The Alpha Prince And His Bride
Book 3 The Alpha’s Substitute Bride – Episode 10

~ISABELLA~

Turn.

Look at me.

Look. At. Me.

I said the words in my head but somehow I felt like Hunter could hear it. I felt my heart begin to race as his body shifted and he finally did what I’d been chanting in my head for the last couple of seconds.

Everything moved in slow motion then. The clouds shifted in the sky, the trees swayed against the gentle breeze and Hunter’s dark gaze came down on me hard.

I felt my body begin to shiver as his grey eyes turned almost black. I’d never felt so naked in my entire life like I did right now. His gaze started at my feet and slowly travelled up my body. My legs shook as his eyes reached them and lingered a bit at my bikini line. I couldn’t stand still. His gaze swept over my body like I was his next anticipated meal. A meal that he planned on devouring whole.

I tried to keep a straight face but it was very hard to do with the way Hunter looked at me. If I ever had any doubts that he ever desired me, they were all gone now. There was no way that he didn’t want me when his eyes shone the way that it did right now.

I didn’t know why this always happened but I could feel everything around me slowly begin to fade. It started with Bruce disappearing followed by the trees and then the pool. It didn’t stop until it was just Hunter and I left.

My breath hitched as his eyes finally connected with mine. There was so much heat and desire there that I was scared that my entire body would erupt in flames.

I couldn’t understand this thing between us. Even though he was so far away it still felt like his hands were on me. The feeling was so strong that I actually believed that he was somehow touching me from where he was standing. I was also sure that if anyone tried to touch me right now they would get burnt or shocked . . . Or both.

And then out of nowhere a loud growl tore from Hunter. My entire world shattered, reminding me of the reality in front of me. His entire body was stiff and he looked like he would explode any second now.

He never took his eyes away from me . . . Not once. And then he started to walk in my direction. There was this determined look in his eyes that forced a shiver down my spine.

He was now inches away from my body. Both of us were panting so hard that one would swear that we’d just ran a marathon. Hunter’s eyes searched mine for answers that I was sure even I didn’t know.

“Get inside.” He whispered harshly, breaking the silence between us.

I looked at him, like really looked. My eyes took in his disheveled hair, his torn shirt, the frown on his mouth.

He was a little too calm for my liking. Somehow it felt like the calm before the storm and I wasn’t sure that I was prepared for it.

I squared my shoulders and faced him full on. “No.”

“Isabella.” He growled. “Know that you’re playing with fire and you don’t want to get burnt. Believe me . . . you don’t want to go down this road.”

God.

Why did his words have such a lasting effect on my body? I had to stop a m**n as well as my mouth from saying anything stupid. Something silly like ‘I want to get burnt as long as it’s from you’. Really, I didn’t know the limits when it came to Hunter. I was still learning about them as the time went by.

I shook my head, I couldn’t get distracted.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I felt like going for a swim and this is why I’m here. Where the pool is situated.” I lied.

A muscle ticked in his jaw and I felt like I was very close to pushing every single one of his buttons.

“I’m not going to say it again Isabella.” Hunter threatened. “Get inside and put on some God damn clothes.”

I put on my fakest smile ever and showed him that I was doing the exact opposite to what he wanted. I started to walk in the direction of the pool. I meant to drive him completely insane and I didn’t plan on stopping until I achieved my goal.

Everything happened so fast after that. One minute I was walking away from Hunter, holding my ground and the next he had me in his arms and we were climbing up the stairs two at a time.

I was aware that my a*s was in the air considering he had me over his shoulders and even though I knew I was playing with fire, I still had my reputation to look out for.

I slapped my hands against his back. “Put me down!”

He didn’t say anything. In fact, he didn’t even budge from the pounding against his body. It did nothing to him, I wasn’t even sure why I was trying anymore.

“Hunter!” I shouted. “I said to put me down!”

I didn’t want to make too much noise and draw anymore attention to us but he wasn’t listening to me.

“I warned you Isabella. Now stay there and stop talking.” He growled.

After a few more attempts of trying to escape his strong grasp on me I finally decided to give up. It was no use, my strength was no match to Hunter’s.

As we neared our room door, he pushed his foot forward and kicked it open. I pressed my lips together as he dropped me onto the bed.

I tried to get up but couldn’t when he pushed me back down with his body. His two hands were pressed onto the sheets and his face was inches away from mine. I could feel my pulse pounding along with b***d drumming against my ear. There was this uncomfortable silence between us and I wanted it to go away.

“What is it that you want from me Isabella?” he whispered with a pained expression on his face. My lips parted from his words and I think I forgot how to breathe.

There were many answers to that one question. The truth was that I didn’t want just one thing from him . . .

“Do you want to drive me f*****g insane?” He demanded before I could answer his first question.

I was startled by his sudden change in tone of voice. If I was being honest, that’s exactly what I wanted to do to him.

“Or is it that you enjoy showing your body to me?” he questioned as one of his hand travelled up my legs. I shivered from the electric heat of his touch. “I’m still very much a man Isabella. Be very careful of what you’re trying to stir up. If you cross the line, there is no turning back. I take what I want and I don’t stop until I’ve gotten it all. Believe me, there would not be a single inch of your body untouched when I’m done with you.”

My breath tangled in my throat and I had to gasp in order to breathe again.

He gripped my shoulders with both hands and shook my body while his eyes dug into my soul. “Answer me. What is it that you want from me?”

I glared at him. What did I want?

I wanted a husband that was loyal to me. A man that wanted me. A man that wasn’t still in love with his ex-wife. A man that belonged to me and didn’t feel the need to turn to his mistress at night. A man that adored and loved me. I wanted the man in Hunter that I knew was hidden deep down inside of him.

There was so much that I wanted to say but for some reason the words couldn’t come out of my mouth.

Hunter frowned when I didn’t say anything. I tried to push his body away from me but he wouldn’t let me. His hands clamped onto my wrist and held them still.

“Let me go.” I hissed. “I refuse to be intimate with someone that runs to his mistress and sleeps with her when he already has a wife!”