’s not stupid. I know she wants to be independent, her own person, and to make her own choices andI hope someday I can loosen the reins on her but for now I’m grateful she’s letting me lead the way, letting me protect her.
"Oh yeah? I didn’t know you could cook. What did you make?”
“Idid not make anything. Drew and Bel made tacos. I cut up the veggies, but it doesn’t matter. It’s probably way too cold to eat now.”
Reaching for her, because any time my skin is touching her I feel a sense of calm wash over me, I gently caress her arm. "It’s not a big deal. I’ll toss it in the microwave and heat it up. I’m sure it will still be delicious.”
“Yeah, I guess. You didn’t tell me on the phone why he arrested you.”