As I watch the way he looms overmy wife, possession in his stance, lust in his eyes… I know exactly who that mistress was.
I don’t care that we have an audience. I don’t care that Alex’s party is going on around us. I just see the way that he’s cornered Annaliese, as though he has theright, and all I can think about is getting that fucker away from her.
Dallas needed to talk to me about… I don’t fucking know. Some bullshit. The last time I looked over here, Annaliese was talking to my brother. Alex is an ass, but I know better than to think he’d ever hit on my wife. I told him he needed to go over there and thank Annaliese for all her hard work, and that was probably what he was doing.
But the next time I looked up? She was being talked down to by a middle-aged lawyer who was just itching to get my boot up his ass.
I cross the room quickly, not paying attention to anyone I bump into, just in time to hear him say, “—done playing these games, sweetheart. You will unblock my number. You will get into my car. You will come home with me, and if you’re lucky, I might buy you a diamond to replace that cheap-ass band on your finger.” He leans in, so close I want to grab him by the back of his jacket, yank him off of her. “Take it off, sweetheart. Let’s see if you’re finger’s green.”
Oh, youfucker.
If anyone is buying Annaliese a ring, it’s me. And he knows damn well that the Order rings are solid gold. Impractical but pretty, like so much of the Order of the Owed, but I’ll replace that, too, if Annaliese wants something else.
There isn’t anything I won’t do for her—including saving her from this creep.
I sidle up behind him, working hard to pull a charming, easy-going smile to my face. I’d rather not beat the shit out of Ward in front of Annaliese if I don’t have to. Playing the same old part, once again becoming cocky Bas Reynolds, I tap Ward on the shoulder.
“Excuse me. I’d like a moment with my wife.”
The older lawyer turns around, ready to tell me to fuck off. Trust me. I’ve had more than enough people hunch their shoulders, sneer their faces, and give me the same order in a derisive manner. Something in my own expression seems to bring it out in them, but by the time he looks up at me, the words die on his lips.
Yeah, asshole. I’m a good four inches taller than you.
Suck it.
His jaw works. I widen my grin.
And then he spits out, “Wife?”
Oh. That’s what caught his attention. He had no idea that Annaliese ismywife. Not really surprising. I do my best to stayout of the Order, Annaliese kept our wedding small, and she sure as hell wasn’t about to send a ‘I got hitched’ memo out to the prick who hurt her.
I nod, then because I’m an asshole, too, I hold up my left hand, making sure he can’t miss the matching wedding band on my finger.
“Reynolds. You must be joking. It’s not bad enough you ruined one life. Now you’re taking Ms. Crawford down with you?”
What a fucking bastard. Of course he had to throw Julie in my face… but to make it seem likeI’m the one who ruined Annaliese by marrying her?
Because damn right, dickhead, Ididmarry her, and I remind him with a smug, “Mrs. Reynolds.” I tap my ring again. “She took my last name. Didn’t you, love?”
Annaliese looks from me, to Eric, and back. She has a ‘deer in headlights’ expression. I nod at her, letting her know I have this.
Eric glares at me, blowing air out through his nose. “The Claiming ceremony is in August. And, forgive me, I was under the impression that Ms. Crawford had her Offering status revoked.”
Annaliese flushes.
I want to throttle this asshole.
Keep it cool, Bas. You definitely got this. “A special dispensation from the King. I wanted to marry her. She said ‘yes’.” Well,Isaid ‘yes’, but he doesn’t need to know that. “The King gave us permission. Even attended the wedding.”
Ward moves toward me. I could dodge him, but I choose not to. I need Annaliese to know that I’ll stand up for her, and that includes standing up to this bully.
He jabs me in the chest, speaking through gritted teeth. “Your name won’t protect you, Reynolds. Just because you finally fell in line?—”
I slap his hand. “Fell in line? What does that mean?”
“Alexandre stepped down. Everyone knows it.” Ward jerks his hand, gesturing around him. “That loser is thirty, no Offering in sight, and no hope he’ll choose a bride in August. But you… you must have finally realized that the only way to survive in this town is to play along with Order politics. Take an Offering…”
He snaps his head back, searching for Annaliese. She hasn’t moved an inch, and it takes everything I have not to shove him away from her as he bears down on my wife again. “Only you weren’t one of those, were you, Annaliese? You were demoted.”
