Chapter 129
[ 495 words ]
Chapter 129:
She placed her hands flat against his chest, trying to push herself up.
“The partition is up,” Caroline said, her voice slightly breathless. “You can let me go now. I know the move to your penthouse was inevitable, but I can at least sit in my own seat.”
Jarrod’s arm did not move. The thick band of muscle wrapped around her waist felt like a steel cable.
“No,” Jarrod said. His voice was a low, vibrating rasp that sent a shiver straight down her spine. “I prefer you exactly where you are.”
Caroline’s breath hitched. She looked up.
His face was inches from hers. The dim ambient lighting of the cabin cast deep shadows across his sharp jawline. His gray eyes were entirely black, burning with a raw, predatory focus that made her stomach twist into a heavy knot.
She swallowed hard, trying to force her brain to function.
“You said your team was already packing my things,” Caroline said, trying to regain a sense of control over the logistics. “Is the transition complete? Are we going straight to your place?”
A slow, incredibly dangerous smile curved Jarrod’s lips.
“Everything you own is already behind my security gates,” Jarrod replied softly. “We are going to our home.”
𝖶еeklу 𝗿e𝘭𝖾𝘢𝘴𝘦𝗌 𝗼𝗻 𝘨𝗮𝗹𝗻𝗈𝗏e𝗹𝘀.𝘤om
Caroline’s brow furrowed. While she had accepted the defeat back at her apartment, the reality of tonight’s gala had changed the stakes.
“I agreed to the move for safety,” Caroline said quickly, her voice rising as the weight of the evening pressed in. “But don’t mistake tonight’s performance for a change in terms. This marriage remains a tactical arrangement, Jarrod. Being under your roof doesn’t change the contract.”
Jarrod’s fingers suddenly clamped around her chin. His grip was not painful, but it was absolutely immovable. He forced her to stop struggling and look directly into his eyes.
“A contract?” Jarrod repeated, his voice dropping to a lethal, icy whisper. “Is that the shield you are trying to hide behind tonight?”
He leaned closer. His chest heaved against hers.
“Two hours ago,” Jarrod stated, his words hitting her like hammer strikes, “you stood in front of the most powerful men in Washington and declared yourself my wife. You didn’t just claim the title; you fought for it. You do not get to retreat into the ‘contract’ once the audience is gone.”
Caroline opened her mouth, but no words came out. Her lungs felt completely empty. He was using her own brilliant tactical defense to trap her in a corner.
“You are Mrs. Romero,” Jarrod said, his voice heavy with absolute possession. “And tonight, you proved exactly why you belong there. You’ve officially crossed the line, Caroline. There is no ‘tactical’ distance left between us.”
A violent tremor shook Caroline’s body. She was a highly trained operative, but sitting in his lap, feeling the overwhelming, crushing weight of his dominance, she felt completely defenseless.
“I’m not ready for this to be… real,” Caroline whispered, her voice cracking.
Jarrod stared at the raw vulnerability in her eyes. The hard, ruthless edge in his expression slowly melted away.
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