Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Julian
Wynn stared at the folder, not making any move to open it.
I knew his feelings about tying himself to me.
He didn’t love me, not yet, but I knew he would.
This life, this world was different than any he’d ever known.
He’d watched me kill a man, and I would have killed Corey if Wynn hadn’t stopped me.
And that was another thing—he’d stopped me.
Never had anyone been able to curb my urges.
Wynn Carter was special, and I’d have him forever.
I pushed over a pen, but he simply glared at it. “Can’t I just sign an NDA?”
“There’s one of those in there too, but you have to understand, in order for my father to risk the crown and for it to be legal, you must be my partner to wed.”
“Even though I’m innocent and in time that would be proved?”
I sighed and pulled the file closer to him. “I don’t know that it would.”
“What do you mean?”
“Ridgeway knows he’ll never be able to pin Rona’s death on me. It’s likely what’s frustrating him so much and making him desperate. You, however—he’d be able to make that work. It’ll hurt me, and maybe he hopes he’d get me to do something irrational.”
“So he knows I didn’t do this, but will pursue it to upset you?”
“Yes. However, if you’re protected by the crown, that can’t happen.”
He blinked. “That’s not justice, Julian. I mean I didn’t murder her, but let’s say I did and you were still interested in me, would you still be doing all of this?”
“I would.”
“Why? That’s crazy.”
“Some would say I am, in fact, crazy, Wynn.” I reached over and took his hand in mine. “The thing is, I can’t let you go. The thought of you walking away or not being near me sends a kind of rage through my body. I can’t abide it, Wynn, I won’t.”
He bit his lip. “That’s either the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me or the most deranged.”
I shrugged. “A little of both, perhaps.”
“Hannah and Mark won’t understand.” He opened the file and picked up the pen.
“They love you. In time they will, and they are always welcome here.”
He sighed. “What about work, my family?”
“I meant it when I said you can move your family and friends here. As for work, if you love being a journalist, we could keep you busy, but as my partner you’ll have a full calendar.”
He furrowed his brow. “I will?”
“Absolutely.”
“With what?”
“Charities, events, politics, everything.”
“Oh.” He slid the first page closer to him. “I assumed I’d be like a kept man or something.”
I smirked. “I dare you to say that to my mother. She works harder than my father most days.”
I held my breath as Wynn skimmed the paper he’d read a few times now. He touched the pen to the contract and scrawled his name; he repeated the action with the rest of them. Once he closed the file, I took a fortified breath.
“I can take these to my father. Would you like me to ask Hannah and Mark to come in?”
He sat back, his shoulders slumped. “Might as well get this over with.”
I didn’t enjoy how upset Wynn was about all of this, but it had been inevitable. From the moment I’d seen him sitting at Penny’s Café in Lamdera, he was mine. He might be sad now, but I’d make him happy. He’d want for nothing, and no one would ever hurt him.
“I’ll go get them.” I pressed a kiss to the top of his head and walked out.
Father was in the sitting room with my siblings, mother, Hannah, and Mark. When I handed him the file, he nodded.
“Let me contact Louis and get these squared away.” He got up and my eyes met Mark’s, and he was glaring at me.
“Wynn would like to speak with you and Hannah.”
He didn’t say anything; he got up and stalked out of the room. He knew what the file held, and he didn’t want Wynn signing his life away. I got it, I just didn’t give a shit what he thought or wanted.
Mother regarded me. “He’s special isn’t he?”
“He’s everything.”
The room fell silent. My family had never known me to care about anyone or anything.
Wynn either terrified them or they were grateful to him, but it didn’t matter to me what anyone thought.
I was sure people on the outside looking in would have told Wynn he was nuts for signing those papers and that there was a way out of this.
They’d be right that there was, but what they wouldn’t know was, every time Wynn ran, I’d drag him back until he never wanted to leave me again.
“I’m happy for you.” Grace finally broke the quiet. “He seems nice.”
“Thank you, Grace.”
Father returned and informed me that Louis would be here in an hour to gather the file. He had to go prepare for his speech tomorrow. Mother joined him, and the siblings dispersed to do whatever it was they do.
With Wynn talking to his friends and everyone busy, I decided to do a little research on Ridgeway. I knew he wasn’t going to react well to any of this—I just wasn’t sure to what extent he’d go; therefore he needed to be watched.
“They hated that I wouldn’t be coming back with them.
I do too, I mean, Julian, I need to be able to go home sometimes.
At least to get my things. I have my best friend Seth there too, he doesn’t know anything that’s been going on here.
” Wynn and I were getting ready for bed, and he was going on and on about his conversation with his friends.
“Of course you can see them, and they can see you. You’re not a prisoner. But until things calm down here, you must stay.”
“Yeah…” He dried his face and walked out of the bathroom.
“Wynn.” I followed after him. “I’ll give you an amazing life.”
His smile was sad. “I had an amazing life, Julian, and I’m not saying this won’t be great. I just don’t feel like it was my choice, and I need to be okay with that.”
He slid under the covers, and I waited for him to settle before shutting off the lights and joining him.
He was turned away from me. That wouldn’t do, so I slid one arm under him and flipped him to face me with the other.
He squawked. “Jesus, Julian. You could have asked me to turn around.”
“Listen to me, Wynn.” I rested a hand on his cheek. “You’re my world. I can’t explain it or make you understand what you just breathing does for and to me. No one has ever had the power over me that you do. I’d destroy empires for you simply because you asked, and I’d never question it.”
“But why?” His voice was a whisper, and it didn’t escape me that there were tears in his eyes.
“You’re asking me, someone who rarely understands emotions—let alone feels them—why it is a person has burrowed their way inside my mind and body?”
He chuckled. “When you put it like that, I guess it would be hard for you to explain to me. Can I ask, was it instantaneous?”
“Yes. The moment I saw you in the café, I knew my whole life had changed. I didn’t understand it, and it confused me, but I was able to push that aside.
And whenever I’m with you, it’s so quiet, calm, everything in my head goes numb.
On the other hand, I know you have the power to make me feel everything. ”
“But you don’t feel emotions like others, right?”
“Not like others, no. But anger is one I am married to for sure.”
He placed his hand atop mine on his cheek. “Maybe we can work on you not being angry anymore.”
He was adorable. I knew it would mean the world to him if that worked.
“We can try.”