“It’s browniecustom to kiss at weddings.”
Wrenching my eyes back up to hers, I finally let goof her arm.
Only toimmediately wish Ihadn’t.The loss of her heat against mine,ofhaving it no longer pressed against my palm,is doingunwantedthings to my stomach.Things Idonot have the luxury to feel.
“When Jace asks you if you wish to marry me, you will say –”
“Go to Niflhel.”Her eyes widen as she claspsa hand over her mouth.
Her fiercenessisannoyingly cute.I think about the other type of fire I can light in her eyes.The flames of passion –
“I’m sure I will once I die,”I snap,“but until then, you’re stuck with me.”I grab her bicep, telling myself it’sso shedoesn’tbolt rather than thedesireto feel her against me, to soothe the demanding need in my soul.“So when Jace asks you, you will say –”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“I know I will say, ‘No.’You don’t have to tell me, ‘Yes, that’s right’.”
I stare at her, my jaw ticking.How I wish Icouldgag her and force her to nod her head.But the marriagewouldn’tbe recognised then.Her title as queenwouldn’tbe recognised.And her signature, her very important signature,wouldn’tbe recognised.
Exhaling sharply, I look at Jace.It’shis fault I’m inhere dealing with this shit.I should be in my study while my brother acts as the stand-in groom.
Leaningagainstthe altar, he grinsat me.The bastard.
“I will only say this one more time –”
“Great.Then I’ll only have to say, ‘No’ one more time.”
Narrowing my eyes, I tighten my hold on her arm.Her skin burnsinto me, marking my soul, making me want this marriage for more than her signature.
Whichisstupid.And dumb.And maddening.
My lifemate or not –which she isn’t;fuck, Jace, get out of my head–shewilldie as soon as her sentencecomesdown from the Court.The best thing Icando for her, for the both of us,isto ignore themerely physicalpullbetween us.
My eyeslandon her lips as she mouthsthe word, “No.”
Leaning down, Iskimmy lips against her neck.I feelher shiver despite her anger.Feelher lean against me despite her fury.Browniesareall sex addicts.Their free-use cultmakes themready to go at the drop of the first innuendo.I grin, proud of myself forhavingrealised I can destroy all her thoughts with a kiss.
Trailing my lips up to ear, ignoring the demands of my own arousal to go down and not up,Imurmur, “Say yes, and I’ll let you peg me in a month’s time.”This is war, and I amnot above using the information my brothergavemeout in the hall.
She sucksin a sharp breath.Ilean back,watchingas herrose-pinkgazegrowshooded.But then she shakes her head.“Tell me what you did to Fabia.”
“What?”Why the fuck didn’t that work?A mole’s able to get a brownie’s gears going.Does she think I’m uglier than a mole?
“Tell me why she’s crying,”she presses.
Straightening, I frown.Thatiswhat allofthisisabout?For fuck’s sake.What a waste of time.“I was attacked,”I say.“She saved my life.But we don’t accept apologies for crimes here.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I slit one’s throat and stabbed another in the heart in front of her.Their heads were then cut off so they couldn’t be resurrected.They died for their treason.”
She pales.Swaysagainst me.
Grabbing both her biceps, Iholdher steady.
Ariennalooksat me –reallylooksat me– and Ihaveto fight the urge to glance away.Idon’tlike the judgment in her eyes.The horror.The disgust.The fear.The fear punchesa hole in my gut right up to my heart and gripsit with strong fingers.
