Then he’s leading me away from the remnants of the reception like I asked him to. Like it’s my choice. My heels clop on the patio as we move toward the side of the towering mansion where Priest and Luna spend their time when they’re not in the city. The world feels murky around me, all shadows wrapped in velvet, and I realize I must be drunker than I thought before I stood. How many glasses of wine did I have anyway?
“Did you drug me, Andriani?” I demand as the thought occurs to me.
It wouldn’t be the first time.
“Nope.” He pops the p, guiding me to a sleek-looking golf cart. “Get in. Your chariot awaits.”
Now I’m more confused than ever. “We’re leaving…in a golf cart?”
Although the light isn’t all that great, I can see the cart is far from the standard, boring issue that patrols the grounds of an average golf course. It’s got a sleek custom paint job, flashy wheels, and a monogrammed A on the hood. The seats are plush leather, and when I reluctantly fold myself inside, even I have to admit they’re comfy.
“The guesthouse is a few minutes away on foot, and in your condition, I don’t think it’s a good idea to walk,” my new husband explains wryly, circling the cart. “I’m not going to have you breaking an ankle my first day on the job.”
He’s being unusually nice. I squint at him as he slides into the driver’s seat, wondering if he’s drunk too. The reception was so packed with people that I lost sight of him for most of the night.
“Now that you mention it, I don’t know if I’m up for walking in these heels.” I grab a fistful of white silk and pull up my dress to show off one of the Manolo Blahnik pumps I’ve been wearing since before I walked down the aisle. “The driveway is a little uneven.”
Or maybe it’s all the wine I drank that’s making me loopy.
He punches a code into the keypad on the dash and glances over at me. “You’re not going to fall out, are you?”
“Of course not. Why would I?—”
He hits the pedal, and the smooth whir of an electric motor propels us into motion. I have zero grace, lurching forward and having to brace myself on the dash.
“Oof,” I say, scooting my butt back onto the seat.
Scorpion shoots me a look. “That’s why.”
We’re flying through the night, the din of the DJ growing fainter behind us. Part of me is relieved that this never-ending day is finally over, but the other part of me is nervous about what happens after. It’s our wedding night, and I’m well aware of the standard expectations. But this is different. We’re two strangers who were forced into marriage. And I may be annoyingly, uncontrollably attracted to him, but that doesn’t mean I want to act on that. Because I very much don’t.
I’m amazed by the lack of security out here in the country, where we’re surrounded by tall oaks and maples, only a driveway light stretched every twenty feet or so to illuminate the grounds.The darkness swirls around me, the stars even brighter now than before.
“Still awake?” he asks me.
I swivel my head toward him, glaring. “Yes. I was just thinking about how anyone could jump out of the bushes at any second.”
“You don’t need to worry about that. Security and cameras are everywhere.”
I squint into the darkness as the guesthouse comes into view. “If you say so.”
Guesthouse is a misnomer, because it made me think of a tiny, one-bedroom bungalow nestled in the woods. But the building we’re approaching is huge, made of stone, and would be better classified as a mansion than anything else.
“I know so.” He hits a button, and the garage door opens. “You’re safe here.”
I’m not safe anywhere. Not with Misha as Pakhan.
Scorpion drives the golf cart into the garage. It’s spartan and clean, the floor done up in some kind of effect that makes it look like marble. Heck, for all I know, maybe itismarble. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the Andrianis have deep pockets. The wedding they just threw in record time easily cost close to a million bucks.
We park, and the garage door glides closed behind us.
“I forgot my overnight bag,” I blurt, realizing only now that I abandoned it a long time ago in the room where I was getting prepped for the ceremony.
“It’s already been delivered.” He gets out of the cart.
I stay sitting where I am, not really wanting to move as long as the garage is spinning the way it is. Damn. I’m not accustomed to drinking much alcohol—it’s a rare treat. And I’ve obviously overdone it, the effect starting to kick in and making itself known to me.
“How efficient,” I mutter, annoyed that everything is perfect.
