Chapter 5

He started following me around every minute of the day. He doubled the security at the estate, acting like I would run off with a man at any moment.

He constantly reminded me how fake other men were, claiming they were all scumbags who only wanted one thing.

On top of that, he became overly attentive.

When I woke up, the toothpaste was already on my brush. When I came home, he immediately took my bag.

He used to protect me, but he at least had boundaries. Now, his attention was getting suffocating, making me feel like we were in some twisted honeymoon phase.

Until tonight, when he knelt on the carpet to take off my heels.

I finally reached the end of my patience. I lifted my foot and pressed it against his chest. "That's enough!"

Knox stopped. He tilted his head back slightly against the pressure of my foot. In the dim light, it was the first time I looked down at him.

His open silk shirt revealed his chiseled chest, exuding raw sex appeal.

I took a deep breath to calm down. "What exactly are you trying to do?"

"Take care of you." He looked serious. "I must not have done a good enough job before, which is why you want to replace me."

What? Did that sound like something a brother should say?

But Knox didn't think there was a problem. He kept outlining this crazy future.

"What's wrong with keeping things the way they are? The family's power is stable. If you don't want to deal with the outside world, we can go hide away on that private island."

"Just the two of us, settling down by the beach. You can do whatever you want."

"Everything a husband can give you, I can give you too."

His deep, raspy voice outlined the exact future I had fantasized about countless times.

But I couldn't let myself fall for it. All this devotion was built on the fact that he didn't know how I really felt.

"No." I cut him off coldly.

I looked straight into his dark eyes. I had never been so serious.

Looking at Knox, I spoke slowly. "Because I'm a normal woman, and I have needs. I want the touch of a real man. I want real intimacy."

Knox's face went blank. I pulled my foot away, stood up, and took a step back.

I prepared to use the thing that disgusted him the most to push him away. "So drop this brotherly act and stay away from me."

Knox shot up and grabbed my wrist. His palm was scorching hot, like a brand.

I looked at him in shock. I thought I would see a look of disgust, but his eyes were burning with a jealousy fierce enough to swallow me whole.

But the next second, he switched back to his familiar smirk. "Eden, if you have those needs, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Now it was my turn to freeze.

His massive frame leaned down, trapping me in his shadow. I stumbled backward until my back slammed into the heavy door.

He leaned in. I could smell the faint scent of cedar on him.

He lowered his head, his hot breath brushing against my neck. I looked up and saw a layer of dark stubble on his jaw. He smirked.

"Because I have them too."