Chapter 113

[ALEX]

I knew Mia considered my house a hellhole, and while my job initially enthralled her—from initial disgust at the bloodshed to arousal at the sight of the gunman—she now seemed bored. Yes, bored. She eyed the patrolling guards with an unnerving normalcy, then looked at me and said, “I prefer the Whitlock house.”

Letting her speak so freely was a mistake. Dom, who'd followed us inside, snickered, quickly covering it with a cough when I glared at him. I'd given him too much freedom as well.

Bored or not, she wasn't leaving. Life settled into a routine. A month had passed since she moved into my room, and she'd adapted. We dined together; she spent her days annoying Lana and baking. Lately, she'd requested gardening tools from the staff, and I awaited her pouty lip-demand for seeds.

We had sex. A lot of it. Some days, after a rough day, I'd fuck her against a wall, on the kitchen counter, in the dining room—wherever, whenever I pleased. And Mia loved it. She took me completely, like a good girl, her eyes still alight with arousal, begging for more.

That look, her messy hair framing her face, was my eternal damnation.

She wasn't as discreet as she thought. I tracked a call she made from my mother's phone. The girl followed for a week.

“Are you absolutely sure nothing came up?” I asked Dominic. He shook his head.

I blew air out in annoyance.

“She’s a pediatric critical care nurse, June Collins. Basic life. Lives alone, has a boyfriend of four years, and got engaged last month. He’s also fairly ordinary. Hospital to home, home to hospital. A few friends; I had the PI check them out. Everyone’s clean,” he repeated. “No connection between Mia and June except June works at Bakshi’s hospital.”

“There’s more, Dom,” I shook my head. “My gut says we’re missing something. I don’t believe Mia spent her free time visiting kids, and that she genuinely called June to check on them.”

“Want me to bring June in?” Dom offered. “She’ll crack.”

I considered it. I’d lie if I said the idea hadn’t crossed my mind, but June might be related to Mia, and hurting her would affect Mia.

“Try to access the call recording from the company,” I instructed, “and visit the hospital tomorrow. Mia said she frequently visited. Get the CCTV recordings. I need to know which kids she visits.”

He nodded. “Anything else, sir?”

“No, I’m heading home.”

Actually, I couldn't wait. Since Dom confirmed this Nurse June was clean, I’d been eager to get home. I wondered if June was somehow connected to Mia’s boyfriend, and she called her out of caution in case I discovered the call.

Dom said that wasn't the case.

Mia didn't have a boyfriend.

She’d lied.

And I was going to fuck the living hell out of her—to remind her never to lie to me, and maybe as a reminder of who she belonged to. Today, tomorrow, every day.

She was a witch. A temptress who’d infiltrated my mind like a plague, haunting every thought. My obsession reached the point where the idea of someone else touching her drove me insane.

Mia was my possession. My magnum opus. Mine.

I found her in the dining room, setting a place at the table, seemingly pleased with her napkin work.

I cleared my throat, and she turned, surprised.

“You’re here early,” her eyes narrowed, disappointed I arrived before she finished setting the table. “Why?”

“I didn’t need your permission,” I mused, turning to Lana. “Leave us alone.”

She nodded, accustomed to this, and left.

Mia gulped, biting her lip. “What’s going on?”

“You lied to me,” I walked toward her, watching her face drain of color.

“About wh—what?”

“About having a boyfriend,” I hissed the word like poison. “You don’t.”

“I told you I don’t,” she mumbled. “You didn’t believe me.”

“Why lie, Mia?” I asked softly, standing before her, my knuckles tracing her skin from her temples to her chin.

“You said my life was vain. I wanted to show you it wasn’t, and that I’m not a loner.” She mumbled sheepishly.

“You lied,” I repeated. “Regardless of the reason, you lied. You’re not allowed to lie. Understood?”

She nodded.

“Use your words, cupcake.”

“Yes. I—I understood.”

“Who lies? Bad girls. And you’re not a bad girl, are you?”

She shook her head.

“Do you like it when I call you my good girl, Mia?” My hands traced her back; I loved watching her shiver, as if it were the first time.

“I—I do,” she whispered.

“Will you lie to me again?”

“Only if you insult me again,” she mumbled, still offended. “Like calling my existence vain.”

“Your existence isn’t vain because it’s mine,” I scowled. “And if you defy me, I will fuck the defiance out of you.”

Her eyes twinkled.

“You like that.” I shook my head, using my knuckles to lift her chin, our noses almost touching.

I unbuckled my pants, watching her shudder, that tempting look in her eyes—the one that made me lose control and become animalistic. “Are you taking the pill every day, cupcake?” I asked.

She nodded.

“Good.” I flipped her over, her back to me. She gasped as I took her hair in my fist, bending her over the table, pressing her ass against my erection. “Because I’m going to come inside you. I’m going to mark you, Mia. You can forget about any other guy ever touching you again.”

She shuddered, rubbing her ass against mine.

“Should I do it, Mia?” I asked, leaning close, my breath on her ear. “Should I come inside you?”

She nodded frantically. “Mark me. Make me yours.”

“There’s no ‘like’ about it, Mia,” I smirked. “You are mine.”