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“We’ll arrange safe visits, then.”
“They may be too difficult or come too late.” The refusal in Marrok’s tone is steel.
“You stubborn warrior! You’re risking her life to spare your pride. If I hadn’t learned how to hide from the Anarki, I would have been dead long ago. She is my daughter—”
“And she is my mate. Since you failed to acknowledge her for twenty-three years, why should either of us believe you now care?”
This arguing about me as if I’m not standing here needs to stop. “Marrok, I’ve waited my whole life to meet my father. If he knows how to hide from the Anarki, shouldn’t we at least listen?”
He stiffens. “You waited because he was too cowardly to come for you. Because he sent a letter instead of his protection. I will not put your safety in the hands of a man who feared his own mate’s wrath more than his child’s death.”
“He was trying not to bring danger to our doorstep.”
“More excuses. He was protecting his backside.”
“And what about you? When were you going to man up and tell me that we’re essentially married?”
Marrok’s hard gaze softens. “You were unwell, and I feared shocking you.”
“Wednesday, sure. Maybe even yesterday. Today, I’m fine. You just gave me excuses. Why should I believe you?”
“Because as your mate, I will protect you with every ounce of my strength and every breath in my body. Can you say the same of him?”
No matter how much I want Marrok, he isn’t with me because he cares. He only wants me to help break his curse. He only has sex with me because he can and because our mating makes it mandatory. He never once said he has feelings for me.
God, how stupid I’ve been.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Marrok
When we arrive back at the cottage, the silence is grating, even for me. Olivia has uttered not one word since we left the party.
She itches for a fight.
Bram’s dolt of a driver drops us in front of my dwelling, saving us the long walk. I actually looked forward to carrying my mate the mile-plus up the road to spare her little feet in those ridiculously high, sexy heels. At least I would have been touching her. Instead, she storms up the steps of the darkened house.
Given everything that transpired tonight, my innate sense of caution kicks in. “Wait!”
She refuses to even face me. “What?”
I band my arm around her waist and pull her back. “I must make certain the house is safe. I will not risk you.”
She wriggles free. “If you’re so damn worried, maybe you should have at least listened to my father. He knows how to evade the Anarki. But no, you had to be a proud jackass and assume you’re powerful enough to fight anything.”
I grit my teeth as I nudge her aside, unlock the door, and step into my cottage. I sense nothing amiss. Doubtful that Mathias’s ruffians can pass my magical line of protection, but just in case… My gut tells me we are alone, and instinct saved my life more than once when I was mortal. Still, better to look with my eyes, as well.
Silently, I ease into the house and flip on the lights, quickly checking every room and every wardrobe.
When I return to the entry where Olivia hovers in the open doorway, her face says she is even angrier.
Now that I am assured we have no uninvited guests, all I can think about is the way her red dress clings to her luscious tits. How long will she remain so angry that she refuses to remove her coat and rebuffs my seduction?
She plants her hands on her hips. “Are you even listening to me?”
“Aye, and I heard plenty about Richard Gray tonight. He knows not only how to evade the Anarki, but how to twist the truth. ’Tis convenient that he should take such an interest in you now that you know where to locate the Doomsday Diary.”
Olivia slams the door. “He just touched base with Bram again tonight. Richard had no idea that I know how to find the damn book.”
