Page 71 of King of Ruin

"You just described an arranged marriage with extra words."

Tilting her head, she shrugged innocently.

"So..."

Her grin widened.

"Arranged bride."

Xavier slowly inhaled through his nose.

The muscle in his jaw flexed.

"Juliet."

"What?" she asked, completely unbothered.

"You know I'm right."

He pinched the bridge of his nose beneath his silver glasses before lowering his hand again.

"How," he asked slowly, "do you even know about her?"

Juliet looked positively offended by the question.

"What kind of question is that?" She laughed. "Did you seriously think you could hide something this juicy from us?"

She pointed at herself with one finger before swinging that same finger across the deck.

"Look."

Elise followed the direction of her hand.

Near the railing stood an elegant brunette in a fitted crimson dress, one hand resting around the arm of a tall, handsome man dressed in a navy suit. The couple were in the middle of a conversation when the brunette happened to glance over, offering Juliet a small wave.

Juliet waved enthusiastically back.

"Our husbands," she said matter-of-factly. "They tell us everything."

She lowered her voice theatrically.

"They're absolutely hopeless at keeping secrets."

Xavier closed his eyes.

For exactly one second.

Then he muttered under his breath,

"Goddamn childish assholes."

He released a slow breath, his hand slipping away from Elise's waist before dragging it down his face in visible frustration. His fingers lingered over his mouth for a moment before he rubbed his forehead, looking every bit like a man questioning why he'd ever befriended anyone.

When he looked back at Juliet, his patience had clearly worn thin.

"Stop gossiping."

His tone left little room for argument.