Kaden stared at her pale fingers, where his ring sat comfortably. He rested his lips upon the side of her head, kissing her fondly. He liked the sight of the ring on her. It was a single piece of jewelry, but linked the two of them together.

  "Once the ring is secured from the auction, let's hold a ceremony," Kaden said in a low voice that struck a chord.

  Lina froze on the spot. She felt him going tense underneath. Opening and closing her mouth, she struggled to say something. Memories of his future played out before her like the flash of a horror movie.

  A woman sobbing before an empty altar. Blood on her dress. Bullets on the ground. Fire in the distance. And Kaden was not there. She was abandoned at the altar.

  "You left me at the altar," Lina suddenly said in a distant tone. "I told you before. The future that I witnessed."

  "Dove—"

  "I was kneeling in front of an empty altar, in tears with blood on my dress and the scent of gunpowder in the air. There was a fire in the distance, with shouting and screaming. You were nowhere in sight. I was abandoned."

  "You've lost your clairvoyance. Perhaps that future will never happen," Kaden firmly reassured her. His grip tightened on her waist. Even when sitting on his lap, she was shorter than him. He peered down at her eyes, shaky as a storm and frightened like a boat in violent waves.

  Lina could observe. She'd tell him what she wanted and he'd give it to her. He was always like that. When she asked for his love, he gave her materialistic things. He replaced what she truly needed with what the people thought she wanted. So, she could do nothing but gaze out the window.

  Lina liked the view from his office. It felt like she was on top of the world, but she also disliked it. Being so high up, she was struggling to breathe. There was no building in Ritan taller than this one. Not even the skyscraper created for tourists with an observation deck could meet Dehaven Conglomerate's heights.

  "I guess we have one similarity," Lina said to him after her prolonged silence.

  Kaden was watching her the entire time. Lina could never understand why he did that. He viewed her like a man who saw a goddess for the first time in his life. He behaved like he was ingraining her into his memory, as if he'd never see her again. That fear of his. It was irrational.

  Lina was never going to up and leave him. She never could. Even if she wanted to.

  "Which is?" Kaden pressed on.

  "Stubbornness," Lina responded.

  Kaden's jaw tightened. There was a dangerous glint in his eyes that told her he knew that as well.

  "You'll trust my word, but only believe it when it actually happens," Lina stated in a soft voice.

  Kaden gripped her chin and turned her head to him. "Look at me when you speak."

  Lina couldn't. She saw his future. She saw THEIR future. And he didn't believe her. Instead, he wanted to witness it for himself. And a little part of her wanted to as well. She never saw a future of someone where she was that involved. She wanted to see how everything unfolded, but was scared of the consequences. But never this man.

  Kaden was scared of no one. The world could burn to the ground and he'd walk through the flames for her. Her fingers touched his sharp jawline. She was hesitant, thinking he'd push her away.

  Kaden stilled. He was holding his breath, cursing inside his head. Her caress was like the stroke of a feather. He knew he needed to get his head on straight. From a simple touch, he was already hard. Throbbing, even. She touched him like he meant everything to her. Like he was precious. And he hated that feeling.

  "Where should we hold our ceremony, then?" Lina finally asked him.

  Kaden gripped her wrist, halting her finger to explore anything else. He'd physically snap if she stroked his cheek. His chest tightened from her slightest touch. He didn't think he was worthy of her love. Not after his betrayal. Not after the pain he had caused her.

  "Anywhere you want," Kaden said in a hard voice. "But there shall be a ceremony.? A traditional one."

  Ah, so he was a conservative man. A conservative man who fucked her in many positions and until the sun rose. She smiled to herself, finding it all humorous. He killed people without a blink, but never let blood touch her. He'd strangle a man to death and caress her with the same hands.

  "And I want to see you in a bridal gown."

  Lina laughed under her breath. She felt a lightness in her chest, relieved that they could hold a ceremony. Truthfully, she wanted one. A grand, beautiful wedding like the little girl in her childhood wanted. She envisioned castles, white gowns, wisteria flowers, and so much more.

  "There will be gunshots. Blood. Fire." Lina pulled her wrist from his clutch. He released her.

  "Let the bullets rain and I'll flow a river of blood in exchange," Kaden snarled, believing it was an intrusion to their ceremony. He'd kill the officiator if the man dared to say "if anyone objects to this marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace."

  "And the fire?" Lina asked.

  "Drowned by blood."

  "And abandoning me at the altar?"

  Kaden threw her a hard stare. Did she really think he'd let that happen to her? She must be crazy. Or blind. Or both. He couldn't tell. Not when she looked at him like a young girl in love. How could she peer up at him so innocently, and so damn sweetly? It was driving him insane.

  She was never prepared for the things she went through. But she prevailed. She always did.

  "I'd crawl down that altar for you, dove," Kaden growled…… "And I'd be damned to death by torture before I leave you alone."