Craving My Ruthless Ceo novel Chapter 129

Chapter 129

Anna’s POV

“I’m upfront about what I want from you, Anna.” He leaned back into the seat. “I’ve never lied.”

“And what is that?” I crossed my arms. “What do you want from me?”

“I want you to be mine.”

My breath hitched.

His? What did that even mean?

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The word was too vague and I didn’t know where I fit into it or what he expected or if I was supposed to just understand somehow.

“What does being yours mean?”

“It means I’m the only man in your life. You don’t see other people. You don’t go on dates. You’re mine in public and in private. Everything about you belongs to me.”

Heat rushed through me, but so did anger.

“Not surprised,” I scoffed. “Basically, I’m your puppet.”

I crossed my arms tighter. “What else?”

“Not my puppet.” He stood, closed the space between us, and his hand wrapped around my waist and pulled me into him. “My woman.”

My palms landed on his chest. His heart beat fast under my touch and I could feel the heat of him through his shirt. My fingers wanted to curl into the fabric and pull him closer, but I kept them flat.

We stared at each other. His eyes were darker now and the space between us felt electric. My body responded to his without permission and I hated how much I wanted him.

I forced the words out. “What else comes with being ‘yours’? So far, it sounds one-sided.”

“I’ll protect you, provide for everything you need. We’ll lay out terms that benefit both of us. Whatever you want within reason, it’s yours.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “Within reason?”

He paused. His thumb moved against my waist in a small circle that made my stomach flip.

“There are certain things I won’t be able to give you and I need to be honest about that upfront.”

“Things like what?”

17:32 Mon, Mar 2

Chapter 129

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He rubbed the back of his neck. “I can’t be the conventional partner. I won’t do holidays with your family. I won’t meet your friends for dinner. I’m not promising you marriage or children or the white picket fence dream. That’s not who I am.”

Pain spread through my chest and I felt stupid for even hoping. “So basically,” I was admitting it to myself more than to him, “I would just be your plaything.”

“No.” His hand cupped my face tenderly. “Our arrangement goes far beyond that.”

“How? Explain.”

“We share so much in common already and this would take us to the next level. There’s so much we could be together if only you’d trust me.”

“Trust you?” I almost laughed. “That’s a funny thing to ask for. I don’t even know if you realize the true meaning of that word.”

His thumb brushed my cheekbone and then traced down to my jaw. The touch sent shivers through me. “You can be sure of my loyalty to you, to what we can build together. I won’t betray you.”

My throat tightened. “Would you be my boyfriend?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.

His hand dropped from my face.

“You know I don’t do relationships, not the way most people do.”

“Then what do you do, Roman?” I broke free from his hold and stepped back. “Because all of this is confusing to me and I need to understand.”

“I’ve never dated.” He ran a hand through his hair. The strands fell back messy.

“I’ve never pursued a woman the way I’m pursuing you. I’ve put millions on the line for you, lost sleep, almost lost my mind. I stormed into a restaurant and dragged you out because I couldn’t stand the thought of you

with him.”

My breath hitched.

“That has to mean something,” he continued, rougher now.

“It means you’re possessive,” I whispered. “It means you want to own me, but it doesn’t mean you love me.”

“Love?” The word sounded foreign in his mouth. “I don’t even know what that is.”

The pain in my chest got worse and I felt like an idiot for wanting something he couldn’t give. “You’ve never been in love?”

“No, I just said that.”

“I’m not just talking about romantic love.” I moved closer. “Isn’t there anyone in your life you love?”

He pushed his sleeves up more and thought about it. “My sister. She’s probably the only one I’d do anything

17:32 Mon, Mar 2

Chapter 129

for.”

…

“And the rest of your family? You don’t love them?”

“I care about them in a way.”

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“Roman, can’t you hear how abnormal this is? How could you not love your family, your mom even?”

He turned his shoulders slightly away. “You have no idea about my family dynamics, so please stay out of it.”

It was obvious I’d struck a nerve.

I walked to meet him. “Let me in. I want to know everything about you.”

He took a step back.

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

His eyes narrowed. “That’s another part of the rules. I won’t share personal details about my childhood or my relationship with my mother. You’re forbidden to ask about that.”

“Forbidden to ask about your childhood?”

“Those are the terms.”

“Well, it’s important to me to know about your childhood and your relationship with your family. I won’t pressure you, but I need to know that you’ll eventually tell me.”

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