Chapter 211
His gaze lingered on her delicate features, the soft curves of her lips,
the flutter of her lashes as she glanced down, perhaps trying to
process what had just happened. The thought of her innocence, her
purity, only heightened the intensity of his feelings. She was
untouched, untainted, and the idea of being the first man to truly
claim her sent a surge of possessiveness through him that was almost
overwhelming.
His thumb brushed against the back of her hand, the gesture
deliberate, calculated. He wanted to memorize every detail of this
moment–the warmth of her skin, the way her breath hitched ever so
hu
slightly, the unspoken tension that hung between them like a charged
wire.
When she formally agreed to be his wife, everything would change.
He could kiss her, hold her, begin to show her the depth of his
devotion. Maybe tonight, in the privacy of this suite, he could start to
bridge the distance between them. Not fully–not yet. Isla was a
virgin, and Graham was resolute in his decision to wait until their
wedding night to truly claim her. But there was so much they could
explore in the meantime, ways to draw her closer to him, to deepen
the bond that was already taking root between them.
The image of Isla on their wedding night flashed in his mind, vivid
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Chapter 211
and tantalizing. He could see her standing in the bedroom at Thornfield Manor, bathed in soft candlelight, nervous yet beautiful in a delicate lace nightgown. The innocence in her eyes, the way she would look at him with a mix of trust and anticipation, sent a wave of desire crashing over him so strong it took all his willpower to remain
seated.
Graham couldn’t stop the amused chuckle that bubbled out of him at
her question. “You’ll give me the loan, then?” she asked, her tone
tentative, her voice laced with uncertainty. She had no idea,
absolutely no idea, the magnitude of what he was willing to give her.
Here she sat, nervously fidgeting with her fingers, asking for a small
loan, while he was ready to lay his entire empire at her feet. Thirty
billion dollars, the Thornfield estate, his name, his life–everything
he had. She wanted a loan, but he wanted to make her his queen.
The sheer innocence of it only made her more endearing, and Graham
shook his head with a low laugh. “No, Isla,” he said softly, leaning
forward just enough to capture her attention fully. His gaze locked on
hers, intense and unwavering. “I’m not giving you a loan.”
Her expression faltered, a flicker of disappointment crossing her delicate features. It made his heart clench, but only for a moment,
because he was about to change her entire world.
“What I mean,” he continued, his voice dropping into a deep, steady timbre, “is that you’ll never have to feel that way again. Like you
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Chapter 211
don’t belong. Like you’re a stranger in your own home.” He leaned
closer, his hand finding hers on the table again, his touch deliberate and firm, claiming her in the smallest of ways. “Thornfield Manor can
be yours, Isla. Just as much as it is mine. It can be ours.”
He let the words hang in the air for a moment, his gaze never leaving
hers, watching every subtle change in her expression. She looked
confused, her brows knitting together as if she didn’t quite
understand where he was going. But he did, and he would make sure
she did too.
almost a
“If we get married,” Graham said, his voice softer now, whisper, “if you become my wife, Thornfield Manor will be your home again. You’ll never have to feel like an outsider, Isla. Never again.”
Her lips parted slightly, and for a moment, she seemed to stop
breathing. He could see the disbelief in her eyes, the way her mind
raced to process his words. But he wasn’t done.
“You said something last night,” he pressed, his tone more
commanding now, his grip on her hand tightening just slightly. “You
said you felt like you didn’t have a family anymore. That you didn’t
belong anywhere.” His other hand reached out, brushing a stray curl
away from her face, the intimacy of the gesture deliberate and
charged. “You don’t have to feel that way anymore. I can be your
family, Isla. As my wife, you’ll always belong to me.”
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Chapter 211
The last words were spoken with a possessive finality that sent a
shiver down her spine. He didn’t just mean them as a promise–he
meant them as a declaration, an unshakable truth. She would belong
to him, in every sense of the word.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
