The Assassin's Bride Ch. 05

"Wha-? Michael, I-"

"And make it good," he snarled into Carina's stunned, terrified face. When she hesitated, he brutally tightened his grip and she whimpered, hoping she'd have some hair left in the aftermath.

"I will get the dress right now!" he hissed, and Carina immediately shrieked as though the Devil had her, which wasn't so difficult to believe. In all her excitement with Gavin, she had completely forgotten the dress existed.

Michael staggered and released Carina as a swift movement flashed by them, immediately ending in a resounding thud. Carina gaped and Michael turned to stare at the thickset arrow protruding from the open front door. It was heavy-duty, and Michael seemed incensed by the sight of it.

"Loud and clear, Gavin!" he shouted. Striding to the door, he ripped the arrow free with an effort, taking shards of oak with it.

"And that was NEVER yours to use!" he screamed, snapping the arrow in two with brute strength before turning his fierce gaze to Carina, who stared back, frozen with fright.

Michael seized her wrist and cast her behind him, then turned back to the trees. Taking a deep breath to shout more, he thought better of it. Carina scampered into the mansion with Michael right behind her.

"Do you know what that arrow meant?" he growled, and Carina fleetingly missed the early days of her kidnapping, because she had never seen him so dangerously menacing.

"M-Michael, how could I possibly...?" she weakly protested, shrinking as his eyes travelled down her crumpled shirt and back to her guilty face. His features hardened and a muscle worked in his jaw when his gaze centred on her lush mouth, swollen from kissing.

"What was he doing with you, out there?" he asked with quiet malice.

"Nothing," Carina immediately lied, inwardly praying he couldn't prove her wrong. After a tense moment he seemed to register what was going on.

"I'm sure, Carina," he sneered. "But I won't punish you without evidence. Yet."

Highly antagonised, he began to pace the lobby. "That crossbow..." he muttered, raking both hands through his dark hair. "That weapon belonged to Tate." Recalling Carina's presence, he projected his anger toward her. "You're just loving this, aren't you?"

Carina shook her head innocently in another lie. If she had more courage, she would have laughed in his face.

"I will knock you up, if I have to," Michael threatened, but his voice tremored with an almost inaudible hesitancy.

Carina read his thoughts. A pregnancy would interfere with Michael's work, and he clearly wasn't ready to retire. But she wasn't going to call his bluff, and nervously edged back as he towered over her.

"Or would you prefer I get 'snipped', like Eduardo?" he whispered poisonously, as though daring her to suggest it.

Though Eduardo used protection with the women he cheated with, Michael was often made painfully aware how his target adored coming inside Carina. Knowing his brother's flighty nature, Carlos was horrified but also impressed by what he considered to be an unfathomable commitment to one special woman.

Forced to politely listen to Eduardo's explicit titbits about his sex-life, Michael despised the 'macho chats'. He struggled to feign a relaxed indifference when rage and jealousy bubbled inside him like a livid snake coiled to strike.

Though Michael obtained useful tips about pleasuring Carina, it was hardly a victory. She had also trusted him enough to share intimate details that he was careful not to react to. Recalling the seemingly endless trial aggravated him.

What on Earth was she thinking? How could a man not be aroused by those disclosures? Did she think he was gay? Remembering the wicked, sexy things Carina did with Eduardo, things that he could never force her to recreate with genuine flair, gave him a pounding headache.

"Get upstairs. Wash yourself," he tersely commanded, aware he might do something he regretted if she was in his presence any longer.

Relieved by the dismissal, Carina ran as fast as her loose sneakers could carry her. Michael's deep voice followed her up the stairs.

"If I smell him on you, God knows what I'll do!" he shouted.

Reaching her suite, Carina rushed to the balcony and peered out. But she couldn't see Gavin anywhere, and wasn't willing to be caught on the lookout by Michael in his current temperament. Carina went to shower, wondering who Tate was.

Though traumatised, she was immensely cheered by the fact her predicament seemed to be resolving itself. Gavin was going to rescue her. Even the knowledge that Michael would probably fuck her twice before bed didn't dampen her spirits.